Index

At the beginning of 2009 the dream of an education became real for thirty more girls at Kpandai, in Ghana, when Let Us Shine, enrolled another Primary 1 class at its Academy for Girls which opened in November 2007 following a donation of £8000 raised on the "Doon The Watter" cruise that summer.

The enrolment was made possible by the construction of a third classroom and library which was partly funded by money raised by "Barry's Barnett Challenge". This fund raising effort started on 1st December 2007 when Dr. Barry Wood from East Kilbride Club announced he was growing his hair for one year to raise funds for two charities in Africa. One year later he sported a magnificent pony tail and, in conjunction with the other East Kilbride members, had raised a total of £13,500, half of which went to Let Us Shine, and the other to the Ruth Memorial School in Uganda.

Some of this money was presented to Fiona Marra, the charity founder, in October to allow building to start, and the remainder in December at a Club Meeting, when the Club also presented Fiona with a Paul Harris Fellowship for her dedicated work in "Making Dreams Real" in Ghana.

The presentation of the second cheque allowed work to start on the ten bedroom dormitory building in January, following the installation of a piped water supply to the school at the beginning of the year.

Despite the current economic situation, which has reduced the buying power of UK donations in Ghana, this all represents some very solid progress for the charity. This would not have been possible without the additional support of Barrhead, Eastwood, Rutherglen and Strathaven Clubs plus Rotarian child sponsors. Further assistance has come from primary and secondary schools in the District.

Looking to the future it is hoped that another classroom can be built this year and an electricity supply installed, which will allow the school to be used for community education purposes. This can only be achieved by increasing the number of child sponsors and further fund raising efforts including the Table Top Curling Competition won by Rutherglen Club this year and possibly another trip on the Waverley.

Not only did Rutherglen lift the hand carved Let Us Shine Trophy in January, but through the very personal effort of their President Bill McIntosh in running a half marathon, and the effort of the members in organising a very successful Ceilidh, they jointly raised £2500 for Let Us Shine.

This tremendous support will surely anchor another year of development at Kpandai, but more assistance is needed if Fiona Marra's dream of building a full size primary school and three secondary classrooms at Kpandai is to be realised. Can the clubs in District 1230 help "Make Her Dream Real", and assist her to provide the skills which the girls can then use to improve the lives of their families. Every pound donated will be spent in Ghana, maintaining the commitment that Fiona has made to the charity, that all administration costs in this country are met by herself.

"Education can be the difference between a life of grinding poverty and the potential for a full and secure one; between a child dying from preventable disease and families raised in healthy environments; between countries ripped apart by poverty and conflict to secure and sustainable development" -Nelson Mandela.