ST ANNA’S Family Home and Academy in Winneba, Ghana, has received £1,350 emergency funding from Oswestry Rotary to help with the costs of running the charity through the COVID-19 crisis.
The Shropshire club is also hoping to be awarded a further £800 Rotary grant to help the efforts to support St Anna’s, which is currently home to 31 previously homeless children and young people aged from just three-years-old to 21.
Former Oswestry resident Dr Gabby Haigh, who, with the help of local retired teacher Emelia, founded the home with her friend Lara, when they were both backpacking students in 2004.
Recently, they took time out of her busy schedule as a paediatric doctor at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital to thank Rotary club members for their support and explain how St Anna’s had grown since the first children arrived at the home in 2006.
Speaking on Zoom, Gabby explained that when the COVID-19 pandemic reached St Anna’s in March this year, they had no option but to close their Academy.
This resulted in an immediate loss of fee income which supports the Academy’s running and teaching costs, as well as 60% of the costs of St Anna’s Home. The remaining 40% is usually made up from donations.
Gabby explained: “The Academy has 21 teachers, all of whom have not been paid through the closure, and 268 students, from 3 months to 16 years, who have been unable to attend.
“There was some re-opening of the Junior High School on October 5th, but the return of the students is not guaranteed and the Academy’s Nursery, Pre-School, Primary and First Year Junior High School will remain closed until January 2021.”
When the COVID-19 pandemic reached St Anna’s in March this year, they had no option but to close their Academy.”
At times, the African project has seemed too much for Gabby to keep on top of from her home in England while she studied, qualified as a doctor, married and has her own family.
But she told Rotarians how she was justifiably proud when she lists the achievements of the older children who, whilst still calling St Anna’s Home, have been able to attend various universities and places of higher education in the country.
Oswestry Rotary will continue their efforts to support St Anna’s.
Club President Dave Griggs said: “Many thanks to Gabby for telling us about this wonderful project. We will run an online quiz in the near future to help raise more funds.
“If anyone wishes to donate to support St Anna’s they can contact us by email on rotarycluboswestry@gmail.com or donate directly to St Anna’s Virgin Money Giving website.”
