Students From the ‘Succeed in School’ Program Engage in Service Project in Ashaiman, Ghana

Download Photo

On 27 April 2024, students in the "Succeed in School" (SIS) program in the Ashaiman Ghana Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, engaged in a service project titled "Keep My Community Clean" at the Adjei Kojo Government School in Suncity, Ghana.  

The 140 youth who participated in the activity picked up litter, swept, cleaned, and spoke to neighbors about the benefits of maintaining a clean community. This project was undertaken to show gratitude for the SIS program and to give back to the community. Additionally, students learned how to clean their homes and classrooms.

The SIS program in the stake includes youth aged 11-18 who are in lower and upper primary and Junior High Schools. The students meet four times a week in church buildings, where volunteer teachers lead them in English, mathematics, general science, life skills, exam prep, nutrition classes, and other subjects. Students attend the SIS program after their regular school day.

All eligible students aged 14-18 also attend seminary concurrently. Attending seminary has blessed the youth by helping them draw closer to the Jesus Christ and creating opportunities for missionary work. They grow spiritually, intellectually, socially, and physically, developing as disciples of Jesus Christ.  They are being trained to be future leaders in their homes, communities, and the church. The program is designed for all youth in the community, regardless of church membership, who need academic help.

The SIS program began in Ghana 2018 as a pilot program. Every year, more than 100 final-year Junior High School students from the stake attend exam preparation classes where they are prepared for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). This has significantly improved their BECE results and adequately prepared them for Senior High School.

Beatrice and Emmanuel Agyei Mensah both volunteer in the SIS program in the Ashaiman Stake. Brother Mensah said, “As facilitators of Succeed in School at Sun City chapel, my wife and I assisted the youth to find a meaningful way to give back to the community. We decided to organize an annual clean-up event with our students.”

“The motivation for this program is twofold: first, to instill the habit of giving back to the community and to educate everyone on the importance of keeping our surroundings clean; second, to embody the spirit of service and follow the example set by the Savior Jesus Christ.”

Ashaiman Stake President Eric Adjei Owusu, who joined the youth for the clean-up exercise, commended the youth and their leaders for their sacrifice, love for Jesus Christ, and desire to follow Him. He encouraged the youth to take their education seriously and to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ by always going about doing good.