St Charles Special School in Bolgatanga, Upper East Region, has received a boost to its sanitation infrastructure with the construction of a three-seater toilet and a four-unit urinal, courtesy of Klicks Africa Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation dedicated to supporting parents and children with special needs.
Funding for the facility was provided by Ms. Claire Stevenson, a philanthropist based in the United States. The initiative aims to address the sanitation challenges faced by the staff and pupils of the school.
This development comes in response to a Ghana News Agency publication in September that highlighted the plight of pupils resorting to open defecation due to a lack of proper facilities.
Mrs. Mary Amoah Kuffour, the Founder of Klicks Africa Foundation, emphasized the importance of creating a conducive environment for children with special needs to thrive. She expressed her initial awareness of the school's challenges during a symposium organized by Prof. Mamudu Akudugu and Ms. Katherine Kauza-Nu-Dem Millar, both lecturers at the University for Development Studies.
Mrs. Kuffour, while inaugurating the facility, noted, “I cried throughout because I noticed the school was really under-resourced and they did not have a washroom, and having a child with special needs squatting around to ease himself or herself wasn't appropriate.”
In addition to the toilet and urinal, Ms. Stevenson had previously donated a polytank to the school. Other improvements, such as repairing broken furniture and painting the walls, were made to enhance the overall learning environment.
Sister Bernardine Pemii, the Upper East Regional Manager of the Catholic Education Unit, commended the foundation, Ms. Stevenson, and other stakeholders for their support. She highlighted the significance of the new washroom facility in addressing the open defecation issue at the school.
Ms. Fatima Samari, the Head Teacher, expressed gratitude for the assistance, acknowledging the relief it brings to the school. She appealed for additional teaching and learning materials to further enhance academic work.