SCHOOLS in and around Hereford have been hearing about projects to improve the livelihoods of poor communities in Ghana.

Robert Gyamfi works with poor communities in Ghana for the Hereford-based international charity Concern Universal (CU).

He talked to pupils and teachers about CU's work with rural communities in his home country. One of the schools he visited was Credenhill Primary School.

Headteacher John Moynihan said: "It's important for our children to learn from a young age about different cultures and communities."

In Western Ghana, the CU programme is drilling boreholes and training communities to manage them to ensure good hygiene practices and reduce the spread of disease.

This is because many children die of easily preventable diseases, mostly linked to poor water quality and sanitation practices.

Robert's visit provides an opportunity for children to gain insight first hand about problems faced by people living in developing countries.

There is an also an opportunity to visit Robert in Ghana in August this year. Concern Universal will be taking a group of people from Herefordshire and Northern Ireland to West Africa.

The "Ghana is Good" trip is open to anyone who is interested in seeing for themselves the struggles faced every day by people in Africa and how organisations like CU help.

A few places are still available for the trip, which runs from August 21-31. For more details, call Laura Salisbury at Concern Universal on 01432 355111.