To bridge the gap between quality education and access to educational resources, a non-governmental organisation, Access To Basics Foundation (ATB), has donated 1,500 exercise books to the Akwane Dobro Presby Basic School in the Nsawam Adoagyeri Municipality of the Eastern Region.
Speaking at the donation ceremony, the founder and executive director of the organisation, Madam Sarah Ntoh Ashu Davis, stated that Access to Basics is a grassroots non-profit organisation that strives to eradicate poverty in deprived communities in Ghana and other countries in Africa and reduce gender inequality through the promotion of access to and quality education, reproductive, maternal, and child health, women’s empowerment, and livelihoods, including people living with disabilities.
ATB also fight against those cultural and social norms that discriminate against women and girls, through advocacy and policy influencing. She elucidated that supporting child education is one of Access To Basics’s priorities. She believes ‘education can transform, and empower lives’.
She, therefore, called on parents, governments, and all, to take part in supporting the less privileged people in the communities, especially in their educational development.
On behalf of the school, the headmistress of Akwane Dobro Presby Basic School, Mrs. Doris Nortey, recognised Access to Basics for coming to ease the challenges some parents are going through to get their wards exercise books for the academic year.
The Assembly Member for Akwane Dobro, Hon. Joseph Yaw Konnor, also stated his appreciation to the Founder and Executive Director of Access To Basics, Madam Sarah Ntoh Ashu Davis, for extending support towards education in the Akwane Dobro community and also called on Access To Basics to keep coming with their compassion services to boost education and women empowerment in the communities.
In a brief speech read by Mr. Joseph Twentor on behalf of the District Director of Education, he stated that it is always encouraging when NGOs like Access to Basics give back to communities to help address socioeconomic development issues in the area and that gestures of this nature build fruitful partnerships.
He advised pupil that when NGOs like Access To Basics come and offer a helping hand, they do not expect them to pay them monetary value but by working hard in their studies, always doing their homework and most importantly, respecting their teachers and the elderly in the community.
He made it known to the pupils that being afforded the opportunity to be in school is one of the greatest gifts that anyone can receive, and it is therefore important for pupils to use the opportunity to equip themselves with as much knowledge as they can.
In conclusion, Mr. Joseph Twentor thanked Access To Basics for the noble gesture and for putting a smile on the faces of these pupils, but most importantly, for making the lives of the people of Akwane Dobro a little better.
