As the source for GWF's vision, the choice of making Wisdom Academy our first partner school, was an easy one. Wisdom Academy has many of the things most parents envy in a school; an inspired proprietor, dedicated teachers and staff, a sound curriculum emphasizing the foundations of learning, and an informed PTA. In six short years Wisdom Academy has gone from a one room school with a student body totaling five to the model for all learning institutions in the Akwapem South School District. However, in a developing country like Ghana there are some things that even the best teachers and staff can't provide. Computer classes can only be so effective when the pupil to computer ratio is a staggering 354 to 1 and the school lacks electricity, field trips become few and far between when the school has barely enough funding to pay teachers' salaries, lessons can only be so active when the walls that separate your class from the other six classes have fallen down making noise restrictions a must. That is why GWF considers it a privilege to make Wisdom Academy our first ever partner school.

Below is an overview of Wisdom Academy's needs, as well as the Partnership's goals and objectives. Please take some time to learn about what GWF is doing to help Wisdom Academy and what you can do to help.

To see some of the things that GWF has been able to accomplish so far click on the following links: Wheels For Wisdom, Members Update, How You Have Helped

Wisdom Academy Overview

Today Wisdom sits on a half acre plot of land in the village of Kitase (pop.1,500). All classes (Grades 1 - 7), including the nursery and kindergartens, reside on that single plot making for an overcrowded school ground. No electricity or running water support either building. Both buildings are constructed of a cement base and a plywood body. Corrugated metal sheets make up the roof. The building is far from weather proof as leaks abound, walls, ceilings, and doors fall off and disappear, and loud rain against metal roofing easily drowns out teacher instruction. The need for a new learning facility is a major priority.

In February of 2006 a young first grader was hospitalized after being struck by a passing vehicle on her way to school. This incident brought the need for school transportation to the forefront. The lack of a school vehicle tops a long list of things the school is lacking: desks and chairs for each student, books and other valuable learning resources, electricity, and computers are also high on Wisdom Academy's wish list. However, with almost half of the student body unable to pay full tuition costs and with a proprietor too close to any of them to turn them away, funds are sucked dry each month with basic necessities like teachers' salaries and school maintenance.

Wisdom Academy's needs go much deeper than tangible educational equipment. Teacher training, program development, and the funding for special learning opportunities are also desperately needed. Of the full time staff only one of them holds any sort of teaching certificate. This troublesome ratio does not reflect a lack of dedication on their part, rather a lack of money. On a 40 dollar a month salary one thing Ghanaian teacher's do not have is a lot of money. Also, programs begin and end with a regularity that reflects both the continuous effort in the part of the staff as well as the lack of continuous funding that is needed to sustain after school programs. The same goes for students' learning opportunities. Events like field trips, computer classes, and after school programs are few to none and again it is not for any lack of want.

Partnership Overview

GWF and Wisdom Academy officially became partners in January 2006, with the launching of the GWF web site. Through the Partnership Contract both parties pinpointed the specific needs for Wisdom and have launched a plan to achieve each goal. Below is an overview of the types of programs, funds, and fundraising campaigns we have launched. If you are interested in learning more about any of the programs, most of them can be visited on our web site.

The first goal of the Partnership was to secure land for the future construction of a new school. This was accomplished in early 2006, with GWF and Wisdom Academy splitting the costs between four plots of land, making the future school grounds eight times bigger than the current one.

Construction, however, was halted when the necessity of purchasing a new school bus quickly rose to priority number one following the completion of a new paved road through Kitase. The new road resulted in the hospitalization of a first grader after she was struck by a speeding car on her way to school. News of the incident spread throughout the area and soon most of the school's commuting (walking) students had stopped coming (nearly 17% of the school's population). Thanks to an overwhelming support from past volunteers and concerned donors this goals was reached within months and school enrollment not only returned to its normal level, but surpassed it due to the increased demographic area that Wisdom is now able to educate. To see some pictures of the new bus click here.

Now, Wisdom Academy and GWF have returned to our original focus of constructing a new learning facility that will accommodate the growing number of enrolling students and provide current students with much better educational instruction and opportunities. This is a huge project and has been broken down into several components. The first step is constructing a water well on the new land. This will allow for running water and lower costs in the construction since the cement can now be mixed on site. Click here to learn more about the well. To raise money for this enormous undertaking, GWF has launched a major fundraising initiative in an American community that aims to raise awareness and funds for the construction of the new school. The project, called "Cape Cod - Kitase Education Project," will last until August 2008 and hopes to raise most of the funds needed to achieve this goal. If you are interested in donating to this cause than you can do so by visiting the web page, Build A School Project Fund.

Wisdom Academy is also in much need of capital support, that is funds to buy specific equipment for the expansion and improvement of the school. Tops on the list for capital support are desks and chairs for each student, books and educational resources, and computers. To donate to this fund go to Wisdom Academy General Fund. All donations are tax deductible.

Wisdom Academy also seeks continuous financial support in order to keep up with the ever increasing student body. This funding will be used in the general costs of operating a private school. GWF and Wisdom Academy are working together on numerous projects to ensure a lasting solution to Wisdom's financial problems. Here are some of the ways we are fighting this problem:

GWF School Store - Purchase authentic Ghanaian crafts and help a school raise money at the same time.

Student Tuition Sponsorship Program - Give a child, a family, and a school the ultimate gift - free education.

Volunteer Fees - Fees from our volunteer program go directly to the school in which you volunteer at.

We are also planning on launching an education based tourist/volunteer project in the later months of 2007 that will provide tourists with a chance to visit and help out at the school and also provide the school with much needed income.

GWF's Volunteer Program is a unique experience that allows caring individuals to join the GWF team and become a "partner" along with GWF and help Wisdom Academy reach its educational goals. Volunteer experiences are unique to each of our partner schools, and are constantly changing to meet the specific needs of that specific school. Volunteers at Wisdom Academy can help in a number of ways (e.g. program development, teaching, team teaching, construction, grant solicitation, and more). To learn more about this program and how you can help Wisdom Academy visit the Volunteer Program page.

In terms of program development, the Partnership is working together to create a unique learning experience for a selected few at Wisdom Academy. In a school with no electricity, computer classes prove to be difficult and with no internet access in Kitase, surfing the web is impossible. So, GWF is seeking funds to ship deserving students to the nearby town of Aburi where they will hold computer lessons via the internet in Aburi's Internet Cafe. Lessons will be created by GWF staff and will focus on basic computer terminology and information and will gradually expand to include lessons about using the web effectively. To incorporate a hands- on approach to learning, these students will be given e-mail accounts through the GWF web site and will be provided with American pen pals to foster a multicultural learning relationship. This program was successfully launched in March of 2007. To donate to this program visit the Computer Class Fund .

Finally, GWF will work with Wisdom Academy to create a functional and effective web site for the school. This web site will be on ongoing project, aimed at promoting its mission, advertising its services, and informing parents, prospective teachers, and other interested individuals, both in Ghana and abroad, about the current status of the school, about upcoming future events, and finally what they can do to help. Eventually this web site would also like to serve as an educational tool for Wisdom's students, and provide a world wide showcase for their talents. To visit the early stages of Wisdom Academy's web site visit http://www.ghanawisdom.org/WisdomAcademy.htm.

To see the current progresses being made by GWF and Wisdom Academy visit How You Have Helped.