Helping Adaklu schoolkids protect against COVID-19

DONATION OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO SEVERAL SCHOOLS IN ADAKLU DISTRICT

In August 2020 Grow Your Dream Foundation, with the financial support from a German NGO, donated 330 nose masks to Junior High Schools in Adaklu Helekpe.

Final year students in both Junior and Senior schools in Ghana resumed school to prepare for their final examination earlier in the year, while all other students were asked to remain at home. The Ghana government is committed to supply every school children with 3 nose masks, but our observations at schools across Adaklu and Ho suggest that most children received only one mask, if at all. Because experts emphasize that students need to wear nose masks on school campuses to help avoid a further spread of the virus in Adaklu communities, the GYDF team entered into discussions with HITA, a German NGO with a focus on health education in Ghana and beyond, on how to obtain additional nose masks. Shipping personal protective equipment from Europe is prohibitively expensive and would take many weeks. The best solution, therefore, is sourcing masks in Ghana. Because of the Volta Region’s long tradition in textile manufacturing, finding tailors capable to produce large numbers of nose masks from local fabrics presented no problems. Based on our investigations a decision was taken to use Calico as the best suited fabric for the purpose of producing masks protecting against the spread of COVID-19.

Once the masks were at hand, we approached Junior and Senior schools across Adaklu to find out who is in most need of nose masks. The following schools were selected: Goefe JHS, Helepke JHS, Kpetsu JHS, Abunda Boso JHS, Meyikpo Community School, Adaklu Sikama JHS.

At Helepke JHS (see photos below) Mr Jacob Ahiave, the founder of GYDF presented the items to the school a brief ceremony. He underscored the need for observing COVID-19 prevention measures, and also wished the student success in their final Examinations due in September. The Headmaster thanked the foundation for the donation and pledged to make good use of them. Mr Agama Johnson, The Education specialist of GYDF, also reiterated the need for observing examination rules and regulations adopted by Ghana Education Service to avoid cancellation and withholding of their certificates.

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