CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A middle school that is under construction in Ghana has roots in Charlotte.
For the last 28 years, Charlotte has been in a Sister City partnership with the city of Kumasi in Ghana and local efforts here are creating educational opportunities there.
Construction began on the Akyremade JHS (Middle School) in 2022, but there is still more work to be done.
The Charlotte nonprofit AfroCareCLT is ensuring that students in Kumasi will have access to these educational opportunities by hosting a fundraiser on Sept. 19, which Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles declared to be "Kumasi Day" last year.
WCNC Charlotte spoke to Justin Jones-Fosu, who lives in Charlotte but was born in Ghana, about the fundraising efforts. Jones-Fosu is the founder of the Work Meaningful Foundation, a nonprofit that supports educational opportunities on the continent of Africa. The Work Meaningful Foundation is supporting the Akyremade JHS school construction, along with other organizations in Charlotte and this is a cause that is truly near and dear to Jones-Fosu's heart.
A few years ago, Jones-Fosu learned that Kumasi is a Sister City to Charlotte and knew that his organization, the Work Meaningful Foundation, could make a difference in the lives of Ghanaian students.
"And me being originally from Ghana. I was like, Oh my gosh, I was really inspired and so thankful," said Jones-Fosu. “My dad was a poor village kid who made it to a senior position with the United Nations because of people helping him
with education," Jones-Fosu said.
Jones-Fosu said that when Mayor Lyles declared September 19 to be "Kumasi Day" in 2022, "it was such a pivotal moment because several of us within the community got together and said, 'Let's do something really special. And let's impact this area but have a great impact in Ghana as well.'"
From that came AfroCareCLT and, a few years later, the beginning of construction on Akyremade JHS in Kumasi.
After returning to Ghana with his kids in 2019, Jones-Fosu was inspired to do something after he saw the conditions of learning that Ghanaians had to deal with. Some students were learning under trees and, when it rained, classes had to be canceled.
The Work Meaningful Foundation first worked to provide desks for students in Ghana, then clean drinking water.
Realizing that students needed something more, Jones-Fosu then partnered with community leaders to help build a middle school in Charlotte's sister city. And AfroCareCLT, an annual gala that celebrates African culture, will spearhead fundraising efforts for the new middle school.
The AfroCareCLT fundraising event is on Sept. 19 at Project 658 in Charlotte. There will be African artwork that will be auctioned at the event. Tickets for the event are available here.
Timeline of Sister City partnership with Kumasi
- 1995- Kumasi becomes a Charlotte Sister City
- 1995-2000- Medical exchanges, student exchanges, and business delegations
- 2002- Kumasi delegation hosted by Charlotte
- 2022- Kumasi delegation visits Charlotte
- Construction begins on Akyremade JHS School