About Us
Our Ethos | Christian Policy | Accounting Policy
The Trust is a charity registered with the British government (registered charity no: 1104896).
The Trustees, Paul Ramsbottom, Howard Hickman and Stephen Ramsbottom have legal responsibility for the charity and administer it on a voluntary basis.
The work in Ghana is managed by Charles Karbo who is assisted on a permanant basis by Alfred Sogsuo. Further assistance is provided as necessary by James Kori and Samuel Dapilaa.
Paul Ramsbottom
Paul is the Chairman of the charity and through his employment as Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation provides a link to the broader charity sector. He has a background of reading History at Oxford University, and a continuing interest in politics and travel.
He is a CCB Fellow of the University of Oxford, a member of the Court of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and sits on the Africa Advisory Council of the World Monuments Fund. Paul enjoys writing and recently contributed a section to the main guide book on Ghana.
Paul lives in West Sussex and is married to Karen, a chartered accountant. They have three daughters called Lily, Ella and Phoebe.
Howard Hickman
Howard works as a Senior Software Engineer for the technology company u-blox, where he performs a variety of roles from software development to project leadership.
In the past Howard has been the primary point of contact for a number of projects in India and Ghana. Indeed it was his involvement in Ghana that was the initial contact from which the work of the Trust eventually developed. His experience gives an understanding of the cultural, practical and communication challenges facing the work of the Trust.
Howard is married to Liz and they have six children, the eldest of whom are triplets.
Stephen Ramsbottom
As a Head of Department at St Albans High School Stephen brings an educational perspective to the Trust. His specialism in Geography further adds to this, giving an understanding of the broader social and environmental aspects of the work. He recently organised and hosted a conference bringing together experts in the field of international development.
Stephen’s teaching career started in Africa, teaching in Zimbabwe. He has served as a Governor of a primary school in Bedfordshire.
Stephen lives in Luton and is married to Sharon. They have three children.
Charles Karbo
As son of the paramount chief of the area, Charles grew up in the Palace in Lawra. He continues to play an important role the life of the region, including acting as Regent of Lawra.
He is a Baptist minister and pastor of Bagri Baptist Church. He has the oversight of a number of churches in the villages around Lawra, where he still lives.
He worked for a number of years in the education service as a procurement officer. He is now supported by the trust and is responsible for managing the work of Savannah in Ghana. Indeed he has, to a considerable extent, provided the vision for the work. He recently completed a degree course in accountancy and finance from Cape Coast University.
Charles is married and has five children: Abednego, Ruth, Eunice, Elizabeth and Priscilla.
Alfred Sogsuo
Alfred originally came from Bagri village where the first Savannah school was located. He is a deacon in the local Baptist church.
He now works full time for Savannah, acting as Charles’ assistant. His varied activities include co-ordinating the reports that are sent on a monthly basis to the UK.
Alfred was married during 2010.
James Kori
James was the original link to the UK (having previously studied in London) and it was he who first took the trustees to his native north of Ghana. He is pastor of Lighthouse Baptist Church in Nungua, a suburb of Accra – Ghana’s capital. He lives opposite his church in southern Ghana, and assists with his wise advice and any work that needs undertaking in Accra. He stays in close contact with the projects on his regular visits to the north of the country.
James is married and has two children.
Samuel Dapilaa
Samuel is the head accountant for the region’s department of education. His financial advice and contacts in the education service are a great asset to the work of the trust. His financial training came at the University of Ghana in Accra, following a scholarship that he won for applicants from Upper West Region.
He also lives in Lawra and is married with four children.
