Ayensuano District in the Eastern Region has received a significant boost with the inauguration of the Resource and Empowerment Center in Kraboa.
Constructed by Ark Development Organization through funding from the Australian High Commission to Ghana, the facility aims to bridge the ICT gap and combat the pressing issue of teenage pregnancy in the district.
A 2019 survey highlighted a concerning lack of access to ICT education in the district, with only twelve out of 82 basic schools writing ICT subjects in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) due to the absence of computer.
In response, teachers had been using personal laptops and mobile phones for instructional purposes.
In the health sector, Ayensuano District faced a challenge with teenage pregnancies, recording 437 cases in 2019 and 360 cases in 2020, ranking it as the second-highest among the 33 districts in the Eastern region that year.
Ark Development Organization (ADO), a nonprofit organization, initiated the Kraboa Coaltar Resource and Empowerment Center project in response to these challenges.
The project, funded by the Australian High Commission’s Direct Aid Program (DAP), encompasses an ICT unit, library, sexual reproductive health corner, adolescent classroom, community information center, counseling unit, and informal education unit.
During the handover ceremony, Australian High Commissioner to Ghana H.E Berenice Owen-Jones expressed optimism about the project, emphasizing its goal to address the ICT gap and combat teenage pregnancy rates.
She quoted a UNICEF report, highlighting that multiple violations of sexual and reproductive health and rights pose significant barriers to equitable opportunities for adolescent girls.
The Ayensuano District Director of Education, Rev. Alexander Nathan Amanda, emphasized the impact of the center’s ICT laboratory, designed to benefit all basic schools for practicals and reduce reliance on personal devices by teachers.
District Chief Executive Josephine Awuku, Member of Parliament Teddy Safori Addi, chiefs, and citizens collaborated to donate computers, laptops, hair dryers, and sewing machines to furnish the center.
However, Ark Development Organization’s Executive Director, Emmanuel Kwarfo Mintah, emphasized the need for more computers, air conditioners, and furniture to fully equip the facility.
The center is anticipated to not only enhance ICT education but also contribute to the community’s overall well-being by providing valuable resources to address reproductive health challenges.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
