Overview
The community members of Adumasa originally constructed a two-room high school to fill the need for post-elementary education for community youth. This school was operated as a private institution, with attendees paying a small fee to meet operating costs. However, it was soon realized that this structure was insufficient to meet the needs of the community. As such, the community leaders turned over ownership and operation of the school to the FST Sisters, a religious organization operating within the Adumasa region. Through the fundraising efforts of the Sisters, the high school was expanded to include five classrooms, a latrine facility, and a kitchen by 2012.
As much as possible, the FST Sisters allowed these students to continue attending school even though they could not cover the academic fees. At the same time, the Sisters noticed new community problems including increasing trends in teenage pregnancy and children’s involvement in illegal mining. These problems led to extraordinary school absenteeism and dropout rates. In 2017, the FST Sisters contacted our chapter hoping that we can help them to expand the Adumasa high school. Their thinking at the time was, through education they could modify the children’s behavior and mindset, and significantly reduce the observed negative trends.
Implementation
In 2017 our chapter visited the area for an assessment, but the project was deemed a no-go. The low enrollment (19 students) in the secondary school at the time did not justify the need for a new building. The Sisters were advised to focus on elementary education because approximately 60% of the kids in Adumasa were not attending school at the time. In 2019, the Sisters handed the high school over to the Ghana Education Service and started a new school with a focus on younger children (pre-K and K) to implement the new model. As of 2022, the new school has 317 children in Nursery 1 & 2, K1 & K2. In the spring of 2023, the design for the new junior high school was completed by a senior design team. The initial design allows for the project to be completed over three phases.
Phase One: To Be Completed
Phase one of the Adumasa FTS Sisters School began in January 2023. UW-Platteville EWB sent a travel team to Adumasa for two weeks to establish relationships with the nuns and survey the landscape to determine the location of the building. The travel team consisted of six students, Dr. Austin Polebitski, and chapter advisor Dr. Samuel Owusu-Ababio. A team is also scheduled to return to Adumasa in January of 2024 to start the construction process of the Sister School. The goal of phase one was to prepare the project site for construction and complete the foundation construction. The following steps are to be included in phase one:
Phase Two: To Be Completed
Phase two of construction is scheduled to be completed in January of 2024. The travel team has yet to be chosen. If you would like to be a part of this phase, attend our next general meeting or contact us! The goal of phase two is to complete the walls of the FTS Sister School. The following steps will be completed during phase two:
Phase Three: To Be Completed
The current plan allows for phase three to be completed in August 2024. UW-Platteville EWB is in the process of planning construction to be completed at this time and selecting a travel team. After it is complete, the travel team will then formally close out the project. The following steps will be completed during phase three:
The community members of Adumasa originally constructed a two-room high school to fill the need for post-elementary education for community youth. This school was operated as a private institution, with attendees paying a small fee to meet operating costs. However, it was soon realized that this structure was insufficient to meet the needs of the community. As such, the community leaders turned over ownership and operation of the school to the FST Sisters, a religious organization operating within the Adumasa region. Through the fundraising efforts of the Sisters, the high school was expanded to include five classrooms, a latrine facility, and a kitchen by 2012.
As much as possible, the FST Sisters allowed these students to continue attending school even though they could not cover the academic fees. At the same time, the Sisters noticed new community problems including increasing trends in teenage pregnancy and children’s involvement in illegal mining. These problems led to extraordinary school absenteeism and dropout rates. In 2017, the FST Sisters contacted our chapter hoping that we can help them to expand the Adumasa high school. Their thinking at the time was, through education they could modify the children’s behavior and mindset, and significantly reduce the observed negative trends.
Implementation
In 2017 our chapter visited the area for an assessment, but the project was deemed a no-go. The low enrollment (19 students) in the secondary school at the time did not justify the need for a new building. The Sisters were advised to focus on elementary education because approximately 60% of the kids in Adumasa were not attending school at the time. In 2019, the Sisters handed the high school over to the Ghana Education Service and started a new school with a focus on younger children (pre-K and K) to implement the new model. As of 2022, the new school has 317 children in Nursery 1 & 2, K1 & K2. In the spring of 2023, the design for the new junior high school was completed by a senior design team. The initial design allows for the project to be completed over three phases.
Phase One: To Be Completed
Phase one of the Adumasa FTS Sisters School began in January 2023. UW-Platteville EWB sent a travel team to Adumasa for two weeks to establish relationships with the nuns and survey the landscape to determine the location of the building. The travel team consisted of six students, Dr. Austin Polebitski, and chapter advisor Dr. Samuel Owusu-Ababio. A team is also scheduled to return to Adumasa in January of 2024 to start the construction process of the Sister School. The goal of phase one was to prepare the project site for construction and complete the foundation construction. The following steps are to be included in phase one:
- Clearing and grading the site
- Excavate footings
- Place rebar and pour concrete footings
- Build foundation walls to surface level
- Place gravel base
- Mix and pour concrete slab floors
Phase Two: To Be Completed
Phase two of construction is scheduled to be completed in January of 2024. The travel team has yet to be chosen. If you would like to be a part of this phase, attend our next general meeting or contact us! The goal of phase two is to complete the walls of the FTS Sister School. The following steps will be completed during phase two:
- Lay blocks for all walls
- Place U-blocks and rebar
- Pour bond beam
- Set J bolts
- Set lintel frameworks and place lintel rebar
Phase Three: To Be Completed
The current plan allows for phase three to be completed in August 2024. UW-Platteville EWB is in the process of planning construction to be completed at this time and selecting a travel team. After it is complete, the travel team will then formally close out the project. The following steps will be completed during phase three:
- Construct the trusses of the building
- Place trusses and purlins on the walls
- Install the metal roofing
- Install doors and windows
- Plaster and paint interior walls
- Install septic system