Before and after - Teshie School Project, Accra, Ghana
Completed November 2008
Anyone who has been involved with the Teshie School Project has the great privilege to be part of a noble adventure that started off with a concept by Chief Executive, Padraig McManus, back in April 2007. Padraig wanted to explore ways ESB staff members could lend their services in an altruistic way and give something back to those in the developing world. Little did we realise that the seed of that idea, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of ESB, would subsequently develop into a fully fledged humanitarian aid project that has positively touched the lives of many people in ESB, in Ireland and under the hot humid skies on the west coast. Who would have thought then that Padraig's vision would bear such an abundance of fruit?
To see what has been achieved in one and a half years you just have to look at the photos showing the school before work commenced and after completion in November 2008. What were initially run down, ramshackle, shells of buildings without running water, electricity and toilets have been transformed into a first class establishment with facilities. It now boasts bright clean, well lit, modern classrooms, a resource centre with a fully equipped library, teacher's common rooms, offices, kitchen and an IT room with 24 laptops with full internet access.
A few simple key improvements stand out and these are the ones we probably take most for granted but will have the most long standing benefit for the students and teachers of Teshie. They are the provision of a clean, fresh supply of water for cooking and hygiene, electricity to provide power for the computers and security lighting and books in the library to fuel the souls and minds of young.
At a recent get together of the volunteers, Padraig McManus, expressed his sincere thanks to the teams for travelling out to Ghana and to everyone who contributed selflessly in whatever way they could to the project.
He also indicated that further opportunities would become available to staff who wished to contribute their efforts to similar humanitarian developments in the near future.
Contact Person is Brian Cronly:
e-mail: brian.cronly@esbi.ie
Tel: Mobile (086) 2541739 or
Office (01) 70 38155
