The refurbished Abura Dunkwa community library
It was a moment of joy and relief in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District of the Central Region when September-born Rotarians in Ghana commissioned a refurbished community library at the district’s capital, Abura Dunkwa.
Until the intervention, the only community library had virtually become a colonial relic caught in the thicket of overgrown weeds.
The facility which had gone dead with no visits was riddled with leaking roofs, inadequate books, broken furniture, rundown fittings, and rotten shelves.
The Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District hosts seven senior high schools with more than fifty basic schools.
The library had however gone so obscured; some young primary two pupils who were on a domestic errand to sell a harvest from their family farm could not tell reporters what a library was; let alone visit one.
Library intervention:
Touched by this plight, September-Born Rotarians in Ghana in partnership with KAUSA funded the renovation, repainting, reroofing, complete replacement of shelves, and fresh stalking of the library.
The opening of the refurbished library coincided with Rotary International‘s month-long focus on basic education and literacy.
Handing over the facility after a short, colorful commissioning, the district's governor; David Osei Amankwah Junior challenged the community to harness the benefits of the Community library to create bright prospects for its children.
“Education is very crucial to every community. A clean, quiet environment which is not in a deplorable state will provide refuge for many children who need a space and the reading materials to learn and improve themselves,” he noted.
Expressing his appreciation, the Chief of Abura Dunkwa Nana Asokwa Kwegyir II, recounted how he had led efforts albeit unsuccessfully to get government to come to the aid of his community library.
He commended September-born Rotarians in Ghana for their sterling efforts promising to ensure the library was well maintained to retain its new look.
Children and teachers who had a feel of the reopened library could not bottle in their joy at seeing a new facility stocked with books for their studying and reading pleasure.
A young girl who gave her name Immaculate, who walked in with her little sister shared how they had always yearned for a library in their community to help them practice their love for reading.
“I have seen many beautiful books, balloons, and a beautiful place. I like reading a lot and I will always like to stay here to read because it is about my future. I want students who can’t read to still come here and ask their friends to help them to read", Immaculate said.
Georgina Ankoma, A teacher at Ayeldo, an adjoining community indicated how teachers would also get to benefit from the newly refurbished facility.
“Now that the place has been given a facelift and stocked with a lot of books, it will benefit both the children and us the teachers. It is not here just for beautification but to help with our development in our education field”, she averred.
The ceremony was attended by several September-born Rotarians in Ghana whose generous contributions saw the realization of the community impact project.
Past Assistant Governor who led the project, Awal Babah Alargi pointed out that the team’s ultimate aim would not be fulfilled if the community failed to mobilize children to fully patronize its services.
“The place was very unattractive so the children were not coming. As you can see, we have used very attractive colours both inside and outside just to attract the children. The idea as per the librarians is to create that awareness so they can take advantage and come and use the facility,” he explained.
This will not be the first time September-born Rotarians in Ghana have mobilized to embark on a philanthropic outreach to areas of dire need.
Among others, the group has made substantial donations to the Children’s Hospital in Accra and supported the school for the blind at Akropong in the Eastern Region.
Library board appreciation:
The Central Regional Manager of the Ghana Library Board, Nana Kwame Appia Kubi was optimistic that the development opens a new chapter of accelerated improvement in literacy for the Abura Dunkwa community.
“Apart from restocking and equipping the library, it will further serve as a gateway and a place where people can get access to information. I am expecting that membership of this library will rise,” he reassured.
District 9104 climate action:
As part of David Amankwah Jnr's initiative to plant a thousand trees, he together with Rotarians, the Central Regional Manager of the Ghana Library Board, royals from the Abura Dunkwa palace, and other dignitaries planted trees around the library.
The rest of about 90 tree seedlings will be planted in the community’s Senior High School.
David Osei Amankwah Junior expressed hope that the students will nurture the trees and imbibe the value of sustainability and care for the environment.
These significant milestones in the arsenals of District 9104 are spurring a positive challenge for Rotarians as it works in tandem with its ideals to make the world a better place.
