A Dorset-based cyber-security company is among those getting behind the efforts of a British soldier who wants to build a library in his town in Ghana.
Nyame Ayeh Assuon, known as Sony, moved to Britain as a student when he was 24, and later joined the Army. Now a lance corporal in the Royal Corps of Signals he is trying to raise £35,000 for a library and IT suite to serve ten schools and 3,500 children.
He set up an educational charity, the Assuon Foundation Trust (AFT), and has organised numerous fundraising events.
Matt Horan, security director of C3IA Solutions which is based in Poole, is a former Royal Signaller himself. He and fellow director Keith Parsons met Sony. After hearing about the Ghanaian’s efforts, the company donated £2,000 with the promise of support.
Sony, pictured, who is based in Blandford, Dorset, said: “I am so grateful to C3IA Solutions for their support and donation – it will make a huge difference to so many people. As an IT professional within the Royal Corps of Signals, I felt that I had a lot more to offer the community where I was raised and educated.
“In August 2014, I founded the Assuon Foundation Trust, a registered charity, in order to set up a library and an IT suite and to introduce additional IT into the schools. With the corruption, money donated goes to the wrong people, but with AFT there is no third party involvement hence all money donated will go towards the library project and will be spent properly.
“When I go there I tell the children that I was like them and now I’m a communications systems engineer in the British Army, currently reading a foundation degree programme with the University of Bournemouth. I tell them that they should follow their dreams, and this starts with education. But it would be so much easier for them if they had a library and computers.”
Sony, 36, a married father of three, comes from Nsuaem in the Wasa West district in the western region of Ghana. He has permission to build the library and the site is on the same spot where he was taught under a tree.
Matt Horan said: “Sony came to see us and showed us photos of his home town and explained what he wanted to do. We decided at once to get on board and make a donation. We said that we’ll also help out with storage units for the equipment during the building process.
“Sony has managed to set up a registered charity, learned how to build a website himself, got mayors and MPs to support him and organises fundraising events. He is quite an inspiration and he is pleading with the general public for support. I hope others get behind him.”
