Mission Accomplished! AAGHS Building Renovation Complete

Paramount Chief Awulae Attibruskusi III and other Axim leaders championed the idea of an academic high school for girls for at least ten years before we arrived in 2006. Finally, the town of Axim was able to launch the Axim All-Girls High School (AAGHS) in 2009, under the leadership of Headmistress Cecelia Bonku.

On May 21, 2012, AAGHS was officially absorbed into the Ghana Education Service as a fully-accredited high school, a wonderful achievement.

Mrs. Bonku went on to become the Health/Safety Officer for all Axim/Nzema East Schools, and AAGHS proceeded under the leadership of Madame Stella Adjei, Headmistress.

At first, they met in a former Junior High building. Then the Ghanaian government built classrooms and a “cookhouse.”
 

The former JHS building became administrative office space, teacher workroom, science lab, and home economics room. 



AAGHS Classroom Building. Plans are to add a second story
 

So, by early 2014, they had classrooms...BUT, something was missing!

The girls were sitting outside on the ground to eat their meals---the school provides three meals/day and the cookhouse is a busy place---too small to accommodate tables for dining.

...No place to eat their meals. No place to gather for “all school” meetings. No place to study between classes. No place to gather with friends to discuss….whatever high school girls in Ghana discuss!! (Probably about the same topics the world over!)

When Maryanne Ward visited Axim in Feb. this year, Western Heritage Home leaders and Headmistress Stella Adjei showed her a dilapidated (VERY dilapidated!!) building on the Axim All-Girls High School (AAGHS) campus.

They had consulted with a District Engineering staff member, who assured them the building was structurally sound and could be renovated for use as a dining/assembly/study hall!!??

We were skeptical...is it possible...???

SO, throwing all caution and skepticism aside (!) Ghana Together and Western Heritage Home designated renovating this old building as a major project for 2014.

The girls got to work, cleaning up the site!

 

 

Celebrating their cleanup day with tools in hand! Their enthusiasm spurred on the adults---led by Headmistress Stella Adjei (in blue shirt)

 

We are happy to announce:

!!Mission accomplished!!
 

Now it's the PTA's turn! They have committed to clean up and paint the inside and provide tables and benches. We hope to have photos of that soon.



AAGHS Students grouped in front of their newly renovated building

  

Rear of building

 

Ghana Together has worked with Western Heritage Home and the AAGHS staff on other projects. We moved the science room into the high school, in 2013 and continue to support it.

This year we provided another dozen or so laminated posters on various scientific subjects, added more scientific calculators to the 50 already given, and other supplies.

We provided a laptop for Madame Stella, an overhead projector for science transparencies, and a computer projector for teacher use.

We are currently working with Unleash Kids to provide Internet-In-A-Box (IIAB), since the school does have electricity (on and off...) and a new computer lab, stocked with notebook computers provided by the Ghana Education Service---but, it does not have internet access.

IIAB will give the girls access to research materials such as Wikipedia (in English, French, Arabic, and Swahili), Khan Academy Math and Science videos, and other resources.

Also, the Heritage Building (aka Children's Home...) now serves as a dormitory for girls attending AAGHS from other towns. There are 32 girls there now, and more freshman students are arriving in the next few weeks. Will there be enough bunk beds? Nice problem!!!

Yes, we are proud...so many have helped...we and our Ghanaian friends are grateful.