Natalie Gray, IES Director, with children of Degedege Village in July 2011. Their new primary/kindergarten school will be completed by March 2012.  However, IES is in need of donations to bring this project to a timely conclusion.  Can you help?  Me da se!  Thank you!

The current primary school which is only partially used because of its dilapidated condition.

Akwaaba! Welcome!!

IES Director, Natalie Gray, has just returned from another very informative visit to  DegedegeVillage in the Brong-Ahafo region of Ghana. This quite remote, medium-sized community of 120 homes is in dire need of help in improving educational resources and teaching standards. 

Infrastructural decline of the village's primary school was brought to our attention right away during our first visit in 2009. Only four of the six rooms could be used for classes, so primary 1 and 2 students had to "learn under the trees"- literally! Subsequently, with the intervention of IES, these students were given admittance to a completed but locked (for five years!) school block on the school compound.  There was only one more serious problem...

Primary students find new shelter, but no desks

IES provided fifty new desks for primary students

Degedege villagers  discuss next phase of construction

IES projects in Ghana are implemented totally independent of government intervention in order to accurately track the cost of our activities as well as to involve community members in their own development.  But we also need the help of our many supporters in the United States, who can help IES to complete the Primary School Construction Project in as short a time as possible.  No contribution is too small.  Donate whatever you can.  **Money orders or credit card checks accepted.

Please help us to give these wonderful children the school they so deserve!

Natalie introduced Scrabble to teachers in Degedege Village in 2011 as one way to increase their English language skills.  Fortunately, they took to the game right away.  We will also instruct their students in this learning experience. IES will be there to support them.

Giving equal time to the kids, Natalie suggests strategies for Connect Four, a favorite game for Degedege students introduced in 2011. The infusion of "thinking"games into rural Ghana schools will increase analytical skills of students and instructors, who still  teach mainly through rote learning.  IES will be there to continue raising the academic level of both staff and students.  Me da se!  Thank you!

International Educational Services