Symbol of Cooperation and Interdependence
Welcome to Village Dreams
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About Us
The mission of Village Dreams, in partnership with the Chief, Elders, and Villagers of Ampeha, is to change the future of their children through education.
Starting in preschool, we work together to support the children and families through Elementary, and Junior Secondary grades in the village school. Our joint assistance continues through high school, and the apprenticeships that take students away from the village. Finally, Village Dreams offers renewable university tuition scholarships to any who qualify.
What We Do
Village Dreams is an all-volunteer organization committed to applying 100% of donations directly to educational projects in Ampeha village.
The volunteers are three generations of the Dillard and Holbrook families; Francis Frimpong, Naami Oddoye and Juliette Awua-Kyerematen and host of generous donors.
Where We Started...Where We are Going
From Dreadful to Hopeful: In 2013 education in Ampeha faced multiple crises: tumbledown classrooms unusable during periods of rain, lack of daily instruction and purposeful learning experiences, teacher absenteeism, and an appalling scarcity of books, materials or supplies.
Village Dreams first order of business was to provide all weather school buildings. The last of four classroom blocks was completed in 2021.
The second was to reduce teacher absenteeism, ensuring daily instruction. Six units of on-campus teacher housing were completed in 2019. The village then started a building fund, and currently villagers are building 4 more units.
Education Success
Elementary - Junior Secondary - High School and Beyond
With good facilities, trained teachers, and a highly competent school head, the regional ranking of Ampeha Village School has leapt from 78th to 30th out of 84 schools in five years.
The next priorities are enabling all village students to go to and graduate from high school. According to the 2020 Ghana Education Fact Sheet published by USAID, World Bank, UNICEF et.al. - approximately 80% of rural students accepted to high school do not graduate.
Village Dreams understands that to prepare students adequately for the rigorous National High School Entrance Exam the village school grade levels need new curriculum textbooks, quality resources and implementation of best practice teaching methods.
Additionally, Village Dreams will award financial grants to graduating students who score well on the National exam and gain high school entrance. The Chief and Elders will follow the students to encourage, support and counsel them during their three years of boarding school.
2022 Junior Secondary School Academic Excellence Awards:
Apprenticeship Pathways
Students who prefer to pursue a trade after Junior Secondary School, can apply for an apprenticeship grant. If qualified, the Elders will engage tradespeople in larger towns to guide the student's training. Students must complete a training program or repay the grant.
Currently there is one apprentice, Darffour Bismark, who will complete his three year apprenticeship in January 2023. Here he is working in his Master's carpentry shop.
Looking to the Future
Using materials supplied by Village Dreams, teachers are beginning to replace rote memorization teaching strategies with engaging games and activities.
Teachers of all levels got their first look at just published Kindergarten textbooks for the new curriculum which Village Dreams supplied along with materials for all areas of the Kindergarten program.
Future hopes are to acquire text books and learning materials in stages for grades 1-3, then 4-6, and 7-9, until classes have all the necessary books and equipment to enable the teachers and students sufficient proper resources for the first time.
Our fundraising focus for fall 2022 will be text books for 1st - 6th grades.
Thank you!
None of this would be possible without our donors. Thank you to all friends of Village Dreams who have made these dreams possible in Ampeha.
Village Dreams is tax exempt under section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions are deductible under section 170 of the Code.
Thank you for making your donation by check to Village Dreams. Please mail checks to: Village Dreams, 2324 14th Street, Apt 1, Boulder, CO 80304 (Donating by check eliminates having an encrypted electronic system costing Village Dreams approximately $1000 annually).
Our heartfelt thanks to each of you for your encouragement, advice, prayers and donations!