Making a difference, one coffee at a time
Helen Kalvak School teacher to live and volunteer in Ghana
Kassina Ryder
Northern News Services
Monday, June 27, 2016
ULUKHAKTOK/HOLMAN
Elizabeth Meesters says knowing she is helping students in Ghana has made her hard work this year worth it.
"It felt good, said the Grade 7 student at Helen Kalvak School in Ulukhaktok.
"Knowing that I'm doing something to help someone else who isn't quite as fortunate as I am, it's nice to know I can do something."
Meesters has been volunteering her Saturday afternoons to work at the school's coffee shop, which has been raising money for both school activities as well as a project to help students in Ghana.
Kathy Tollenaar, teacher and vice principal, is heading the We're Ghana Make a Difference project. Tollenaar said she decided to move to Drobo, Ghana after visiting the region last summer.
Schools in Drobo need computers and English tutors, both of which Tollenaar said she knew she could help provide.
"I did realize they did identify some needs, some quite urgent needs that they have, including things like technology and resources and book and English language instruction," she said.
"I thought maybe I could help them out that way."
Tollenaar is planning to spend two years in Drobo volunteering in three schools.
Through the coffee shop and other donations, she has raised about $8,000 and estimates she will reach her goal of $10,000 by the time she leaves on Sept. 7.
Tollenaar is financing her own travel and living expenses, which will allow her to use all of the fundraised money to purchase computers and other equipment, which she can then teach students to use.
None of the students have ever used a computer.
"They have no computers," Tollenaar said. "They may have seen one, but they haven't touched one."
Tollenaar plans to teach basic computer skills, which will help students when they move on to post-secondary school.
"They're going to have to write up papers on a computer and if they've never done it before, that's going to be one more skill they're going to have to acquire in a situation that's already going to have a pretty steep learning curve," she said.
To reduce shipping costs and to put money into the local economy, Tollenaar said she plans on purchasing the computers in Ghana.
In addition to computer literacy, Tollenaar will also help tutor students in English.
"They sort of need some more authentic language teaching and resources, so that's one of the ways I'll be helping, by bringing books and doing read-alouds," she said.
"That's another very important part alongside the computer technology part."
To facilitate her English classes, Tollenaar will have to learn the local language, called
Twi. Meesters said she knows the skills Tollenaar plans to teach are stepping stones toward future opportunities for students in Ghana.
"I really want them to get the teaching stuff they need so they can get jobs. Eventually, it just grows," she said.
"I imagine some of them will make great technicians and some will make great teachers.
"I'm just thinking all they need is that little boost, some form of boost and then something greater could happen."
Anyone looking to donate or to get updates on the project can visit the We're Ghana Make a Difference Facebook page.
