ANNUAL REPORT

Flame is one year old and in celebrating this milestone of achievements, it is worth mentioning the names of certain individuals who have contributed immensely to the state of FLAME. Notable among these is the Executive Director who generously donated his pick up for our mobility, Dr Ahmed Boachie - Canada, Kofi Boahene - UK, Ahmed Alladin Kwakye - UK, for helping in domain name acquisition and the payment of hosting charges.

We are very grateful to Easyspace limited for hosting our site www.flameghana.org for one year free of charge. Mention should also be made Leila Rivard, for her guidance and encouragement, Dr Sheila Gersh, for her love and kindness. We are also very grateful to her for soliciting for computer software for us. We are grateful to Cari Gersh for sacrificing her comfort in the US to come over to work with us in rural Asokore, not forgetting the former Santasi ELF filling station manager for giving us about 30 gallons of petrol and Mr. Annan at Mbrom Mobil filling station for aiding us with fuel and cash donations. Whiles showing appreciation to all these people we cannot forget our Almighty creator for keeping us kicking and safe.

VOLUNTEER AND NEW LORDS

In the course of the year, we have had two renowned overseas educationalists who have expressed interest and registered to be part of FLAME. By way of their experience they qualify to be LORDS; Lords in the foundation perform the role of giving advice and directions to the running of the organization. As we still hold our doors open to people who share our ideals and aims we wish to say a very big welcome to Prof. Lloyd Sheldon Johnson- USA and Leila Rivard- USA for volunteering to help as LORDS to champion our course. We also have in with us in Ghana here Cari Gersh, our first overseas volunteer. She is doing very well and we are very grateful to her and her family.

STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS

FLAME has run quite successfully on donations and contributions from the very members that form the nucleus of the organization and people who are related to some of these members. Members contributed whenever there was the need for money. Though this posed a problem as far as planning was concerned, we still feel a lot has been achieved. Though we were not regular to teach at the schools as we had wanted because of obvious reasons; transportation and inadequate finances, it is worth saying that a lot has been achieved. We have won the hearts of overseas volunteers, and made a significant impact on the academic lives of quite a number of school children

PROBLEMS

No human institution can exist without problems; FLAME has had a number of problems that we had to live up with. Foremost is our problem of transportation. Though a lot of teachers are ready to help out with teaching in the deprived schools, lack of suitable and reliable vehicle to convey them to the rural areas has continued to hamper our good intentions and ambitions.

ACCOUNTS

Below is the breakdown of the expenditure for the fiscal year September 1999 to October 2000.

Monthly Breakdown of Expenditure

Month	Amount in Cedis
Sep-99	1,418,000
Oct-99	1,503,000
Nov-99	303,000
Dec-99	110,000
Jan-00	75,000
Feb-00	75,000
Mar-00	100,000
Apr-00	15,000
May-00	20,000
Jun-00	278,400
Jul-00	452,000
Aug-00	177,500
Sep-00	692,000
Oct-00	825,500
TOTAL	6,040,000

ACCOUNT BALANCE

COMMENTS ON EXPENDITURE

Flame operated on a very tight budget. Because of that, we limited ourselves and concentrated more on our weekend free tuition. Even that, we could not be regular as we wanted. Fuel, website and phone charges and car registration were our major financial drain.

ACHIEVEMENTS-RENNAISANCE PROJECT

When we first set foot at the rural schools; Fomena Amass and Omess, one thing that we realised was the lack of confidence showing clearly on the faces of the students. This was due to the fact that they felt they had no teachers and that they were there just waiting on the exams to meet an imminent failure in their exams. We set out slowly to eliminate this feeling from the children by giving them tuition. From the results of a test case we feel we have significantly put Home some confidence in the children.

Results Summary of 2nd trial test held on October 14, 2000 at Fomena Amass

Number	Percentage	Grade	Marks range
5	20	A	72% and above
2	8	B	68- 64%
3	12	C	56- 53%
3	12	D	48%
7	28	E	40- 44%
5	20	F	36-16%

COMMENTS
The turn out of students in the first quiz conducted by Mrs Eleanor B. Ntiforo on July 2, 2000 was low. 48% took the exam because we informed them in advance of the examination. 52% of them dodged simply because they lacked confidence due to the fact that they lacked an English teacher. 8.3% of them representing one candidate could get the minimum pass mark of 40% equivalent to grade E. The remaining 91.7% representing 11 students failed.

At the second time round (conducted on Saturday October 14, 2000 by Mrs Eleanor B. Ntiforo) the kids were not informed and took a surprise test. This time 25 students took the exams 5 had A's (72% and above) 3 had grade B ( 64 - 68% mark) 3 had C (52 - 56% mark) 3 had D(48% mark) 7 had E (40 - 44% mark) and 5 had F(16 - 36%) Surprisingly, the top 2 were among the 12 students who took the first test. This time 80% of them passed. This achievement confers the new confidence they have and hence the vast improvement

PROJECTIONS FOR THE COMING YEAR

As we move on to the coming year it is our prayer that we receive aid to solve our major problem of transport. This will enable more teachers to move and also more schools to be assisted. We hope to print out supplementary notes for donation and also put a lot of resources on line for the few students in Ghana who can go online to download. We also plan to take on school linkage activities to create solidarity and friendships among students in other countries. To aid people to get partners easily we are compiling a database of contact information for schools in Ghana. This is in conformity with the objectives of our Academia project. We also aim at putting up a learning centre; made up of a library and teaching centre where students could receive help from teachers.

We shall look at preparing literature and resource material for learning and curriculum development for street children. We are also looking at how to help single parents (with special emphasis on mothers) in paying their children's school fees through a project we call FLAME's Edusecure Trust-FET. This project is a very brilliant venture since it is self sustaining and only needs an initial input or seed money.

FLAME INTERNATIONAL LETTER EXCHANGE PROGRAM- FILEP

Through the innovations of Cari Gersh our US Volunteer and Member, a new program for international student solidarity, collaboration and learning through the exchange of letters, pictures and if possible visits has been initiated. Already US students and Asokore Amass Students in Ghana have started this exchange program. and we are seeking the patronage of educators and teachers all over the world to join in this very innovative project.

To see to the success of this project, in Ghana, we are going to encourage students to form clubs to be called ; Flame international letter exchange Clubs- FILEC in interested schools in the country. Student executives will be elected to coordinate the activities of the students supervised by a teacher at the school. Apart from publishing some of the letters on the net a medium will be created to disseminate the lessons to be learnt from this exchanges among all the students involved.

CAMPAIGN FOR SUPPORT

You could support brilliant but needy children through school by a one time 'widows might' contribution or a monthly contribution of $5 or any amount into the FLAME' S Edusecure Trust Fund. This fund will be a revolving fund and will not only see a brilliant but needy child through school but children. It is going to ease the the pains and hardships single mothers go through in securing education for their children. Help today and save the future from ignorance.

Contact FLAME today by emailing admin@flameghana.org for more information.