The Tahama Learning Center
In the fall of 2022, thanks to generous donations, we opened our third early childhood learning center, Tahama. Tahama means hope in the local Dagbani language. In 2023, when the new school year begins, Tahama will provide an opportunity for many children to attend school for the first time. Teachers will use an environmental educational curriculum, which is unique in the region. Tahama features a kitchen and food storage area, a school garden to produce food for the school lunch program, an outdoor exploration classroom, solar power, and rainwater catchment.
Abiba is attending school for the first time at the Tahama Center. She is five years old and when asked why she wanted to go to school she said, "I want to meet a new friend." Every child, like Abiba, who attends our learning centers receives school supplies, a daily lunch to help reduce malnutrition, and a school uniform sewn by our vocational training graduates.
Teaching at Tahama
The Tahama Learning Center will have classes for children aged 4 to 11. The teachers are all from the local region and many are graduates of our scholarship program. Classes are taught bilingually in the regional language of Dagbani and the national language of English. Classes emphasize learning about local culture and the environment.
The Tahama Center is directed by Madam Salma, pictured to the right with her first class of kindergarten students. Madam shared that she is, "loving her work" and "every day she is thinking about her work and how to come up with a new strategy to help with teaching."
The Tahama Center is directed by Madam Salma, pictured to the right with her first class of kindergarten students. Madam shared that she is, "loving her work" and "every day she is thinking about her work and how to come up with a new strategy to help with teaching."
student Nutrition and Health
Childhood nutrition is an increasing concern in our partner communities due to poor and unpredictable rainfall, global food shortages, the cost of oil and transportation, and currency value declines in Ghana.
To help increase nutrition for our students, we provide school lunches. Some of the food for lunches comes from the school garden and from our women's farming projects. All other food is purchased from local markets, supporting women in the region. Food is prepared by two mothers of students at the school who are hired as part-time cooks (pictured left). Having a kitchen building at Tahama is a significant help to our school lunch program as food can be stored and prepared with clean water from rainwater catchment.
To help increase nutrition for our students, we provide school lunches. Some of the food for lunches comes from the school garden and from our women's farming projects. All other food is purchased from local markets, supporting women in the region. Food is prepared by two mothers of students at the school who are hired as part-time cooks (pictured left). Having a kitchen building at Tahama is a significant help to our school lunch program as food can be stored and prepared with clean water from rainwater catchment.
Environmental and Outdoor Education
Tahama uses an environmentally focused curriculum, including outdoor education. This innovative program is designed as a model for other rural schools and includes:
Tahama uses an environmentally focused curriculum, including outdoor education. This innovative program is designed as a model for other rural schools and includes:
- Place-based learning focused on the study of local environmental resources, African wildlife, and local culture.
- An outdoor school garden classroom that produces food for school lunches.
- A youth native and fruit tree planting and raising program.
- Skill development through reading, writing, and activities about wild animals.
- Outdoor play areas including swings and a soccer field.
Community engagement
The community will form a Parent Teachers Association for Tahama that provides advice on school programming. Communities are also engaged through school presentations where students share what they have learned each term. Volunteers help with annual planting of school gardens.
In the future, solar power at Tahama will enable evening youth and adult education programs, including English language classes and Women's public health trainings. We also hope to have tutoring for our older youth in our scholarship program.