By Desmond Walker | Education Project manager
News on the construction site!
In the last quarter of 2024, we again had significant changes to our construction project; On the one hand, the site was filled with filling material. This process included two deliveries of 40 cubic meters of sand filling material each. This measure is necessary to bring the entire site to the required height.
We were able to make further progress at the entrance to our new building. The side walls could be plastered and are now ready to be painted. This will create a great atmosphere when entering the school.
In addition, burglar-proof galvanized rods, as well as 6mm thick window panes were procured and installed in the kitchen, the washrooms, and the administrative rooms.
The sliding mechanism of the windows ensures excellent natural air circulation and protects the rooms from burglary.
Second delivery of furniture sponsored by Goki
Thanks to the generosity of Goki, we were able to order a second shipment of furniture. This includes a total of 150 student desks and chairs, which allow us to customize the classroom layout for all class activities.
The 150 chairs and tables (made of metal with high-density table tops) were delivered in October. However, the chairs and tables still had to be assembled. So we spent a day with our German visit to set it up.
During the exam week, our new chairs and tables were used directly in the new school.
Welcome back Annelie!
In October, Annelie visited us in Ghana with her friend Caro.
Annelie was happily welcomed to Ghana with a great reception from the students. Annelie got an insight into school life and visited every class. The students were able to ask questions of any kind and great conversations ensued.
In addition to the visit to the school, the construction site was also visited and the plan for the next few months was discussed. Annelie also took part in the excursion to Accra. In addition, new ideas for the school and other topics were exchanged with the teachers at a meeting.
During Annelie's visit, we also organized a soccer session together with our students. The teams, a fair mix of students, teachers, as well as Annelie and Caro, gave their all. Even the rain couldn't stop us that day.
We are already looking forward to seeing Annelie again at our 10th anniversary celebration in Ghana in August.
Our student body is growing!
Through the expansion of our new school building, we will also be able to expand the number of our students. In the course of this, we went through an application process in which we invited many children and their parents to join us.
Afterwards, we also visited some of these families at home to get a better picture of the situations of the children and families. Many of the children do not have the opportunity to attend school or go to schools where they cannot receive a quality education.
The conversations and visits have confirmed us and we can welcome many new faces to our rooms from the coming school term and can hardly wait to shape the school with them.
Benefit concert in Ahrensburg
Also this year we organized our annual benefit concert to collect further donations and to make the project even better known.
On November 10, a benefit concert for Arise took place in the Eduard Söring Hall in Ahrensburg.
The afternoon was accompanied by the NDR presenters Hans Jürgen Mende and Philipp Schmid. But also the films with musical contributions by the children of our school were received with applause.
The school choir had practiced diligently over the last few months and was able to perform three songs at once. On the one hand, the children performed an English song, which was accompanied by a dance choreography. There was also a Ghanaian song for the audience to marvel at. As a third song, to the enthusiasm of the audience, there was the German classic "Alles nur geklaut" by the princes.
In addition, we were able to inform many visitors about the status of the Arise school project with an information booth. Over coffee and cake, there were very stimulating conversations about it during the break.
In this good mood, Arise was not only able to collect donations, but also made many new friends!
Many thanks to everyone involved who contributed to this great event!
WELCOME TO OUR NEW SCHOOL!
On the 3rd of Febuary 2025 we officially moved to our new school. After a long christmas break we could finally start lessons at our new place.
Every class is now having their own Classroom, except of the Class 5 and the KG 1&2 class, which are sharing the dining hall for teaching lessons until all classrooms are completed. The new furniture, which was sponsored by Goki, gives our new classrooms a great look and creates a great learning atmosphere.
Each classroom is equipped with a pinboard on which every class has an individual timetable.
We can’t wait to celebrate our school opening together with the 10 year anniversary in August this year
WE DONATED OUR OLD DESKS AND CHAIRS
In January, we donated some of our old school desks to three likeminded schools in the community (St. Nicolas, Miklin School and a sister school). These desks allow two occupants use and are still in great usable shape; coupled with other classroom inventory they have been in significant use over the last couple of years and made possible our goal to provide a fit for purpose classroom space.
We believe our gesture would greatly cushion and assist the receiving schools to create more room for their beneficiaries. In total, we donated 16 desks, which can accommodate 32 students.
With the help of Goki Germany, we are able to replace the desks we gave out and enough for 150 pupils. With these new chairs and tables, each student now has their own individual seat, and makes is easier to change classroom seating to large, small, circular and semi circular group meetings.
PROGRESS ON THE A.E.F BUILDING PROJECT
Our first quarter of 2025 has seen tremendous progress on our building project, and gradually we are about 90% done with the first two phases and 65 % with the entire building.
- In the month of January we installed all the windows for three (3) classrooms and the Staff Office. With quite a size and its transparent form, these allow a lot of direct sunlight into a classroom and fairly great amount of aeration.
- Two (One each assigned for either males or females) out of the eight (8) washroom units are fully fitted and usable, with all compartments of the septic tank covered and sealed.
- Doors were fitted for one classroom, the dining hall space and the washrooms in use.
- Early February, we fixed the fans and lights for the first block and flood lights to illuminate the compound
- In the month of march we tilled the kitchen wall, floor, dining space, administration and corridors. These finished works change the outlook of the school already.
- Also in march, we laid the pipes and channels for electrical wires on the new block, and covered it all with a smooth screed to allow for the PVC flooring.
- Fixed a new gate at the main entrance to the campus to replace the earlier aluminum sheet-scaffolds.
- Presently, new doors have been ordered for the rest of the classrooms waiting on delivery and its installation.
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