Red Nose Day
On Friday, 24th March 2017, the International School of Ahafo community put our best noses forward and got seriously silly for a great cause – Red Nose Day, a worldwide campaign to raise funds and awareness for children living in poverty across the globe. On this day, people wear red noses, do funny activities and raise money at work or schools for charity.
Red Nose Day is run by Comic Relief, a British charity with a vision of a just world, free from poverty. Since its launch in 1988, it has become a British tradition although it has spread to the United States, Germany, Finland and Iceland etc. Comic Relief spends the money raised on Red Nose Day to help people living incredibly tough lives in the UK and Africa. At ISA, Red Nose Day was held under the auspices of the Student Council and all proceeds went to our community service projects with the Methodist School in Kenyase No. 2.
The theme for the day was ‘Twins’ and each child paired up with another child, they dressed in the same clothes and looked like twins. There were triplets, quintuplets and even octuplets. Everybody had a red nose, which was coloured with face paint, and paid an admission fee of GHS 5.00 to participate in all activities.
The day began with a sad and uncomfortable Assembly by the Principal, Mrs. Barbara Deveney, on what Red Nose Day is about, its inception and key projects across Africa. It was heart-rending to watch children living under some of the most difficult conditions but equally hopeful to see the transformational effect of Red Nose Day fundraising efforts. We were teary-eyed.
Thereafter, there were silly activities, mainly Musical Chairs and Pass the Hula Hoops, in the courtyard. There was a bake sale at snack time and this was followed by class silly activities. Sankofa and Nkyinkyim came together to fish for apples from the water tub, pop some balloons and sing silly songs. Nyansapo and Gye Nyame enjoyed activities such as Imagine Presentation, Hey Siri, Wink Murder, Belly balloon break, Enoji, Act React, Stand-Up-Comedy, Master-to-One and What’s my name.
We had a picnic lunch, which was followed by face painting and another bake sale. The climax of the day was the maiden Talent Show which was opened to all talented–or-not people and judged by a panel of three Student Council members. Performances were judged based on their wow factor, whether the acts looked well rehearsed and performers’ ability to smile.
Our MC for the event, Ewan, was very fascinating, Benai’s poem stole our hearts, and we were blown away by Melissa’s gymnastic prowess. There were two categories of winners: the first group was from Nkyinkyim and Sankofa - Benai Forson, Petrone and Adriaan Van Der Walt and the second group was from Gye Nyame and Nyansapo - Eyako Eli-Dzantor and Melissa and Allanah King. All Talent Show participants will receive a certificate of participation. Lastly, there was a “how well do you know your twin” after which we realised that some twins were not twins after all.
To everyone who took part in Red Nose Day, we can’t thank you enough. Special thanks go to the Student Council for pulling this off and mums for dressing up, joining us, painting faces, baking those delicious treats and turning up to watch the Talent Show. You have helped us raise Five Hundred and Thirty-Three Ghana Cedis (GHS 533) and this will move us closer to our goal of stocking the Methodist School Library with books. We could not have done it without you!