Residents of Essikafoambatem are currently heaving a sigh of relief, following the handing over of their refurbished toilet facility in their community school by The Richard Addison Foundation (TRAF).
The facility, which comprises of fifteen water closets was chosen because they have been in a poor state for the past 10 years and the school children and teachers did not have any place of convenience.
Of the number, one of the toilet facilities was given to Sulele (a community football team) to run and monetize with the aim of using the proceeds to take care of the youth in the community by establishing artisanal craft workshops to train and shape the lives of some of the unemployed youth in the community.
Speaking at the short but colourful ceremony to officially hand over the project, members of The Richard Addison Foundation (TRAF), led by Mr Samuel Forson, Mr Frank Omari and Mr Baffour Amoako Adu and Mr Eric Ken Kwofie thanked the community for their patience and cooperation. They mentioned that the facility was for the whole community and others who would desire to use it.
Speaking to this reporter, Member of the Communication team of TRAF, Mr Baffour Amoako Adu said that their desire had always been to be able to improve the lives of the community and school at large.
He said: “This year, TRAF is targeted beneficiaries are Public schools with challenges related to toilet facilities. Open deification is highly frowned upon by society since besides increasing sickness, stench, and bad sanitary conditions it also slows down development as it discourages tourism and other viable commercial ventures.”
Talking about why the foundation picked two schools as beneficiaries of the facilities he explained;
“We choose Archbishop Amissah and Monsignor Ansah JHS because they are the schools with the biggest park in the Essikafoambatem areas where all the kids and adults come to play football. The Sulele park has produces some national football heroes including but not limited to the likes of Samuel Inkoom, Augustin Arhinful, Stephen Baidoo etc.
Madam Hilda Prah, Assistant Headmistress of Archbishop Amissah JHS appealed to people of the community and the students to help maintain the facility.
“We should maintain the structure because when we’re able to maintain it will ginger the foundation to do more for the school.”
“Toilets facilities have become a major problem for us and we thank TRAF for their wonderful efforts but the effort should be extended to the other schools who are also in need of it – The chairman of Sulele Park, Mr. Paul Eshun added.
He further appealed to the community to see the project as their bona fide property and take good care of it, so as to prolong its lifespan.
Some of the residents who thronged to witness the occasion, praised TRAF for the initiative and also appealed for more.
The Chairman of Sulele Park, opinion leaders and other residents of graced the occasion.
Submitted