The First Project

To tell you about our first project, let’s start with a day in the school life of Aba and Kwesi……

Worried they’d be late for school, Aba and Kwesi ran through the bush towards the river. Today was the first day of the secondary entrance exams and having missed two days of school that week, Aba knew she had to be there and on time.

The children could hear the first school bell ringing in the distance signalling the 15 minute warning before assembly. Hearing the sound of the angry water gushing towards the gorge, they knew they were nearing the riverbank. It was the rainy season and the river current had been too fast and dangerous to swim across earlier in the week. The girls had managed to fix a small, rickety boat the day before, so they were confident that if they hurried, they would make it to school before the second bell.

As they got to the water’s edge their hearts sank as they saw remnants of their boat, still tied up, bobbing in the water. It had been destroyed by the angry force of the river’s current.
“We’ll have to chance it and swim across” said Aba “I can’t risk missing the exams for another year”

“We can’t” said a panic stricken Kwesi “After what happened to Kofi, we promised Mama we wouldn’t try swimming across when the river is like this!”

“ I know!” Exclaimed Aba “but we have no choice and anyway, I’m a much stronger swimmer than Kofi was and I’m sure I can do it. You can sit in the metal pan with our clothes and I’ll push you across”

“I’m scared!” wailed Kwesi

“We’ll be fine, come on let’s get undressed. I’ll steady the pan whilst you get in” said Aba encouraging her younger brother, but not feeling anywhere as confident as she sounded……..

 


I can’t risk missing the exams for another year
— Aba

What We Do

This is just one of hundreds of stories of children not getting a full education due to the consequences of poverty. Many like Aba and Kwesi, face long, difficult and sometimes treacherous journeys. Others don’t get to school at all as they don’t have money to buy necessary uniforms or equipment, or dilapidated school buildings are just not safe enough to have local children attend, or they just can’t make it across the river, not safely at any rate.

Cordelia Asamoah founded the CamBotsio Foundation, resolved to make a difference to exactly these kids. She has brought together a network of professionals, NGO’s, educationalists and other contacts to identify the specific gaps, (like the need for a bridge) and fundraise so that we can offer practical assistance to an affected community, school or family, on a project by project basis, thereby ensuring that kids are able to get to school and access all the education they need to.

 

Our Impact – The Footbridge

Here's how we're hoping, with your help, the story continues...

 …..Worried they’d be late for school, Aba and Kwesi ran through the bush towards the river. The sound of the angry waters rumbled as it surged down towards the gorge. As they approached the riverbank, they could hear the first school bell ringing in the distance, signalling the 15 minute warning before assembly.

“I’ll race you to the school gate” said Aba as the children clambered up the steps of the footbridge”

“You can run if you want, I’m saving my energy” said Aba. “Today is a big day for me.  I am finally going to sit the secondary school entrance exams”


Help us open a path for more children like Aba and Kwesi

By building a bridge for school children, the CamBotsio Foundation is able to contribute far more to a community otherwise cut off by rivers. As with all change, it touches far more than we originally envisage. A bridge provides a safe and vital link for a farmer to tend to his crops, or a trader to sell their goods at market without having to walk for miles and prosperous families foster prosperous kids.

You can help bridge a gap, save lives and create opportunity.

Project Funding

Help us reach our £25,000 target