Pencils of Promise (PoP) has indicated that, it is poised to contribute towards ensuring every child in underserved communities in Ghana is able to access education, in a serene and conducive environment.

The organization has so far constructed close to 200 classroom blocks in the Volta, Oti and Eastern regions after 10 years of operation in Ghana, hoping to extend its operations across the country to enhance the education of the younger generation.

Pencils of Promise, a not-for-profit organization was established by Adam Braun, 14 years ago to build a school in Laos.

It, however, decided to pursue a global objective of increasing educational opportunities in Ghana, Laos and Guatemala.

PoP broke ground for its first project in Ghana in 2012 and has since constructed 188 classroom blocks with ancillary facilities, while 10 more blocks are at various stages of completion.

The classroom blocks were all provided with ceiling fans and furniture for both teacher’s and pupils.

The Country Director of PoP, Freeman Gobah, said 16,000 students, 520 schools and 715 parents benefited from his outfit’s WASH programme, which is being supported by the Columbia University Nursing School, Vestergaard, the School Health Education Programme and Parent Teacher Associations.

“Through our teacher support programme, we have provided teachers in underserved schools with in-service training, innovative teaching methods, and technologies such as digital learning and social and emotional learning to create engaging, child-centered learning environments in full alignment with the new standard-based curriculum”, he said.

He further indicated that 2,729 teachers, head teachers and School Improvement Support Officers in 105 benefited from the in-service training.

Mr. Gobah said that 9,929 electronic devices equipped with 100 educational books were distributed together with 300,000 paper books during a decade's operation of PoP in Ghana.

He detailed that his outfit provided 10,000 pupils and 1,000 teachers access to clean water, gender sensitive sanitary facilities, while distributing 140 water storage tanks and 490 hand washing stations.

He added that 304 water-filters, 1,200 dustbins and cleaning detergents were distributed, aimed at enhancing sanitation in schools.

He explained that aside building classroom blocks, PoP monitors and evaluates every project, pilot programmes to give opportunity to officers to learn, identify shortfalls before implementing.

“We started with building just one school - we are on a mission to ensure that PoP learners gain access to quality classroom instruction and materials as well as stay healthy, happy and in school”, he stressed.

“We believe that a day will come in our lifetime when every single child will have access to quality education, and we will continue to work tirelessly in breaking down barriers of today to enable the possibilities of tomorrow”, Mr. Gobah concluded.

The Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa, eulogized the contributions of PoP to improving educational facilities in his jurisdiction, Oti and Eastern Regions.

He asserted that the organization has proven to be a first class partner in the educational sector of the region, while empowering young people.

“I am confident that the celebration of this anniversary shall birth a renewed commitment and partnership in our efforts at empowering communities through quality education”, he said.

The Member of Parliament for Adaklu, Kwame Agbodza, said the positive impact of PoP in communities over the decade is immeasurable.

“The positive impact of what you have done can never be measured even hundreds of years after you are gone”, he stressed

He stated that the organization has contributed to relieve pupils and teachers of the stress in studying under trees and abruptly closing schools when rain looms.

“And we are encouraging the donors, when Pencils of Promise asks you for $1, the impact of $1 is probably $100,000 in Adaklu”, he added.