Rural Education for Empowerment Programme in Ghana (REEP-Ghana)

The initiator to this organisation, a native of Kumbungu district in Northern region, have worked with the local community radio, Simli Radio from 2005 to 2013. To create relevant content for radio programmes, he and other producers from the radio visited rural communities of Kumbungu District, Tolon district, Savelugu municipality and many other areas where he discussed issues affecting community development with the local people. Through personal interviews and observations, it stood evident that children in those areas were deprived of successful education. Due to the poverty situation of the parents, it is difficult for children to get access to quality education. At the same time, many parents do not always understand why and how education could benefit their children. Even if a child makes it to high school level, the support s/he needs is often not there. Therefore, high school dropout is a common phenomenon in the area. Simli Radio’s interviews and radio programmes, especially with the young people targeted, revealed that only one out of every twenty students were able to proceed to the tertiary level after high school. All those young people who do not succeed usually end up sitting along the roads, doing nothing - or moving to the capital, for menial jobs as head porters. REEP mounts community platforms where parents are sensitized on the importance and the need to support their daughter’s education. REEP runs school clubs in 5 senior high schools with series of activities in building engagement, confidence and enhancing active citizenship. REEP supports the operational schools’ ICT, education as that is inadequate. and supports girls from the rural communities with bicycles to facilitate their movements to and from schools. A strong focus on local driven community development, engagement of all actors, needed service delivery, capacity building and advocacy are the core elements of REEP. A KAVLI Trust programme has supported REEP from 2015-2019.