Some of the Volunteers at Work at the School During the Camp
A six-unit junior high school (JHS) block at Kpenoe in the Ho Central Municipality of the Volta Region has been completed by 30 young volunteers put together by the National Youth Authority (NYA).
The youth with diverse backgrounds had come from all over the Volta Region to participate in a 16-day youth camp to learn how to work together, give back to society, cultivate the spirit of patriotism and learn new skills.
The youth who stayed and worked in the community from 1st to 16th December 2018 were hosted and coordinated by the NYA for the first time after the last youth camp held in 2011. The youth camp and volunteerism programme of the NYA which is supposed to be an annual programme had stalled for the past eight years due to the lack of resources.
The School Project
At the end of the 16 days, the youth with support from the community and chief of the area, Togbe Kotoku, were able to complete the six-unit Kpenoe MA JHS School which was constructed in 1987 as a pavilion for the middle school then. It was later converted into a junior high school in 1996.
According to the headmistress of the school, Elizabeth Beecham Kukah, the completion of the school would make the students become comfortable.
She appealed to benevolent organisations to support the school with ceiling fans and also equip their library and computer labs.
Sacrifice and Intercultural Connections
The Volta Regional Director for the NYA, Yao Semordey, observed that the youth camp, among other things, socialises young people to make intercultural connections, have a broader exposure and a better perspective of the country.
Togbe Kotoku of the Kpenoe commended the volunteering spirit of the youth and urged all Ghanaians to make volunteerism a part of their life.
He also emphasised the need for the return of the communal labour and sacrificial spirit which were used to construct many schools, churches, health facilities, among others, across the country including Kpenoe.
He cited that the kindergarten, the original structure of the JHS, the water reservoir and E.P. Church at Kpenoe were all products of communal labour.
Be that as it may, he also drew the attention of central government and local government to meet the communities halfway by developing the roads to the various communities to improve agriculture, attract investors and stimulate growth. He therefore pleaded with government to construct the Ho-Barracks road through Kpenoe to Hordzo road, which is in a very deplorable state.
Experiences
The Camp Coordinator, Charles Gomenu, encouraged the youth not to underestimate their potential but rather add value to themselves and take advantage of the numerous opportunities presented by the NYA, the government and other non-governmental organisations.
Most of the volunteers described the experience as fulfilling. One of them, Patrice Robertson, said: “I never knew how tedious it was to mix mortar and cement; I am tired; my back hurts, but I have learnt a lot. I can plaster walls. It has been great.”
From Fred Duodu, Ho (k.duodu@yahoo.com)