Boost for Ghana computers project

The vice-president's wife said she would visit the project's roots

The wife of Ghana's vice-president has given her support to a Sussex-based initiative which is donating recycled computers to schools in her country.

Her Excellency Hajia Ramatu Mahama has become a patron of the project after meeting its founder, Jib Hagan, from Worthing, on his recent trip to Ghana.

Mr Hagan, 52, visited Ghana with his daughter Phoebe, 11, and set up computer clubs in three schools.

Hundreds of recycled computers were shipped to Ghana in January.

Mr Hagan has been collecting disused PCs, printers and monitors from schools, businesses and private individuals around Sussex for several years.

His charity, CARE Computers for Developing Countries, set up a service and distribution base in Accra, the capital of Ghana.

It was from there that teachers from three schools - in the Swedru, Greater Accra and Brong Ahafo regions - collected the first computers for their new computer clubs.

School teachers were at the opening of the service and distribution base

Mr Hagan said: "We managed to achieve the impossible mission and the dreams of the past three years had finally become reality."

He began the project when Phoebe complained about not being able to e-mail her relatives in Ghana.

The Ghanaian government will now help oversee the distribution of more than 700 other computers around schools.

Mr Hagan said the vice-president's wife had described the project as "fantastic".

"She actually said to me that whether I liked it or not, she wanted to be a patron of CARE in Ghana."

He and his daughters also received a letter of support from Gordon Brown after writing to him.

The chancellor wrote: "I am very encouraged by your hard work and would like to offer my congratulations for all your efforts in providing computers for schools in Ghana."