Nelson Mail - New Zealand
Covid ordeal strengthens Kiwi teacher's resolve to help Ghana's children
Former Nelson teacher Jaimee Perrett has spent the last five years raising money for others.
But in August, she became the subject of a Givealittle campaign.
Perrett was stranded in Ghana after the country closed its borders, without warning, in March – giving no indication when they would re-open.
She was in the West African nation to see out a school-building project, that she helped raise around $30,000 for, and planned to return to New Zealand in May.
“Things didn’t really feel bad until maybe June,” said Perrett, who was in Ghana with fellow Kiwi volunteer Sam Collins.
“It just went month after month, hoping that they’d re-open the borders or give us an update or anything, so we could make a plan to get home.”
When no update came by August, Perrett tried contacting immigration officials, airlines and “whoever else” she could think of, to try to get back.
She and Collins finally managed to get on a charter flight, put on by the Australian High Commission, and arrived back in September.
It was thanks to friends who set up a Givealittle page that she was home, Perrett said.
She had used up her savings “to survive", and was torn about spending money on a flight for herself, when comparing the cost to that of the school build.
But Kiwi friends urged her to take the flight, and raised the money for it.
The experience made Perrett – now a teacher at Picton School - determined to continue to help children in Ghana.
While Covid-19 had prevented volunteers from a roofing company in Gisborne going to the African country to complete the school, their flights were valid until April.
But, unless a "miracle" happened before then, a local company would probably need to be paid to put the roof on, and she had started fundraising for that, Perrett said.
Once the school in the village of Tetrem was complete, she would continue to support it, but also wanted to help with other projects in Ghana.
To that end, she rebranded her charity, now Choose Love Ghana, which aimed to empower the country's youth “through education, sustainable living and aroha”.
The last few months in Ghana had been an “eye-opener”.
“I might even be more motivated to do more work over there, because I’ve seen a different side of the country.”
While Perrett and Collins had been well-looked after in Tetrem, when they left the country, they were charged for overstaying, even though they couldn’t leave the village to renew their visas.
A visit with an NGO to feed children living on the streets also made a big impact.
It would be the only meal of the week for some of them, she said.
“I just told myself that day, there's so much more I can do here, I’m not going to stop at the school.”
Nelson’s Ocean Lodge hotel played host to the charity launch last weekend, attended by friends and family from across New Zealand.
The aim was to start raising enough money for the school roof, she said.
“My goal is to have the roof on by the end of next year at the latest,” said Perrett who planned to go back to Ghana.
“But I won't be going until I feel very strongly that the world is an ok place to move around again.”
The charity's website is due to be launched this weekend.
The charity account is 03-0751-0057411-000, and email chooseloveghana@gmail.com
Katy Jones November 7, 2020 • 5:00am