Animal-Kind International
Jan 26, 2016
Updated: May 23, 2019
AKI donors provide funds for the Ghana Society for the Protection & Care of Animals' Humane Ed Programme, including reproduction of the Animal Welfare Manual (every student gets one to keep), small stipends for HE teachers, transport for David and Aluizah (GSPCA HE volunteers) to mentor the teachers, and field trips for Ghana SPCA HE Programme graduates.
What's it like to participate in a GSPCA HE lesson? It's FUN! That's the #1 most important thing--GSPCA makes sure that the HE lessons are enjoyable-as well as a learning experience. Here's an example.
Nana Owusu Afriyie is lead HE teacher at the Trust Academy (see his photo below). He has taught HE lessons since 2013. GSPCA HE instruction lasts 8 weeks.
Nana's mentor, Aluizah, told AKI that "The Trust Academy has always demonstrated great zeal for the humane education programme. In 2013, the school earmarked 20 pupils but ended up having 22. Then, in 2014, 32 pupils registered for the course, even though 30 was the estimated number. All pupils are provided with the study material [the Animal Welfare Manual and other material]." (See photo below)
In the preliminary lesson, Aluizah gives some insights into what can be expected over the 8 week period and an overview of activities of the GSPCA. Then he asks the pupils for their expectations.
Below are some of the interesting views of Trust Academy pupils:
Daisy, form one, “It will show to handle animals with good care."
Ida Osman, form one, “We must treat animals like how we treat ourselves.”
Joseph Laddiku, form one, “It will help me provide good treatment to animals.”
Bernice Nanator, form one, “It will help you to know animal behavior.”
Sheila Mawusi, form one, “It will help us know more about animals. It will also guide us to take proper care of our animals.”
Stella Nargetey, Class six, “It will help us to know what the animals want.”
Shantel, Class six, “It will guide us to know how we should treat animals and protect them against diseases.”
Joseph Kofi Adu, form one, “It will help me to train animals to be friendly and of good behaviour.”
Nafisa, form one, “It will help us to educate the public about the dangerous disease of animals and how to prevent them.”
Ama Asantewa form one, “It will help us to care for our animals and prevent them and ourselves from diseases.”
Zainab Yunus, form one, “It will help us to understand God’s creation, I mean the reason why God created animals.”
Godwin Mawuena, form one, “It will help us to be humane to animals.”
Benjamin, Class six, “We must care for animals.”
Hannah Nyarko,Class six, “I will learn to show love and kindness to animals.”
Samuel Nkonim, form one, “It will help us to know what food and drink to give to our animals.”
Erick Okyere, form two, “It will help us to take good care of animals. It will also help us to be kind to animals.”
Grace Bartels Andrews, form one,”It will make you know more about animals and be friends with them.”
Kinsley Otoo, Class six, “To be kind to animals”
Bright Owusu, Class six, “kindness”
Rhema Adutwumwa, Class six, "To be kind to animals”
Polite Attoh, Class six, “It will make you know about animals and how to protect them from diseases.”
Ester Knonadu, Class six, “It will help us to know the uses of animals and how to protect them."
One of the highlights of the HE Programme is the Animal Welfare quiz (photos below), created by one of the HE lead teachers. It's fun, the students get to show off their knowledge of animals, and they get prizes.
(Photo above: HE teacher who created the Animal Welfare Quiz game)
Drawing, poety, plays, and singing are all part of HE instruction.
Sometimes a guest speaker joins the class (below picture)--that's always a fun diversion!
Certainly, one of the highlights of the semester is the field trip (2015 field trip picture below)--for which GSPCA relies on AKI's generous donors, who have always come through-and we thank you for that!
2016 promises to be the best year for GSPCA's HE Programme. Thanks to a grant from Bosack Kruger Foundation to AKI, GSPCA's HE classes will design a hands-on animal welfare project and receive a small grant to implement it. This will be a great experience for the students, we expect hundreds of dogs, cats, donkeys, and horses to benefit, and we imagine we'll be creating lifelong animal welfare advocates.