Tamale

In November, we reported that the Big Box had finally arrived in Tamale. We have now received some additional information from our friends there. Yahaya Issah, the head of school at TISSEC, has reported that the supplies and equipment for the Tamale Teaching Hospital and Medical School have all been distributed and that the school supplies were recently distributed to students at TISSEC. Mr. Issah also sent along some pictures of the boxes being opened at the school.

Sulemana Abdulai, a teacher at the school, tells us that “The TISSEC community as well as the other beneficiary were all happy with your kind generosity. We do appreciate the wonderful things you people have been doing for us. We look forward to seeing some of you who will be making the February trip to Ghana. Best regards to the staff and students at KCD.”

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We are pleased to report that the sixth rainwater harvesting facility funded by KCD has been completed in Tamale, Ghana. The facility was constructed at Zogbeli cluster of schools in Tamale. Construction was completed at the end of June, and the facility was dedicated this summer.

We received updates on the project from El Hadji Kojo Kaleem Jehanfo, director of the water project in Tamale. Mr. Jehanfo visited KCD in May of 2009, and he continues to be a great friend to KCD and Louisville.

The KCD Ghana Water Project is a KCD initiative and is coordinated through Sister Cities of Louisville. Look for more water project activity at KCD in Spring of 2012. Contact Brina Stephens, KCD Ghana Water Project Director, if you would like more information.

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We are very excited to announce that the Big Box is now on its way to Tamale. When the Big Box – a 40' shipping container – left our campus on Monday, it was stuffed full with 1300 boxes of books, clothing, medical supplies, and classroom furniture. These supplies are destined for our sister city of Tamale, Ghana.

Here are some highlights of what went in the Box:

• Supplies for the Tamale Teaching Hospital, including four hospital beds and four pallets of medical supplies from Supplies Over Seas; two electrocardiogram machines from Elizabethtown; boxes of medical supplies, medical journals, and textbooks for nursing students provided through the efforts of Dr. Yusuf Deshmukh, the father of KCD alumni Hadiya '10 and Humza '08.
• 3,000 children's books donated by the KCD community to establish a library at Dahin Sheli elementary school.
• Tennis balls, basketballs, soccer balls, field hockey sticks, jump ropes, shin guards, soccer cleats, and athletic clothing donated by the KCD PE department.
• 250 boxes of used math and science textbooks donated by Ballard High School.
• 300 bags/boxes of clothing, shoes, first aid supplies, pain relievers, and toiletries donated by the KCD community.
• 120 pairs of running shoes donated by area running stores through a drive organized by sophomore Parker Head.
• 150 pieces of furniture (chairs, desks, filing cabinets, and shelves) for use at TISSEC and Dahin Sheli.

The Big Box left KCD on Monday and is currently on its way to Savannah, where it will begin its journey to Tema, the port near Ghana's capital of Accra. The trip should take about three months.

We would like to thank everyone in the KCD community who participated in this massive undertaking. In particular, we would like to recognize Jean Amick for the many hours she spent organizing this huge, ambitious project.

We would also like to thank several other individuals who played key roles in the success of the project. Many teachers supported this endeavor by encouraging students to bring in items. The project could not have been completed without the support of Gary Smith and Steve Allen of Kentucky Trailer, who lent us a trailer in which to store all these items. David Scinta, Martha Works, and Amber Staley from Service by Air were invaluable in helping us obtain the shipping container and navigating the paperwork involved. The Ghana Committee, especially seniors Laura and Sarah Whittenburg, April Riddett, Nathan Speilberg, Michael Glassman, Thomas Brown, and Parker Head, worked tirelessly collecting donations and preparing the boxes for shipment. Jamey Elliott procured the signage for the Big Box and the campus signs announcing collection dates. Frank Heil, Keith Kidd, and the maintenance staff provided important assistance – along with many parent, student, faculty, and alumni volunteers – in unloading the contents of the trailer and transferring them to the Big Box. To all of those who contributed: your generosity and effort will be very much appreciated by our friends in Tamale.

Big Box photos on Flickr

We are please to report that KCD is once again this year able to fund the construction of two new rainwater harvesting systems at schools in our Sister City of Tamale, Ghana. Last week, $8,800 USD were transferred to Sister Cities of Tamale who, under the supervision of Mr. Kaleem Jehanfo (past president of Sister Cities of Tamale and visitor to KCD in May 2009), has already begun construction of the two systems. This year, one system will go to KCD sister school TISSEC for the boys' dormitory, and the other will go to Vitting Secondary School, a nearby boarding high school in great need of supplementary water supply.

When the KCD student delegation traveled to Tamale in February of this year, the water supply for the city of Tamale was severed, and the two systems installed last year (one at TISSEC's girls' dormitory and one at Dahin Sheli), were the reason that girl students and women on the faculty did not have to miss class or endure long walks in search of water for their campuses.

Thanks to all who have contributed to this ongoing annual project, particularly the Sing for Water program on Grandparents' Day. We once again plan to attempt to fund an additional system through KCD community philanthropic efforts in the 2010-2011 school year under the direction of Ghana Water Project Director Brina Stephens.

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