When the Trustees first visited northern Ghana in 2000 and again in 2003, they met many children living in severe poverty and with no access to education. You can hear many of their stories in our short film, Children of the Savannah. The village community of Bagri and the local Baptist churches asked them to consider helping.

Laying the foundations

After prayerful consideration they decided to form a charity to help children in the remote, rural (“savannah”) areas of northern Ghana. The first school was a primary school in Bagri village.

The charity registered with the Charity Commission in July 2004, and subsequently held useful discussions with the British government, the Ghanaian education service and a wide range of charities already working in northern Ghana.

The charity was publicly launched in February 2005, following a visit by the Trustees to Ghana.

The first school

The main construction of the infant and primary school in Bagri took place during 2005 and 2006, and the first phase of buildings were opened in October 2006. A nursery, teachers’ accommodation block and toilet block were subsequently added.

An online video of the opening of Bagri Primary School gives a feeling for what all this meant for the local community:

 

Alongside the new school, the Trust launched programmes to feed the pupils each school day and help to train teachers. When devastating floods hit the area in 2007, the feeding programme was expanded to provide some emergency relief.

Building on success

Using the model that had proved successful in Bagri, the decision was made during 2009 to expand into the villages of Gberi and Pavuu. The schools were formally opened 2011.

From the start of 2010 the charity in Ghana was put on a more formal footing with the full time employment of a Programme Manager (Pastor Charles Karbo) and an assistant (Alfred Sogsou). In 2024, Pastor Charles retired as Programme Manager and was replaced by Alfred Sogsuo, supported by Abednego Terle (School Improvement Officer) and Charles Kogle (Accountant). They are supported by small team, based in a dedicated office in Lawra.

Savannah now has schools across 11 villages in the Lawra District, in addition to a Teacher Resource Centre in Lawra.

We have been encouraged by the kind interest and support of supporters in the UK and across the world, who have contributed generously allowing these activities to take place. Above all, we acknowledge the goodness of God as we trace the story of Savannah from its small beginnings to today.