our school
Founding Story
The Lilies Foundation was founded in January 2016, by Joseph Oko Adokwei, a dance instructor in Accra and native of Osu, and Kim Wiggin, a teacher and school administrator from Connecticut in the United States. Joe discovered that many of the children participating in his dance program were not going to school, because their families could not afford the fees for the application forms, uniforms, and required supplies. Through the generosity of numerous people in the States, funds were raised to lease and renovate a building in Osu that quickly became the Lilies of the Field Academy.
Many volunteers in Osu helped to complete the building and continue to offer their time and talents to teach the children basic reading, writing, and mathematics. In April 2016, our first four students passed the entrance exam and began school at two of the local government schools in Osu. The numbers have continued to grow consistently, and 60 children entered school in September 2017 for the 2017-18 school year, and in 2019-2020 there were 85 children who entered school.
The children attend school Monday-Friday, and come to Lilies after school for supervised homework help and enrichment activities until dinner time. Many of the children then remain for the evening and study traditional African dancing and drumming. Our students have performed throughout the greater Accra region at festivals, competitions, and other public performances. Five of the girls competed in the 2017 Ghana Talented Kids contest on television, and made it all the way to the finals!
Our efforts are now focused on the building of a new, state-of-the-art school headquarters which will offer classes for grades 1-6. This facility will also provide rehearsal space for the dance and drumming programs, as well as apartments for staff and guest volunteers.
The Lilies Foundation is a nonprofit organization.
An introduction to the wonderful work we are doing through The Lilies Foundation
at the Lilies of the Field Academy in Osu, Accra, Ghana!
THE FUTURE HOME OF
LILIES OF THE FIELD ACADEMY
OUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF OSU, GHANA
COMING 2025
