About Anansi Education

Students Currently Enrolled: 36
Alumni: 16

Mission

Anansi Education is a non-profit that funds the high school education of academically qualified students in Ghana who are otherwise unable to continue their education due to financial need.

Programs

In order to raise funds to meet our educational objective, Anansi does five things:

Find sponsors willing to provide the annual school fees for the customary four years.
Place volunteers in orphanages, schools, hospitals and farms.
Hold an annual fundraiser auction in the United States, with African artifacts, artwork, and crafts that have been selected and shipped from Africa, by our director.
Provide guide services to tourists traveling in Ghana with 40% of the associated revenue going to Anansi and 60% to the local guide.
Anansi operates a Bed and Breakfast for tourists in Ghana with a percentage of the proceeds going directly to the program.

Using our selection criteria, as defined by our mission statement, Anansi funds as many applicants as possible.

Student School assignment is made by the government, and we currently have thirty eight students placed in nine different schools. We provide each student with the required school uniforms, bedding and supplies. We make every attempt to provide each student with an individual to whom they can write and from whom they can receive letters and emotional support.

Ghana is a developing country, not an undeveloped country, where a helping hand for the underprivileged youth can make a big difference. Motivation of the students is high as they are acutely aware of what their lives would be like without a high school education.

Anansi is a secular, volunteer-operated organization.

Bio: Kathryn Roe

This project was founded, developed and is currently run by director Kathryn Roe. As an instructor at Whatcom Community College, in Bellingham Washington from 1971-2007, she has long believed in the value of a education. While at Whatcom, she taught ceramics, art history, drawing, color and design, and computer art.

In 1997, during a sabbatical, she traveled to West Africa and while there she fell in love with the people, the colors and the opportunity to learn an entirely different culture. Upon her return to Whatcom, and with a tremendous desire to return to Africa, she found the support of the college to create a quarter-long study abroad program. This cultural experience was successfully realized in 2000. Prior to this African project, she had planned and implemented similar study programs in both Mexico and France.

In 2004, Kathryn Roe enlisted friends and family to sponsor the high school education of six teens from the village of Mpeasem in Ghana. Since then the organization, Anansi Educational NGO has funded the education of over 50 students from rural villages. The first graduating class of Anansi students finished their high school studies at the end of the 2007/2008 academic year. At this time, Anansi is funding 38 high school students and has 16 graduates.