RISE TO A DESK

No child should learn on the ground.

Donate a Desk Learn more

What is Rise to a Desk?

Rise to a Desk is a focused fundraising project providing school desks to children in Northern Ghana who currently learn sitting on the ground. In many classrooms across the region, children sit on bare concrete or dirt floors — hunching over notebooks, straining to write, and enduring physical discomfort that competes with their ability to concentrate.

A desk changes that. It provides a stable writing surface, proper posture, and a signal that education matters.

Proven in 2025

In 2025, a successful pilot — funded by the Swiss Embassy — delivered 64 recycled plastic desks to 2 schools in the Tolon District of Northern Ghana. The impact was immediate: teachers reported improved posture, better discipline, and higher engagement from students.

Now scaling to 285 desks across 5 schools in Wa West District.
A teacher stands among students sitting at their new desks in a classroom in Northern Ghana

The Problem

What happens when children learn on the ground

Educational Impact

  • Writing on the floor forces hunching, reducing written work quality
  • Physical discomfort competes with concentration
  • Studies link poor seating to lower academic performance

"A child focused on managing pain is not focused on the lesson."

Physical & Health Impact

  • Floor sitting causes back pain in up to 1 in 4 school-age children
  • Poor posture restricts breathing, reducing oxygen to the brain
  • Can lead to chronic spinal conditions (scoliosis, kyphosis)
  • Damp, cold, unsanitary floor conditions increase illness and absences

Mental & Emotional Impact

  • Learning on the ground signals education is not valued
  • Chronic discomfort elevates cortisol — impairing memory, mood, and motivation
  • Uncomfortable children disengage, disrupt, or avoid school entirely

"Dignity matters. A desk signals purpose and belonging."

An entire classroom of children sitting on a bare floor with no desks in sight
A classroom in Northern Ghana — no desks, no chairs, just the floor.

"The absence of a desk is not a minor inconvenience. It is a structural barrier to learning that limits a child's future."

The Solution

What changes with a desk

Before
Girls with headscarves sitting on a bare classroom floor, learning without desks
After
Students sitting in orderly rows at recycled plastic desks in a classroom

Immediately

A stable surface, correct posture, and a school that feels like a place of learning.

Within weeks

Teacher reports: improved discipline, higher engagement, kids more settled and focused.

Long term

Protection from physical harm and the basic infrastructure children need to succeed.

285 Desks needed in Wa West District
5 Schools with verified desk shortages
64 Desks delivered in the 2025 pilot
≈CHF 45–60 Cost per desk

"1 donation = 1 child off the ground. The impact is immediate and visible."

Choose a Desk

Three types, one mission. Every desk gets a child off the ground.

Available Now

Wooden Desk

≈CHF 45

≈600 GHS / ≈$50

Locally sourced. Produced in Northern Ghana. Most affordable option.

Fund This Desk
Available Now

Metal Desk

≈CHF 50

≈700 GHS / ≈$60

Long-lasting, rust-resistant. Produced locally in Northern Ghana.

Fund This Desk
100 Orders Needed

Recycled Plastic Desk

≈CHF 60

≈850 GHS / ≈$75

Most durable. Environmentally sustainable. Produced by McIntorch Africa in Southern Ghana.

Due to transport costs from South to North, recycled plastic desks become cost-efficient at 100+ orders. Once we reach that milestone, a full truck ships north.

Fund This Desk
Close-up of a recycled plastic desk with a partnership sticker, produced by McIntorch Africa

Why three desk options?

Wooden and metal desks are produced locally in Northern Ghana and can be delivered immediately. Recycled plastic desks — our most sustainable option — are produced by our partner McIntorch Africa in Southern Ghana. Due to transport costs from south to north, plastic desks only become cost-efficient when ordered in batches of 100 or more. Once we reach that milestone, we will ship a full load north. Every desk type gets a child off the ground. The plastic option simply requires us to hit a minimum together.

All prices shown in CHF (Swiss Francs). GHS and USD amounts are approximate (≈). Exchange rate at time of writing: 1 CHF ≈ 14.155 GHS.

The Team

Fallou

Fallou

Co-founder — Fundraising & Communications

Fuseini Yakubu

Fuseini Yakubu

Co-founder & Ground Partner. Traditional chief, Northern Region. Leads PAMEPI (Paabinaa Meriga Peace Initiative). Oversees local needs assessment, school coordination, and delivery.

Calvin

Calvin

Co-founder — Strategy & Partnerships

PAMEPI

PAMEPI

Implementing NGO partner on the ground in Northern Ghana