The Partners
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The Trust can only work effectively if it works through local partners. Our key partners are:
The Baptist Church
The only public building in the village of Bagri (where our first school was built) is a small Baptist chapel, built in 2001. On Sundays, the building is overflowing with people.
The Pastor is Charles Karbo and he is also our Programme Manager. As son of the paramount chief of the area, he grew up in the Palace in Lawra, a town near Bagri.
The Tribal Leadership
The area around Lawra (the district town) is inhabited by the Dagaaba people. Each village (teni) has its own chief, in addition to the paramount – or overall – chief living in Lawra Palace. The chiefs command significant respect from their people.
Although since independence the central government have been responsible for such provisions as healthcare, education and transport, the more traditional concerns (mainly land and family issues) remain the responsibility of the tribal elders.
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The Ghanaian government
The Trust’s policy has been to work alongside (although not through) government, and the government have warmly welcomed the presence of an educational charity in their district. They have agreed to fund the ongoing costs of teachers at schools if the building costs were met by the charity – making the school sustainable in the long term. They have fulfilled their promises.
The representative of the District Commissioner (the head of the district local government) has described the Trust at as “a strategic partner who shares in our visions and dreams.”
Parents
Parents play a critical part in any school – but particularly so at our Savannah schools in that they constructed the buildings.
As the Trustees said at the opening ceremony of Bagri school: “This school is a great tribute to Bagri community. It is your school. You built it with your own hands. And it will provide an education for your children.”
