Story of Godfred | Sponsor a Child | KNEF Ghana

”Of all children in Ghana ages 5-17 years, about 21 percent are involved in child labor and 14 percent are engaged in hazardous forms of labor. This is twice as common in rural areas.” UNICEF Ghana.

Godfred arrived at our school a few years older than most of the other students. As we were a brand new school we were only offering Kindergarten classes at that time. Godfred didn’t mind because he had never been to school before.

We were concerned with his development being surrounded by only younger children. Our teachers tried to help him get enrolled in another school but they did not want to accept him because he had not attended kindergarten and had no numeric skills or knowledge of the alphabet.

We allowed him to continue to come - we didn’t have much choice. He showed up anyway with a keen desire to attend school and learn. Our teachers learned that he had a tough home life and wouldn’t be able to pay any school fees. Our school is not-for-profit, but we do collect fees for operational costs only. Less than half our students usually can afford to pay anything. Some pay what they can.

In an effort to help with costs, we chose some of our bright and very poor students and tried to get them some support in the form of scholarships which ensure they can stay in school, have the books they need, and a proper school uniform that fits. Also, we can afford to pay our teachers and offer quality education.

Thanks to our website and social media, some friends of one of our board members reached out to offer a sponsorship for Godfred.

As a sponsored child, we never ask his family for money. We try to explain to the parents that this is a very valuable offer so it is important that their child has good attendance. This is a part of Ghana where children are at high risk of being used as farm labor.

Godfred now had the tools he needed to be successful. His teachers chose him for a scholarship because they all liked him very much. ‘He never used his bigger size to pick on or bully the younger children'. In fact, he became a great help to the teachers and the younger children. He completed kindergarten and graduated with the top marks in his class. His sponsors have continued to sponsor him from year to year through his learning journey.

Godfred and his family have found that they could call on the school in times of need. Including during one very bad storm when the roof of their house blew off and bricks rained down on Godfred's bed causing him a mild head injury. As terrible as the situation was, he was lucky to have caring teachers to take him into the city to be taken care of at the hospital. He fully recovered and came back to school with even more confidence that he belongs and is cared for at his school even if he can’t get everything he needs from home.

Godfred keeps growing fast and has had to get a few new school uniforms. He gets all the books he needs for each school term thanks to his scholarship support. His teachers make sure he attends school and often supplement his daily food as they noticed he is hungry and growing but does not always have enough at home.

Godfred continues to be one of the best helpers at the school and sets a good example for others with his positive attitude and good manners. He does have some competition in his class academically as some of his classmates are also very clever and motivated.

Godfred has been through several teachers at Harvest over the past few years and they all have glowing reports on what a good kid he is. We are so pleased that his sponsors have continued to make such a difference in his life. The older he gets the more tempting it is for his parents to have him stay home and work on the family farm. The teachers are extra aware of his attendance, especially during the harvesting seasons. A few times his family needed a quick reminder of the importance of school and the fact that he is on a scholarship and that has made all the difference.

Aside from literacy and numeracy, the students learn other life skills. They also have lessons about being a good citizen and learning about their country and their world.

Every year, we have witnessed this shy boy grow both physically and in confidence. He has found a safe welcoming place to go when the home is not the best. With the high inflation in Ghana, teachers continue to add to his lunches to ensure he can feed his body and mind. With gratefulness on behalf of all of us at Harvest Education Complex, we thank the Hudson family for their continued support.

To sponsor a child from Harvest Education Complex please visit https://www.knefghana.com/sponsor-a-child