Eight months have passed since our last update on media library construction in Assin Nkran, Ghana and we are proud to report that significant progress has been made.
However, unforeseen challenges have emerged in recent months – and the project is now against the clock.
We are now looking to help get this project back on track so that the children of Assin Nkran and the surrounding areas can access basic educational tools and learning opportunities.
Cost-driven construction delays
In March 2024, Openprovider sponsored Jill Vis – our HR administrator – on her mission to do charity work with Mediamundial in Ghana. Jill and the team undertook multiple fundraising activities to achieve the financial target set, and they later traveled to Ghana to take part in manual labor at the site in Assin Nkran in order to contribute to the construction of the library.
“When we arrived, children greeted us with boundless enthusiasm, their smiles radiating joy and innocence,” said Jill. “Their energy was so beautiful. Witnessing firsthand the eagerness of the children to learn and grow, it became clear to me how vital this media library was to their future.”
Unfortunately, unforeseen spikes in construction costs in recent months means that the money raised by Jill and her team in the Netherlands is now short by €8,182.71.
Work on the project has now ground to a halt. The longer the project is delayed, the greater the risk of infrastructural degradation – the unfinished building has been left exposed to the elements.
Each passing day without progress puts the entire project in danger – and all of Jill and the Mediamundial team’s amazing efforts would be for nothing. We are determined to ensure this does not happen.
At Openprovider, we are fully behind the fourth Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.
By helping to get this media library over the line, we can ensure that the people of Assin Nkran and surrounding areas can have access to the educational tools they need to live prosperous lives.
Construction must be complete before the library can be equipped with computers, internet access, and educational resources that will truly empower the community. Without these essential tools, the library will not reach its full potential as a hub of learning and growth.
The spirit of a community
While the financing setback has been extremely frustrating, the local community’s enthusiasm and commitment remain as strong as ever.
In 2015, a local school installed a small library in one of its classrooms to provide local children with free access to learning resources. Within a year of the library’s opening, children had already started to gain access to higher schools and, later, universities in the country for the first time, drastically improving their employment prospects.
“Imagine the impact of the construction of a way bigger library,” says Gijs Berk, a member of the Mediamundial fundraising team, “one that will also give them access to the internet, laptops, and a safe and inspiring learning environment. There will also be children traveling several miles per day to have access to the opportunities that this project brings – the impact that it will have will be huge and far-reaching.”
The community’s response has been incredibly positive, with local children showing eagerness to learn and excitement about the library’s potential impact. Their enthusiasm continues to fuel the project, and it is clear that the library will be an invaluable resource in the years to come.
“First of all, we want to express our profound gratitude to your group for having identified our school,” says Headteacher Agyemen Boafo. “We deem it a great honor to have such a facility being situated on our school premises.”
The connections made with the community during the construction phase have also deepened, creating a strong sense of ownership and pride in the project. The people of Assin Nkran are not just recipients of this aid – they are active participants in bringing this project to life and making it sustainable in the long term.
However, the reality of the situation is clear: we need to help Jill and the MediaMundial team reach the updated financial goal.
One final push – how you can help
Previous fundraising efforts played a critical role in getting us to this point. These initiatives included charity events, donations, and the sale of ginger shots, clothing, and memorabilia. Openprovider and its employees also contributed through generous donations. Without this collective effort, the project would not have gotten off the ground.
That said, we are not yet at the finish line.
In order to fully equip the media library and ensure it becomes a sustainable resource for the community, we need to keep the momentum going. The final phase of the project requires additional funds and support, particularly for purchasing the necessary building materials and other labor costs.
Here are some ways you can help:
- Direct donations can be made here.
- At the same link, you can donate the value of one or more bags of cement that will be used directly in the construction of the school. (A bag of cement costs approximately 400 Cedis, which is around €27 euros)
As part of its CSR initiatives, Openprovider will continue to support the project and we are excited to see how Jill and the team will keep using their amazing fighting spirit to get the project over the line.
Together, we can ensure that the media library not only opens its doors but remains a thriving educational center for future generations of Ghanaian children.
