1000 € from BNP to the Freundeskreis Ghana.

Christmas has already been over for a few days – the last presents have now been distributed…
‘I think it’s good how the members of the Freundeskreis Ghana are personally involved,’ says Thomas Güthe, Managing Director of BNP Brinkmann from Bevergern, explaining the decision to support this particular group. Of course, one could also have considered one of the numerous large donation organisations, but Güthe believes that the aid would be more effective and direct in this way. After all, BNP Brinkmann was able to hand over €1,000 to the Friends of Ghana at a ceremony on 21 February 2020. The money was raised during a traditional raffle at the staff Christmas party. Naturally, two BNP employees took part in the donation on behalf of the workforce. ‘Of course, the company then rounded up the amount,’ says Andreas Pohlmeyer, also Managing Director of BNP Brinkmann, explaining the total sum. Annegret Schulte-Sutrum from Freundeskreis Ghana is certain that the money will be put to very good use. As part of the parish of St Dionysius Nordwalde, the ‘Freundeskreis Ghana’ group has maintained a partnership with the parish of St Annes in Damongo for more than 25 years. The small town is located in the north of the West African country of Ghana. Here, too, education is one of the most important issues. That is why the Friends would like to use the money to support the construction of a training workshop in which a local craftsman will train the next generation. ‘As the vocational training system that is so successful in Germany does not exist there, the demand is correspondingly high,’ explains Schulte-Sutrum. Pohlmeyer agrees that this is one of the reasons why this project was so popular straight away. ‘After all, BNP Brinkmann has also been a successful training company for many years,’ says the Managing Director. Every year, the company offers numerous young people a career start in several technical and commercial apprenticeships. He explains with visible pride that 15 trainees are currently working at the company. Finally, the members of the ‘Freundeskreis’ report that they also want to ensure that the money is used locally. At the end of May, a group from the ‘Friends of Ghana’ will be travelling to Ghana to visit the friends there.