The Atorkor Centre
creating sustainable development for Ghanaian women and youth

The Atorkor Development Foundation, (ADF) is undertaking the establishment of a vocational training and employment centre in contemporary and traditional Ghanaian arts for the youth and women of Atorkor and area.

• Over fishing by off-shore trawlers has crippled the local fishing industry resulting in massive unemployment in the area.

THE ATORKOR CENTRE

• The Centre will focus on training artisans in the traditional Ghanaian arts of batik, kente weaving, bead-making, basket-making, and an apprenticeship program in welding, carpentry and mechanics. The artworks will use contemporary designs, the products will be marketed locally, on line, and in North America and Europe.
• ADF will partner with Village Volunteers to bring overseas students to study at the Centre. International instructors will be invited to enrich the contemporary Ghanaian designs.
• Ghana Tourist Board will promote the centre as a destination to view the making of the artwork, purchase artwork and participate in Ghanaian culture with dance and drumming demonstrations, storytelling, and to visit the Memorial Slave Monument.
• When fully operational the Centre will provide apprenticeship and employment for up to 90 youth and women.
• This Centre will give the women an opportunity to earn sustainable incomes to educate their children, get medications for them and better housing. The youth, will learn viable skills to earn a living whether in Atorkor or elsewhere.
  
  

THE BUILDING

The Centre will be built in two phases.

• Phase One: will include three large workshops, a retail space, covered walkways for art displays, administration office and kitchen. Projected at Cdn $133,000. The existing historical slave memorial is incorporated into this plan.
• Phase Two will include a museum, resource library, a community/exhibition centre to feature cultural events like storytelling, drumming and dancing. Projected at Cdn$87,000
• Total cost of the project including all phases is Cdn $220,000.
• Estimated building time is 6 months for each phase to be completed.
• Solar panels will provide power.
• Water cisterns will collect roof water for landscaped gardens.
• The successful and experienced ADF building team, (from the Medical Centre, and classroom block) is being employed.
• Community involvement: local labour is being used wherever possible.

OTHER PROJECTS

• Ceramic water filters will be used for drinking water.

SUPPORTERS

• Rotary clubs in Ontario, Canada for financial support.
• Strong support has been given by the District Assembly in Keta , which has donated 5 acres of land and agreed to assist with funding the Centre.
• Current talks with the Ministry of Youth and Sport indicate that the centre will be funded by the Ghanaian Government.
• UNESCO has agreed to train the Centre's instructors.
• Ghana Tourist Board has agreed to feature the Centre as a tourist and cultural centre.
• The Ghana Culture Fund is interested in supporting the operating of the Centre.

THIS PROJECT WILL HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY, BRINGING SUSTAINABLE INCOME TO AN AREA THAT HAS NO OTHER SOURCE OF VIABLE INCOME AT PRESENT.

The Atorkor Centre : Progress Peta Hall ˜ May 2011 peta.hall@adfatorkor.org

Carrying bricks one brick at a time!	Building progress	Blocklaying
Planting Trees			Carrying cement bags one bag at a time
The town crier announcing the commencement of the project	Digging the foundations	Mixing the concrete	Carrying cement
Molding blocks	Transporting blocks to the site	Foundation walls	Filling the foundations ready for the floors to be poured
The team ordered shirts to celebrate the construction of the centre	Planting the 'green fence'	Carrying water twice daily to water the green fence and trees	Successfully planting the 60th tree