The Rotary Club of Wa and its sister club in the Netherlands have partnered with the Brothers of Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary (FIC Brothers) to establish a modern technical workshop at Kaleo in the Nadowli-Kaleo District.
The workshop will house the woodworks, welding and fabrication, and electrical departments and will be equipped with modern equipment to provide cutting-edge technical training to students of St. Basilide's Vocational/Technical Institute. This project is valued at €70,000.
Mr Victor Yaw Asante, the District Governor (DG) of Rotary District 9102, led a team from the Rotary Club of Wa and the Rotaract Club of the SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS) to inspect the facility.
Speaking to the media after the inspection, Mr Asante said that the move was to help provide the students with the necessary technical skills for sustainable employment. The facility will not only be training students but the high-quality products from there will be commercialized to help generate funds for the school.
Reverend Brother Fabian Bezel, Acting Principal of the St. Basilides Technical Institute, said the school initiated the project to ensure that it offered relevant training to its students.
“The directors of the school realized that the training that we offer the students is no more relevant because we no more have adequate training equipment for the students,” he said.
The team also visited the Upper West Regional Hospital to donate assorted items, including washing powder, pampers, milo, biscuits, and kalypo to the children's ward of the Hospital, an initiative of the Rotaract Club of SDD-UBIDS in partnership with the Rotary Club of Wa.
Dr Matilda Akanzum, a Pediatrician Specialist at the hospital, thanked the benefactors for the donation and assured them that the items would be used for the intended purpose.
She appealed to the Rotary Club to help stock the Children's Ward with hospital beds, saying, “We have a lot of empty wards without beds for the children. This is our request so that in future, you can think about that and help us.”
Mr Stephen Mwinkaara, the President of the Rotary Club of Wa, assured the hospital of the Club's support when funds were available.
Ms Fareeda Amankwa-Gabbey, the President of the Rotaract Club of SDD-UBIDS, said the donation was to mark the 55th anniversary of Rotaract Ghana.