HOCAP starts a school in a community with no school - Okushibri
In 2009 HOCAP established its first community school in a community that had no school. Children in this community had to travel over five miles to neighbouring communities to attend school. This left a lot of the children especially below the ages of twelve to stay at home. The community received HOCAP with joy and gave the Methodist Church to be used as a classroom to start the school.
In 2023 the school that was started with less than 50 children has over 700 children and the government has taken over the school and running it as a full government school. We are grateful to all our donors and partners who made this dream a reality.
Children Recieve School Uniform
Children within the school established by HOCAP received two sets of school uniform. Children are very happy to start school and wear school uniform for the first time within the Okushibri community. we want to say thank you to a donors who made this possible.
Learning Materials Donated to the Okushibri school
Children in school are provided with stationary and teaching aids to enhance teaching. Ghana library board in Tema donated books to the children in the school.
Feeding Children In School
children in the school are fed each day. This is to make sure these children are not malnourished. Children receive donations of food items in school.
Community Sensitivation on Education
Forums were organised in four communities, Okushibri, Adigon, Kpoiete, Nanoman. Sensitization in communities involved chiefs, assembly members, opinion leaders and the entire community. The purpose of these forums is to educate parents on the need to send children to school.
Donation To Okushibri School By Presbyterian Church Tema North District Children Service
HOCAP in collaboration with the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Tema North District children service donated exercise books, stationary and other educational materials to help support children’s education in the okushibri community
The Tema North District also donated plastic chairs to the children.
Progress of The Okushibri Community School
The Okushibri school which was started by HOCAP grew in numbers especially as the government absorbed the school and brought in trained teachers. HOCAP raised funds to advance as loan to the government contractor to roof the first three class room block to enable the children move from the Methodist church to the new school building The major donors to roof the school was Gladys a donor from USA and the Westminster Presbyterian Church. When the contractor was paid by the government the loan was paid back to HOCAP and used for other projects.
Payment of Teachers Salaries
HOCAP in partnership with the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Tema North District helped paid the salary of one teacher in Okushibri. Through our donors we also paid the salary of one teacher at the Kpoi-ete community.
Kpoi-Ete Children Receive New Uniforms Materials
HOCAP donated school uniform materials and other educational supplies to the Kpoi-ete K.K.D.A school. Children, parents and staff of the school were very grateful for the kind gesture and remain grateful
ICT Project For Children In School
HOCAP continued its I.C.T program within schools to bring technology to the doorsteps of children . With three I.C.T teachers in three schools running the HOCAP ICT program, over seven hundred children are being taught ICT.
WPC Abany together with Tema North District donates to the Okushibri school
Albany PCG together with the Tema North District PCG donated furniture to the Okushibri school.The school received furniture and books to aid learning and creating a conducive atmosphere.
Brilliant Children Receive Gifts
Children in the Okushibri school receives books. Attention is also paid to brilliant children to encourage all other children to study hard. All children are happy to receive books for learning.
Educational Donations from Partners
The Presbyterian Church of Ghana Tema North District donated funds to put in place doors, windows and white boards for the okushibri school A donor from Switzerland donated funds which was used to purchase stationary for the entire children in school in Nyitawuta community.
Westminster Presbyterian Church, Albany USA visited the Okushibri community, they provided funds to put doors and windows and shelves in one of the rooms in the school and started a small library. There were also donation of books to start the library form a student from the USA.
Nyitawuta Children Receive A Donation Of School Supplies From A Switzerland Donor
The Youth Also Received Some Stationary
Okushibri Youth Completes I.C.T Training And Received Certificate
Ama Agyapong volunteers and fund raise for a deprived community
Ama Agyapong worked both with the community school and the community members and did some fund raising from the USA, which enabled her donate some books and other logistics to the children in the Nyitawuta community.
Westminster Presbyterian Church , Albany and PCG , Redemption Congregation supports educational programs
HOCAP donated two computers, a laptop to the Okushibri community school. This donation was made possible by our partners- Westminster Presbyterian church, Albany USA. HOCAP also donated a printer to the school.
Teenage mothers vocational program was started after HOCAP had a menstrual hygiene program and realised there were teenage mothers in the community. Again the program was funded by WPC- Albany . After the menstrual hygiene program teenage mothers were enrolled in vocational training. Total number of people enrolled initially was 17, the project was started with 3 sewing machines. We are happy to say that the youth of the PCG, Redemption congregation bought 13 sewing machines and presented it to the teenage mothers when the YPG came to celebrate Christmas with the Nyitawuta community.
HOCAP also hired a trainer who agreed to stay in the nyitawuta community to train these young mothers in sewing.
Ernestina was supported financially in her SHS schooling.
Vocational Training
Computer Donation
Recreational Park 2021
HOCAP was fortunate to create a recreational park which has a number of sheds and seats for the entire community, the major aim was to get a place for the youth to carry out their learning activities.
The youth were involved in the building of the center. We are happy to say that this park was used for the various training we have had in the past two months.
Solar Light Provided At The Recreational Center For Learning Purposes
The entire Nyitawuta community does not have electricity, but HOCAP was fortunate to have four solar light installed at the recreational park. The park has become a learning place for the youth.
HOCAP has engaged two teachers who teach the final year students every evening using the park. Even some children from the neighboring communities come over to use the facility for learning.
Books Presented To Students
HOCAP visited the Nyitawuta community and realized that even though children were being prepared to take their exams in November , almost all the children did not have the required text books that was needed for learning. HOCAP supplied all children in grade 9 with the textbooks they required. Children in grade 8 were also supplied with text books, mathematical sets among other things to make sure they start preparing for their national exams in 2022.
children climbs higher on the educational ladder
HOCAP gave Nyitawuta community four more Solar lamps in the recreational garden to help the final year students study towards their national exams. HOCAP continued to pay two teachers to teach the students preparing for their exams.
We are happy to say that the exams was written by all the students and we are hopeful that they will do well to go to their next stage on the education ladder. There was a thanks giving program when the exams was done for the entire community, this was basically to allow the students display various talents. HOCAP supported the program and we are happy to say that nearby communities who came to witness the program have approached HOCAP to bring such educational programs to their communities to encourage the youth.
The results of the 11 children who were supported by HOCAP for the Basic Education Certificate Examination have been released. There was a significant improvement in the results obtained and this can be attributed to the extra resources like extra classes, books and hiring of additional teachers that were provided. The next phase of Educational support for children in First, Second and third years of Junior High School has commenced. The support to Junior high schools went on successfully. the Junior Secondary students who took their national exams were given books from HOCAP.
Fortunately, HOCAP did not have to buy new books but the previous books that were bought by HOCAP and used by the past student was passed on to the final year students The students have completed their education successfully.
Talent display
JHS Graduates celebrates
Westminster Presbyterian Church Albany donates laptops
WPC donated laptops and the Nyitawuta community was fortunate to have received some.
One laptop was donated to Michael, a Senior High School student in the community to assist in his education. A second laptop was also donated to a teacher in Nyitawuta, Dominic who assists the children in the community with extra classes.
The children were overwhelmed to have a teacher teach them with a laptop. For most of them, this was their first time. The teacher usually charges the laptop in a neighbouring community so it can be used the next day for ICT.
Scholarship
HOCAP sponsored a student from a deprived community who gained admission to the University of Ghana and her mother could not afford to pay her fees fully.
HOCAP continues to support Ernestina in her vocational training. Whilst she was on vacation, HOCAP gave her some capital to bake bread and sell in the communities. She completed her vocational training and was set up by HOCAP.
Vocational Training
HOCAP purchased a cassava grater and a cassava presser for the women group in Nyitawuta community. This was to enable the women start-up businesses in gari (cassava flakes) processing. This would add value to the cassava planted by the members of the community. This would not only increase their income but encourage more members of the community to go into cassava plantation.
Having in mind that there is a ready market in the community for the women to buy the cassava and process into gari. Introducing this machine in the community has encouraged the women to buy more bags of cassava from other communities for gari processing. The women leaders have been adequately trained and are guided to efficiently use the machines to teach their fellow women how to also use the machines.
Education- Scholarship 2023
In 2023 as HOCAP prepares to leave the Nyitawuta community, HOCAP is focusing on very needy but brilliant youth in the community to help move to the higher level of education. HOCAP with the help of Westminster is supporting three youth from the Nyitawuta community to go through their Senior High education. Support is mostly to help with the purchase of books and also help with other needs .
Michael who was also supported in his SHS education is currently being supported as he learns a vocation in solar installation . Westminister is also through HOCAP, supporting a student through his senior high school. He is very brilliant but both parents are currently not in the position to assist with his education Ernestina was assisted through her senior high education and also her vocational education. Upon completion she appealed to HOCAP to help her establish herself in a baking business.
The oven that was given to the Nyitawuta community was handed over to her and a seed money to begin the business was given to her. The handing over of the oven and money was supervised by the assembly man of the community . She has ever since started her business and HOCAP will follow up to see the progress of her work. Belinda gained admission to the university of legon and was supported with her fees in the first year. Unfortunetley she had to defer her program in school because her mother who is a farmer in the Nyitawuta community could no longer afford to pay the fees. HOCAP has decided to get her back into school third academic year and pay her fees to the end by the Grace of God
Six Volunteers Trained To Teach Children
Volunteers from Appolonia and Okushibri were given a one month training to help them teach children in school Volunteers had a two weeks training in the middle of the year to help them be abreast with the current activities of the Ghana Education Service(G.E.S) this training was given by G.E.S Volunteers receive bicycles to help them ride from neighboring community Appolonia to get to school on time to teach children
Community Undergoes Bee Keeping Training
HOCAP had a training for community members in Nyitawuta community where they were trained in beekeeping given 10 bee hives with the other logistics to help them start a bee farm. Mr. Newman facilitating the training. Trainees received certificate of participation. Trainees receive bee equipment
Vocational Training
HOCAP in its plan to alleviate poverty engaged the women in the community on vocational skills that they the women group asked for. A trainer was sent to the community to train the women group in soap making and different forms of beading. This is to equip the women and set them up soap making to be able to sell for profit. There are other training skills line up to equip them do things in the dry season when their farming activities have come to an end.
Vocational Training - Bakery
Most often when students are done with their exams and are idle waiting for their result, some end up engaging activities that do not benefit them and in the process end up becoming school dropouts. HOCAP has therefore put in place an educational program to occupy the students whilst they wait for their result. HOCAP is happy to announce that a commercial oven was purchased for the community and a facilitator was engaged to train those interested in baking, especially bread making. It was realised that in the entire community no one bakes bread and they have to travel to the neighbouring communities before they can buy bread.
The target of this baking project is to equip interested community members with the skill and also to eventually become an income generating activities for community members. The first batch of the training went on successfully. To make this project sustainable HOCAP paid for the initial cost of entire training. Members have been taught simple book keeping methods. Apart from the initial money invested by HOCAP into the project, members owned it by selling their products and reinvesting it into the bakery.
Partner Visit And Internship
Pastor Kano who is the director for the Zion ministries in Sierra Leone and also a partner with SHGO, visited Ghana to familiarise himself with the work of HOCAP and also to give advise on how best HOCAP can serve the communities better . He visited Okushibri and also the new town office in Tema Newtown .
A Ghanaian student from Christian High, Briana visited the community for three days and worked closely with the vocational training for teenage mothers.
Vocational Training - Gari Processing
HOCAP purchased a cassava grater and a cassava presser for the women group in Nyitawuta community. This was to enable the women start-up businesses in gari (cassava flakes) processing. This would add value to the cassava planted by the members of the community. This would not only increase their income but encourage more members of the community to go into cassava plantation.
Having in mind that there is a ready market in the community for the women to buy the cassava and process into gari. Introducing this machine in the community has encouraged the women to buy more bags of cassava from other communities for gari processing. The women leaders have been adequately trained and are guided to efficiently use the machines to teach their fellow women how to also use the machines
Women Using The Cassava Presser
Gari presser fixed
Pressing in progress
Training Of Traditional Birth Attendant
Nyitawuta does not have a clinic and for all these years they are attended to during delivery by a traditional birth attendant in the community with no training or tools to help her.
A professional midwife was sent to the community to train the birth attendant in the community and also equip her with various medical tools to help her carry out her work in helping assist the women during delivery.