Nurudeen is 15 years old and lives in Larabanga which is a small village in Northern Ghana. I first met him in December 2018 when I visited Ghana as a volunteer teacher. Qualified teachers and learning resources are typically non-existent in these areas, but as I'm in education myself I was able to secure donations of resources from colleagues. The school was a basic construction of four posts in the soil with a panel of wood for a roof.

During my visit when Nurudeen was 11 he told me: "Madam, I would like my education to be better. There are too many children and nothing to learn with. In the rainy season the village floods and the teacher can't come. So I just wait." At the time I vowed to myself to do something to help him. Saving up and Covid-19 delayed this process, but in May 2022 our dreams came true. Nurudeen now has a scholarship at Modern Preparatory School in Savannah Region which is about 135 miles, a four-hour journey from his home and he'll be a boarder during term-time. The fees are £900 per year in total, including the uniform, travel and books.

I'll be visiting Ghana this year, for which my ticket is already booked - and paid for by me!! I hope to visit the school where I'll be able to meet some of the children and talk with staff members. The Headteacher, Mr. Eric Nana Koby, and his teachers have been extremely supportive and are pleased with the progress Nurudeen is making. Everyone in his village is so proud of him and I am too. I'm intending to make similar provision for a girl from the village as the community also values education for girls. It would be the perfect opportunity to set that in action for next term!!

It would also be great to initiate some ongoing contact between children in Ghana and other areas of the world, so they can share the lived experience of others. To help make more dreams come true, please donate whatever you can. Thank you. 💙