Church Renovates School in Rural Ghana

Students of the newly renovated Aboso Benso School in Agona Swedru, Central Region of Ghana, celebrated with dance, song, and poetry as their teachers and school administrators looked in in appreciation during the handover ceremony held on 22 July, 2025. 

Download Photo

The school, which serves about 750 students, was in serious disrepair.  Weather, abuse, and neglect had combined to cause safety hazards as well as unusable teaching conditions at this critical community facility.  Support pillars were crumbling, ceilings were collapsing, and concrete floors had eroded to the point that the dirt underneath was fully exposed to the children who walked on it. But a donation from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has changed all that. It has not restored the school to its original condition, but has improved upon it.

The complete renovation of six building and the construction of fence walls restored the school to safe and pristine conditions.  Ceiling fans, lights, and libraries were repaired, installed, and modernized, not only in structure, but in resources. A projector and screen were installed.  The provision of school desks as well as of 20 brand-new computers have boosted the educational capabilities of the institution so that students can now learn at levels comparable to nearby and larger schools.

In expressing his gratitude for the generous donation, Mr. Rans Gorman, headmaster of the school who is also a member of The Church, told the audience in attendance: “To the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we say thank you. You've really done well. We thank you so much. You have not just built structures, but you have built a dream and a secure future. With these incredible changes comes an even greater responsibility. Maintenance. We are taking it seriously. We have introduced a school pledge to be recited daily, emphasizing our duty to care for our facility and uphold the spirit of learning. As we commission these renewed facilities, we rededicate ourselves, staff, students, parents, and partners to the cause of excellence in education. Let us together build not just structures, but minds.”

Under the direction of brother Flint Mensah, the Director of temporal Affairs of the Africa West Area who was presiding at the event, President Amos Wallace, Stake President of the Swedru Ghana Stake, explained the Church’s involvement in such projects: “ As a church, we believe strongly that education is a key to empowering our future generations. The youth and the young adults are our future. In fact, education is a key to the opportunity and should become a lifetime endeavor.

“Our prophet Joseph Smith revealed to us in the Doctrine and Covenants, a scripture that we have, that ‘Whatever principles of intelligence we attain unto this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much advantage in the world to come.’”

 President Wallace went on to describe the All-Africa Service project sponsored by The Church, described the Gathering Place program, and invited those in attendance to come and see what happens in these programs and in our churches.

Elder Creg and Sister Sondra Ostler, Senior Welfare and Self Reliance missionaries serving in the Africa West Area who helped bring the project to fruition, helped warp up the ceremony with their remarks: “Jesus Christ said, love one another. This is a small way the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is trying to show love for our brothers and sisters. Around the world, members of our Church fast once a month. They go without food, and they use that money and send it to The Church to use for projects like this. So when you see this school, remember, this school was renovated by the money that people in India, people in America, people around the world have given to show their love to their brothers and sisters. I hope you will always remember this.”