Kpando School is Thriving!

 The Kpando EP Church School visit is a primary focus for our trip.  Mill Creek Church of the Brethren built the first primary school block on the site and on this trip we are dedicating the renovations and rehabilitation of the school block that Mill Creek Church sponsored over the past four years.  Also on the site is the Elzie & Carrie Morris Memorial Library and a computer lab installed for the junior high school.  Everyone on this trip has a stake in the school at Kpando and we were very happy with our visit today.

We planned to spend the day in Kpando and arrived to find the school in session and teeming with children in green shirts and dresses.  It was such a wonderful sight!  There was a miscommunication of when we were arriving and the teachers weren’t expecting us until Sunday, but we found them to be fully and wonderfully accommodating.  We must have arrived during a recess period and the children welcomed us into their midst by posing for pictures with wide smiles, giggles and adorable poses.  

Jill wandered into a group of children with her oboe and soon they were singing along to Jesus Loves Me.  Barb went to watch a pick-up soccer game and soon discovered she was standing in front of the goal!  Grady was quickly surrounded by kids and found himself to be very popular.  Jenn took a turn in the student washrooms and…well, let’s just say that was an experience and leave it at that!  Individually we wandered up to peek into the renovated classrooms and were excited at what we saw.  

Today's introduction ceremony included an unveiling of the rededication plaque.  We were introduced to the headmistress of the new block and the teachers before a presentation by the engineer. The engineer explained to us that the classroom on the main block were widened by about 6 feet and the roof raised by four feet.  Each classroom previously had 1 window on each wall opposite the other.  In the renovation, the rooms were modified to include 4 windows and wider doorways to allow more airflow and natural light into the space.  Accessibility ramps were added to each building and porches were built with column supports to replace the previous metal pole supports.  We were invited into the classrooms where we learned that the children are preparing for their end of term exams in subjects such as Math, Science, History, English, Ewe (native language) and Home Economics.  The headmistress' office and toilets, previously unusable for their intended purpose and filled with old furniture, were sorted and organized.  The flushing toilets are not yet in use due to an issue with water access which was presented as a need for future development.  As we toured, we happened upon a sign identifying the original donors from Mill Creek Church of the Brethren.  It was a brief step back in time that paused the group for a moment of reflection as the members recognized the names of family and longtime friends.  There are not enough words to express the excitement and happiness of seeing the completed renovation.  Pastor Glenn gave a brief explanation of the efforts of the church to get to this point and we all took many, many pictures.

Madam Dzifa, the headmistress of the junior high school block, led the group to the library building atop the hill.  Originally planned to be a memorial library sponsored by the estates of Elzie and Carrie Morris, the building held a dual purpose of library and computer lab in 2018 at its dedication.  In 2021 the group suggested that the computer lab be moved to the junior high school block where it is in closer proximity and easier to use by the older students preparing for their senior high entrance exams.  

On this trip we found that the computer lab had, indeed, been moved to the JHS block, but the building was partially being used to house the creche/nursery/preschool program.  Its building was destroyed by rain and laid in rubble at the foot of the hill.  We found over little students sitting at tables to have their snacks in half of the room with the other half organized for library use.  Mdm. Dzifa explained that the teachers retrieve stacks of library books for their classrooms and return them after they have been read by the students.  Willie and Grady Morris were quite pleased with the use of the library, declaring that “Grandma would be incredibly happy to see the little children using the space.”

From the library we worked our way down to the JHS computer lab.  The lab was initially installed with 20 Mac Mini computers, keyboards, monitors, etc.  The Mac platform presented an unexpected problem in teaching students to pass exams on the Windows platform.  Mdm Dzifa happily reported that they were able to have the Windows platform installed on the Mac Minis so the lab could be used.  The space was well-appointed with louvered glass windows and curtains to keep the dust and sand out of the space.  Due to their compact size, the Mac Mini computers can be kept in a locked cabin when not in use which has reduced the potential and instance of theft in the space.  After the visit in 2021 the room was refurbished to have a linoleum floor but, after four years of use by nearly 250 students shuffling in and out of the room, the floor is in need of replacement and some computer workstation tables needed repair.  The team was presented with a list of needs including additional computers (almost 40 students in each class attempt to use less than 20 computers for their learning), a WiFi router, projector and screen, and funds to tile the floor as well as teaching materials for the math class. 

Students in the JHS were writing their end of term exams in one of the school blocks (a considerable effort considering the distraction of our arrival).  We worked our way past them as we inspected the basketball court envisioned and installed through the efforts of Jacob Kretzing and Matt Hinkle after the 2018 trip.  The space is being well used, and we found that the basketball hoops need to be replaced.  When we return to Kpando for the church service and presentation of gifts on Sunday we will donate a set of basketballs and playground balls, and funds to replace the hoops.

It is not unusual that when we see a project working well we are presented with new needs.  Such are the ways of mission work.  Building a school or installing a computer lab may be a project many years in the making, but success is only sustainable with ongoing support.  The Kpando EP Church School currently serves 907 students enrolled in creche (nursery), kindergarten, primary, and junior high blocks.  They are a thriving school community with robust leadership.  With God’s grace their school will continue to grow and so will the needs of their school community.  As we support their efforts to bring their students online, we create opportunities to connect our classrooms around the world and broaden the horizons and understanding of all students.  Imagine a world where our cross-cultural trip supports student collaborations from vastly different cultures in the common work of learning.