2004

In connection to a charity concert at the Zurich International School in Wädenswil, Switzerland, the organizer asked me if there were school projects in my home country of Ghana that she could donate a part of the proceeds to. Together with a colleague of mine, I decided to purchase learning material for a school in Kumasi, Ghana. 

During my next stay in Ghana, I met the director of a local village school near the legendary Lake Bosomtwe. We visited the small school and found an uncleared piece of land on which there was nothing but a rundown wooden structure that was the school building and a small wooden hut where a portion of rice was prepared for the students on a daily basis. Around 20 students came more or less regularly to school undergoing a walk of several kilometres each way. The director was almost at the point of quitting when we spontaneously decided to support the school in order to provide the local children with consistent education. 

2005

We gathered more money for tables, teaching materials, clothes and shoes through donations from my students and their parents and also from school events. However, the school was still lacking in many areas. For instance, the teachers in Ghana had been working pro bono and so we decided to gather larger sums of money through football tournaments, sale of African drums and crafts in order to provide at least a modest salary for the local teachers.

2006

I decided to purchase the land on which the school was built and the surrounding area in order to guarantee that the school could remain there. I spent most of my vacation on-site cultivating the land with the help of my Ghanaian friends and building a fence around the property so that the children could play there safely. During that time I noticed that only very few students came to school due to the great distance they had to travel on foot and to their parents' lack of money to pay for the modest school lunch. We had to find a way to provide education for a larger group of students. We needed a school bus! 

Another topic was the arduous pumping and carrying of water during our week long work. It quickly became apparent that the school required a water tank that would allow the teachers to focus on their lessons and provide filtered water that would guarantee a minimum of hygiene. There was a lot to discuss and plan before the digging could begin for the construction of the water tank and quite some time would pass before it would finally happen. 

Full of thoughts and ideas I returned to Europe where my students and friends eagerly awaited the latest pictures and news from Ghana. 

2007

Through a larger donation and also my personal contributions, as well as the charity of some of my closest friends, we finally managed to purchase a school bus. It took us three days in the blazing heat until we found the right bus and another day to complete all the necessary administrative steps.

The joy was outrageous when we finally put the bus to use and from that day on, the number of students increased steadily. In three years we increased the number of students by five times. In order to finance the bus as well as the salaries for the teachers, we came up with a business plan for using that bus as a so-called Tro Tro taxi. We found a bus stop near the school where the bus could be put to work outside of school. With the help of the taxi business, we planned to purchase another bus and thus inspire the teachers and parents to help themselves as well.

2008

Finally, we were able to start the water supply project and the construction of the water tank platform. Thanks to the built-in filter we could offer the students clean drinking water. However, we still did not have pipes leading to the toilets that stood on the other end of the property behind the school house.

When and how could we solve this problem with our humble means?

2009

A fire broke out in the school kitchen and forced us to make a decision which actually helped us with our toilet problem. Since we could no longer make use of the kitchen, we needed to act quickly and so we decided to construct a dining hall that could also be used as a conference room. Adjacent to the hall we planned to build a large storage room with generous toilets equipped with automatic flushing systems directly connected to the water tank. At the front of the building, we planned to have a covered outdoor kitchen. Construction started before the end of 2009.

2010

The first service trips of ZIS students took place in 2010. Students of grades 9 and 11 came to visit the school and helped during 1 week with the completion of the first concrete building on the school compound. 

The raining season started and we quickly realized that the cooks needed a small room with a door they could close and lock during the rains and also keep food and materials dry and safe. We were proud that the work could be completed and the inauguration took place in 2010.     

2011

Once you start, you have to continue…

For the first time since 2004, we started planning. What next? And where do we want to be in 5 years?

The wooden classroom was no longer acceptable and the breakdown could be expected any day. Small financial support from many people over the past years could not help building new classrooms, or be used for the purchase of one or two school buses.

We had to look for fundraising of bigger amounts, but to achieve this, we first had to change our concept, look for qualified teachers, get the school accredited and take all the necessary steps to show supporters and donors that we were seriously planning to build up and develop the school in a professional way. 

All of us worked hard and we were so happy that close to the end of 2011 we started with the construction of 3 new classrooms. It was amazing to see all of us, workmen and close friends worked hard, also during their winter holidays to make all this happen and come true.  

After many years and endless efforts, we are now convinced that the direction we chose and the concept we developed is the right one. The road we chose is long but we feel the dream and soon the vision will become reality.

We are looking forward to the challenges in 2012.

2012 - 2013

The number of students increased steadily and we no longer had enough classrooms to educate them all. Since our modest financial means would not permit us to build significant additional structures. We expanded the existing building by three more classrooms and an office. Compared to where we began, this was a luxury, but personally, it inspired me to find the necessary means to provide an environment that would truly benefit the students.

Finally, we were able to begin with the construction of a new school building with five classrooms and a connected toilet facility. For the first time, we were confronted with problems that inevitably coincide with a construction project, the kind of obstacles that are difficult to solve at a distance. Constructing a new school building became a significant challenge and learning process for all of us. For the first time, different mindsets and cultural/regional perspectives became taxing on our patience and tolerance. The result was that we had to accept the manner in which our friends wanted to proceed with the construction and all that was left for us was to repeatedly share our plans and ideas with them whenever we were on site. With a great effort from all involved, we succeeded in finishing the new building complex. The result was extraordinary and the students were proud to be learning in a new and colourful environment.

Another highlight was the purchase of another adjacent plot of land. In return, we agreed to support the construction of a public toilet in the village of Behenase. To increase the level of safety of the campus, we started to build a wall around the perimeter. In order to accomplish that, we required large quantities of cement, sand and stone, which in turn meant the need for more financial means in addition to the materials and craftsmen.

In past years we only visited Ghana twice a year, however, the advancing construction and development of the school forced us to make more frequent trips. Now we are able to visit the school every two to three months as far as our vacation times permits.

2014

The new building complex and the wall were finished. We decided to invite everyone who was part of this effort in any way to the official opening ceremony. Of course, the directors of the Zurich International School, the representatives of various educational institutions, a group of students from ZIS and our Ghanaian friends and families needed to be present. The parents of our students were also cordially invited.

The local chief (a sort of mayor who represents local justice, administration, traditional religion and culture) honoured our school with his presence. Together with other guests he cut the ceremonial ribbon, thus officially opening the new school building. We will never forget this day. Our guests from abroad were fascinated by traditional dances or procedures. The students from ZIS painted traditional Adinkra symbols all along the walls (symbols and meaning are explained under “Partnerships, Adinkra village.)   

We had achieved a lot and we could have kicked back and relaxed for a while if not for another significant challenge that came during the rainy season: The erosion of the sloped school grounds. How could we solve this problem efficiently and without a large cost? A solution was presented, however at a utopian cost. Then, however, we found a landscaper who put forth a traditional solution. He suggested that we plant (not sow) a special kind of grass on the majority of the school grounds that was capable of absorbing large quantities of rainwater and conveying it to the right places. This solution was not just very efficient, but also very inexpensive compared to other suggestions and it also gave the school grounds a sophisticated look.

The growth of the school, the extensive support that we have received so far and our plans for the future of Bosomtwe International School (BIS) led us to create a foundation in order to properly manage donations.

As is the case in all countries, in Ghana we needed to fill out all the right paperwork, understand new and different laws, find the right specialists who could help us with our administrative tasks, have talks with banks and financial authorities, etc. The new foundation and the growth of the school had increased the administrative load significantly and we were happy that global connections allowed us to perform the vital administrative tasks in Switzerland.

And then... Ebola. Even though Ghana was spared, the country and its economy were shaken. Service Trips no longer took place, but we still travelled to Ghana just as before. The country's precautionary measures, as well as our own, gave us a positive outlook. This break from the status quo gave us the time to focus on the teachers and students and support them in whatever way possible.

Thanks to generous donations and the desire of our students to remain at our school even after their completion of Primary School, we decided to construct a new building for Junior and Senior High School students, a First-Aid room, a Head Office, a staff room and a supply room. We began construction before the end of 2014.

2015

The year began with great promise and the new JHS building was slowly taking shape. Since it was to be a two-story building, the construction would prove to be much more complex than with the previous projects. We had discussed all the details with the craftsmen, measured everything precisely, calculated and ordered all the materials and returned to Europe full of excitement and anticipation. However, things did not go as planned...

We were faced with an unpleasant surprise on our next visit. In spite of pre-existing plans and precise directions, we arrived to find that the ground floor of the new building was built in the British fashion with round pillars, as we would see in official buildings and palaces. It would have been so easy to just follow the plans and architecture of the other buildings.

The stairs leading to the second floor had to be taken down due to structural deficiencies. At that point, we decided to only proceed with the construction effort when we were on site. Since the extension of the second floor and the toilet facilities were delayed by several weeks, the completion deadline of the building was moved to 2016. Smaller jobs like plastering the walls and sealing the subceiling could be done in the meantime.

For the first time since the outbreak of the Ebola epidemic, we were able to welcome students from Switzerland in October. They painted the furniture for the Pre-School and assisted in the setting up of a school garden. It would be used for experimentation, the cultivation of both local and for us more familiar vegetables. Working in the garden became part of the After School Activities that also encompassed a reading club brought to life by one of the teachers. It was later expanded by a Homework Club and individual remedial lessons.

In the final months of the year, we erected a sizeable covered outdoor eating area next to the school garden. Thus all students could eat at the same time, visitors always had a place for their meetings and activities and our smallest students would always find a place to play there.

The years of 2014 and 2015 had been the most work-intensive since our first visit to the small bush school. Following the suggestion of some business contacts, we renamed the school to Bosomtwe International School (previously Bosomtwe Community School), to highlight our commitment to provide education to students from more distant areas as well. It also reflects our international ties.

We and our students understand our school as a sort of private model school where children and teachers find themselves in a friendly and colourful environment with small classes that encourage motivated and individualized learning.

2016 - 2018

What did 2016 have in store for us?

We had many plans that we wished to achieve in the course of the year. Among other things:

•  Complete the new building with further toilet facilities
•  Furnishing on an IT Lab in combination with a school library
•  Creation of a playground for the younger children and a sports field for Physical Education and After School Activities.
•  Planting grass on the lower school grounds
• Making use of foreign voluntary teachers and medical professionals 

And that is just to mention a few.

We were hoping for a quiet and peaceful new year. 

The years 2016 – 2018 were the busiest and most challenging years since construction work started at BIS. Funds for the expansion of old buildings and facilities as well as the construction of the new Junior / Senior High Complex were provided by generous donors. We adapted the school concept according to regional and local requirements. 

We started with the construction of a 3rd-floor storey building, offering classrooms for Junior and Senior High Students, small offices and a modern dormitory floor to host boarders. Thanks to the support of our partner school in Switzerland and private donors we were able to equip our own computer lab, a library with text and storybooks, games, puzzles etc. The classroom furniture was replaced by high-quality home used furniture.
   

We developed a colour concept for the classrooms and labs according to ages and repainted the Lower School Complex in 2018.     
   

To stop erosion during the raining seasons, we started planting grass, areas which we are using since then as sports fields inside the campus. Hence the School Owner’s teaching of all types of sports as an important part of education became true. BIS’ focus is on holistic teaching.   
    

Unexpected, difficult weather conditions, climate change, flooding, electric power failure, every second day, with extremely high or low voltage, forced us very often, to change our work plan, stop the work completely, do repairs and maintenance not part of the budget, due to the circumstances.
 

Our understanding of the influence that climate has on the behaviour, pace and culture of people grew with each flooding and power failure. Only patience, tolerance, flexibility and perseverance will finally lead to success. Knowing all this there are still situations from time to time where it is difficult to remain patient and tolerant. But we are working on it.       

By chance, we got to know of the sale of two uncompleted houses in the small village Behenase near the school in short walking distance from BIS. These houses are perfect for teachers’ and volunteers’ accommodation and the bigger house can be used to host international students on service trips or training camps.   

2 ½ years of intensive activity and hard work are over and 2019 will hopefully be the year of completion of the projects we have started. As usual, we are confident but at the same time curious if and to which extent we will be able to finish and reach our goals. We hope that the considerable changes in the education sector will not disturb our plans too much and we can go on the next “educational adventure trip” with our students and teachers, in correspondence with our teaching concept.                

2019

Many changes took place in Ghana in the past 2 years and the Education concept “Free SHS for everyone” which was launched in 2018, had an impact on the BIS plans and program. We decided to stay for some time with the Primary and JHS program, which was the right decision. 
 

Our main focus is on holistic learning, especially at the Lower Primary Site, to build a profound and strong basis which opens up their mind and improves their learning skills for the rest of their school life.  
  

Our former students, who unfortunately had to change to public Senior High Schools, can see a big difference and are recognized as exceptional students, with a high motivation level.  

Whenever they are on vacation they return to BIS to help either inside the classrooms or outside on the constructions site, or they just come around to pay a visit and feel home again.

Due to very bad weather and infrastructure conditions in the Ashanti Region we had to slow down with the completion of the new constructions projects, i.e. the new sports changing and bathroom complex with detached washrooms. We were forced to shift the completion to the year 2020. The heavy rains caused big damage to our school wall and we had to bundle all workforce to plaster the outside walls, dig gutters, remove trees and plants growing too close to the walls. It took two months until the plastering was done, consuming about 500 bags of cement and a considerable sum for materials and labour cost.  Luckily the dry season started earlier, this was very helpful to finish the work before Christmas. 

Once more we had to be patient… but on the other hand, it allowed us to concentrate more on the teaching concept and teacher training. In other words, as one of our friends said, for years we were concentrating on the hardware, it was now the time to upgrade the software.  

Sometimes we speak English in Germany or Switzerland, sometimes German with the Ghanaians, without even realizing it. And more and more also the different cultural aspects, traditions and behaviours are mingling. We are living in two different worlds and we try to filter the best out of it and put it together into the BIS teaching, for the sake of the children.  

Ten years of project and construction work have passed and we are looking forward to another exciting decade with many wonderful surprises ahead of us.  We will keep you posted.

2022

Finally… our flights into Ghana after 2 years’ absence were booked for April 2022. We took off with mixed feelings like impatience, curiosity, happiness, but also worries what was waiting for us…

Also the travel conditions and corresponding daily reports did not make us feel relaxed. 

But we were able to land in Accra after a smooth transit in London and a pleasant flight, and the professional organization of the covid19 travel restrictions and requirements in Accra gave us hope that our visit would be successful.  

The people were serious on wearing face masks and we felt safe throughout our visit.

Unfortunately we did not have much time to get to know our new staff personally very well, due to the Easter Break, but even these short meetings and observation gave us a better understanding of the team and the topics and challenges we would have to work on. 

We went around the school and also to the two village houses to check on maintenance and repair issues. Unfortunately, due to extreme weather conditions but also missing maintenance during two years, the challenges were bigger than expected and the repairs we will need to do on walls, roofing, woods, windows etc. within the coming two years will consume a high amount of money and forced us to adjust our budget for 2022 and also 2023. 

What next? Concentrate on maintenance and repairs of the already built facilities and walls? Or rather follow our initial plan to complete one of the village houses and open a Kindergarten for KG1 and KG2, starting in January 2023. We decided to follow this plan for the following reasons:

-       Enlarge the number of students in grades 1 to 9, as parents prefer admitting their kids to schools offering at least also a Kindergarten program. The need of good Kindergarten places is high in Ghana as mostly mothers are away the whole day to work and earn money to feed their families. 

-       Ensure that the development of grade 1 students at BIS is already according to our requirements and expectations. The new Kindergarten facility is located in a very quite environment in the center of the small village, in 5 minutes walking distance to the school. 

We met with masons and the carpenter to complete the village house during our absence, which meant doing some corrections, plastering inside and outside and doing carpentry and roofing work.

We left our team and the workers, hoping that everything was well understood and followed. 

The inflation rates and the sometimes daily or monthly price increases did not let us sleep well. With each purchase of cement bags or wood we had to re-think and sometimes adjust our plans and calculation.

During May and part of June 2022 were very busy managing the administration and construction work in Ghana, out of Switzerland. A fifth covid19 wave started in Europe already in June but we tried to ignore it and continued planning our next trip to Ghana in June, which would allow us to stay longer.

And here we are again …

Extremely busy and more flexible than ever before, to adapt to challenges like constantly increasing prices, a lot of administrative and document requirements from official and government side. Coaching and instructing teaching staff, looking into food prices and support canteen staff with ideas how to save money but still offer healthy and delicious food. 

Working with the Librarians to re-structure the Library and sort out stuff and books which are no longer needed. Teachers and students were assigned different duties or small projects to ensure the school is kept clean and the structure and instructions will be followed after our return to Switzerland.

But the main focus was on the further completion of the Kindergarten and also the school compound. The pictures and videos show the progress in the past weeks and all of us are highly motivated and looking forward to finish the work so that only tiling and painting of the house and the walls is left, which we hope to be able to supervise latest during the Xmas break. Right now the Kindergarten and also part of the school compound are paved, which consumes a high amount of money, but will finally guarantee a safe environment for the kids, serve as sports field for the BIS students on the school compound and, compared to concrete pathways or surfaces or lawn fields, pavement stones are less expensive than concrete due to longer durability and less or no weedicides, fertilizers etc. are needed anymore to keep the environment SAFE and clean.    

We wish we could stay for another 3 months to support everyone and continue coaching the teachers but also the students. Covid19 has changed our world and people and we all have to find new ways to cope with daily challenges and remember that fighting alone and against each other will not be beneficial and destroy our society and our world.

Ibrahim and I are looking forward to our next visit to BIS, hopefully latest in December, 2022. 

We will keep you updated ….

Please stay safe and healthy!!!       

DECEMBER 2022, WE MADE IT…..

We are back at BIS, spending our Christmas holidays at School, working hard, together with workmen and teachers, to achieve our goals

-       Opening of the new Kindergarten on 16 January, 2023

-       Completion the new multiple-purpose sports fields (grass and pavement) on the school compound

We have started to restructure BIS in all areas and we are looking forward to a successful 2023. 

And the start was good …

The new school year 2023 has already seen 20 new students in the Primary School and JHS and 10 in the new Kindergarten in the first week. And more admissions are already in progress.

Our best wishes for 2023 to our families, friends, donors and thanks a million for your trust, support and encouragement.

Ibrahim and Elfi    

2023 & 2024

School life and Academics

2023 to 2024 were challenging years with regards the global financial situation which hit Ghana very hard. Food, construction material and fuel prices reached never seen highs and the atmosphere in the country changed and we experienced more unrest and aggression in the country.  

Kindergarten

The year 2023 started positive after we worked hard on the completion of the new Kindergarten project during the Xmas holidays 2022.  

With the help of some of our teachers, local workers and a local volunteer, we were able to launch and open the new BIS Kindergarten on 16 Januay, 2023, in a very calm and serene environment,  5 walking minutes from the school. And the start was good…

The new Kindergarten saw already 10 students in the first week and more admissions were already in progress. The environment is child-friendly and learning methods and material meet international standards, combined with local educational standards, worth to be maintained and to add value to the international techniques. The teaching is child-centered, according to the finally agreed concept “learning by playing” by the Ministry of Education. The decision of the Ministry of Education, was welcomed also by our teachers and they are trying their best to adopt the new concept which meets perfectly the BIS teaching concept. The spacious place and a big choice of learning material and toys make the Kindergarten a fun and safe place for kids and teachers.    

We organized an open-day event for parents and kids in June and it was fun and something new for some parents. We demonstrated the use and type of learning material, toys and games and the kids performed songs and dance activities. 

We are confident that within time new parents from urban environments will move to the area and will be happy to admit their kids to the BIS Kindergarten. 

The aim of the foundation and Ibrahim’s personal goal was and still is to support BIS alumni as mentor or advisor in their academic and job life. This message was very well understood by the students and many of them return to Bosomtwe International School regularly as volunteers, during their holidays, to either help physically with construction work or gardening, IT workshops etc. In 2023, three former female students returned after having passed their secondary school, and they started a trainee program at the Kindergarten, in the library and also at the Lower primary, assisting the classroom teachers. They are trained on a daily basis by the teachers but also the Board of Directors, who are willing and very happy that they can share their experience with the youth. The aim of the trainees is to start long distance studies in the near future. A high percentage of our former students were able to get access to various universities and future-oriented courses.     

BIS (Primary and JHS)

2023 was one the most challenging years since Ibrahim took over the small rural school and set up a foundation to support and protect the school, with the help of volunteers, friends, partners. 

After the long absence during the pandemic we were able to visit Ghana and the school 3 times, in January, February, June and July, which was necessary to organize and manage all the maintenance issues and repairs, and also continue our inhouse training workshops and on-the-job-trainings, especially for the new teachers.

Furthermore administrative matters had to be addressed, deadlines to be met. As usual, the time we were able to spend at BIS in 2023 was not long enough, as the problems were considerable. Extreme climate changes and weather conditions and challenges lead to damages inside and outside the school facilities, using up an unexpected amount of the money budgeted for replacement of older IT equipment and learning materials. The purchase of a new generator, solar bulbs and lights, to compensate frequent power failure, had to be postponed to the following year. 

The very difficult global economical and financial situation has changed the mindset of the majority of people and the focus is mainly on surviving and maintaining their life standard. We realized this especially with new staff who joined the school in 2023. We the Directors, had to find new, additional ideas and ways to support and keep the motivation of teachers and students high, so that all the academic achievements and projects could be kept on a good level.  

Academic projects

Already implemented projects, like homework  and reading clubs, ethics counselling, gardening and environmental training, had to be re-assigned due to staff changes. 

To secure the advanced teaching standard, Ibrahim decided to elect a student council, consisting of 10 students (grades 6 to 9). Main purpose is to let them understand their leadership skills and train them continuously. They report about the different projects, take care of a clean environment, solve and report about problems in or outside classrooms and take care of the wellbeing and rights of their classmates and also their teachers. 

We know that this is an ambitious project but every effort is worth it to keep up values like good communication, helpfulness, care, politeness, tolerance and faith, important for a well working community and team work     

Maintenance and Construction

Ibrahim is a very experienced sports teacher and former football professional and his key goal is to strengthen the physical fitness of students. Besides all the maintenance work we did in 2023, we were able to build and complete excellent multi-purpose sports fields (grass and pavement) which will serve for internal and external PE and sports activities, tournaments, holiday training workshops for local and international students. 

Every year Ibrahim organizes for BIS a simultaneous “challenge run” with the partner school in Switzerland. The excitement at both places is high and the students can follow the activities via Whatsapp and google meet. This event plus a take-away Ghana dinner and different ball matches, which Ibrahim can organize on the compound of the partner school in Switzerland, are some of the income generating activities outside the country.  

Both, school and Kindergarten, were fenced with wire mesh to protect the place from unwanted visitors (humans and animals). A new conference and visitor room on the school compound was painted and furnished. An unemployed family friend helped to paint the places according to the design concept of the Directors. Besides transportation and a moderate workmanship, he volunteered his efforts and help to the students. We trained him in accuracy and punctuality and he worked for nearly 1 year at the school. He learned about maintenance, repaired and re-painted chairs and tables and got to know his own craft skills. His internship at the school enabled him to find a new workplace and earn his own money.

Severe weather conditions in the past 6 or more months and especially during Harmattan caused more damages on the facilities than expected so that we had to revise our activity plan for 2024 as follows:

-       Repair and re-plaster fence walls and part of the buildings

-       Complete and paint the new sports building incl. showers and changing room, library and computer lab. Also some of the Lower Primary classrooms need to be re-painted. Apply rough terrazzo on the old multi-purpose places (eating place)

-       Paint the repaired fence wall by students of the Swiss partner school, coming on a service trip in June 2024

-       Train new staff in June/July and re-implement ethics counseling sessions

-       PE training for teachers and older students 

-       Organize holiday sports activities with other schools and international students

-       Inhouse training of new staff by the Directors and teachers from the Swiss partner school in June/July

-       Liaise with Sports students of German Sport Universities to volunteer for shorter or longer periods so that throughout the year our teachers are lead and guided by experts. 

-       Looking for foreign volunteers, especially IT students and English native speakers, who can assist and train our subject teachers and hold workshops for our students.

-       During this difficult economical situation the school will unfortunately not get Ghanaians volunteering in the teaching area, that’s why we decided to invite foreign specialists interested in gaining experience abroad which will be considered positively by future employers in their home countries. At the same time both volunteers and our students will benefit from culture exchange. 

-       Organize a service week for a group of 27 students and chaperones from the partner school in Switzerland. They visited the school in the first week of June and did some project work, including painting.

-       Intensive planning of the new school year 24/25 with the teachers, control of sufficient learning material, school inventory, more varied canteen food, etc.             

We will work with local masons, painters, welders and carpenters during our stay and hope to accomplish all our goals as per our plan for 2024.  

Please stay safe and healthy!

Ibrahim and Elfi    

2025

School life and Academics

Upon our return to BIS in April 2025 we met lovely students at the Lower and Upper Primary and for the first time also Nursery students on our Kindergarten campus.

The atmosphere on both campuses had changed and we were all missing the JHS students. Due to a lower number of JHS students we decided in August 2024 to change the school program and focus mainly and intensively on Early Childhood, Pre-School and Primary, to provide a solid educational basis to our students.  

June/July 2025 saw us back in Behenase with two Swiss  and German students who came to visit Ghana on their own and who did an amazing volunteering work, comprising painting of the school wall, teaching different subjects at the Upper Primary and also engaging them outside during PE lessons. Aside the volunteering at BIS they were able to visit different points of view and traditional places and they enjoyed the hospitality and friendliness of Ghanaians and were very impressed by the old traditions and their strong impact in daily live.     

They also assisted setting up used laptops, donated by a friend from Europe.

They were taken on an afternoon tricycle ride to the neighboring villages by one of our former students. This ride was pure fun and something they had never experienced before.  

Whilst writing this report, two weeks of their volunteering have elapsed already and the few days left before their departure are fully packed with teaching,  PE activities and fun games. Playing football on the street and the hotel compound with village kids was their preferred evening and Sunday activity 

BIS students, especially upper primary students have benefitted a lot from their visit and their subject teaching. The students have understood that asking questions, understanding and intensifying background knowledge by doing research on their own either in books or online, makes their lessons and also their learning much more valuable and interesting. The motivation in class was very high and we are looking forward to keep this motivation in school in the future. Laptops to do research in class are available, only that the network and wifi connections are often weak and unstable.   

Before the volunteers will return to Switzerland they will visit one of the most traditional places in the Ashanti region, the Kente village Bonwire. The entire BIS Team enjoyed and appreciated the time the two young men spent at BIS and in Ghana and we hope to welcome smaller of bigger groups of volunteers or individuals more often at BIS.  

A highlight was the birthday celebration of one of the students who turned 18, at the end of their stay. BIS students did nice birthday cards and sang the BIS song and the cook prepared a delicious Joloff rice with eggs and soft drinks for all.  

 A PTA meeting was held with the parents in July to discuss the fees for the new school year, the transportation possibilities and also the employment of new qualified teachers for the school year 2025-2026. 

We were delighted by the open-mindedness and the understanding of new parents, especially those of our early childhood and Kindergarten kids. We are looking forward to see more students at the beginning of the new school year in September, 2025 and to a fruitful collaboration with the PTA.     

Maintenance and construction

We started re-painting the school buildings, sports and washrooms and the school walls,the visitor toilets and also the old washrooms and urinals,  to make the place look attractive and neat again, after a very dry Harmattan season.

Kofi, our Ghanaian volunteer and family friend has become a very experienced painter through the collaboration with the Directors in the past years. He worked with the volunteers in the past weeks and demonstrated how hard work and willingness to learn can improve our private but also our job life. 

The volunteers were deeply impressed by the perseverance and the physically hard work Kofi did.

As usual weather and supply problems forced us to adapt our ambitious maintenance plan and projects. 

4 of the school buildings could not be repainted, and we may need to postpone this work until our next visit.
 

Outlook second half of 2025 

We hope that we will be able to return to Ghana in the second half of the year and  work on the completion of all our project goals for 2025: 

-       Repainting of all school buildings, inside and outside.

-       Employing several new qualified teachers and an experienced administrator/supervisor 

-       Install a strong Starlink wifi connection on the school campus 

We are looking forward to the second half of 2025 and the challenges and achievements it is holding for us. 

Please stay safe and healthy!

Ibrahim and Elfi