Buriton's unique link with Dominase in rural Ghana continues to bring real benefits for the West African community.
On his latest visit, at the end of October, Doug Jones was able to look at all the household toilets being built with money raised in Buriton.
All continues to go very well and next steps for an expanding programme were agreed.
The Premier League soccer team is the latest organisation to provide help to Buriton's sister community in rural Ghana.
One of Sunderland’s star players is Asamoah Gyan – Ghana’s Sports Personality of the Year as well as Footballer of the Year.
As part of a week long study tour, five senior Local Government officials from Ghana came to Buriton in August.
After spending the morning with Andrew Bray and family at Nursted Farm, the visitors had lunch at the Five Bells and met members of Buriton’s Village-to-Village Group which coordinates the community’s link with Dominase in Ghana.
Buriton's special "Buy-a-Bog" campaign has stepped up the delivery of family toilets in Ghana.
Following the success of the ‘pilot’ phase of our sanitation project we have been working closely with the “Village-to-Village” Committee in Dominase.
As a result, two of their out-station villages (Nkrofo and Adaboe) have now been chosen to take the next steps in the household toilet programme.
An illustrated talk by David Bee
Earlier in the year David Bee spent about three works working with the Afar people in northern Djibouti. This was his seventh trip to that country.
Djibouti, formerly French Somaliland, is situated in the Horn of Africa. It is sparsely populated and much of the land is very dependant on increasingly fickle rains.
Pupils in Middle Juniors (Yr5) at Ditcham Park School have recently raised an extra £130 to help friends in Ghana.
The children have established a link with the Besease DA School as part of the community link between Buriton and Dominase.
They have become pen pals with some of the pupils there and have enjoyed writing letters to their new friends.
They have been so struck by some of what they have learnt that they decided to do something to help.
The locally renowned 'Downland Singers' will be giving a special performance in Buriton on Sunday 18th September (2.30pm).
The event, entitled ‘Songs from the Shows’, will include favourites from Gilbert & Sullivan to Andrew Lloyd Webber – via the 1960s and 70s.
The singers have kindly agreed to put on this event for Buriton’s ‘Buy a Bog’ for Dominase Appeal.
So, they are singing ‘at your convenience’!
Buriton's 'Alternative Quiz Night' on 14th May was a huge success - providing fun for participants and funding for our link with Dominase.
Quiz Master Paul Martin entertained over 100 villagers and guests with a series of subtle, amusing and frustrating rounds of questions.
The winners were “Thrown Together” who just pipped “We don’t know nuffin” to first place. At the other end of the table were the not-so-aptly-named “Best Men”.
As well as the successful completion of a number of 'pilot' toilets for individual households in Dominase, the latrine block at the Marfo Junior Secondary School in Dominase has now been officially opened.
All the money needed to build this block of toilets was raised from our ‘Buy a Bog’ campaign – and we’d like to be able to help more schools in the future.
The toilet block has 4 cubicles (two for boys and two for girls) and provides hand-washing facilities by collecting rainwater from the roof.
Over 100 villagers and friends have booked places for Buriton's popular antidote to ordinary Quiz Nights: Saturday 14th May, 7.30pm in Buriton Village Hall.
This highly entertaining Quiz Night, with Quiz Master Paul Martin, has sold out quickly in previous years - so people know to book places early!
At only £5 per person, it's great value for a fun night out - and all the money raised goes towards improving living conditions in Buriton’s sister community of Dominase in rural Ghana.
