Blog entry by Michele Fujii

I have been in Kenya since August 13, 2008. I did not plan on being here for the US Presidential Elections but the plane ticket worked out that way. At 5:30 this morning I was downstairs at Wendy’s in Nairobi glued to the TV only to find out a couple hours later that Barack Obama is to become our next president. The people of Kenya are ecstatic and share the joy with so many Americans. Last night we went to see “Obama: The Musical” at the Kenya National Theatre; where they announced that the next nights show would have a different ending. President Kibaki has declared tomorrow a public holiday in Kenya to celebrate the win.

For the past 3 months I have seen more of Kenya then ever before. I traveled here last summer for 5 weeks to Mama Maria and Namunyak Maasai. This year we held the first (of hopefully many) Kick it with Kenya Conference in Makutano, just north of Kitale. It was partnered with an in-country program called Inspire Life Outreach Ministries (ILOM), founded by Charles Wambula. The conference was very successful. About 75-100 students attended each day along with about 20 pastors from around Kenya. One day a free medical clinic treated over 250 patients within the community. Lessons of the conference included HIV/AIDS, sanitation, good hygiene practices and youth empowerment. The soccer tournament was also a success with 16 teams in total participating. A trophy was awarded to the first place team.

The next 2 months, I spent in Kitale, mostly at Sister Freda’s Medical Centre. This was another incredible experience. The day Caroline and I arrived we were immediately introduced to two newcomers at the hospital. Eliya, almost 2 years, was from Kipsongo slums were his meals consisted of tea and dirt. Emmanuel, about 5 months and weighing a mere 2.5 kgs, was brought by a grandmother who was unable to take care of all her daughter’s children when the daughter died 2 months before of an unknown cause. These children became an immediate part of our lives, feeding and loving them, we watched them grow and become active and alive once again.

The feeding program at Sister Freda’s nursery school is also wonderful. Maize and beans are grown on the 26 acres of land and feed about 100 children every day. The children are just beautiful, like all Kenyan children. Playing with them everyday brings a certain joy to your heart that I cannot explain in words. There is also a nursing school being built on the compound and it’s coming along very quickly. The brick walls are almost finished and the roof is going on some of the rooms as I write.

I was told that I would fall in love with the place before I went and I found that to be very true. Sister Freda has a heart of gold that is rare to find and I feel privileged to have met her and her family.

The rest of my trip was spent at Namuyak Maasai, with Emmanuel Leina Tasur. Last year I walked on the land that he had purchased to build a school. This year I walked on the same land now filled with children playing football or skipping rope. From nursery to class 3, the school has amazing teachers and most of all eager students ready to learn. During the duration of my stay another two classrooms have been painted and are almost ready for classes 4 and 5.

Emmanuel is another incredible person with a passion for his community that almost no one else has. He has seen his people and land being neglected by not only the government but by each other and he is now bringing a change so great that it will impact the future of the area greatly. It is also an honor to have worked by his side.

To wrap up this entry, not enough can be put in words to describe my second stay here in Kenya. I feel like it is becoming a second home and I feel so welcomed by everyone I’ve met. I have built friendships and partnerships that I know will last a lifetime. And I already planning my return.

Ghana: My Second Home

After spending a month in the village of Have, Ghana, my departure was highly emotional. I had become so close with one particular family that leaving them tore my heart in two.

My new sister Salomé often prepared a variety of local dishes for me with incredible care, a voluntary gesture since my meals were already provided for. It was over those meals on her porch where she, her husband Emmanuel and I shared cultural insight, dreams, desires and a whole lot of laughter. These were treasured experiences that grew into a valuable friendship.

After dinner, I’d play clapping games with the children and, one night, I judged thier dance contest to the tune of Jingle Bells chirping from a cell phone. Before leaving, I also had the chance to paint with the children who produced some beautiful watercolors (thanks to the gifts left by volunteer Denise Ward). There was nothing better than spending time with these little gems. Their curiosity was insatiable. I'll never forget the day Kofi (in the stripes) was holding my hand and, when I wasn't looking, quickly stuck my fingernail between his teeth and bit down. I never knew what to expect but they all made me laugh at every turn.

Through it all, I was accompanied by Jimmy, my 16 year old friend who met me in the morning, went with me to work, walked me home for lunch and guided me down the dark paths at night. I would let him practice typing on my laptop so he, in return, typed me a language guide in Ewe (pronounced Ay-way). Jimmy was one of my favorite companions and will always be my little brother.

My only comfort from the sorrow of departing my new family stemmed from the ways in which they had become so tightly woven into the fabric of my being. They had changed me forever, become a full-fledged part of me. We have shared several phone conversations since my return to the US and I’ll be looking into a cheaper calling plan to always keep in touch.

I had the opportunity to engage with several programs while in Have. My first day, when told to rest and “feel free,” I asked instead to help in the tea house. There I immediately learned the greatest lesson of all time. Before lunch, a young boy named Julius taught me to glue boxes together and afterward, I learned to pack them. The more I thought of productivity and profit, eager to help as soon as possible, I’d all-too-quickly cram the tea bags into my box. The end result was that some didn't fit and I would have to start over. Watching Salomé work with patience, grace and pride in the end product, I tried to emulate her style and found that it went a great deal further. Slow as that process may have first appeared, it was twice the pace I had been keeping.

Regardless of my learning curve, Salomé never lost her patience with me. Instead she would nod her head and say with a voice as thick and sweet as molasses, “Good! You are trying!” I had thought my technique was improving and that “You are trying” meant that I was getting better. I was wrong. It wasn’t until heaps of teabags were placed from the bin into my lap without comment that I knew I had finally found my stride. The prize was drinking that very tea for breakfast the following morning.

With that lesson under my belt, I took it to the farm at EDYM Village the following day. There I spent most of my days sitting on a log weeding the newly sown lawn installed to avoid erosion in front of the new office building, tending to the clean-up of the nursery by clearing out old seedlings that never took, recycling the plastic planters for reseeding, and preparing recycled water sachets for more plantings by tediously cutting holes in them with a dull, double-edged razor. By the fourth day I brought 4 pair of scissors from my bag of school donations. Here I offered my own lesson: Sometimes patience and tenacity can use a bit of mechanical help.

Inspired by the recycling of the water sachets from the farm, I met with local chiefs, a queen mother, three linguists and  advisors. In conjunction with Denise Ward, a nutritionist volunteering at the clinic, we were able to deliver a message about the dangers of plastic whether it be leaching toxicities into food (as in the way hot porridge is served to the children in plastic sachets), polluting the air when burned in the trash heaps, or littering the landscape when scattered among the streets. On my behalf, she talked about placing recycling bins throughout town (perhaps even decorated with slogans and murals by the children), reusing the sachets as exemplified on the farm, and her own message emphasizing the pride that local people should feel in the healthy food they grow themselves rather than aspiring to the appearance of wealth by buying unhealthy processed foods that come in plastic.

The chiefs had a great deal of questions on topics such as freezing vs. heating food in plastic and they chuckled in agreement about the ways in which certain products indicate wealth, not health. Overall, they were grateful for the insight and the care with which it was delivered. They then offered to spread this message to all the surrounding areas of Have. It was the most amazing and productive hour of my entire month.

After our message was delivered, Denise and I were taken outside where the linguists ceremoniously poured libations into the earth in our honor. Returning inside once more, we were asked to drink gin (at 11 in the morning, eh!) from a communal glass and our wrists were then decorated with a bracelet and scented powder to symbolize peace. It was wonderful to see that some traditional rituals had survived a widespread erasure of culture in the name of Western beliefs.

As for the last few items on my list of my duties, I’d classify them under the field of education. I had planned to assist with the RC Primary School kindergarten class all month, but Paul Kpai, EDYM’s program director, was away for two weeks and unable to properly introduce me to the school officials. By the time he returned, exams had begun and we decided it might be a distraction for me to embark on this task at such time.

I learned just how distracting a visiting white person could be when I delivered 70 pounds of school supplies donated by family and friends (the other 50 lbs. of medicine and books were distributed to the library and clinic). I was greeted with the most beautiful smiling faces eager to see what I brought as well as the images of themselves on my digital camera. Interestingly, after the children burst into song, touching my skin and holding my hands, I learned that they were eager to see me too. (I invite you to watch the video of my visit with the children.)

Spending a day at the library, I helped to clean the shelves after a termite infestation had destroyed a number of the books. EDYM's Director, Paul Kpai, had already arranged for the fumigation but the clean-up was now underway. It was a stinky and tedious job until Felix arrived and we had a few good laughs. He and I had already said some difficult goodbyes at the farm after I had worked with him nearly every weekday. It was through him that I learned a great deal about the customs practiced in the region. Seeing him at the library just before I left was not only a pleasant surprise but a real treat.

Volunteer Maia Warchol, a librarian from Maryland, organized the books into their Dewey Decimal categories and catalogued them into lists. I then labeled the books by section (from children’s books to a young adult section to adult fiction) and replaced them on the shelves. Together with the young boys from the village, Jimmy, Fidel, Sampson and Richard, we finished a large portion of this task just in time for a meeting of school headmasters in which decisions were made on how to sustainably fund the library’s electrical bills and pay for the services of a librarian.

Lastly, I had asked Jimmy and his friend Christian to collect discarded water sachets from the school yard where a full day of sports had ensued earlier in the week. (I bribed them, of course, giving away Mini Mag Lights as incentive.) Not only did they come back with plenty to recycle at the farm, they also had cleaned up what trash had been left to fly around for days. I had been asking any villagers I knew to save their personal sachets for seedlings but the response was next to nil. Thanks to Jimmy and Christian, there were enough bags to do an entire planting.

Then, just before I left, I was approached by Raymond, one of the teachers at the school. He came to me in the morning before work to delivered three water sachets. For two weeks, when I’d ask if he remembered, he told me that he had not. That day he said, “It has taken me some time to change my thinking. No volunteer before has asked to recycle these. Today I remembered. Please, take them.” I had never been so happy to accept a piece of trash in my life.

For fun, I spent weekends touring the Brong Ahafo, Northern, Central and Volta Region. Gunadiish, the in country coordinator, and his assistants Eric and Raymond (yes, the teacher) were fantastic guides and, more importantly, we became friends. Between them all, as well as the gift of a personal tour from Paul Kpai, I fed monkeys, saw elephants, warthogs and fields of antelope. I also visited the Mystic Stone and the oldest mosque in West Africa. I hiked up the top of Gemi Mountain, over the hills of Tano Sacred Grove, through the rainforest and over the network of rope bridges in Kakum National Park. I stood under two gorgeous and very different waterfalls, Wli and Kintampo, and basked in the sun on the ocean shore of Cape Coast. The guides at both the Elmina and Cape Coast slave castles gave two very distinct tours so I had no regrets about spending time at both. I also saw the large, old, pained tree at the slave center near Techiman where I cried as I heard the story of what had taken place there. Finally, during my last day in Ghana, I went to the Accra Art Center and took two drumming lessons. I played until my hands moved beyond pain and well into numbness. I bought a DVD from my teacher and drum to take home so I could continue without killing myself. Overall, I could never choose one tour over another. They were each special and awe inspiring in their own way (and with a different brand of travel adventure for each, to be sure).

I also did a bit of exploring on my own. On my independently arranged mini-tour, Paul’s wife, Comfort, took me to Kpandu to visit the fishermen at the river, the grotto’s Stations of the Cross, the Fesi potters, wood carvers and to buy batik fabric. As an added bonus, we stopped off at the secondary school where the children there care for a crocodile. Jimmy also took me up the mountain behind my house to see the village of Have from above one morning. It was a spectacular sight under the fresh morning mist, leaves glistening in the gentle rain.

My last evening in the village is one that I hold dear to my heart. A gorgeous dinner was held in my honor (made by Salomé) and I was presented with the special hand-woven Kenta sash that all volunteers working in Have receive. I had known to expect that from reading previous volunteers’ blogs, but it was a delightful surprise when I received two for taking part in activities to do with both the school and the farm. Paul also presented me with a wood carving of The Thinker so that I would always remember Have and, in return, I presented both him and Emmanuel with wood carvings to remember me by. We took tons of photos and I was tearful in just about every one. The gifts were lovely but the people were what I really wanted to take home. I love them all. 

What was most special that night was the shimmering blue, sleeveless dress that Salomé had made for me. It had a matching bracelet to go with it. This was certainly not part of the protocol so I was unbelievably moved. After the party, she walked me home where we hugged, cried and couldn’t bring ourselves to say good-bye. Salomé suggested that she bring breakfast to me in the morning and walk me to the tro-tro so we could simply say “goodnight for now.”

I was leery of trying the dress on in front of Salomé in case it didn’t fit, afraid of disappointing either one of us, but once she left I couldn’t wait. I quickly undressed and snapped it down over my head. It was absolutely perfect.

The following morning, along with Jimmy and Raymond, Salomé arrived in her own blue dress of the same fabric. I ate, did my last packing and asked them to wait outside for just a minute. Quickly, I dug my dress out and slipped it over my head. Making my appearance outside, I asked Salomé, “How did you make this to fit so perfectly??” She had never taken my measurements. Salomé smiled devilishly and said, “The clothes you left for the church... I measured those.” I asked her to accept my favorite hat and scarf in return, the only things I had left to give that were American. We took pictures together saying that she and I even matched like sisters now.

I knew when I left that I had been deeply affected by this place, its people, its culture, but I was never so sure of it than when I returned home. There were the small things, of course, like being startled each time my spigot produced hot water, or any water for that matter. It also took time to instinctively trust my tap water when brushing my teeth, automatically reaching for a water bottle that wasn’t there. What affected me most though was the independence, excess and the attitudes of entitlement I was confronted with immediately after landing back in the US. I had become spoiled with the Ghanaians' unending generosity, humility and the empowerment that comes from being a necessary ingredient to the full function of the community rather than a disposable or interchangeable cog in a capitalist machine. I was tied directly to my labor, knew my place, and felt wholly appreciated. My entire experience, a culmination of things both great and small, was an incredible gift.

For more on my travels, please visit my personal blog. 

Kim Clune
East Nassau, New York, USA
EDYM Village, Have Library and RC Primary School
July 7 – August 2, 2008

A fantastic experience

Rachel Burchnell, DiAnn Casteel, and I had a fantastic experience during our assignment with Village Volunteers this summer. For three weeks, the three of us worked in the Basic School in Atorkor during the week and toured on the weekends. This experience was most rewarding due to the superb organization of our In-Country Coordinator in Accra, Gunadiish Nyavie, our Atorkor coordinator Seth Kordorwu, and the school Headmistress, Mr. Beaulah Mensah-Tetteh.

It is obvious that the Atorkor Development Foundation is quite active in pursuing the best avenues for the community and the schools of their village. We were greeted with individuals who were interested in our welfare and appreciative of our efforts to share our ideas.

First, we were very pleased with our accommodations as the three of us were able to share a room in the family house of the Dufia. Although the electricity was off during our stay, we were delighted to have a bathroom with running water for our daily shower. Bernard was our caretaker, who furnished us with all the bottled water we desired. He also was always trying to accommodate us in various ways, including carrying our luggage up and down our stairs and recharging our night light each day. He usually walked with us to lunch and dinner meals at Belinda’s House. Belinda made every effort to fix a variety of foods and to accommodate our special food requests.

Next, the Headmistress and the staff and students were so welcoming and eager for us to teach a group of Grade 1 students Basic English vocabulary and for us to conduct a Teacher Workshop. Although we usually worked from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00, the students and teachers worked hard to learn new methods. The test we conducted for the students and the workshop survey indicated we were successful. The smiles on the faces and the farewell hugs were all the reward we needed to let us know that our efforts were appreciated. We also felt very special during the welcoming ceremony and when the ADF presented us with a dress fashioned from Batik. We hope our contact with them continues in the future.

Our excursions were Central, Ashanti, and Eastern. All were interesting and included a variety of sites. Our hotel and meal accommodations were excellent. We especially enjoyed our visit to Volta Lake, the Cocoa farm, and the waterfalls in the Eastern Region. Also, in the Central Region, we had fun swaying on the six canopy bridges in the Kakum National forest and listening to the informative guide who identified the trees and plants and their various uses. The tour of Elmina, the slave castle, was also excellent. The tour of the Cape Coast castle was much the same, but the tour guide and tourists seemed somewhat hostile. We chose to souvenir shop rather than finish this tour. The visit to the coast for the volunteers to swim or relax was also a treat. Of the three, Ashanti was the most disappointing. The four hour bus ride was really six hours, and because our guide did not follow the schedule, we only saw three of the seven sites scheduled. In Accra, we were signed up for the cloth making lessons, which we assumed would be making the Kenta cloth; however, it was they dyeing of Batik. The experience made for a long day, but we learned method. We probably would not have signed up for that class if we had realized it was not learning to use the loom to make cloth.

Sharing our experiences with other Village Volunteers on the excursions was fun and helpful. Our village assignment could not have been better. We felt very lucky to have been placed in Atorkor. Overall, I must say the welcoming and accommodating spirit of the villagers as well as the guides made our visit to Ghana a memorable experience. I especially want to sing praises to Gunadiish who made every effort to ensure our safety and to accommodate our needs and requests. I highly recommend Village Volunteers to those who would like to volunteer their services and visit Ghana.

Christine Keys
Limestone, Tennessee USA
ADF, ATORKOR
June 12 – July 1, 2008

An anxious feeling in my stomach,

I remember waking up in the morning in Rome with an anxious feeling in my stomach, this was exactly 5 weeks ago. This morning I woke up with the same feeling knowing I had to go back home. I am not sure what it was, anxiety, fear a mix of feelings. It is not my first time in Africa, I have been to Zambia and Namibia having the done the same type of work he difference was this time I set off on my own wanting to go out and do something useful and at the same time disconnect from the other half of the world. If having a break for everyday life is what you need then I assure you that Africa is the place to go. You get so absorbed by everything that is around you that you forget your other life back home. I feel I have two lives now, actually three because I study in London and my hometown is Rome! Getting back to my experience this is how it went…

Arrival at the airport I was worried no one was going to be there and having to deal with my heavy luggage was my big issue. But as Village volunteers assured Gunadiish was there waiting with a big smile! I was relieved! In the taxi the first thing I noticed is the honking, everything seems to have a reason to beep at each other! Next looking outside I saw little flames on small tables to light up what they were selling. I remember thinking wow that’s late to sell things, but soon I came to understand that people here are never tired of trying to sell their goods. As soon as any vehicle approaches everybody rushes to try and sell. “Pure water” with a funny accent is definitely the most entertaining one! Anyway my first night at Gunadiish’s I did not sleep! I was so anxious and felt so strange about being here. I thought to myself oh my god why did I come here alone? The thought quickly changed..Also to my surprise there was another volunteer, Denise who was coming to Have too, I had no idea and turned out to be the greatest company and shared a series of funny experiences!

Next morning we were supposed to set off early but we did not end up leaving till 2 o clock so when we arrived in Have it was night so did not have the chance to look at the environment. The next morning I remember thinking that it was such a organized, clean and lively little town. Everyone was looking and probably curious about our arrival! Two white women, “Yovu Yovu” the children are never tired of calling you that! A few days later met my coordinator Paul which always made sure that everything was in order; especially in the future weeks that would come to make sure that we had our water. So which is the best pure water? Abba?B still or Mosaka? I have tried all of them and me and Denise definitely vote for B still which we never had again!

Next was my experience as a health volunteer in the clinic. I am no doctor, although I wish I was havealways wanted to study medicine and after this experience even more! What there is to say about it is that if you are not qualified as a doctor there is not much you can do practical apart from filling out forms. I did not expect that and especially the fact that Have clinic has all the necessary staff there and therefore as soon as I was helping with someone I was in a way taking someone else’s job which was not very comfortable. I got upset by that at first because felt I was not giving anything to the people more I felt I was taking away something, their job! I soon made people understand that I was really keen on doing something more and wanting to learn from them. That is when I met Godsway, which was sitting in the consulting room when I first met him. I remember thinking he looks young, turns out he s only 24 but have worked by his side and he is very capable in what he is doing, especially with a smile on his face! I started helping him in the dispensary just filling out the forms, then counting medicines, then being left alone to count medicine and register I could not give out medicine because of the language barrier and also because wanted to check if I was doing it right. Soon I think he must have observed me and put a little trust in me. Soon Iwas he dispenser myself and gave out the medicine in Ewe! That it is when I started loving the work there, I was doing something being helpful because there was a lot to do there and being able to minimally communicate with the locals is the most fulfilling thing of all. Especially when they are so welcoming and happy that you are making the effort of speaking the language! My experience I the clinic was unforgettable and I met very nice people and thanks to all of them. Special one to Godsway, which surprised me in every way.

My excursions while I were there were last minute organized so I did not experience one of Gunadiish’s popular tours! Instead I was given a tour by Paul which made us discover the hidden beauties of the Volta Region. It is such a beautiful place that yet has not totally been discovered by tourism. He is hoping to develop a little dream of his which I think will have great potential! The Wli waterfalls were breathtaking, water running down from above, a pool to swim in, spectacular is what I have to say. The walk there in the rainforest is beautiful, to be immersed in nature. From there we went to Tafi Atome the monkey sanctuary and they are just full of character. The come right next to you and take the banana right from your hand. They will look at you in the eyes as they peel the fruit an then once they feel they had your consent in taking it they will run up in the tree to eat it. We went to Amedzofe which is the largest human habitat on a mountain. It is incredible how people have been able to build so high up, but then again everything amazes me about people here, the work they are involved in, the energy they use in everything they do. Just everything. The Volta region is definitely somewhere to go exploring!

I could go on writing forever but there is too much , too many feelings and memories involved. What I will say is that this experience has given me something big, I realized when I left this morning, the emotions were so strong and I really did not expect it. The people I have met and bonded with have each given me a little something about themselves which I will carry away with me in my memories. Godsway with his transformation as a person, Samson and Richard which are always there to help and make up funny songs about me, Jimmy which I cannot even count how many times he has flashed me in all this time, but his big smile is what I will remember. Finally Kofi, the caretaker of the house, a teacher, and a very good friend now. He was a big part of being there. Just looking at him makes me smile. I wake up in the morning with his singing which is something I am going to miss! Wish him all the luck with his newlywed wife Yawa, a very nice person too! Many others to thanks but it is time for me to go! Bye Ghana!!!

Celia Ponzo
Rome, Italy
Have CLINIC
June 11 – july 13 2008

Take the opportunity to lose yourself !

My excursion to the Northern Region of Ghana was the most memorable of my trip. Leaving around 6 in the morning, we took a loooong bus ride (somewhere near 9 or 10 hours) to a waiting jeep about 2 hours from Mole National Park. On the way I had a chance to chat with other volunteers but mostly I tried to keep my mind off how many hours were left. I was promised by previous volunteers who had taken the trip that it would be worth it, but I wasn’t feeling it yet.

After the rendezvous with the jeep, we took a 2 hour bumpy ride to our resort in the actual park. When we arrived around 8 o’clock it was dark so we could only be impressed by sounds not sights. After checking-in we took our dinner in an outside veranda. Exhausted by the trip, I returned with my roommate Jason to the room to retire. As I was preparing for bed, I thought I could hear two other volunteers, Kendra and Sarah, in the next room screaming like school girls. Probably bonding, I figured.

Turns out, the next morning on our way to catch the jeep for the safari I heard all about their bonding experience. It included them bravely deciding they could sleep with all of the gigantic bugs crawling under their door, then changing their minds when they found a huge ant hole in their closet where ants were carrying these unfortunate beastly bugs back for dinner. The funniest part was, the only light in their room was burned out, so they only realized this after settling in to their room. They ended up changing rooms. School girls.

The safari we took in the morning was incredible. Riding on the roof of the jeep gave us a great vantage point, and the guy with the huge gun only stopped to talk to us when he saw something important. We saw giant ant-holes, bush deer, wild boars, monkeys, and (the best part of all) we were only about 30 yards from five MASSIVE elephants.

After returning for breakfast, we could see our surroundings much better in the day light. Our resort sat on a ledge that looked out into the savannah and over a watering hole. While we waited for our food to come, we could watch elephants taking a bath. Breakfast consisted of omelets and sausage, which was glorious because I hadn’t had anything but starch in a month. It still took an hour to get to us though. I never really got used to that.

After breakfast we made a short trip to the village of Larabanga to visit the oldest mosque in Western Africa. It sat next to an enormous Baobab tree and was nearly 650 years old! Our guide then took us around the village to show us what it was like in the Northern Region. This village was in much worse condition than my own. At one point he commented about their only source of water, a shriveled watering hole that made even the sheep sick when they drank it. Conveniently, a man sitting under a tree offered us tea he was preparing and wouldn’t accept no for an answer. I did a quick fake-out and passed mine to a child to drink.

We returned in the afternoon to take lunch then had free time to relax, nap, and swim in the pool before dinner. This was a great time for the four volunteers to get to know each other, discussing important things like the election, poverty, and what we did on our 21^st birthdays (mine was the lamest, I’m sorry to report).

The next morning we left around 3:30, but instead of taking a jeep we took a…city bus! The same dirt roads we crossed in a range rover we now traversed in a city bus, which approximately 10 minutes into the journey got stuck in a hole. See, the problem was, this bus stopped to pick up people on the road side just like in a city…only in the middle of nowhere. The conductor of our bus politely asked the men to get off and push. Luckily the bus driver must have done his training in northern Michigan because he did the same thing I do when I’m stuck in a snow bank: rock it baaaack and forth. We got free without sucking bus fumes.

It was an unbelievable trip that I’m glad I took. Although the long bus rides were tortuous, there was no way for us to have seen the things we saw without it, so in the end it was definitely worth it.

My experience in my home village of Atorkor was life-changing to say the least. I taught math to 7^th and 8^th graders, but I feel they have taught me more than I could have in a lifetime there. It’s unfair because it gives me this guilty feeling of taking instead of giving while I was here. But that is only one emotion of many I experienced during my two months there.

Every morning I would get up around 5:15 am to go for a run along the coast. After breakfast and a little reading, I would go to school for the beginning of the day, which always started with Assembly where they would line up and sing the national anthem before marching to class. Before and after teaching my morning classes I would usually chat with teachers, volunteers, or just read.

After meeting all of the volunteers for lunch down at “Belinda’s” (the name of our fabulous cook) we’d debrief and talk about the morning. At the end of lunch we would head back to the house to rest before our afternoons.

By about 3 pm Frank, a fellow volunteer, and I would head back to the school for our afternoon library session. Basically what ensued was something like a good cop-bad cop regime. Frank would make funny faces and wind-up all of the kids until it was too loud for anyone to think, then I would demand everyone to sit down and read. Of course he was the favorite, but he inevitably paid for it by being the go-to guy for any of the millions of petty requests made by school children the world around.

The most difficult aspect of my trip has been adjusting to the nagging health concerns that you can never forget about. Thoughts such as “has this been cooked”, “what process made this dish possible”, “was any part of this meal touched by hands without being cook”, and so on. Although I managed to avoid getting violently ill while I was here, I did have my bouts of upset stomachs with lessons learned.

Such was a day in my village, and it doesn’t seem very significant does it? The truth is, things move really slowly, much more so than back home. It sometimes seemed to me that if every day didn’t blend together so that they all seemed like one big day, I would probably have remembered every minute of my days as a teacher. But to me, the experience has been like getting a huge textbook at the beginning of a semester. Looking at it I can’t imagine getting through the whole thing, but on the day I finish my final exam, I can thumb through the book and recall memories about each page and realize that not only did I make it but I’m in some way better now because of it.

So now it is time to go home. Of course I have missed home, mostly my family and friends. I realize, however, that I now have family and friends that I must leave behind here. When I finally get back, I know I will miss them in the same way and long to return to them.

I don’t know if I’ll be able to say exactly what I’m taking away from this trip until I can contrast with my life back home. Everything is so natural now that I can’t imagine how easy and blessed life was before I left. Until I can put the two together, I can only guess how terrific my two months have been, and hope I can articulate to the world how important it is to take the opportunity to lose yourself in a project like this.

Patrick Moore
Ann Arbor, Michigan – USA
ADF, ATORKOR
May 22 – July 14, 2008

Nothing I had expected!

My trip to Ghana was like nothing I had expected. I came expecting to mainly teach and believed I had something to offer the community I would be living with. When I arrived I quickly learned that I would be learning far more than teaching during my stay in Atorkor. I found that the most wonderful part of Ghanaian culture is their genuine kindness and welcoming and gratitude towards volunteers. From the very beginning of my stay, I felt like a part of village, all the community members were quick to ask questions about where I had come from, what my experience in Ghana was like thus far and tell me about themselves. I always felt completely safe and welcome, perhaps even more so than in America at times. I worked mostly at the school teaching art classes to the younger students. I quickly fell in love with all the children and became even closer with them and began to learn all their names and learn about their lives. Some of my most enjoyable times during my stay were with the children during and after the art classes when they would talk to me about their lives in the village or teach me words in their language Ewe, or ask me about where I came from. I think that I learned the most from the children because they had such a genuine interest in learning and especially teaching me things that they knew. Two of the older boys started to come to help me with my classes each day when they were not in class themselves. I became the closest with these two, they gave up their free time to be with me and help me with language barriers just so we could get to know each other. They told me about their dreams for their futures , their families and their interests. The time I spent just talking with community members or wandering around the village were the most interesting to me because I was able to experience the culture at its best.

I went on two excursions and did one class while in Ghana. I went to the Central Region to Cape Coast. This to me was very interesting as a tourist from America especially. At home, I had learned about slavery almost exclusively dealing with what had happened in America. This took be back to what happened before the slaves had even arrived in the Americas. It was extremely powerful to actually come to see these sites and also understand Ghanians’ perspectives on what had happened. The second trip I went on was to the North and the Upper East. On this excursion the most exciting was seeing all the animals. I saw elephants, antelopes, monkeys warthogs and got to touch a crocodile. To me this was absolutely amazing and I was happy to see a part of Ghana completely different from the village where I lived. We also were able to see some of the villages that still have some of the very traditional ways of building houses and arranging their villages. We were able to see the oldest mosque in West Africa and visit a traditional shrine.

Overall I was glad that I went on the excursions to understand Ghana as a whole country, however I definitely feel that I learned the most and enjoyed myself the most in the village. I learned more from the village than I could have imaged. It forced me to reevaluate my own life and what is important to me.

Sarah Thaler
Los Angeles, California
ADF – Atorkor
June 2008

My Indescribable Ghanaian Experience

My trip to Ghana cannot be described in words. After being very nervous, anxious, and excited all at once, I had no idea what to expect. Right away I felt welcomed when Gunadiish, the in-country coordinator picked me up from the airport. He was very friendly and turned out to be a very useful guide as well as a good friend. The village I stayed in, Have, was amazing! The children’s smile and laughter alone would have made the trip worth coming for. Every person in the village was more than willingly to help and assist me and there I made many friends, some I hope will be life long friends. I always felt that my well being was a major concern to them and that they made sure I was always comfortable. I worked at EDYM village, which is a sustainable farm. I loved it! It was by far the hardest work I have ever done. It was a lot of physical labor but I learned a great deal about the earth, agriculture, farming, and life. It was so peaceful; and though extremely tiring, when the work was finished I felt a great sense of accomplishment and pride in the work I had done. I was also very fortunate to have the amazing people to work with that I did. Besides being hard working and genuinely kind hearted, they were very funny and always made me laugh. Everyone reached out to me. Taught me about their interesting culture, the traditions, and even some of their local language, called E#E. I was also fortunate enough to attend a festival. The food was very different but I enjoyed it very much and though I always had to ask again and again what each kind was called, everyone was happy to tell me it and about how it was prepared.

I went on 3 excursions and visited some places in my region. First, I visited Central region. This was one of my favorites. There you get to walk across a canopy very high in the air and look over a tropical rain forest. It is absolutely breathtaking. Next we went to Elmina and Cape Coast slave castles. I learned so much information on the tours, and the guides were terrific. You get to tour every room and part of the castles, which are located right on the beach coast. My next trip was to the Northern region. The trip from Accra, where every trip usually starts from, is very long but if you can handle a long bus ride it is worth it. We stayed at mole National Park and went on a Safari. I saw wild Bore and Baboons at our hotel as well as Elephants bathing in a near-by pond of water. On the Safari I saw antelope, birds, and a heard of Elephants. Next we went to a near-by village that was home to a 600 year old Mosque. The Mosque was very interesting and near it on a wall is an ancient calendar. My next rip was to the Brong Ahafo region. Here I went to a monkey sanctuary, Kintampo waterfalls, and a slave markets. In my region, Volta region, I went with my village coordinator and saw another monkey sanctuary. In this one the monkeys came right up to me and grabbed a banana out of my hand. I also went to the highest Human habitat. Here, we drove up a mountain to a village located high in the mountains and took a slight hike up to look out to all the mountains around. After that we went to the highest waterfall in West Africa. It was unbelievable. There is a 30minute walk through the rain forest to get there and when you do the waterfall is amazing and there is a pool to swim in at the bottom of it.

My trip to Ghana was incredible! I love it. The people are warm and friendly and every staff member was very helpful and a lot of fun to work with. I encourage everyone who comes here to really reach out to the people in their village and they will connect back. I also encourage everyone to ask or research about some interesting places to o in the region your staying in, especially if your staying in the Volta region. There is really a lot to see there. Everyone was great, and I am so thankful for this wonderful opportunity. My village coordinator, Paul made sure I was comfortable and organized many things for me to take part in. He also introduced my work here to me and helped me understand it. The in-country coordinator, Gunadiish is also great. We traveled together many times and he constantly educated me on the culture and customs here. He was also extremely warm and friendly and me, him, and a few other volunteers were constantly engaging in some many interesting and stimulating conversations about everything. All the trips were great, the people are wonderful, I enjoyed my work tremendously, but nothing compared to the laughter of the children, beautiful landscape, and warm smiles that are everywhere you look. Thank you.

Jason Donofrio
Phoenix, Arizona – USA
EDYM VILLAGE
JUNE, 2008

The people living in the village are some of the friendliest and kind people I have ever met. They are quick to welcome you and take you in as their very own. I was very well taken care of!! Aside from my daily itinerary, I had a lot of freedom in how I used my time. The Director of the Association gives much Independence with program involvement and ideas. You, as the volunteer, ultimately decide your own level of involvement with the program and with the community at large. This flexibility was very invaluable to me because it provided me with the space and creative expression to naturally and contemplatively help out in ways that I could.

When I wasn't on the farms, I was generally spending and enjoying my time with the locals. Together we engaged in dialogs concerning the development of the community. We went for walks and visited other members of the community. We listened to, danced, and played music. I even learned a little bit of Twi, which is the local language!! They know practically everything about their immediate environment, so we would spend time checking out the indigenous plants, herbs, crops, and trees of the area. My diet practically consisted of the local crops and fare of the area. It was a real treat!

I also spent alot of time with the children of the community...they are beautiful and so unabashedly expressive. The kids would come see me every single day. We would go for walks, dance, and I would sometimes help them practice their English. They loved listening to the music I brought from the states! We had so much fun spending time together!

The people of Obodan are very kind and pleasant. Even in their impoverished condition, they do not victimize themselves at all. They thank and praise God for everything they have. It's truly magnificent! The village doesn't have a market or health clinic; it's bereft of any real industry, save for the private enterprise of selling crops and food.

In conclusion, I will say that living in Obodan, and becoming an active member in the community has transformed me. I have so much love for the community and the people residing therein. Development and progress require patience and steadfast maintenance, and I would encourage prospective volunteers to relinquish your sense of urgency. I encourage you to ease into the pace of the community, love the slow and contemplative aspects of it; it will only enrich your experience! Keep your heart open to the beauty and the wonder of the community!

Matilda Noviello
South Williamsport, PA, USA
Obodan Women Development Society
June 2008

My time in Atorkor

My time in Atorkor was personally challenging and rewarding. I was warmly welcomed by the kind people of the village. The accommodation was well above standard and expectation. I did not find it difficult to acclimatize myself to Ghana whatsoever. The personal challenge I encountered was wrestling the North American value system to African virtue. The history of the Ghanaian people has developed a community of strength and peace, ultimately setting the foundation for morality. This type of "community" is something that I see less and less of in North America. Because I knew I my visit to Ghana was for only 3 weeks, I mentally had to reconcile how I fit between the two differing cultures. Now that I am back home, I find it easy to slip into the "self-sufficiency" mentality. I consciously have to remind myself of my experiences in Africa to effect change in my perspectives, my friends perspective, as well as my family perspectives.

Paula Loewen
Westbank, BC Canada
Atorkor Development Foundation
May, 2008

An amazing experience

Visiting and volunteering in Ghana was an amazing experience. Through Village Volunteers I was able to see parts of the country, provided with insight into Ghanaian culture and able to experience Ghanaian village life. I found Ghanaians to be extremely hospitable and friendly. The kids are always curious to know who you are, where you are from and they always want you to play.

Ghanaian countryside is lush and gorgeous. The available trips are an easy way to see different parts of the country and to appreciate different aspects of their culture and people. With VV I went on the Northern Region tour where we got to see their typical homes and lifestyle and go on a Safari. I was also able to make it to Cape Coast which is gorgeous as it is on the ocean. The canopy walkway and the Elmina castle make it a worthwhile trip.

Being posted in the Volta Region I had the challenge of learning Ewe. I found it very difficult to pick up the language as it is very tonal. It was also a challenge to communicate with many Ghanaians in the villages as their English is lacking. I enjoyed working in Akoepe and on Ho farms as the workers were kind and happy to let me join them in their tasks. I was also able to learn a great deal about farming in Ghana and in general. Village Volunteers provides an easy way to understand and get acquainted with a whole new culture and people.

Celene Montgomery
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Akoepe Village Farms
June, 2008

A truly life Changing Experience

My time in Ghana was truly life changing. I spent my time at the Ryvanz-Mia orphanage in Kpando, and taught HIV education at the schools in the surrounding area. My job was to teach others, but I learned far more from this experience than I could ever have offered. I am amazed with the amount of kindness and the accommodating manner which was shown to me.Even though the children at Ryvanz-Mia have so little, they are the most happy and loving children I have ever met. The love and the kindness that these children showed to me was so emotionally inspiring, that at times I had to turn my head to wait until the tears in my eyes would pass.

Mama Esi, who runs the orphanage, was a delight. Her hospitable manner made living in a foreign country easy to adjust to. As I watched Mama talk with the children, I could see in her eyes how much she truly loves and cares for each and every one of them.

Kpando village was the most peaceful and friendly place I have ever visited. As I walked to school each morning, I was greeted with smiles and friendly faces. I truly felt welcomed.

After visiting Ghana, the problems and challenges I faced at home in the United States seem completely unimportant. My time in Kpando has forced me to ponder what is truly important in life. The people in Kpando have so little in most people’s eyes, but as a whiteness of their undeniable happiness, I know that they have more than what most people only hope to achieve in this life.

The friendships I made with the children at the orphanage, Mama Esi, and with the residents of Kpando village have changed my life forever. The feelings I havefelt in these short four weeks have left a lasting imprint on my heart. I will never forget my time here in Ghana.

Kelly Brown
Orem, Utah
Ryvanz-Mia Orphanage and Delta School
May 2008