Samara Tenax

Building A Multipurpose Indigenous Knowledge Development Centre
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Project Details

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Samuel Odotei Memorial Hall


In May 2026, under the flag of TrueNorth Trust, current and ex members of 99 Squadron, Royal Air Force, will travel to the Northern Region in Ghana for a project that will change lives in the community of Sakpe, as well as their own. They will build a Community Education Centre in honor of their colleague and friend, AS1 (T) Sam Odotei, who sadly died on duty in January 2025. This Project reflects Sam’s Ghanian heritage and his core values of helping others. Sakpe is a rural community made up of small subsistence farmers and the Community Education Centre will facilitate educational programs aimed at teaching local farmers how to blend traditional farming with modern methods with the aim to maximise yield and improve living standards by building on local culture and tradition. We have partnered with a local Foundation, Best Way Farms, who will help deliver the build and ensure the project’s lasting aims are met by delivering the planned educational programmes through the Center, as well as maintaining the continued community engagement and involvement.



The TrueNorth Trust Team needs to raise a total of £99,000 to be able to deliver this project and in May 26, they will spend two weeks in Sakpe to build the Centre themselves, working closely with Best Way Farms and the local community. Throughout the year, group members will be organizing fundraising activities that will make this project possible and will allow them to impact the lives of the community members in Sakpe, as well as their own. The Team have named this Project ‘Samara Tenax’. This is a combination of Sam – in memory of their colleague and friend, Samara – a seed with wings, and Tenax – from the 99 Squadron Motto of ‘Quisique Tenax’ which means ‘Each One Tenacious’

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Project Aims

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Through building the Centre and continued partnership with Best Way Farms, the project plans to achieve the following aims:



    • Smallholder farmers' knowledge on how to access good quality seeds, inputs, equipment, and eco-friendly technologies are improved.
    • Farmers and their households’ adoption of sustainable, healthy water management, sanitation, and hygiene practices are improved.
    • Chiefs, community elders and farmer group leaders' access to Conflict Resolution and capacity building is improved.
    • Farmers' awareness of the long-term benefits of child education to future agricultural outcomes and well-being is improved.
    • Farmers' adoption of sustainable land and water management practices for environmental conservation is improved.
    • Farmers increased their understanding of agriculture, climate-smart practices, and agroecology.
    • Community gender equity and inclusion of youth in agriculture and rural development is improved.
    • Farmers’ market access and supply chain linkages are improved.

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Finalto

⭐Top Donor⭐

VolkerFitzpatrick

 

ControlNow

 

Reg-X Innovations

 

Mervyn Barrett

Personal Donor

Funding Progress


£68075 raised of £75000 target
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Project Updates

  • May 24, 2026: Our build team have spent the past two and a half weeks in Northern Ghana. While there they've learned so much about local customs, traditions and community. Amazing progress has been made on building the education centre. Tomorrow they will depart and leave the remaining building works in the hands of the incredible team of local builders.

  • May 17, 2026: The team have played two football matches against the local teenagers. We lost both times! These games have been a great opportunity for us to engage with the community of Sakpe village.

  • May 14, 2026: While in Ghana, our team will be visiting the local school to teach English to the children. Today the first lessons were conducted. The children were engaging and excited for these lessons.

  • May 12, 2026: In Northern Ghana, it is traditional to cook dinner for visitors. Due to the large size of our team though, the Assemblies of God church in Yendi provided a sheep for the preparation of a meal.

  • May 11, 2026: The team visited the chief of Sakpe village. They were invited into the chief's palace and received a formal welcome and wishes of good luck and safety during the build.

  • May 6, 2026: The team of TrueNorth Trust volunteers has landed in Ghana. After setting up camp, their construction work will begin.

  • April 24, 2026: Laying of the education centre's foundations is complete! The team of TrueNorth Trust volunteers will travel to Ghana in less than two weeks to begin their work.

  • April 15, 2026: With the help of partners including FIRE AID UK, a fire truck has been donated to the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) in memory of AS1 Sam Odotei. The truck donation came alongside medical supplies and other ancillaries. One of the TrueNorth Trust volunteers, qualified in the use of the appliance, will provide training for its safe and effective operation to personnel of the GNFS upon handover.

  • March 25, 2026: Building materials have been arriving at the site where the education centre will be built. Construction of the foundations has begun. The TrueNorth Trust team are finalising preparations and will arrive on site in early May to join the build effort.

  • Feb. 14, 2026: Work has started on clearing the site ready for the education centre. The education centre will be an asset for the community. Stephen Abarika will use the centre to share his knowledge on best practices with the sustainment farmers across the region. All local farming is done by hand – machinery is a scarcity, so education is focused on building and developing traditional methods of farming.

  • Nov. 15, 2025: Members of the team visited the site in Sakpe where the school will be built. This was a great opportunity for the team to learn about the town, the people and their culture. The community are excited for the new opportunities the education centre with bring. We are partnering with Stephen Abarika of Best Way Farms. He has set up a model farm to teach local farmers how to maximise their yield, protect from climate change and improve their methods to help with water sustainability.

  • Oct. 24, 2025: A Land’s End to John O’Groats cycle challenge raised £6,082 for this project. In an extraordinary show of endurance and teamwork, a group of five cyclists from the RAF and Boeing undertook the iconic Land’s End to John O’Groats challenge - covering 1,572 km (982 miles) over 13 cycling days, with a staggering 16,024 metres of elevation. Supported by three dedicated drivers, the team faced multiple mechanical hiccups but persevered to finish this challenge in support of Samara Tenax.

  • Oct. 1, 2025: A pool swim, the distance of the English Channel (both ways), raised £2363 for this project. In a remarkable display of grit and determination, Sgt Jonny Coundon and AS1(T) Owen Webb from the RAF 99 Sqn each took the challenge - covering 68 km (42 miles/2832 lengths of the pool) with a target time of 8 weeks and a rough goal of an average of 354 lengths per week. Both swimmers completed the full distance, in 23 physical days of swimming and under target at 7 weeks, in support of Samara Tenax.

Photos

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May 24, 2026

The team in front of the nearly complete education centre on their last day in Ghana.

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May 18, 2026

The team are making excellent progress!

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May 18, 2026

The team are making excellent progress!

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May 18, 2026

The team are making excellent progress!

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May 17, 2026

The window frames are in

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May 17, 2026

A football rematch. We lost again

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May 15, 2026

The concrete pillars have been poured

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May 14, 2026

The Sakpe village chief provided the camp with a stack of yams and another sheep for the team to prepare a meal. This is a traditional warm welcome in Northern Ghanaian culture

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May 14, 2026

The team teaches English at the local school

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May 12, 2026

Nikki Lofthouse, our founder, recieves a sheep from the Assemblies of God church in Yendi

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May 11, 2026

The team with the chief in his palace

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May 10, 2026

Building works are progressing well. The team are rebuilding after the storm

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May 10, 2026

The team took some time away from building to play a game of football with the local teenagers. We lost but had a great time

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May 9, 2026

Mixing concrete in the blazing heat

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May 8, 2026

Members of the team learn about blocklaying

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May 8, 2026

An unfortunately-timed storm came and destroyed the half-built walls. A setback, but the team will persevere and rebuild

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May 8, 2026

An unfortunately-timed storm came and destroyed the half-built walls. A setback, but the team will persevere and rebuild

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May 7, 2026

Eric Odotei, Sam's father, lays the team's first block

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May 6, 2026

The team have arrived in Ghana

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April 24, 2026

The foundations are complete

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April 15, 2026

The donated fire truck

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March 25, 2026

Laying the foundations

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March 21, 2026

A Member of Parliament for the Mion Constituency visits the site

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March 10, 2026

Building materials begin arriving at the site

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March 10, 2026

Building materials begin arriving at the site

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Feb. 14, 2026

Work has started on clearing the site ready for the school

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Feb. 14, 2026

Work has started on clearing the site ready for the school

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Nov. 15, 2025

The Sakpe community were excited to engage with our team and introduce us to their culture.

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Nov. 15, 2025

The wonderful people of Sakpe

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Nov. 15, 2025

Stephen Abarika

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Nov. 15, 2025

Local children play football with a plastic bottle

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Nov. 15, 2025

Women collect water from the town's only water source

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Nov. 15, 2025

Sapke town centre

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Nov. 15, 2025

A farm worker eats a traditional maize meal before heading to the fields

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Oct. 24, 2025

Land’s End to John O’Groats Fundraiser

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Oct. 24, 2025

Land’s End to John O’Groats Fundraiser

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Oct. 24, 2025

Land’s End to John O’Groats Fundraiser

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Oct. 24, 2025

Land’s End to John O’Groats Fundraiser

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Oct. 24, 2025

Land’s End to John O’Groats Fundraiser

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Oct. 24, 2025

Land’s End to John O’Groats Fundraiser