The blog is moving....

The blog is moving home....all the same content is available but we have a new address, so please come and visit us at islifeghana.blogspot.com or you can access it at life.internationalservice.org.

You should also be able to find us by visiting the International Service website www.internationalservice.org.uk.

We hope that you will continue to come and read about the LIFE project!

Last one standing

Today, Saturday 29th June 2013, I should be waking up at home in Manchester, England after flying home with my second team yesterday.  Instead, I am sat on the front porch of my house in Sandema, Upper East region of Ghana, preparing for my third team to arrive.

This is by no means a sad thing, I am very, VERY happy to still be in Sandema, and still working on the LIFE project at CBR.  However, yesterday was weird.  It was weird speaking to my team (who incidentally even managed to make their last day in Ghana eventful by packing too much....reason #32874 why I love them dearly) as they made their way to the gate, it was even more bizarre speaking to Zoe, the Tamale team leader as she also made her way to the gate.  Myself and Zoe, along with Sean, the Bolga team leader, all arrived in Ghana together at the beginning of January.  For the last 6 months I have known that June 28th was going to be departure day, where the 3 of us would pass our projects to somebody else and head home.  So when the day came (and has now passed me by) and I didn't leave, I had some very mixed emotions about being the last one standing.

It is a matter of circumstances that allowed me to remain in Ghana and remain working on this project which I love so much, and feel very responsible for.  The team leader who replaces me in September will have to wrestle this project out of my hands!  So whilst it was a sad day yesterday, and I often felt like I had been left behind and a little bit in limbo, I'm not ready to leave Sandema, or Ghana, and am entirely grateful that fate intervened and permitted me to stay.  This project was nothing more than an idea in January, but across the course of 6 months I have watched two incredible teams, and 6 amazing individuals turn this idea into a project which is growing from strength to strength each day.  Why would I want to pass that up?  In 6 months, Poppy, Will, Jenna, Roya, Shazia, and Festus (and me!) have achieved the following:

- Written a comprehensive history of the Feok festival
- Understand the challenges towards including people with disabilities into the festival
- Gained the support of the Paramount Chief of the Builsa district (a big deal!) in the inclusion of people with disabilities
- Gained the support of the District Assembly....just in general.
- Trained 24 people with disabilities/caregivers in small-scale business management
- Devised an appropriate business plan for a soap production business attached to one of the Disabled People's Organisations, and put the first steps in place to implement the plan.
- Created 3 cultural groups around the district (involving at least 50 people with disabilities)

This is just a snapshot of the things they have achieved.  I couldn't be prouder of all of my volunteers and their achievements.  And this is why I am so happy to stay.  Tomorrow 4 more volunteers will be heading to Heathrow airport to fly to Ghana, and to continue the work of the project.  I can't say for certain, but based on my conversations with my new team, I think they will kick-start the campaign for disability sports.  I am excited to lead another team and develop the LIFE project further, and watch as they take some more steps to change attitudes towards disability in the Builsa district of Ghana.

To my previous teammates, I miss you all and hope that you are proud of all you have achieved.  To my new team (and future volunteers of LIFE) be excited, you are going to have a great time, but come ready to work.

As of Tuesday (when the new team arrives) I won't be the last one standing anymore.  I can't wait!

Everyday LIFE in Sandema: Workin' 8-2pm, what a way to make a livin' !!

CBR Office

As mentioned in the Home sweet home blog, http://internationalservicelifeinghana.blogspot.com/2013/05/everyday-life-in-sandema-home-sweet-home.html,  the CBR office is a gruelling 5 minute walk from our house. Walking past Maxwell’s house, our programme coordinator, we also pass his array of quirky farm animals who roam around the compound. As we walk into the office we are greeted by all the staff with the usual ‘Salua’!

Monday mornings tend to start with Devotion, a time when all the staff gathers and the Pastor gives a Bible reading. Every week is a different topic all around starting the week off on a good note, and striving towards different things e.g. forgiveness and the aim is to think about it for that week.

The Sandema Mental Health Self Help Group meeting also takes place on Mondays. The group meet to talk about issues such as mental illness, how to cope, mental health advice, etc. Following an interview session with this group, we were given the honour of receiving Buli names from them. Shazia received the name Agiirimlie  meaning merciful and kindhearted and I was named Anamlie meaning royalty (what a coincidence!), and an enjoyer of riches!

Resource centre

The resource centre is where we have the opportunity write up notes from the field work onto our laptops, carry out our online research, and prepare for interviews and group meetings etc. At the moment we are preparing our business plan for the Sandema DPO soap production business, read more on Shazia’s blog.

  
We work from 8-2pm, but this can vary especially if we’re carrying out field work or have a deadline coming up!

Maxwell’s office

Akandem Maxwell Apaknying, the CBR programme coordinator but also our Ghanaian father, is originally from Wiaga and was Ghana’s number 2 farmer in 2010.

Maxwell has worked at CBR for around 20 years. He has a degree in Integrated Developmental Studies and first worked at CBR as a specialised supervisor before moving onto his current position as the CBR programme coordinator. He also been actively involved in setting up the Horizons Children Centre, an orphanage for boys that also offers school scholarship programmes for girls.

Maxwell is currently doing his Masters in Community Health and Development at the University of Development Studies in Tamale whilst also running CBR. An extremely busy man who is the heart and soul of CBR!

Sometimes, bigger IS better!

“Tracy! What is wrong with you? Are you sick?” These are words I have heard a number of times over the last few months, as female friends here in Ghana have noticed I have lost a bit of weight.  Now, I haven’t lost crazy amounts of weight, and I am by no means thin by UK standards (my dress size is still in double figures!), but in Ghana weight loss is approached quite negatively.

You see, having a healthy weight or even being “fat” (let’s approach this with the same attitude as most Ghanaians I have met and not mince our words!) is considered a sign of wealth, a sign that you have plenty to eat. A curvy ‘structure’ is desired by most women I have spoken to, and appreciated by many men.  It is remarkably refreshing to see women embrace a larger body type and not be obsessed with conforming to a Hollywood/celebrity body shape.

Sorry Renee, but being a bag of bones won't cut it in Ghana....I don't think this is such a good look either.  Go and eat a burger!

In the UK, I feel like it is well documented and debated about the ideal body type imposed on girls and women by the media and fashion world, with campaigns such as the Dove Real Beauty campaign trying to change perceptions that thin is beautiful and we must all have a size 6 body to be beautiful and sexy. It is a wonderful lesson in body confidence then, to walk down Sandema high street and see women enjoy their curves, and walk around in well-fitting clothing which display who they are quite naturally.  A few weeks ago, on a visit to the Bolgatanga team, we went to a local night club, Soul Train, where we saw Ghanaian girls showing us how to dance and laughing at us because we didn’t have enough meat on certain parts of our bodies to dance well.  For me, I was overwhelmed with how body confident they were, particularly as I am often quite self-conscious dancing and wearing revealing clothing in nightclubs back home – it was quite the attitude adjustment!

What do you think? Is she trying to hide behind the tree, or is she  enjoying her lunch without a concern for the effect on her hips?

In my opinion, this acceptance of the human form and an appreciation of a “healthy” weight translates to a positive attitude towards other issues, such as breast feeding.  It is not unusual to be on a tro-tro, or even sat in a restaurant or Church and casually glance to the left to see a woman breastfeeding quite openly and with no embarrassment or need to be discrete; it is viewed as a natural and necessary process.  Tolu, one of Team Tamale’s first volunteers, wrote an excellent blog on her reaction to breastfeeding in Ghana, which I urge you to read, and means I won’t dwell on the topic any further, but will use it as an example of how a different approach to the human body has further implications than what clothes look good.  

Aside from the professional work experience I am gaining by being here and working in Ghana, the cultural experience is affecting me in many positive ways too.  Don’t get me wrong, I cannot deny my pleasure at losing a bit of weight (it certainly saves on the Slimming World membership fees!), but I think, more importantly, I will be leaving Ghana not only with a streamlined body, but will have streamlined any negative and anxious thoughts about my appearance and my size.  

Soapy Times in Sandema

The Sandema Disabled Persons Organisation (DPO) hosted an exciting training session in soap production for 24 of its members. The trainer, Al-Haji, came all the way from Kumasi to spend a few days with the group and it was very intriguing seeing the whole process from start to finish.

Magadalene being helped by Azuma to mix the caustic soda 

It is actually a lot simpler than I thought, possibly because there are only 5 ingredients in it unlike the soap we normally purchase at stores which have at least 20 different long-named ingredients. The process from start to finish takes a couple days but the majority of that time is heating up the vast amount of oil for about 1 ½ days. It was really nice seeing the members being so eager to learn and practice. Ordinarily, soap making would be done individually or in small groups but that didn’t stop our group of 24 from working well as a team. They were all supportive of each other’s abilities and would take turns to practice under the guidance of Al-Haji.

Florence stirring in the colouring into the oil

The DPO previously had soap production training about 6 years ago but due to poor finance management they had to discontinue production almost immediately. Our work as volunteers, through the livelihoods programme we have created, is to ensure that this does not happen again. We organised a training workshop on business for the members in order to inform them of the importance of record keeping and how to make money. We had group discussions which consisted of them telling us where they would sell, who they will sell to, where they can sell in bulk, what they should avoid doing etc (for example, allowing customers to buy on credit. This is when the customer will take some goods but doesn’t pay at that time but promises to do so as soon as they can. It is common that the customer will not return with the money which leaves the seller at a loss). The aim is to make them feel responsible for their own business as opposed to relying on outsiders to give all the suggestions and leading the way. Roya and I are now in the process of composing a business proposal including all the recommendations and ideas presented to us by the members. We are going to ensure that this business will only grow and be a sustainable source of income for the individuals and their families as well as the DPO itself for a very long time.

They have since established the name for the business... They have called it

'New Era'

It is a very fitting name. It's a new start, a new business and new possibilities.

New Era employees with Maxwell and Festus from CBR

- Shazia

Meeting with the National Cultural Centre

Roya,Katrine, Shazia and Festus at the National Cultural Centre

We recently had the pleasure of meeting with Katrine who is an officer at the Sandema Branch of the National Cultural Centre. We went to speak with her in order to get information and general guidance on whether there are any existing cultural groups, how we go about setting up cultural groups for Persons with Disabilities (PWD’s) for the Feok Festival etc.

The meeting was very interesting and we appreciated how frank she was about the current state of cultural activities in the Builsa District. She spoke about how the District Assembly (the council) doesn’t regard culture with as much importance as they should do. They see it as only being limited to drumming and dancing when in fact it encompasses a range of different elements such as the communities beliefs, traditions etc. This misconception also filters down to the rest of the community.

Trainee weaving the material at the Centre

She will be a valuable source of information for our project as she can supply us with a list of all the registered cultural groups in Sandema who we can then contact and speak to for further information, including how they’ve obtained their instruments as that is a big issue we’ve identified that effects PWD’s. Katrine also hosts free training for fabric weaving, specifically the fabric needed for men’s traditional smocks which may come in useful for our livelihoods program which we are working on, alongside the cultural activities program.                                    

It’s going to be a long process but the work we are doing will eventually lead to PWD’s becoming fully integrated into their communities. The cultural activities program will prove to the community and the PWD’s themselves that they can and should be allowed to celebrate their traditions and history.  As we spoke to various Disabled Peoples Organisation’s (DPO’s) we heard from individuals who felt scared to perform in front of the community because they have been stigmatised and discriminated against for so long, they fear further ridicule. That is why it is important to work on projects like these because it rebuilds their confidence in their own self-efficacy and will allow them to engage in cultural activities, profitable businesses and sports to the same level as able-bodied people. Although we may provide them with the tools they need to support themselves, part of the struggle is them overcoming their lack of faith in their own abilities which has been instilled in them from a young age. Despite this, after the recent meeting with the Sandema DPO and through our discussions about cultural activities, they have since organised a group rehearsal. This is the first organised rehearsal that they have had for many years so it is a positive step in the right direction! 

- Shazia

Singin' in the rain.....

I will never complain about the weather in Manchester again.  Manchester is notorious for its constant rain, and grey skies.  I grew up in Manchester and sometimes think it gets a bit of a bad press (especially after living in Cardiff where I would say it rains a lot more than Manchester).  Yet the rain in Manchester is nothing compared to the rain in Sandema.

Admittedly there are different types of rain back home.  There is the fine rain (that, according to Peter Kay, soaks you right through), then there is “spitting” (after experiencing rain in Africa, I can no longer classify that as rain…), there is heavy rain…big, fat rain where you would rather be anywhere than outside.  These are just a few examples of the types of rain back home.  Let’s not get too carried away classifying rain….you can do that in your own time.

Since the end of April we have experienced rain about once a week here in Sandema.  This “rain” most definitely cannot be classified as fine rain.  In fact, there is nothing about this rain that resembles rain

in the UK, except for the fact that it is wet. 

A lady standing in rain; unadvisable in Ghana

You can usually tell when it is going to rain here; the usually blue sky will start to turn a grey-black colour, and the air will be heavy with humidity.  Before every rain storm we have experienced thus far the sky has lit up with flashes of lightening illuminating the countryside and landscape around us – this can go on for hours at a time (and is usually followed by “lights out” (powercut)).  But before you experience the rain, you are confronted with the wind.  It can sometimes sound like an army is storming up the road at full pace.  It is not advisable to be outside as the dust flies up like a mini cyclone.  (I would also advise you bring your washing in at this point too….nobody needs to see your underwear flying across town!).

When the rain starts to fall, it really starts.  Big, fat drops of water batter your surroundings, and the sound of the rain on your tin roof only heightens the experience.  There are moments when you actually think your roof might cave in. 

The following morning you awake (or just get up as it is unlikely you got much sleep that night!) with trepidation as you review what damage has been caused.  We are in a very fortunate position that the worst that is likely to happen is a few chairs might get thrown around.  Our guest house is on high ground, and the cottages are built up, so the chance of flooding is practically non-existant. 

We have experienced however how much the rain can disrupt life in the Builsa district.  Our plans and meetings usually get cancelled the day after heavy rain as the people we wish to meet need to stay and work on their homes, tend to their farms, or try to rescue any damaged stock, stores, or buildings.  We are only just entering the rainy season; I daren’t imagine the devastation that will occur when the rainy season gets into full swing.  Whilst we may be lucky in our accommodation, the same cannot be said for the rest of Sandema.

The road into Sandema, flooded

Much of the town is at risk of flooding, and in 2012 the National Disaster Management Organisation reported 325 houses had been affected by flooding (houses having either been flooded or collapsed), displacing 715 people.  The communities surrounding Sandema are also in danger, not to mention the destruction of the roads linking Sandema to the rest of the Builsa district, and the bigger towns of Navrongo.  Even with the few rains we have had, roads have already started to erode, trees have collapsed, power lines have been cut, and houses have been damaged.  The implications of this is much greater than any inconvenience we might experience due to bad weather back home – if a road is destroyed or a bridge collapses, that community is cut off.  

On a trip to Uwasi, one of the more remote villages we have visited, we had to drive through the river bed in order to access the town because the bridge was no longer safe.  Now that the rains have begun, and the rivers are filling up, the only way for us to access that village will be to cross the river by foot…and then walk the remaining 10km to our destination.  Imagine having to do that on a daily basis just to make a living.

And yet with as much devastation that the rain causes, the rain is welcomed whole-heartedly.  It is needed.  The rainy season generally lasts about 4 months, falling between May and September.  It is during this short period of the year where everyone plants their crops (approx. 70% of people in the Builsa district farm at some level); the crops that will feed them for the remaining 8 months of the year.  If you are lucky to have the manpower and land to farm on a larger scale, you depend on this rainy season to grow your crops that will also provide you with an income.

According to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, about 1.2 million people are food insecure; 15% of whom are from the Upper East region.  A further 2 million people are vulnerable to food insecurity, meaning that a bad rain fall, no rain at all, or any other shock ensures that their access to food deteriorates rapidly.  The Upper East has been found to be the region most severely affected by food insecurity (Quaye, 2008).  Of course the rain is not the sole cause of food insecurity (other causes include chieftaincy conflicts, rise in food and fuel prices, and climate change), but it most definitely is one of the leading causes.

When the rain falls here in Sandema, it really does fall, but there is a fine line between it having a positive or a negative effect.

So when it next rains wherever you are, or if your bus or train is cancelled due to bad weather, before you grumble and complain have a little think about how much it will really affect you. Is it a minor inconvenience to your day, or has your life been turned upside down by it?  

Everyday LIFE in Sandema: Home Sweet Home

Our home is snuggled away in a quiet area of Sandema and only a 5 minute walk from work. Surrounded by greenery, we live in a pretty peaceful area with the only noise coming from the animals that roam around our house and the funeral music (drumming and singing) which is happening on a daily basis as it is the dry season.  

Smack bang in the middle of the compound is the kitchen, a cherished place for us, especially as we’re often reminded that Sandema Team 1 had no kitchen initially. Although, there's no oven or microwave we’ve become quite resourceful with what’s available to us, even making cake and burritos! See more on our Food blog post which will be coming soon!

Our dining area is where we are at one with nature, especially in the evenings. During our candlelight dinners we have the amazing opportunity to do some star gazing in the evenings (I’ve personally never seen so many stars) and have fights with the creepy crawlies who also join us at the dinner table (see our Animal blog post which will also be coming soon!).



Oh and we do have our occasional water fights (that’s Tracy, our team leader, who is in the process of drenching me when I’m busy posing for this picture).











This is my room in the compound and one of the smaller ones but admittedly the best one. A piece of advice for the next volunteers, bring noise cancelling earphones. It’s rained a few nights whilst we’ve been here and it can get quite loud which can be quite annoying when you’re trying to get some sleep.








- Roya

Disabled People’s Organisation (DPO) Meetings in the Builsa District

As a continuation of the work the first set of Sandema volunteers have done, we are developing the Local Inclusive Festival Project (LIFE) by working on 3 specific areas as mentioned in Shazia’s earlier blog; Sports, Cultural Activities, and Livelihoods. All 3 of these are focused around the social inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWD) and will be done within the context of the Feok Festival.

This week we focused on Cultural Activities and Livelihoods by meeting with the Disabled People’s Organisation (DPO) of several communities within the Builsa District. Our aim was to interview the DPOs, who represent persons with disability (PWD) within their community, and find out about their livelihoods, difficulties they face at work, cultural groups that they are part of, and would like to be part of in preparation for the Feok festival.

Most DPO meetings started with a traditional song and dance by the DPO members followed by a prayer and this would be repeated at the end of the meeting. We introduced ourselves and Tracy talked about the LIFE project before beginning with interview questions to the group and occasionally individual interviews. Festus was our translator throughout our meetings and interviews with DPOs, as our knowledge of Buli didn’t go beyond greetings!

Overall, a very interesting experience and a stark realisation of the differences between Ghana and the UK:

-          Meetings took place in classrooms or under a tree as most DPOs don’t have a place for regular meetings, except in Sandema which had a Resource Centre specifically for PWD.

-          Not all DPO members could come to the meeting due to various reasons including family duties, lack of transportation, or lack of mobility devices.

-          Following a torrential rain shower on May Day, the meeting had to be cancelled as it would be difficult for PWD to travel to the DPO meeting.

-           The meetings were quite successful but slightly challenging as some DPOs weren’t always too eager to respond to our group questions and preferred individual consultations.

With regards to Cultural Activities, they were all willing and eager to have a singing and dancing group and to teach each other but needed instruments, training, and someone to organise regular rehearsals. With regards to Livelihoods, DPOs whose professions ranged from farming to shea butter production to trading emphasised the lack of resources available to them. The vocational training that some had received with the help of CBR or from the Disability Common Fund could not be developed and used to make and sell goods due to financial constraints.

Following these interviews at Sandema, Kadema, Siniensi, Gbedema and Wiaga it was clear that although very eager to learn, PWDs are faced with a lot of challenges and difficulties most of which are financial.

With our research we hope to create sustainable, yet practical, solutions to address the social inclusion of PWD by creating programs that will be go beyond the Feok festival, and will benefit persons with disabilities all year round.  We will keep you updated on any developments and our ideas!


-Roya

Two Team Leaders, 1 week, 10 trotros, and a whole heap of fun....

After the first team bid us adieu at the end of March, myself, Zoe (Tamale team leader), and Sean (Bolga team leader) were granted a week's holiday.  Sean headed up to Burkina Faso to see his lovely lady wife, who is a team leader on an International Service ICS programme there, and me and Zoe began an adventure which would take us half way across the country in the space of a week.

We did too much and had far too much fun to write about it all here....I wouldn't want to make you jealous, but here are 10 Things I did on my Holidays:

1.    Danced on top of a mountain to celebrate Easter (Kwahu Easter festival)

Paragliding at the Kwahu Easter Festival....the dancing came later!

2.   Learned to weave Kente cloth in Kumasi

3. Figured out I was born on a Friday, which means
 I am called Afia in the Ashanti region, and am consequently considered to be a heartbreaker....

4.  Received approximately 5 marriage proposals, and was sold to a man wearing huge, comedy sunglasses for 15 cows (I don’t know if he was wearing the sunglasses as a joke or seriously).  15 cows is actually a very good price.  I think there may have been a problem with the transaction as I believe I am still single.

Fishing boats in Elmina.....
I tried to pick up a smaller version of this and failed, quite miserably!

5.  Tried to convince a shipbuilder in Elmina that I was strong enough to work for him…and then failing miserably to pick up the boat which would have secured me the job.

6.  Visited the Word Alive children’s home that my lovely friend Pippa used to work at in Esiama and took them some sweets and let the children speak to her on the phone.

Life above water...Nzeluzu, Ghana

7.  Spent 13 hours travelling in a trotro to visit Nzeluzu for 30minutes; a great community on stilts on the water, only accessible by canoe…worth the 13 hour trip? Hmm.

8. Made friends with the man in charge of Education at Cape Coast castle who let us in for free (Thank you Mr Steven!).

This is Zoe demonstrating how to walk on a rope bridge....
this was something I proved incapable of doing without crying like a baby.

9. Had a panic attack on the Canopy walk in Kakum National Park….who knew you could develop a fear of heights at 29.  Apparently doing 2 skydives and a bungee jump is much less scary than walking across a rope bridge 40 metre high.

10. Had a “crazy” 29^th birthday, dancing at a beach bar in Cape Coast with some lovely friends and a random Rasta man.

It's not easy bein' green

When I arrived in Sandema in January, everything was a yellowy-brown colour, including the sun, the ground, even the trees seemed to fit into this colour scheme. 

The lovely brown tones of Sandema in January

Poppy, Jenna, Will and I slowly adjusted to the lack of greenery, only made more intense by the increasingly stifling temperatures.  At the end of March, I headed to the south of Ghana for a holiday and a tour of some of Ghana’s more obvious/popular tourist attractions - I felt like I had entered a different country; not only was the climate completely different – don’t get me wrong it was still blisteringly hot compared to UK weather standards, but not as deathly as it is in the north due to a cool breeze and a little more humidity (In fact there were times when I can say I was a little cold and would have welcomed a jumper!), but the scenery changed quite dramatically as well.  Everything was green.  Really green.  It was beautiful, but so different from the landscape in the north of the country. 

Green, green, tall trees in Kakum National Park

Flourishing plant-life in the lake at Nzeluzu, near Benin 

In Ghana, it isn’t only the landscape which changes dramatically from the north to the south – whilst there are some inherent constants in this country (like the incredibly welcoming nature of the Ghanaian people), there are also a lot of things that differ, even if you only travel 10 minutes up the road, such as the languages.  There are, according to Wikipedia (which is, of course, an entirely reliable source..ahem!) a total of 81 different languages in Ghana, including Twi, Dagbani, Kasem, and Buli, the language we are learning here in the Builsa district (English is the official language of Ghana).  Many of the Ghanaians I have met over the past 4 months have been able to speak at least 5 or 6 different languages.  

So upon trekking to the south of Ghana (it was hardly a trek sat on a rather comfortable plane with a free drink and something resembling a chicken sandwich, but I’m allowed a little bit of artistic licence!), it was rather unsettling to be confronted with an entirely green, yet considerably more developed (they actually have tar roads, and the cars have seat belts.  I even travelled in a trotro which had air conditioning, and by this I don’t mean the window was missing either) landscape and not being able to understand a single word anyone was saying.  I am by no means fluent in Buli, but I can at least recognise the odd word here and there and can generally figure out what people are trying to say to me, or about me.  The confidence I had parading around Sandema’s dusty and quiet streets was zapped as I entered what felt like a completely new country upon arrival in the hustle and bustle of Accra, and then travelling around the green, leafy, and humid southern regions.

At the end of our week off and after the induction week for the new volunteers, I was getting quite restless to get back to my Ghanaian home; a place that is now very familiar to me.  I was looking forward to being reunited with the hues featuring entirely on the orange-yellow side of the colour wheel.  After just 3 weeks away, I was amazed as we drove through Sandema to our house….everything was GREEN!  

In the short time I had been away, and even more so over the past 2 weeks, Sandema has changed from being entirely orange and yellow, to include every colour on the colour wheel!  The trees are most definitely green, as are the fields surrounding our house and little flowers in a striking red colour dot many of the trees, and there is water everywhere adding a bluey-greeny-grey tinge to the landscape. 




If Poppy, Jenna, and Will were here now they would think they were in a different place.  I can only imagine what Sandema will look like in a few weeks when the rains really begin!

Tiksung kui ale asiak boyi la tia! (Team 2, Welcome! - in Buli)

(Roya, Shazia, Festus, Tracy and Maxwell the Project Co-ordinater of CBR)

Hello there! We are the 2^nd batch of volunteers to come to Sandema and we are nearing the end of week #2 and we feel an introduction is well overdue. We have the lovely Tracy who is our Team Leader, Festus who is the National Volunteer and Roya and Shazia who are the new UK Volunteers.

Our first week in Sandema has been lovely! As Tracy has already been here for 3 months she’s become quite the celebrity in Sandema. We have quickly realised that you have to give yourself about an extra 30 minutes to go into the market because Miss Popular will be stopped by friends every 10 minutes to have a chat. Everyone has been very kind and welcoming to us new volunteers, and we’re already on first name terms with a few of the market stallholders. We have already met a lot of people and are very lucky to have been introduced to the children at the nearby foster home who I can tell will quickly become my best friends purely based on the fact they give the best, heartfelt hugs (and hugs are one of my favourite things, after chocolate).

We have also started work at the Sandema Presbyterian Church of Ghana Community Based Rehabilitation Centre (or CBR Centre if you want to save yourself quite a lot of time). The CBR Centre works to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities by focusing on social inclusion, rehabilitation and the equalisation of opportunities for people with disabilities.  Our team will be carrying on the work of the previous volunteers who had done a lot of research and built a strong foundation for us to work on. Find out more here: http://internationalservicelifeinghana.blogspot.com/p/what-we-are-all-about.html

These two weeks we have spent quite a vast amount of time creating a database for the CBR Centre and for our own use whilst arranging meetings with Disabled Peoples Organisations (DPO’s). We have developed the outline for 3 projects that we will be working on simultaneously. One is a livelihoods project, the other well be centred around cultural activities and lastly, we are developing a sports program for the young children with disabilities. All 3 of these will be done within the context of the Feok Festival which happens in December but we are also working to ensure that the skills people have learnt, the programs that will be set up will be utilized all year round in order to make sure that there will be a long term change here in Sandema!

We will keep you updated on our progress as time goes on J

-Shazia

A little catch-up from Team LIFE!

The last few weeks have flown by and so much has happened.  Unfortunately, we neglected our blog a little bit so I thought I would catch us up quickly!

The first Sandema team worked incredibly hard in the last couple of weeks of the project, putting together a brilliant report on the Feok festival which serves as a written document (the first of its kind that we know of!) explaining the festival and its traditions.  The report also analysed the inclusion of people with disabilities into the festival and identified some of the key issues which prevent their involvement, including financial concerns, discrimination, transport and mobility issues, as well as a complete and utter lack of awareness on the abilities of people with disability to participate.  The team followed this up with a Stakeholder Engagement meeting, where we had representatives from the District Assembly, Disabled People's Organisations, the Paramount Chief, community chiefs, health organisations and social welfare officers present; all with the view to discuss the inclusion of people with disabilities in the Feok festival.

The team gave an excellent presentation summarising the state of the festival and its popularity (not very popular!) and the issues surrounding disability inclusion.  The meeting was a huge success and we earned the support of the district assembly, and importantly, the Sandema Chief (Paramount Chief of the District) as well as a pledge from him to ensure changes are made to the festival this year.

Well done team!!

The final weeks were busy socially as well, as Poppy, Jenna, and Will all wanted to make sure they said their final goodbyes to everyone they had met and made friends with (this was a LOT of people - the team were so well loved and made a lot of friends in Sandema!).  The final weeks were memorable though and involved a great day at the swimming pool with the children from the foster home; a dinner with the CBR staff and some of our friends, some last minute clothes-making trips, plus much, much more!

In our final week as a team, we, along with the other ICS teams in Ghana, took a trip to Accra to visit the DFID office at the British High Commission.  We each presented our projects and outcomes of the past 12 weeks to DFID (including the Head of Mission and her second in command....this was a big deal!!).  All the volunteers did a great job and it seems that DFID were very impressed with their work.  The volunteers also provided DFID with further ammunition to remian in Ghana - apparently there is talk that DFID has no role to play in this country anymore, but our research and findings suggest that there is a greater need than ever for DFID, and other development organisations, to have a presence in Ghana, particularly in the north of the country.  International Service are hoping that we can build a good relationship with DFID in Ghana and develop future projects - the teams definitely helped make a contribution to that relationship.

The trip to Accra unfortunately signaled the end of the volunteers' time in Ghana, and the day after the meeting they flew back to the UK.  Myself and Zoe (Tamale team leader) waved them goodbye and then turned to each other as if we had both just lost a limb!  We really did not know what to do for a while (luckily Patience, the ICS Programme Manager, showed up not too long afterwards and sorted us out!!).  Another post will follow about what two team leaders get up to when there are no volunteers about!!  I do remember being on a trotro to the mountains though, and looking at my watch around 7pm and finding it incredibly strange that my team were already back in the UK!

Martina’s New Wheels

Back in February, as part of our project research, the team and I travelled to Wiaga to meet a local women’s group to find out more about the Feok Festival. We’ve visited a number of women’s groups in the district to learn about how the groups are involved in the Feok and find out their thoughts on the participation of PWDs (people with disabilities), as we aim to include them in future festivals. It was an insightful meeting and the women of Wiaga were very warm and welcoming.

There was one woman in particular that stood out in the meeting. Her name was Martina, a young mother from Wiaga who was unable to use her legs. She sat with crutches beside her and a baby on her lap, who was often passed around. She was very vocal in the group, voicing her opinion on the Feok Festival and PWDs whilst laughing and joking. Martina was very positive, which was refreshing to see, and I later found out that she also works as a seamstress.

Considering her physical ability, whilst having to raise a child and go to work, I truly admired her positive attitude. Unlike a small number of PWDs that we have met, Martina had a fantastic ‘get up and go’ attitude. It made me realise that most of us take things for granted and moan and worry about the silliest things. Life on crutches alone with a baby cannot be easy.  

At the end of the meeting the women approached us to thank us and say goodbye, whilst Martina approached our national volunteer, Festus, to tell him about her mobility bike. Speaking in Buli, she told Festus that her bike had been broken for sometime and she cannot use it, making travelling and day-to-day tasks difficult. Festus acknowledged her request for us to help her, whilst she thanked us (in English) for visiting and said goodbye. 

We’ve had a lot of requests from disabled (and able bodied) people when visiting the different community groups in the Builsa District. We’ve visited a number of disabled peoples organisations, mental health organisations, schools and women’s groups who have all made requests. Some inform us of the problems they face and the resources they need, whilst others reel off a wish list of wheelchairs, stair lifts and mini buses.

Although we would obviously love to help with the said items, they all cost money - a lot of money. We do record these requests, which can be discussed at a later date, however, CBR, the organisation we work with, don’t have the money either. This is when I had a light bulb moment after hearing Martina’s plea.

Martina's new wheels!

I decided that I would pay for her bike to be fixed. If I brought the issue up with CBR it would have sat in a long queue of other requests and may have never been resolved. Knowing her story and having met her I decided that I wanted to help.

The following week en route to Fubisi, we asked our driver, Kwame, to make a stop off in Wiaga so I could visit Martina’s home and see what work her bike needed. After asking directions from pupil at a near by school, we finally found her at her home; a dingy concrete room filled with cooking utensils, with a large mosquito net filling half of the room with her baby daughter sleeping soundly beneath it. At the back of the room, underneath an old wheel chair, cloth and crutches sat the mobility bike. Coated in dust, it was obvious that it hadn’t been in use for a long time. Three years in fact, as Martina told us. She said that it was a gift from a group of Canadian volunteers, yet the wheels and chain needed replacing. 

We took her number and Festus contacted a repairman who later met us in Sandema town to buy the parts needed. In total, to repair and buy the new parts cost only 83 Ghana cedi, which is around £28.62. I spend that in a heartbeat whilst shopping in Leeds, so it was the easiest (and by far the best) £28.62 that I’ve ever spent.

Tyre shopping

Last weekend I received a text from Festus to hear that the bike had been repaired and was returned to Martina. I was so excited to see her on it so I asked if Kwame could drive me back to Wiaga for me to visit her. I met her earlier this week and she was so happy. The bike looked fantastic with its shiny new wheels. She got in it and cycled around to show me and kindly posed for some photos. 

Martina and her daughter

She told me that she was very grateful that I had it fixed for her as she had her mobility back. She can now travel around with ease and more importantly, take her daughter with her, who can sit beside her in the chair. In the past, Martina had to leave her daughter with someone else whilst she struggled with her crutches. Now, her little girl can travel with her wherever she goes.

It has been amazing to have had the opportunity to help Martina and to actually see the difference it has made to her life. I’m grateful that I’ve had the chance to come to Ghana and to not only help people as part of our project but to also help others in the community. I’ll certainly never forget Martina and her new set of wheels.

- Jenna

Is it better for a Devloping Country to Develop through Trade or Aid?

 

Developing through Trade will help the economy in many different ways, trade will increase the exports of a country which will in turn help create jobs and these jobs will generate income.  These incomes will have many benefits for people as it will raise their standards of living and will increase investment in further production creating more jobs and increasing productivity. As incomes increase this will also trickle down to the poor as more jobs become available to them. Ghana also has a weak currency the Cedi which is usually seen as a bad thing but in terms of exports this is good as it means that their exports seem less expensive compared to other countries and they are therefore more competitive on an international level.  Currently Ghana’s main exports are oil, gold, cocoa and it currently exports France 19.1%, US 8.6%, UK 4.7%. However Trade Blocs such as the EU put tariffs on imports, therefore making it difficult for countries like Ghana to become internationally competitive.  This is against the idea of free trade and is making it difficult for countries like Ghana to trade internationally.

 Aid can take many forms; it could be relief aid, one government giving money to another, an NGO giving money to those in poverty or training people in skills which will help them develop. It is often the case that developing nations don’t have the funds to build infrastructure and infrastructure is vital for a country to develop.

Overall I believe that the best way for a country to develop is through a combination of trade and aid.  Trade is vital for a country to develop many African countries have stumbled on the development ladder due to problems such as aids, civil war, corrupt governments which all hinder a countries development. Once a country has reached a certain level of development then I believe it is right to cut off aid as they can now cater for themselves and that aid can go elsewhere where it is needed.  Many African nations still rely heavily on Aid and they desperately need it.