Computer School in the City of God in Old Fadama

How it began

Through his work with Caritas Ghana, Georg Kerkloh met Father Subash Chittilappilly. Father Subash hails from India, is a member of the Missionary of Charity, Mother Teresa's Order, and runs a kindergarten for around 70 children in the City of God in Old Fadama, Agbogbloshie, in premises that are far too small and lack outdoor space.

Georg discovered three old desktop computers there and asked Father Subash what they were for. He explained that he had long dreamt of opening a computer school. That evening, over a beer, Georg and his colleague Una agreed to launch the school.

In 2019, we founded the Computer School in the City of God with the goal of simplifying children's and teenagers' access to education and improving their digital skills.

For Christmas 2019, Georg called on his friends and family in Germany to collect good used laptops. The response was overwhelming. Nearly 20 used laptops and a large sum of cash were donated to purchase more computers and accessories. With the help of flight escorts, the computers were transported to Accra free of charge. With the help of friends, everything was set up on site and teaching could begin February 2020 with volunteer teachers and over 20 laptops. As soon as the first people in the City of God were trained in computer skills, word spread and demand grew quickly. The pandemic forced us to suspend operations after only two months. But in May 2021, classes resumed with better preparation. Initially, only one evening per week was offered. This quickly grew step by step to today’s five evenings a week. Louis Amuzu, a local IT expert, was hired as the first full-time teacher. He develops concepts and content and structures the lessons. Classes are offered for beginners as well as advanced learners. Over time, tutoring and homework support have also been added. Local freelance instructors were also hired.

How it began

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The IT school today

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Today

Today, the school educates around 40 children, teenagers, and young adults in seven groups. Each participant receives two hours of computer instruction on two evenings a week, as well as two additional tutoring sessions tailored to their individual needs. Ten local paid instructors and several volunteer teachers from the expatriate community teach the children and teenagers.

On five evenings a week from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm, around 40 children, teenagers, and young adults learn how to use a PC and a variety of applications. In addition to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, the curriculum also includes general digital skills such as internet use, search engines, and email. Basic coding skills in Scratch are also taught. These are then further developed with coding in Python.

In addition to computer training, we help schoolchildren with their homework and provide tutoring as needed. On Fridays, our Girls' and Boys' Clubs offer computer games, film screenings, and discussion groups.

Together with Father Subash, who continues to provide pastoral care, Grace, who grew up in Old Fadama, competently supports us as an experienced social worker in family and school conflict situations, domestic and gender-related violence and other social problems the children may have.

The evenings have become a firmly established tradition at the City of God. All our participants attend very regularly. The interest in our school among the children is so great that we unfortunately cannot accept everyone, and the waiting list is growing longer.

Impressions of Old Fadama & Agbogbloshie

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