Blenheim Sun – A school with heart
Their smiles are wide, neat orange shirts, blue shorts and pinafores as bright as the futures they hope for.
The children proudly stand in the centre of what will be their new school, the heavy leaves of a tall palm dip overhead against a blue cloud-scudded sky.
The foundations and concrete walls at what will be the Good Foundation School in Tetrem, Ghana, sit nearby. The new roof will hopefully follow later this year. Nearby sits the old school, its iron roof a rusty cover over planks of wood. Its floors a carpet of dust which turns to mud when the rains come.
Almost 16,500kms away in Picton, teacher Jaimee Perrett is also thinking about the school. She pictures the village’s children, their excitement over the new building and their gratitude for any help given.
Names run through her heads as she envisages the friends she has made, the laughter she has shared, along with hospitality so generously given.
It all started with a suggestion from a friend, Jaimee explains with a smile.
“The idea for the Good Foundation School (GFS) rebuild came from my friend Bernardo on my third visit to Ghana,
“We were flatmates in London at the time when I was due to head back to Ghana to visit. At the time I was selling bracelets and paintings done by the children at GFS to fundraise for new school furniture, library books, and whiteboards to replace their chalkboards.
“When I was in Ghana he called me up and suggested we rebuild the whole school because he'd heard so many stories about it and seen photos.
“I was hesitant, but he was very encouraging and said we could do it. Sure enough, with his skills, our group of friends, and my passion we raised over 35k and managed to begin the rebuild in 2020.
We erected the walls for 12 classrooms but never got the roof on because of closed borders.”
Alongside two friends, Grace Aitken and Kelsie Small, Jaimee, who runs the NZ-based charity Choose Love Ghana, will return to Tetrem in June. Her three-year-old daughter Marli will again be by her side.
The school and family in Ghana is such a big part of their lives, Jaimee explains.
“I am very lucky to have such a cruisey little girl who loves coming along for the adventures and 'helping' with our fundraisers - she's my greatest cheerleader.
“We went in 2024 to reconnect with the people in Tetrem, reassess the school situation, and introduce Marli to my 'family' there. She loved it!
“The experience was more than I could've ever imagined. She was so comfortable and confident. One morning she followed the kids to school and found herself a desk and joined their lessons learning the alphabet through songs and dancing with the other kids. I'm so excited to take her there again and so is she.”
A teacher at Linkwater School, Jaimee has been friends with maritime Officer/Skipper Kelsie for about six years. The pair forged a bond when Jaimee taught Kelsie’s nephew.
Graphic designer Grace is a friend from childhood. “I've known Grace since we were kids, she is best friends with my sister,” Jaimee says.
Both the school and wider community have been very supportive of the upcoming project. “I'm hoping to set the kids up with a pen pal at GFS and create lifetime connections between here and there.
By her side, a notebook is filled with the jottings of middle-of-the-night sums. The project depends entirely on raising enough money. Together, the trio have organised local fundraisers and set up a Givealittle Page.
Ensuring this eagerly awaited last step happens, is a big responsibility Jaimee explains.
Nearly 400 students are eagerly awaiting the big day when the school is finally finished. Instead of the ramshackle shed-like school they have been using, there will be 12 classrooms for children age from two-years-old to 16 years old.
The completion of the project will be a milestone much celebrated, Jaimee says. The school is so much more than simply a place to learn, it is the heart of the community too.
“Some of us have talked about putting together our own money if we can't fundraise enough - we are so eager to see this rebuild through to the end after so many years waiting.
“The parent community are very involved and want the very best for their children's education. It was all hands on deck when we put the walls up in 2020. It will mean the world to the families in Tetrem to have this rebuild finally done.”
A fundraising quiz night at Oxley’s bar and Kitchen will be held in March, a raffle in April and in May the online fundraising will end.
“I think those who choose to support this project would be those who believe in our vision and in helping deserving children and families that may not otherwise get this opportunity.
It's something kiwis are good at. It's about supporting what you believe in and spreading the love far and wide.
To donate visit http://givealittle.co.nz/org/choose-love-ghana-trust or follow the team @chooseloveghana to stay updated.