ABOUT

 

Founded in 1988, the Kopeyia Ghana School Fund (KGSF) has provided a generation of children in the impoverished West African village of Kopeyia with access to the education that has empowered them to revitalize their local economy. KGSF emphasizes education as the fundamental building block of community health and development.

By combining the hard work of Kopeyia villagers and contributions of the local government with American volunteer assistance and financial support, our nonsectarian organization has helped the people of Kopeyia make impressive strides toward better health, standard of living and economic self-sufficiency.

KGSF has provided direct financial support and technical assistance to Kopeyia for:

  • Building and maintaining a K-9th grade school for 1000 students (as of June 2017)
  • The provision of teachers’ salaries (currently provided by the Ghana Education Service)
  • High School scholarships for highly-qualified Kopeyia Junior High graduates
  • University scholarships for Kopeyia School graduates who also excelled in High School
  • Scholarships for other tertiary schools such as Teacher Training College, Computer Studies, Polytechnic, Driving School
  • Scholarships for apprentice study programs for tailors, seamstresses, carpenters, electricians, or masons

In keeping with its mission, the KGSF has also played a vital role in diverse community development and microenterprise activities to help recent graduates implement their education locally, including:

  • Developing the Kopeyia School Management Committee, which was emulated and officially instituted by the Ghana Education Service at all schools across the nation in 1997
  • Providing training in bicycle repair and discounts on bikes for those who participate – through the Earn-A-Bike program of Village Bicycle Project
  • Hiring SSS grads from Kopeyia to teach in the school
  • Purchasing utility poles that brought electricity to Kopeyia in 2004, which is now widespread throughout the village. With education, electricity has spurred construction and economic development.

On this side of the Atlantic, KGSF also works to bring awareness of Ghanaian culture and issues of international poverty and development to American students in the Northeast. Through live, interactive presentations, KGSF teaches American students Ghanaian music, and about helping those less fortunate while appreciating the rich educational opportunities that are available to them here.

Dr. D and Alex call and response with KOBLAS kids

Many American schools become involved with Kopeyia by writing pen-pal letters, collecting books, clothes, school supplies and first aid supplies, and by raising money to support the ongoing efforts of the KGSF.

The Kopeyia Ghana School Fund is a grass-roots charitable 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Teaneck, New Jersey.