Lakpleku is a village in the Dangme
West District of Ghana. The community is completely rural with a population of
about 400. Poverty is widespread. Most of the population are subsistence
farmers using non-mechanized rain fed agricultural practice.
Because of the level of poverty in
the community a fair number of them migrates to the city to look for
non-existent jobs and ending up in the pool of the urban poor. Most of the
children are not in school subsequently forced into hard Labour along the Volta
lake for dangerous fishing expeditions.
Consequently some of them have lost
their lives and childhood. Economic deprivation necessitates the migration of
families to the Volta river for fishing explorations. Hence abandoning the
education of the child.
By the age of 6 most children
especially the girl child is sold into child labor along the Volta River for
economic gains for the family. Child marriage is predominant in Lakpleku.
There are no kindergartens and
nursery facilities in the community, children who are supposed to be in school
are found loitering about in the village whiles their parents are busily
involved in their farms.
This has also contributed to the
children's disinterest in education by the time they are due for class one.
Hence the need to start a nursery and kindergarten in the community to help
these children identify objects, alphabets and numbers.
They started in an abandoned pig pen
and then moved under a tree. During rainy seasons and bad weather it becomes
impossible to have lessons
Upon routine visit of IDAY Ghana to one
of our number organization (Joy project NGO) in the community, we found the woeful
situation and decided to intervene. We have been able to construct a clay
thatch school building for the people of Lakpleku community. With the help of
IDAY Ghana and members contribute they now meet under a shelter
There will be official launch of The
IDAY Kindergarten School building in Lakpleku community on the June 16 and open
forum.
However, IDAY Ghana members are always
willing to contribute for the success of the program
Kenneth Nana Amoateng
IDAY-Ghana Coordinator