THE VISIT OF MR. TON VOORTMAN TO THE FIC GHANA PROVINCE.

The Provincial Council of the Brothers FIC, Ghana Province, played host to their long-time friend and benefactor, Mr Ton Voortman, a Dutch national and a Rotarian on 8^th October, 2022 at 5pm at the In-service Training Centre, Wa, Upper West Region, Ghana. As an acclaimed friend to all the brothers in Ghana, the Provincial Council found it expedient to welcome Ton in a simple yet significant ceremony at In-Service Training Centre with a cross-section of House Superiors, the General Superior, and project managers of the Province.

It was recounted that, Ton got in touch with the FIC Ghana Province through late Br. Guido Wigman in 1995. Ton came to Ghana through Burkina Faso and first landed In Tumu community of the FIC where Br Guido Wigman was a community member. As a charismatic Rotarian, Ton got captivated by the people of Ghana and the educational needs of children of the Upper West and the Upper East Regions of Ghana. He saw their plight and felt a call to do something about it through the Rotary Club Amersfoort Regio and later Erdwig Hedwig. He decided to share in the mission of the Brothers in the Ghana Province by providing support to St. Mary’s Basic school at Chinghang, Tumu with massive infrastructure, furniture, computers, library books and other logistics. He gave similar assistance to St Charles Lounga Basic School at Zebilla, St. Cecilia Basic School, Wa, FIC St. Louis Educational Complex, Wa, FIC Jubilee School, Nandom. Off recent, he extended same generosity to Louis Rutten Senior High School and Producer Enterprises Promotion Service Centre (PEPS-C) just to mention but a few.

Undoubted, Ghana has become Ton’s second home. He has visited Ghana every year or every other year. As a pleasant personality, he was installed a Sub Chief of Chingchang where he reigned while in the Netherlands. When COVID-19 restrictions could not allow him entry into his Kingdom, yet he kept in touch with the community. As such, when the COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, Ton returned to his second home and was elevated to the status of a Divisional Chief at Chingchang next in rank to a Presiding Member of a district. 

Again, it is worth noting that the Provincial Council in appreciation to the valuable contributions of Ton Voortman, presented him with a citation and erected a monument to the remembrance of his name at Louis Rutten SHS (Ton Voortman House). We proudly congratulate Ton on his altruistic contribution to the integral human development of the FIC Ghana Province. Dear Ton, Barka yaga zaa! Naangmen na maal fo la yaga zaa.