A Hitchin charity founded to transform lives and empower the most disadvantaged in Africa has been praised by Ghanaian children for giving them life-changing access to education by setting up a school.

The Comet: Ghanaian children helped by HumanitasGhanaian children helped by Humanitas (Image: Archant)

A Hitchin charity founded to transform lives and empower the most disadvantaged in Africa has been praised by Ghanaian children for giving them life-changing access to education by setting up a school.

Volunteers from the charity Humanitas, which has a shop in Bucklersbury, have been working hard in a remote region of the west African country to bring about long-term positive change to bright youngsters who previously were denied access to education.

Representatives from the charity specialising in working in areas of extreme poverty to protect vulnerable children visited southern Ghana to bring hope to the village of Ayensuako by building a school.

None of the 150 kids had the chance to attend a learning establishment before the big-hearted Humanitas volunteers helped – as families live below the poverty line and couldn’t afford transport costs to and from schools further afield.

The Comet: Ghanaian children helped by HumanitasGhanaian children helped by Humanitas (Image: Archant)

But with the school now up and running through the help of Humanitas the children can already feel the benefit, and have been inspired to help others.

Perfect, a ten-year-old who lives with her grandmother in the village explained movingly: “When I grow up I want to be a nurse and I would like to be a nurse for Humanitas so I can help the children in the Humanitas school.”

Dr Ramiz Momeni, director of Humanitas, who visited the village, told the Comet: “We are giving an opportunity for children to dream.

“To dream to become an astronaut, a doctor, a nurse a teacher and make it a reality in rural areas of Ghana.

The Comet: Ghanaian children helped by HumanitasGhanaian children helped by Humanitas (Image: Archant)

“We work in regions where there is no NGO presence, in areas where large charities don’t go.

“We build a future which is about learning and thriving and not just about existence. I have spent half my life working with the people Humanitas is dedicated to supporting, it’s very important to me.”

To help raise funds to support the Humanitas primary school in Ghana, the team is hosting a special screening of the American comedy film Groundhog Day at St Mary’s Church in Hitchin on Thursday, November 24. The event starts at 6.30pm with Mexican street food from Cantina Carnitas, craft beers, mulled wine, popcorn, gifts and cakes on sale, with the film staring at 7pm.

As Humanitas volunteer Alexandra Rosie Paul, who helped to build the school said, reflecting the feelings of many who volunteer to help others in Africa: “Ayensuako have given me a new lease of life. Ghana has my heart. I will be going back next year.”

The Comet: Ghanaian children helped by HumanitasGhanaian children helped by Humanitas (Image: Archant)

For more visit www.humanitascharity.org.

The Comet: Ghanaian children helped by HumanitasGhanaian children helped by Humanitas (Image: Archant)

The Comet: Ghanaian children helped by HumanitasGhanaian children helped by Humanitas (Image: Archant)

The Comet: Ghanaian children helped by HumanitasGhanaian children helped by Humanitas (Image: Archant)