By Albert Allotey
Akroso (E/R), May 3, GNA – Resource Together, a non-profit organisation based in Oregon, United States of America, has inaugurated a community library at the Akroso Islamic Basic School in the Eastern Region to promote reading and improve academic performance.
The library, the first functional community library in the Asene Manso Akroso District, is well furnished with assorted reading books, tables and chairs to support teaching and learning.
Mr Eugene Yeboah, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Resource Together, said the organisation was established in 2024 to help bridge the gap between well-endowed communities and deprived areas, particularly in rural Ghana.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, he said the organisation sought to redistribute surplus educational and medical resources from developed countries to communities in need.
“We observed a stark contrast between surplus resources in the United States and the severe shortages faced by schools and clinics in rural Ghana and this motivated us to work to bridge this gap by collecting donated books, laptops, and medical supplies and delivering them directly to underserved communities in Ghana,” he stated.
Mr Yeboah said the transformation of the Akroso Islamic Basic School was one of the organisation’s most notable achievements, noting that when his team first visited the school in 2024, pupils had no access to reading books or computer education.
“The organisation initially donated 600 books to the school, followed by additional learning materials and four laptops during a subsequent visit,” he said.
Mr Yeboah said within months the impact became evident, as pupils recorded measurable improvements in reading, writing and mathematics.
“Remarkably, some pupils who previously struggled with literacy went on to compete in a regional academic competition, where the school placed second,” he added.
Building on the progress made, Mr Yeboah said Resource Together supported the construction of the community library, which now serves a population of more than 79,000 people in the Asene Manso Akroso District.
He said the library currently housed over 5,000 books and would serve as a lasting educational resource for the community and neighbouring areas.
Mr Yeboah said beyond Akroso, Resource Together had supported seven communities in the Eastern, Central and Volta regions by donating more than 10,000 books as well as essential medical supplies to schools and rural health facilities.
He said the organisation had also donated laptops and medical supplies to the Central Tongu District Health Directorate in the Volta region and collaborated with other local and international non-governmental organisations to promote healthy living through free health screening exercises in parts of Greater Accra and the Volta region.
“As the organisation continues to grow, our focus is on sustaining current projects while expanding our reach to other communities still in need,” he said.
Mr Ibrahim Ahmed Botwe, Head Teacher of the Akroso Islamic Basic School, expressed gratitude to Resource Together and its founder for the intervention.
Mr Botwe said the new facility had given pupils knowledge, hope and a brighter future, and appealed to other organisations and individuals to support education in deprived communities.
“Before your support, many of us could dream of having a quiet, beautiful place to read and study. Today, that dream is real. The shelves are full, the tables are strong, and the joy on our faces each time we enter the library shows how much your gift means to us
“You have not just given us books – you have given us knowledge, hope, and a brighter future. We appreciate you, we celebrate you, and we hope you will walk with us again on the next journey.”
GNA
Edited by Lydia Kukua Asamoah