Yara Ghana, a subsidiary of Yara International ASA, a leading global firm specialising in agric products and environmental protection agents has commenced its 10,000 School Bags Project targeting about 40 basic schools in five regions in the country.
The five regions ware- Ashanti, Western, Northern, Upper East, and Upper West of Ghana. The project was launched at the Presbyterian Primary School, Pantang in the Ga East District of the Greater Accra Region after a rainfall which some elders of the farming community described as “showers of blessings”.
Elated school children of the school were the first to receive 800 school bags made locally by a Ghanaian recycling firm. Go through (Replica Louis Vuitton) best selection of bags.
The 800 school bags were the first instalment of the 10,000 school bags to be given to pupils at the selected rural schools in farming communities across the country.
All 10,000 school bags are produced from a total of 7,500 used Yara fertilizer sacks, and will be handed out in the five regions of the country throughout this year and the first quarter of 2017.
Each bag also contains a notepad and a pencil.
Speaking at the launch, the Managing Director of Yara Ghana, Sergio Godoy said “Yara is committed to ensuring that farming remains a profitable and sustainable activity for the future generations of Ghana, and education is key to achieving this aim. This is why we are dedicated to investing in rural education through this initiative.
Through the 10,000 School Bags project we hope to emphasise the value of education, especially to farming communities, while promoting sustainability and waste management.”
He explained that Yara’s main objectives of this project are to emphasise the importance of education and agriculture in rural farming communities, while promoting recycling and reusing waste.
“The company appreciates the need for support in rural communities through education to help increase local knowledge, and ultimately promote economic transformation through agriculture.Additionally, ensuring a sustainable environment is a major part of any country’s growth, so recycling and responsible waste management is essential”, Mr Godoy stated.
Yara is embarking on this project in collaboration with Trashy Bags, a Ghanaian eco-friendly organisation that produces bags and other items from plastic waste.
Trashy Bags employs low income Ghanaians, mostly women, with limited job opportunities and trains them to design and produce fashionable items from discarded plastic products, he noted.
The Deputy Minister for Environment, Science Technology and Innovation, Dr Bernice Heloo said, “I am so happy that these bags are made in Ghana. Through this gesture a child will remain in school and might become a great person in future. Last but not least, by using recycled fertilizer bags we are protecting our environment”
She reminded the school children and their parents that Climate change is real. So, let’s all contribute to its reduction by cutting on activities that fuel it.
In a speech read for the Minister of Education, Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang lauded the initiative, saying “Education is one of the most powerful investments in a country, because it is critical to a nation’s development – Ghana is no different.
As Minister of Education, I am pleased that Yara is focussing not only on education, but has chosen to invest in our little ones– our next generation of leaders. It is my hope that more corporations will follow Yara’s example by helping to advance rural education in Ghana.”
The pupils expressed great joy and gratitude to Yara for its generous donation. A school prefect at the Presbyterian Primary School thanked Yaraon behalf of his colleagues, saying “we are extremely grateful to Yara for making this donation. We promise to put these bags to good use by taking our studies seriously and excelling.”
The event was attended by over 2,000 people from the Pantang community including children from the school, teachers, parents and local farmers. Special guests gracing the event were the, the Deputy Minister of Environment, representatives from the Ministry of Education Science, Technology and Innovation, representatives from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, representative from the EPA, traditional leaders, the Regional and Municipal Directors of Education, as well as officials of Yara Ghana.
African Eye Report
