Ramsbury charity Action Through Enterprise has helped to build a new teaching block for children in the Ghanaian town of Lawra.

ATE worked with the District Education Office in Lawra to construct the fully equipped two-classroom facility for 101 children and their teachers at Karbo Primary School.

Headteacher Mary Karbo said: “I’m very happy with our new classrooms. We’re very grateful to ATE. There is a lot more space for the children, new furniture, and plenty of materials to use in lessons.”

The block was funded by ATE donors The Martin and Eugenia Ephson Educational Trust and opened to pupils on May 16.

One of the projects ATE is focusing on is providing free meals for the 456 pupils at the school.

This has contributed to an increase in pupils’ attendance rates from 48 per cent to 98 per cent and as attendance rates climbed, there was a need for new classrooms.

ATE founder Sarah Gardner said: “It has been amazing to see the impact of school feeding on the attendance, but there was a real need for new classrooms.

“With a very generous contribution from our donors we have been able to work with the Ghana Education Service to build this new block.”

Miss Gardener set up ATE with her parents after telling them about the extreme poverty she had witnessed while work as a volunteer education support officer in Lawra.

It became a registered charity in September 2012. For more details, visit ateghana.org