Students in both Red Deer and Ghana will be learning more about the West African country with the release of a new colourfully-illustrated alphabet book.
About 1,000 copies of 9 Degrees North: The ABC’s of Northern Ghana, developed by Tools for Schools Africa Foundation in partnership with illustrator Mike Boldt, of Boldtman Studios in Spruce Grove, will soon be sent to Ghana.
“The real, prime purpose of it was to write a book for the kids in the northern (Ghana) region that they could use in their schools because there is so little information about the area in which they live,” said foundation chair Marilyn Pottage who delivered copies of the book to Ecole Oriole Park School on Friday.
Photographs taken in Ghana were sent to several children’s book illustrators, who donated their work and produced lively, animated illustrations for each letter of the alphabet.
The photos used for inspiration were included in the 48-page book, along with extra information on each of the alphabet topics. For example, T was for transportation with a drawing of vehicles crowded with travellers.
“I like the goat sitting on top of the hood of the car. And everyone piled into the back of the half-ton. That’s really authentic,” Pottage said with a smile.
Tools for Schools Africa Foundation started in Red Deer in 2003 to ship books to schools in the northern Damongo region of Ghana.
The charity has also held workshops for teachers in Ghana, helped build a boarding house so girls in rural villages can continue their education, and has organized scholarships for girls.
Pottage said literacy for girls in the region remains less than 10 per cent.
Another 1,000 copies of 9 Degrees North: The ABC’s of Northern Ghana will be sold to raise money mostly for scholarships for girls.
“We now have over 40 girls on scholarship and we have five girls at post-secondary.”
Pottage said the post-secondary students are either studying medicine, education, electrical engineering, business administration, or food and nutrition.
Red Deer schools that organized recent book drives for Ghana or fundraised will receive copies of the new book.
“We do have a container going in mid-February so we have asked for colourful children’s books, especially ones about alphabets and numbers. There’s just not a lot for the small children to look at or read.”
The charity plans to partner again with the University of Manitoba to build another boarding house in 2013.
9 Degrees North: The ABC’s of Northern Ghana is available for $20 each at Artistry in Gold Design Studio in downtown Red Deer or online at www.tfs-africa.org.
For $30, people can get a book, plus send a copy of the book and a soccer ball to a school in Ghana.
szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com