An update from the Ananda Marga Neohumanist Academy – Ho, Ghana
By Dada Mahaprajinananda
Inspiring developments are underway at AMNHA located in Ho, the capital of Volta Region in Eastern Ghana. The second story of our longer wing is swiftly being prepared to host classes of Primary 3 to 6, a computer learning room, additional room and three toilets. With its completion we’ll be able to open full primary classes for the first time.
The school includes Creche, Nursery 1 & 2, KG 1 & 2 and currently P 1 to 3, with P1 & 2 sharing one classroom. We have over 130 children.
Perhaps even more importantly than this significant material development, a new initiative for staff development was also initiated in the past months. Weekly online staff training in various aspects of NHE was wonderfully inaugurated with Mahajyoti Glassman from Denver, Colorado, USA. She graciously conducted sessions via Zoom. Despite some technical glitches the staff as well as Mahajyoti immensely enjoyed the sessions, were greatly benefitted and eagerly await more.
From Mahajyoti Glassman:
You will be hard-pressed to find a more enthusiastic group of dedicated teachers. Many of the 12 plus teaching staff are needing (and wanting) more educational training as well as more yoga education training.
I worked with this group and their Director, Madam Modesta, for 6 weeks on-line. All of the staff are not practicing yogis but are spiritual aspirants. We began each class with a few standing yoga asanas and then transitioned into Yoga Ethics or Yama and Niyama (the ‘no-sanskrit please’ version). Different components of Yoga Education were presented. We discussed strategies for working with challenging behaviors, the importance of teaching emotional intelligence, and introducing meditation and yoga asana. Question and answer sessions were encouraged in every class. Every class ended with a native song or kirtan.
I am definitely excited about working with these teachers again in the future AND I hope you will consider presenting one class or a series for the Ho school, but be careful, you may also fall in love with this community.
These developments happened while Piyush (Thomas Williams) and Dada Mahaprajinananda recently visited Ghana from mid-January to end of February. Piyush is a talented photographer. He and other generous donors have enabled the project’s continued development.
Despite these encouraging steps more support is needed. Before we begin work on our 3rd story – planned to host classes for Junior High School – we need to raise the roof. The current estimate for that work is US$13,000 though inflation is rampant in Ghana and could affect this. And, due to the inflation and tightening budgets of many families, enrollments have recently dropped to about 130. Public schools in Ghana are free, as is the lunch served to the children. Though many parents and guardians prefer the private schools, and AMNHA serves more and better quality food, their financial situation is indeed challenging. We fully expect that the improved facilities, expansion of classes we offer, our reputation, and dedicated staff will turn the situation around.
If you or anyone you know would be inspired to support the school’s development please visit: https://donorbox.org/you-can-keep-charity-smiling.
Also, we need more trainers who can share sessions online. Rutger Tamminga has kindly agreed and will begin when classes resume after the Spring/Easter break. If you can also help in this regard please contact: