Members of the Rotary Club of Accra South have officially handed over a newly constructed washroom facility and a mechanised borehole project to the Kwakrom Anglican Basic School in the Mfantseman District of the Central Region.

The newly constructed washroom facility includes separate restrooms for boys, girls, and teachers. It also features a changing room for girls to use during their menstrual cycles. Additionally, the borehole has been equipped with a storage tank to ensure a continuous supply of water.

Nana Akomanyi VII, Chief of Kwakrom (left), RP Suttah, IPP Francis Decker and other officials ready to commission the facility.

A heartfelt ceremony at the school marked the occasion, during which the Member of Parliament for the Mfantseman constituency, Ophelia Mensah, generously donated sanitary products, including detergents, toilet rolls, hand tissues, mop buckets, and waste bins.

The Start from Ghana Foundation, an NGO dedicated to enhancing educational opportunities for rural Ghanaian children and youth, led by its founder, Monica Quarcoo, contributed 25 double desks, textbooks, and sets of double-bearing ceiling fans to the school.

Mr. Samuel Pamford Mensah (second left) thanks Monica Quarcoo, founder of the Start from Ghana Foundation, for their support to the school

In a remarkable gesture of community support, the Rotary Club of Accra South also distributed bundles of used clothing to community members who attended the handover ceremony in large numbers, led by Nana Akomanyi VII, Chief of Kwakrom.

During the ceremony, various speakers emphasised the challenging conditions the students and teachers faced before the construction of these facilities, such as having to use the outdoors for restroom needs and encountering reptiles. They expressed profound gratitude to the benefactors for their compassionate and humanitarian efforts.

RP David Suttah (with mic) addressing the gathering on behalf of all the collaborators.

On behalf of the community, Nana Akomanyi expressed heartfelt appreciation to Rotary and its collaborators for their invaluable gift, vowing to ensure the facilities are well-maintained for lasting use. He also expressed the hope that the club would have the means to establish a health facility for the farming community in the near future.

MP Ophelia Mensah, while acknowledging the prevalent poor maintenance culture in Ghana, encouraged the community to adopt a new approach to ensure the facilities endure for many years. She pledged ongoing support for the school, emphasising the importance of improving the quality of schools and their environments in the Mfantseman constituency.

Members of Rotary Club of Accra South distributing some of the donated clothes to the school children

Monica Quarcoo stressed the vital role of education and community support in the lives of children. She urged parents and community leaders to instil good neighbourly values in children so they can grow into responsible citizens.

Immediate Past President of the Rotary Club of Accra South, IPP Francis Decker, explained that the club's decision to assist the Kwakrom Anglican Basic School was prompted by the urgent need observed, as well as the club's commitment to humanitarian assistance.

Traditional leaders, school authorities and members of the Rotary Club of Accra South proceed to inspect the facility.

President of the Rotary Club of Accra South, RP David Suttah, described the occasion as a significant milestone, emphasising Rotary International's global commitment to promoting peace, health, clean water, education, and more.

Mr. Suttah in an interview with Myjoyonline.com also highlighted the critical need for clean water and sanitation, citing global statistics and noting that in Ghana alone, thousands of lives are lost each year due to water, sanitation, and hygiene-related illnesses.

He expressed pride in the club's contribution to the development of the Central Region and Ghana as a whole, and thanked all involved parties, including the contractor, Messrs Toilet Engineers, for their dedication and hard work in making these projects a reality.