Over 700 students at the Saasabi KKMA Basic School in the Kpone-Katamanso Municipal District in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana can now enjoy an environment and facilities that are more conducive to learning. New classrooms were built and donated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and were officially handed over to the school during a ceremony held on the school grounds on 26 February 2026.
Reverend and Church leader cut the ribbon as the culminating event of the handover on 2 March 2026.
Reverend Affram, the Honorable Ahimgwah, and President Darko-Mensah cut the ribbon to the computer lab as part of the handover on 26 February 2026.© 2026 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Prior to the construction of the new buildings, the school struggled with dilapidated structures, overcrowding, and inadequate facilities for teaching the skills necessary in today’s world. In some cases, 95–100 students were crammed into classrooms with leaky roofs and crumbling walls. Other students who could not fit into the classrooms met in makeshift structures that offered little protection from the elements. Teachers had no dedicated space to plan lessons or grade papers, and even though the school conducts ICT classes, has teachers for the subject, and administers ICT exams, there was no ICT lab where students could put concepts into practice. As a result, teachers were often overwhelmed and increasingly discouraged by the lack of a suitable environment and the tools needed to teach effectively.
To make matters worse, there were no toilets on the school grounds. Students used bushes and grassy areas around the school for their sanitary needs. During regular rains, fecal matter was washed into the play areas, contributing to illnesses such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid. The lack of private sanitary facilities also caused some young girls to stay home from school during their menstrual periods, leading them to miss important classroom lessons.
At the request of the school, the Church assessed the site and determined that renovation would be impossible in some areas. As a result, it demolished the existing structures that housed the Junior High students and rebuilt the facilities from the ground up. This new construction included a classroom block with six classrooms, a headmaster’s office, teachers’ offices, a science lab, an ICT lab with 40 computers, seven washrooms, and a covered canteen. For the buildings that could be salvaged, the Church carried out repairs to floors, roofs, windows, doors, and other essential features.
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The handover ceremony was a joyful occasion, with students, teachers, staff, government officials, parents, local religious leaders, and other community members joining in the celebration. The event opened with a prayer offered by Reverend Juliana Addo Affram of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana. In her prayer, she expressed profound gratitude to the Lord for the donation, saying, “We are confident that even before creation, you had already purposed and prepared the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to come and support this worthy cause for your glorification.”
The Honorable George Nuertey Ahimgwah, Presiding Member of the Kpone-Katamanso Assembly, recognized that the Church’s donation was an expression of God’s love through His servants. He said, “Thank you so much. We have gathered here today under the divine umbrella of God's wisdom and human ingenuity to witness the commissioning of these great buildings and this great school. It is truly amazing, and we are indeed grateful to God.”
A representative of the Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Chief Executive also expressed appreciation, stating: “The issue here is simple. First and foremost, I would like to say a very big thank you to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I believe the seed that Joseph Smith sowed—the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints far away in America—has not only germinated in America and other countries but also in Ghana and, to be specific, in Saasabi.”
President Isaac Darko-Mensah, First Counselor in the Accra Ghana Adenta Stake Presidency, addressed the audience, saying: “The Church believes deeply in education. Our beliefs come from a simple truth: learning changes lives. A child who can read gains a voice. A child who can reason gains choices. A child who gains knowledge gains dignity. Many years ago, a Church leader taught that the glory of God is intelligence. In other words, learning is sacred.”
Local leaders greet members of the Church's delegation at the handover ceremony on 28 February 2026.
Local leaders greet members of the Church's delegation at the handover ceremony on 28 February 2026.© 2026 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Sister Elaine Jack, former General Relief Society President, referenced Doctrine and Covenants 130:18–19 as she taught that: “‘Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through diligence … he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.’ [Thus], learning—converting light and truth into everyday action by living the laws of God—is what we seek.”
Throughout the event, school children expressed their appreciation through dance and poetry recitals thanking and praising the Church for improving their school. When the speeches and cultural performances were done, the handover ceremony concluded with the symbolic transfer of the keys from the Church to the school.