Project Overview
The Cocoa Communities’ Library Project is a collaborative effort between Participatory Development Associates (PDA) and the Magic Libraries Foundation. It aims to improve the reading literacy of children and build a culture of reading in in ten cocoa growing communities in the Ahafo Ano South East and Ahafo Ano South West districts of the Ashanti Region. This initiative is targeted at impacting the lives of one thousand children in the ten communities for a period of two years (2023-2024).
In close partnership with the Ghana Education Service, community leaders, parents, patrons, headteachers, and the children themselves, PDA is driving impactful activities that foster a culture of reading.
The key activities for this quarter are monitoring reading club sessions, community engagements, sourcing for story books and organising and hosting the cluster level reading competition in the two target districts.
Highlights of the Quarter (Quarter 1, 2024)
1. Reading Club Sessions
Vibrant Clubs: Reading clubs, facilitated by patrons from selected schools or communities, are flourishing in all ten locations.
Growing Participation: While the expressed interest in joining these clubs surpasses reported figures, an average of 505 children actively participate in weekly reading sessions across the target communities.
Multiplying Impact: Mankranso D/A Primary ‘B’, one of the beneficiary schools, has launched a reading club for the entire community. This initiative has not only engaged children and community members, but has also raised the necessary funds for painting a section of their school block.
Reading club session at Boatengkrom Islamic Basic School
Reading club session at Kunsu D/A Primary School
2. Community Engagements
PTA Interactions: The project team engaged with Parents and Teachers Associations (PTAs) in Dunyan Nkwanta, Barniekrom, and Mankranso. This was to sensitize them on the project and encourage them to support the schools and children in improving their reading literacy.
GES Dialogues: The team also collaborated with the 2 district directors of education to discuss pending activities and strategies for enhancing reading literacy within their districts.
An engagement session with the Parents and Teachers Association of Dunyan Nkwanta D/A Primary School.
An engagement session with the Parents and Teachers Association of Mankranso D/A Primary ‘B’ School
3. Sourcing Books Across Borders
PDA has initiated conversations with publishers to source 2500 books from other African countries. These books will be redistributed to the ten community reading clubs in order to fulfill the project’s target of providing the communities with 5000 child-friendly books—originating from Ghana and across Africa—that resonate with young readers.
4. Planning and hosting of cluster level reading competition
The Cluster Level Reading Competition provides children with a platform to showcase their passion for reading and celebrate the strides made by each school and community through healthy competition. Open to all ten schools within our target communities, this year’s competition featured Cluster A—comprising five schools from the Ahafo Ano South East district—competing on March 26, 2024, at Adugyama. Meanwhile, Cluster B held their competition on March 27, 2024, in Kunsu. The winners of the cluster competitions — who will face off at the second Annual Reading Festival for the ultimate trophy, were Kunsu D/A Primary A School and Asuadei D/A Primary School.
Extending Our Reach
Inspired by the project’s transformative influence, district education offices and non-beneficiary communities have petitioned for an extension of the project to other rural communities. While we look out for partnerships that will enable the fulfilment of this request, the team will continue to monitor existing reading clubs and strengthen community engagements.
In the coming quarter, we will also source at least 2500 books and distribute them across the communities, as well as host the much-anticipated Annual Reading Festival.