Colorado-based nonprofit organization Untold International is preparing for the inauguration of the first language arts center project in the rural farming community of Asisiriwa, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The opening of the language arts center, named Kasadwini Atenaeɛ in the local language of Asante Twi, represents the culmination of a project begun almost exactly 4 years ago.
Designed with the community in mind
Designed to offer extracurricular literacy education in both English (the official language of Ghana) and the local language of Asante Twi, the language arts center features two square buildings connected by a hanging roof to create an amphitheater-style communal space between.
One building will be a library with a curated catalog of literature and educational books featuring black and African protagonists, as well as literature by African writers and language-learning materials. In general, literacy rates in Ghana are low, and that is especially true for communities focused on farming, like Asisiriwa. Because of this, graded readers and books for readers of all abilities will also be available.
The other building will house a classroom and a small office, where multilingual literacy classes for learners of all ages will be offered. Importantly, the center will be run by local teachers and librarians, who will be equipped and empowered to make administrative, operational, and managerial decisions on behalf of the organization.
The center seen from the JHS 
The library entrance 
The amphitheater space 
The center is built into a gently sloping hill
A labor of love for Untold International leadership
Co-founders Brady Blackburn (CEO) and Kaitlyn Medina (Chairman of the Board) will return to the village for the opening of the center. They spent several months there during the beginning of the project, and have maintained close contact with other nonprofit members in Ghana during the construction process. Assistant Director of Operations in Ghana, Clement Quist-Nsabaah, and librarian Kwadwo Kumi have been particularly invested, though Ms. Medina stresses that the project represents a considerable collaboration between Untold International and the whole community.
Literacy center represents realization of long-term goal
For GP RED operating board member and retired architect Steve Blackburn, the project also represents a long-term goal come to life. Mr. Blackburn, together with former colleague Dedy Rusli, developed the architectural design of the center from the ground up. Despite a decades-long career dotted with awards and recognition, Mr. Blackburn has never before designed a building in a developing country until now.
The community of Asisiriwa has also repeatedly expressed gratitude and appreciation for the innovative design, which features an angled hanging roof to facilitate airflow sustainably, bypassing an often unreliable electrical grid.
Stay informed and get involved
Despite an often tenuous Internet connection, co-founders Brady Blackburn and Kaitlyn Medina welcome supporters to follow the inauguration on social media. The pair (who married in August 2018) plan to post photos, videos, and updates to the organization’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube accounts, as well as to the website: www.untoldinternational.org.
Untold International is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and relies primarily on small donations to realize its project goals. If you support their vision of empowering communities and individuals through literacy, language, and storytelling, please consider making a tax-deductible donation here. You can also learn more about them at their website, or on their GuideStar profile, which was recently recognized with a Gold Seal of Transparency for 2018.
Press contact: Kaitlyn Medina
