About Us

Paul Ramsbottom

Paul is the Chairman of the charity and through his employment as Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation provides a link to the broader charity and philanthropy sectors. He has a background of reading History at Oxford University, and a continuing interest in politics and travel.

He is a CCB Fellow of the University of Oxford, a Trustee of Mercy Ships UK and sits on the Africa Advisory Council of the World Monuments Fund. Paul enjoys writing and recently contributed a section to the main guide book on Ghana.

Paul lives in West Sussex and is married to Karen, a chartered accountant. They have four daughters called Lily, Ella, Phoebe and Annabel.

Howard Hickman

Howard works as a Manager and Senior Software Engineer for the technology company u-blox, where he is responsible for a team of software developers.

In the past Howard has been the primary point of contact for a number of projects in India and Ghana. Indeed it was his involvement in Ghana that was the initial contact from which the work of the Trust eventually developed. His experience gives an understanding of the cultural, practical and communication challenges facing the work of the Trust.

Howard is married to Liz and they have six children, the eldest of whom are triplets.

Stephen Ramsbottom

Stephen’s career in education started in Africa, teaching at a school near Bulawayo, in Zimbabwe. Now, as a senior leader at an Independent School in St Albans, Stephen brings an educational perspective to the Trust. After almost twenty years as Head of Department his interest in pedagogy led to the implementation of various whole-school improvement programmes. He currently holds responsibility for teacher training and staff development, including international exchanges. Stephen’s specialism in Geography gives an understanding of wider development issues and the broader social and environmental aspects of the work.

Stephen lives in Luton and is married to Sharon. They have three children – India, Finlay and Freddie.

Rick Cooper

Rick is a Business Consultant for a major European bank, and is currently working in the UK data management team. This follows several years of project management experience in the bank’s Risk division. He studied History and Politics at Reading University, and remains interested in both. 

Rick became a trustee of Savannah Education Trust in March 2016, and travelled to Ghana for the first time in October that year.   

He lives in Bedfordshire, and is married to Suzanne, a radiographer. They have two children, Emily and Joel.

Charles Karbo

As son of the paramount chief of the area, Charles grew up in the Palace in Lawra. He continues to play an important role the life of the region, including acting as Regent of Lawra.

He is a Baptist minister and pastor of Bagri Baptist Church.  He has the oversight of a number of churches in the villages around Lawra, where he still lives.

He worked for a number of years in the education service as a procurement officer. He is now supported by the trust and is responsible for managing the work of Savannah in Ghana. Indeed he has, to a considerable extent, provided the vision for the work. He recently completed a degree course in accountancy and finance from Cape Coast University.

Charles is married and has five children: Abednego, Ruth, Eunice, Elizabeth and Priscilla.

Alfred Sogsuo

Alfred originally came from Bagri village where the first Savannah school was located. He is a deacon in the local Baptist church.

He works full time for Savannah, acting as Charles’ assistant. His varied activities include co-ordinating the reports that are sent on a monthly basis to the UK.

Alfred was married during 2010.

James Kori

James was the original link to the UK (having previously studied in London) and it was he who first took the trustees to his native north of Ghana. He is pastor of Lighthouse Baptist Church in Nungua, a suburb of Accra – Ghana’s capital.  He lives opposite his church in southern Ghana, and assists with his wise advice and any work that needs undertaking in Accra. He stays in close contact with the projects on his regular visits to the north of the country.

James is married and has two children.