SabreNews

January 2011

issue five

Reg Charity # 1105489

AkwaabaA very happy New Year to everyone wherever you are in the world and whatever you’re up to. If you’re a regular reader then you will have noticed the redesign of our newsletter, bringing it more in line with the rest of our promotional material - an exciting step in our development as we look to align our goals and objectives across the board.

Looking back at 2010, we had a fantastic year, here’s a selection of what we got up to: seeing the completion of our first sustainable kindergarten complex, hosting school expeditions from the UK, enabling our first Ghana to UK student exchange, overseeing a couple of sports tours from the UK, opening our own school in Ghana, developing our vocational training centre, supporting our favourite Snow Leopard at the Winter Olympics, seeing Ghana dominate African football in the World Cup, running a vintage car rally, expanding our teams both in Ghana and the UK and securing a new corporate partner.

This coming year will see further expansion, a real focus on our kindergarten building scheme and teacher training programme, more school expeditions and partnerships, the opening of a UK office and an upscaling of our corporate volunteering scheme alongside a multitude of other bits and pieces.

We would love for you to come and see what we’re up to, give some time to some of our projects or

persuade friends, family or

colleagues to get involved.

Whatever your plans for

2011, let’s make it a year to

remember!

Sahara 2010Late October 2010 saw five teams depart the UK in vintage cars, bound for Ghana. They were joined in Morocco by a support team led by (rapidly becoming) Sabre veteran Matt Christie and team chef Rosie I’Anson.

The planned five-week journey from Rabat was organised as a fund raiser towards the next kindergarten school build at Bronyibima and took the teams through Spain, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali and Burkina Faso before ending in Elmina, Ghana.

Taking five vintage cars eight thousand miles through seven countries was never going to be easy going, Thankfully they were a game bunch and pot holes, sand dunes, corrugations,

stray camels, terrorism threats, mechanical faults, soaring temperatures and countless red-tape did not deter them.

A Delage, two Lea Francis’s, one Chrysler and a Willy’s Jeep braved the journey alongside Sabre’s thirty seater Mercedes support wagon. Amazingly the teams all made it to Elmina together, in perfect time for their arrival ceremony held at Elmina Castle. A raptarous reception ensued with speeches, a cultural performance, plenty of congratulations and the odd bemused Ghanaian journalist asking various questions about the sight they saw before them.

With so much for the intrepid travellers to see along the way, from Marrakech, the Atlas

mountains, Djenné, Mopti, Dogon Country, Timbuktu, the Niger river, Mole National Park, Kintampo water falls and Kumasi, there was plenty to fit in to everyday whilst also making time for the necessary repairs and allowing some much needed time off from driving.

Upon arrival the teams were given a tour of some of our projects, including the beneficiary community of Bronyibima.

With the exception of one car, the vehicles have now all safely returned home to the UK. We have managed to retain a Lea Francis in Ghana for those special occassions when no other form of transport will quite do.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part and helped along the way, we could not have done it without you and it would not have been the adventure it was. The very best photos will be put up online shortly for all to look at and marvel over.

If you would like any further information on the rally or other fund raising activities please do get in touch with the team by phone or email.

ArrivalA huge congratulations to Sabre staff member Ama Yahans who has just given birth to her first baby, a very healthy boy called Ryan. No doubt destined for great things, Ryan will be officially named in a ceremony to be held at the beginning of February. We will happily pass on anyone’s good wishes for Ama and her family.

AyensudoIf you’ve been following us on Twitter you will have noticed that things are moving forward on our next kindergarten build at Ayensudo. The ground has been cleared and flattened and the full-scale building works are now underway. If you would like to come and help with the construction then please do get in touch.

DonateAre you aware of just how simple it is to help us in our mission to build a brighter future for school children in Ghana?

Be it a regular donation or a one-off event, it’s never been easier to put your money where your heart is. Below are just some of the ways you can start to make a difference.

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Teacher Training

KG Audit

UK OfficeWe are extremely pleased to announce the opening of our new UK office. We have not travelled far, however, you will now find us on a quaint farm deep in the heart of the English countryside in Surrey. This will be Dominic, Sophie and Tom’s new base. They look forward to welcoming you if you are passing.

Contact Us...UKThe Old DairyUnit 5South Lodge CourtIronsbottomSurrey, RH2 8QG.T: +44 (0) 2032 399 476

GhanaP.O. Box 329Elmina,Central RegionGhana

T. +233 (0) 247 919 469

Webwww.sabretrust.org

Emailtrust@sabretrust.orgvolunteer@sabretrust.org

In November Jen Booth, Sabre’s Teaching Methodology Project Officer, travelled to Kumasi to attend a teacher training program run by MASHAV – Israel’s Agency for the International Development Cooperation Ministry for Foreign Affairs based in Jerusalem. This program has been running since 2008 in cooperation with MCI – Millennium Cities Initiatives, to improve Early Childhood provision and to help achieve the 2015 Millennium Development goal of Education for all.

Sabre are in the process of developing a teacher training program to promote a learning through play methodology and improve pupil engagement and achievement. Visiting

Kumasi allowed us to observe an already functional and successful model. Linking up with the MASHAV scheme will allow us to work together towards the same goal; two heads and all! Our aim is to launch the pilot training program in September 2011 with Kindergarten teachers from the KEEA District.

The first quarter of this year will see us completing a full audit of every kindergarten school in the KEEA district. The aim is to make a full evaluation of the existing infrastructure and educational resource needs. There are six main areas we will be looking at: building condition, learning resources, teaching resources, student:teacher ratio, outdoor facilities and sanitation.

All of the above factors have the ability to affect the quality of early years education, together with teacher training.

In collaboration with the District Education Office our in-country staff will visit every one of the 65 kindergarten schools over the next two months. This will enable us to formulate the best strategy moving forward and create a clear plan of action.

WelcomeWe are pleased to announce that Nadine Adamski has become one of 500 people chosen through Vodafone World of Difference (UK) to receive a two-month grant to work with their favourite charity in the UK. Nadine will start in March and focus on fundraising.

Thinking of scrapping your car? This company will collect it free of charge and donate it’s value to us.

Sign up for Virgin Money’s new Charity Card. You can donate up to 1% of everything you spend directly to us through their sister organisation VirginMoneyGiving.

Visit our online shop the next time you need a present for somebody.

Take part in one of the GRIM challenges throughout the year and raise money for us whilst keeping fit.

Get involved with us directly. Sponsor a student, volunteer or donate.

ProverbNo one tests the depth of the river with both feet.