In search of a photography project that might also be of interest to NGOs, I came across the German–Ghanaian School in Kumasi.
Albert Osei-Wusu, who lives in Munich, founded it in 1994 in his home village of Denkyemuoso on the outskirts of the metropolis.
Initially established as a training centre for tailors and later also for carpenters, it developed into a school in 2015.

The German–Ghanaian Friendship Association in Murnau has supported the project from the very beginning, thereby enabling access for underprivileged families.
An in-house water filtration system ensures that the plastic water sachets, which otherwise line the streets by the thousands, are nowhere to be seen here.

Just a few weeks after making contact, a small delegation from the association flew to Ghana for a friendship visit, which I was able to join spontaniously.

After my introduction to the teaching staff, I took part in classes for the next fourteen days, documenting everyday school life and capturing many of those expressive faces in a series of portraits.
My presence in the classrooms quickly became a matter of course, allowing me to photograph the children even at close range before long without drawing their attention to myself.

Being greeted every morning by a cheerful chorus with “Good morning, Mr. Jurgen” was, each time, the most wonderful start to the day during that period.
The warmth with which both students and teachers welcomed me truly overwhelmed me and remains an enduring memory.