New Ebu Spot achieved a remarkable feat last August by being crowned Spot of the Month. This is a remarkable achievement, especially considering how it was only recently established in 2023!
To celebrate this accomplishment, EduSpots’ Yahya Seidu, the Operations & Regional Spot Coordinator for the Middle Region, interviewed local Catalysts from New Ebu to learn about their journey and success.
New Ebu, located in Ghana’s central region, is a community that originated from a migration of inhabitants from ‘Old Ebu,’ a nearby settlement approximately 1 kilometer away to its current location. The Spot is a school-based Spot located in New Ebu St Simon’s Catholic School (one out of 5 schools in the wider local vicinity). New Ebu Spot boasts of a dedicated and productive team of 6 Catalysts and over 30 active learners. Vincent Mark Mensah (Spot Lead and Ignite Equity Lead) discussed the spark that ignited their passion to create a flourishing Spot: “Everything started after Miss Cat and Lawrence visited us. We picked up little roles individually so things will not load up on one person. It started to work!”. Other Catalysts spoke about their motivation to volunteer at the Spot, including Solomon Mbir Arthur who realised that through EduSpots “learners can now access a library to enhance their learning even in the evening”. Most Spots within the wider EduSpots network are working towards extended evening hours so learners can access resources for longer. New Ebu Spot follows this approach, operating on a roster system and staying open from 7-9 PM on Mondays and Tuesdays.
The headteacher has been very supportive of EduSpots’s mission and allows Catalysts to operate freely. EduSpots activities feature once a week on the official school timetable, but Vincent also points out that they are able to organise activities when the need arises: “This week we met twice. This morning we had to meet and finalise our September challenge, and our colleagues agreed for us to use the morning periods from 8-10am”. As such, EduSpots’s wider mission to foster equitable learning opportunities have been met with open and welcoming arms from the wider community at New Ebu. Catalysts also described how they are making more efforts to get more learners from other schools to use the library, by encouraging parents to send their children from other schools to the library as well.
Ignite Equity is the most active strand at New Ebu Spot, focusing on improving sanitation, building a reading culture, improving learner confidence and helping to address issues of teenage pregnancy in the community. Catalysts have noticed that as a result of their choice to focus on Ignite Equity activities, learners have become more well-rounded individuals, developing their library ethics and following safeguarding protocols. Vincent describes how “learners who were shy are now beginning to take up roles of leadership [and] do public speaking without any force whatsoever”. This is a powerful example of the impact of Catalysts efforts in the Ignite Equity strand.
The interview concluded with Catalysts discussing the positive changes they’ve experienced through their involvement in EduSpots. Gladys Otoo (Catalyst and Ignite Equity Assistant Lead) shared how “one skill I have learnt is how I will understand the feelings of learners and to motivate them to boost their confidence in the school, home and community”. Solomon described how one skill he has acquired is “respect for diversity and inclusivity – specifically, that it is always important to respect individual learners irrespective of their differences”. Finally, Vincent shared how he has learnt “how to motivate, lead and get team members to work together to achieve common targets”. The story of New Ebu Spot is a reminder of the incredible potential of EduSpots’ community-led model to transform communities and empower young people.
Bravo, New Ebu!