Siamekome: School children cross Volta River daily without life jackets

For a small island nestled in the cool embrace of the Volta River, hope for a brighter future for its 150 residents may just be three solar lights planted in three strategic locations.

But hope for such simple but necessary provision can be far and painful to realise.

Due to the numbers on the island coupled with little economic activities, it does not appear attractive to invest millions installing electricity across the Volta River to Siamekome in the Central Tongu District – the island cut away from development and all basic amenities.

Fishing is the preoccupation of the elders, and education, the hope of the future dreamers.

But for the children to access this education, they must go across the river.

Students between the ages of 5 to 17 years have to paddle boats without life jackets to and from school.

Mothers who can’t risk it, prefer delaying the early start of education for their children.