Village Volunteers

Sara Richardson in Kenya

2010-09-04T18:04:00.000-07:00

I scanned the crowd in front of me, anxiously awaiting my driver and soon enough, I saw a man holding a sign intended for me. He took my bags and in seconds, we were cruising away from the airport and into my Kenyan adventure. I breathed in the distinct scent of Africa- of reddish brown dirt swirling in the air, mixed with men burning garbage and women cooking along the roadside- and memories of my trip to Mali two years before flooded over me. Although this was my first time to Kenya, driving along the highway with this stranger who had failed to tell me his name felt oddly familiar and unusually safe.

I found my stay in Kenya to be much more meaningful than my previous journey to West Africa, and I believe this to be for several reasons: fewer language barriers, cooler temperatures, a defined project and purpose, and most importantly, the outstanding organization and oversight of Village Volunteers. I have studied abroad in several countries, with various organizations and agencies, and have realized over the years that overseas, things often go wrong. I can truly say, however, that Village Volunteers has it together, and the planning and preparation this organization put into my trip allowed me to have an enjoyable and safe experience. From the time I was picked up at the airport until the time I was dropped off to return home, I was escorted and hosted by gracious individuals who continuously put my needs before theirs.

I traveled to this country to teach Kenyans about clean drinking water and when it was time to go, I had accomplished just that. At times, my efforts seemed futile and at times, I became frustrated. But when I think about Kenyans, I take pride in knowing they are a little healthier, in part because of me.

What I learned from living among Kenyans for six weeks will stay with me forever and I believe I am a better person because of this trip.

Kenya has taught me to live simply. For six weeks, I lived out of a suitcase and realized that I brought more with me than most Kenyans owned. And when it was time to go home, I realized I didn’t need or even want most of the things I had left behind at home. When I returned to the States, I gave away a lot of my stuff because living like an American again seemed too overwhelming.

Kenya has also taught me to live slowly. Kenyans have a way of talking, moving, and doing that is slow. And at first, I found this to be quite annoying. But the more I interacted with Kenyans, I realized that living slowly allows them more time to exchange greetings with passerby and visit family and friends, and this is what is most important to them. Kenyans don’t know how to rush and after my initial annoyance, I found it to be rather refreshing.

Campbell Hall & St. Michael’s University School Group, March 2010

2010-08-07T15:48:00.000-07:00

We have now landed back safely in Canada, but all I can think about is Atorkor! I just wanted to write to the four of you (who were the real architects behind our incredible experience), and on behalf of our entire group say thank you. It is actually hard to adequately express my true gratitude and exactly what I want to say. Your organization and support made the whole trip invaluable for each and every one of us. We will each take away different things from our time in Ghana, but it is safe to say that all of us have been profoundly impacted by the whole experience, and that we will never forget it. Atorkor and its people have touched our lives, and we will always feel like we have a home there. Thank you!

I would also request that you pass along our heartfelt gratitude to the many other people who were also important players in making this happen. Please thank Caroline and Marla (at the VV office) for their patience and efforts in getting us there in the first place, as well as Agbe and Kaye who were both phenomenal supports for our whole group while we were in the village. I would also like to recognize the tireless efforts and support that we received from Beulah and Seth at the school, and Togbe Avege’s guidance and expertise. They all made a huge difference.

I am sure as time passes, we will each continue to reflect at length about what we saw and learned during our time there, and how it has really changed us all for the better. I am also confident that you will see at least some of us back in Atorkor at some point in the future. We will look forward to hearing details from that end, and doing what we can to continue supporting all the fantastic work that continues to go on.

Once again, thank you.

Jon Gebbia, February 2010

2010-08-06T17:28:00.000-07:00

For my first time volunteering, I went to Nepal and had the pleasure of working with SADP-Nepal and all of the people associated with the organization. I chose to go to Nepal because of its diverse terrain and culture, and now feel like I couldn’t have picked a better destination. Their lack of education coupled with an unstable government makes Nepal a slowly developing country that is “arms wide open” for volunteers.

The hardest part of the trip for me was trying to give back half as much knowledge and know how that I was receiving. One travel quote that I have always lived by is “Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is the change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living” (Miriam Beard). That quote does a great job of explaining the type of experience anyone can have by volunteering internationally; an experience that goes way beyond short lived excitement, but self fulfillment and personal growth that will be with you the rest of your life.

In preparation for this trip, I tried to acquire as much information as possible about the people and the area; when in reality an open mind and a friendly attitude was everything I needed. When you surround yourself with such a wonderful group of people, the need for a travel partner and even home comforts becomes unnecessary. You become comfortable with the simple things in life like the sunset over the Annapurna Mountain Range, homegrown meals, simplicity and peacefulness; and since the best things in life aren’t things at all, the ability to slow down, relax, and appreciate life for what it is becomes a gift that many people will never understand.

If you are considering any sort of volunteering or even international travel, the value gained through helping other people will pay you back tenfold. Make sure you lace up your hiking boots, clear your schedule, and hold on, because the experience will rock your world! I thank both village volunteers and SADP Nepal for this life changing trip that will never be forgotten.
Namaste

Peta Hall, February 2010

2010-08-04T20:49:00.000-07:00

I have been a volunteer with Village Volunteers for three years, I have worked in Kpando and Atorkor, Ghana. In Kpando I established a womens cooperative, Dzidefo, (meaning "there is hope" in Ewe.) The 10 women make beautiful colourful toddlers clothing, and home accessories using 100% Ghanaian cotton that is batik printed by Claudia in the village. Our website will be live soon! This will give us an even bigger window on the world!

I am now working with Village Volunteers and the Atorkor Development Foundation to bring a Centre to the village of Atorkor. The fishing industry, the main source of income, has been crippled by off shore trawlers. However, there is a nucleus of artisans working there, so we are hoping to build a Centre there with 3 large workshops training women and the youth in batik, kente weaving, glass bead making, ironwork and woodwork. The centre will bring employment to about 90 people when it is fully operational. It will make a huge difference to the economy of the area.
Throughout my working in Ghana I have had the unflinchingly dedicated support of Village Volunteers. I have worked with other NGO's so have had experience with some that are non-professional, careless, and unreliable. I cannot stress how impressed I am with VV. They should be THE MODEL for every volunteer organization! It should be the way every volunteer organization operates, with thought, care, deep commitment and such service. Their profound belief in humanity spreads throughout every sector of their work, and organization. Truly they are the best, their dedication is phenomenal.

Brett Weiss, July 2009

2010-07-29T20:40:00.000-07:00

Would I recommend other people take the journey I just took? My quick answer is yes however I would have to say realistically that this is not for everyone. In fact for most of my life I did not think it was for me. While it was something I always had an interest in doing I never really thought I would do it.

I had to reach a point in my life where I was ready and willing to commit myself to making this trip and prepare myself mentally, physically, and emotionally and to buy all the “things” I needed for my trip and make all the travel plans. I am not an “outdoors” person and I think most of the people who make trips like this consider themselves outdoors people. I had to learn quite a bit about being an outdoors person to deal with this journey.

If one wants to do this kind of a trip one has to be ready to be very flexible and open to anything and everything. If someone does not think they can be this flexible, they should not even consider a trip like this. Another key point is that you cannot make a trip like this if you are going to get caught up in judgments.

I know each of us in our own way makes judgments…it is only human. However on a trip like this we have to do our best to put them on hold as judging people will take away what you can learn from them and we all can learn a great deal from each other, regardless of our financial status in life.

Another point I would make here is that one has to realize one person’s limitations. I do believe that the main way we make the world a better place is one person at a time taking actions that help other people. Thus if one makes a trip like this you need to be realistic about your impact. You need to realize that if you can do one thing to help out this kind of poverty that is a wonderful thing. Just think if everyone who is able does something this next week to help poverty….the world would be dramatically improved.

It was a thrill and an honor for me to have made this trip. There are so many people for me to thank. First, Village Volunteers out of Seattle, WA was the agency I made this trip through. They were incredibly helpful to me and were very patient with the many questions I would ask them either via email or over the phone. I could not have asked for more in the agency I chose to make this trip with. Shana Greene and her staff are wonderful and I would recommend to anyone who wants to make a trip like this to do it through them. Just go to www.villagevolunteers.org to get all the information you need.

Duncan and Pamela and their wonderful family who were our hosts were incredible. I could not have asked for more. They did everything and more to make me feel welcome and comfortable. They are truly wonderful and genuine people who are doing amazing things to try to help the people of Kenya. They are true heroes in a world where many people are called heroes but few really meet the definition. Duncan and Pamela are the real thing.

Wendy and Cindy and their home in Nairobi. They were wonderful in helping me trough my first and last nights in Kenya. They were full of class and were incredible hosts.

I thank everyone I met in Kenya who was so warm and wonderful. There will always be a special place in my heart for the people of Kenya and especially the people of Dago and the children in the Dago orphanage and at the Dago School. I will never forget them and they will be a part of everything I do in both my personal and work life.

Jessica Warner July 2009

2010-07-27T21:25:00.000-07:00

After my trip to Ghana in July and August of 2009 I have fallen in love. I travelled and lived
in the village of Kpando, living and volunteering at Ryvanz-Mia Orphanage. I was also lucky
enough to teach at two of the schools in the village: Delta school and Miracle Preparatory
School. I brought YOM (Youth Outreach Mentors written by Devon De Leña) with me to teach
and found the curriculum to be a success for the village.

At Ryvanz-Mia I was adored and cared for with the utmost respect. Every morning there was
a breakfast of eggs and bread or oats with tea or Milo. The kids and the volunteers would walk
to school together; these walks were a joy in themselves. On one rainy morning in particular I
walked outside to find all the kids dressed up in bright colorful ponchos. It was a silly memory.
I’d teach in the morning at Delta School. I was the teacher for P2 level. I tried to bring YOM
to the school, but I was having difficulty making things happen with the headmaster. I instead
taught math, French, English, geography, etc. Anything I could bring to the classroom was
helpful.

At lunch time I traveled to my second school: Miracle Prep School, where I taught YOM. The
headmaster at Miracle was a delight to work for. He was very enthusiastic about my curriculum
and made everything work out that I wished. We ended up putting together a group of 17
students and 2 teachers that were open to learning about HIV/AIDS. My students all passed
their tests, and I granted each with a button: “Ask me about HIV/AIDS.” They loved the buttons
and I think this was a great gift to contribute to the students in the end of their studies.
At Ryvanz-Mia Orphanage, I helped out with cooking dinner for the volunteers and cleaning up
afterwards. I mostly played with the kids when they returned from school every day. I brought
Twister which was loved by all and was a fun afternoon game.

My trip to Ghana was an amazing success. I loved every day of it and was so thankful to have
done all that I did. The children at Ryvanz-Mia and all my students have left an imprint on my
heart forever. I plan to visit them again one day, as soon as I can.
Lastly, I wrote a poem while there, that I thought I’d share:

I love the SOUND of an African night. It's loud enough to make music. Crickets are chirping,
frogs are croaking, bats are screeching. Drums can be heard from afar. Families are quiet
because dinner has finally been prepared. It is just loud enough, to close your eyes, and be
content with what your ears bring to you.

I love the VIEW of an African night. A setting sun paints the sky with pinks, blues, and yellows.
Stars appear quickly, twinkling 'star light, star bright.' Fireflies illuminate the bush and you can
only imagine what is roaming around in the dark. Palm trees are faint shadows. The red dirt of
the day is now black and unpredictable. Children's eyes become droopy, it is time for bed.
I love the FEEL of an African night. The warm winds are changing cooler to please a salty face.
The sun ceases to burn into my fair and tan-lined skin. The balmy breeze is enough to rock me
to sleep.

I love the SMELL of an African night. It is almost as if the sun has left her scent amongst the
earth. Charcoal stoves are smoking from a long days work. Cassava leaves smashed into
banku and okra stew served for dinner. Soapy dishes for washing and soapy children cleaned
for sleep.

I love the TASTE of an African night. It is unknown to the world, yet home for its people. Few
strangers can accept the beauty it holds. For these few hold an entirely new beat in their hearts,
for Mother Africa has blessed another with her wise grace.

My trip to Kenya

2009-04-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

Dago Dala Hera Orphanage
Alex Salkin
Sunday, March 1, 2009

I’m currently staying on a farm with the Odoyo Family, who are basically the patrons of the Dala Hera Orphanage. The farm is about a 5-minute walk away from the Dago Kogelo Primary school, and the Orphanage is another 3 minutes beyond that. There are about 55 orphans in all, all supported by a feeding program ran by the Odoyos and a Canadian sponsor. The Orphanage is basically a girls dorm, housing about 20 girls at night. The building itself was made possible from a donation from a Peace Corps volunteer in July 2002. While they would have liked to house both the boys and the girls, the government here makes it illegal to house both sexes in the same building, so the executive decision was made to house the girls while they wait to raise the money build a boy’s dorm.

The kids there are some of the sweetest you will ever meet. Most of them are shy around white people (Mazungus) because they see so few of them, but also I don’t think they get much personal attention from many adults. Sarah, the Canadian volunteer, while she was here was great with the kids, teaching them duck, duck, goose (which they call “Dok dok dok”) and playing with the skipping ropes and listening to them sing. I have been spending most of my time elsewhere with Edwin Odoyo, but the times I’ve been over at the orphanage while they’re playing I taught them how to use a Frisbee and recorded some of their songs with my digital voice recorder. They had never seen either of those things, so when I first threw the Frisbee or played back one of their songs they all burst out laughing.

The kids are taken care of by 8 different volunteer mothers, who rotate throughout the week with the cooking and supervising of the children at night. They do it completely without pay except for eating some of the meals they cook.

But through talking with Edwin the program always seems to be in jeopardy. “If our donor stopped paying for the feeding program we would have enough money and food saved up for about five weeks” after that, they wouldn’t be sure what to do. His ultimate dream is to buy an eleven-acre piece of land right next to the farm. By doing this, the whole program may one day be completely self-sufficient, with them growing their own food, and even selling any excess they may grow back into the community. At this point the land is full of sugarcane.

But at this point there are always ways to help the program even in small ways.

Did you know that for 10,500 shillings (135 dollars) you could bring a mobile clinic here every three months for a whole year and immunize all 55 orphans from malaria? For an additional 15,500 shillings (200 dollars) you could provide all the orphans with medicated skin cream (for ringworm and scabies, which almost all of them have) for the entire year?

You would be surprised at how much a little donation of just about ANYTHING helps someone here. An old pair of shoes can go to someone who has never owned shoes. A package of pens could go to a school that can’t afford them, ten dollars could feed a child for weeks.

Sometimes it’s hard to look at what some of these kids have to go through every day.

But when you see something really appreciated, it’ll touch your heart. A donor in the states sent me along with reading glasses to give to each village I go to while I’m here, and the first people I brought them to were the teachers at the Dago Kogelo Primary School.

One teacher admitted he had problems seeing the words on the pages of his student’s homework, and when he put on a pair of glasses he exclaimed, “I can see!”

Here’s an excerpt from the thank you letter from the headmistress of the school: “To Whom It May Concern: May I take this time on behalf of the Dago-Kogelo Primary staff, through the hands of Brother Alex to thank you very much for having donated to us very good glasses for reading. This will enable us to cope up with the present dynamic in Kenya which is always exhaustive to the bare eyes.”

I just have to smile when I read that.

Helping out at Namunyak Maasai Welfare
Sunday, March 22, 2009

My host Emmanuel Tasur and his wife, Lillian, run the volunteer program here about half an hour drive from Kilgoris (Should show up on Google maps) and 50 km from Maasai Mara game reserve, near the “Oloololo” entrance gate. Their house is in an area where nature is more abundant than houses, and our closest neighbors are Emmanuel’s sister, Georgina, and her family. She has two boys and one girl. Larry, her middle son, is 7 years old and incredibly smart. He speaks English better than most adults here and even figured out how to use my digital camera without any input from me (his artistic talents, however, leave much to be desired). I recently taught him and some of his friends how to play the card game “War,” and when Larry is on a hot streak he tends to say, “Tonight I will eat goat!”

Emmanuel’s school is already showing a great deal of progress, even in the short time I’ve been here. Three classrooms have been cemented and they’ve begun on the administration offices. The walls need to cure for 7 days, then they’ll be painted and other finishing touches will be added. Even though I’ll be gone when they start painting, I’m glad to know that the students here will soon be able to learn in permanent buildings.

When Emmanuel got the idea for his school, he had some requirements that he wanted to meet. First, a quality education for everyone. When he went to school as a child, there were too many students and too few teachers, so he made sure that his school would have a good student/teacher ratio. He also has a few mentally handicapped students in some of the early classes, which is almost unheard of here.

Second, cultural preservation. The school is in Maasai land, so he wants to preserve the “good parts of Maasai culture” (don’t ask me to define them). There is a rich history and strong traditions here, and what he sees as a loss of his culture worries him. However, when he hired the teachers and staff, he made sure that there was a good mix of the different tribes represented.

Third, environmental sustainability. He plans on using organic farming methods to grow crops, and wants to teach to his students the importance of the environment to their community. I’d say that’s pretty respectable, yeah?

A few weeks ago he got a letter from the Minister of Education letting him know that he’d been appointed to the “board of governors” of a local high school. He hadn’t applied to the position- he didn’t even know that there was an opening. But his reputation preceded him and at his first board meeting was elected chairman. Laughing, he said to me “I told them that I wasn’t going to serve unless certain things were met, including me being chairman of the board, so they elected me!” Everything was going according to plan, until he found out that the principal and the old chairman had been funneling funds meant to go towards building a new dorm into their personal bank accounts. He tried to stop them, but most of the power lies with the principal, so Emmanuel stepped down from the position instead. The other board members talked him into staying on the board, though. That is just one of the parts of Kenya I can’t stand. It’s so corrupt here. Even though the board knows about the money, there’s nothing they can do about it, and the principal knows that everyone knows about the money, but he does it anyway because he can. Screw everyone else.

So that’s why Emmanuel is a breath of fresh air. I envy the honesty, focus, and drive he has when it comes to his project. Basically everything goes towards the school. While the classrooms are almost finished, he still needs about 65,000 dollars to build the two dorms. (about 33k per dorm, but he may be able to get that down to 25,000 per dorm) He plans on building a public library and a clinic available to the whole community on the school property, and needs money for that. He still needs to build a permanent kitchen and living quarters for the staff, which will cost even more money. And also, to sponsor a child at his school costs 365 dollars for the whole year. That includes books, food, uniform, school fees, everything. All for a dollar a day. Just remember that even a few dollars goes a long way in this country. If you want to donate, go to www.villagevolunteers.org.

I asked what Emmanuel wants to do when he’s done building his school. He replied with a smile, “Build more schools, of course!”
If he’s the person in charge, than I know it will get done.

Alex Salkin is a 24 year old graduate of Willamette University with a B.A. in Anthropology. He just returned from a 6 week trip to Kenya through the Village Volunteer program (www.villagevolunteers.com). If you have questions or comments, please contact Alex.Salkin@gmail.com

Blog entry by Michele Fujii

2008-11-05T10:47:00.000-08:00

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

2008-09-03T16:51:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-25T04:28:00.000-07:00

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,

2008-07-25T03:43:00.000-07:00

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 !

2008-07-25T01:45:00.001-07:00

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!

2008-06-30T11:11:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-30T05:25:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-24T04:32:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-14T09:57:00.000-07:00

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

2008-06-14T05:40:00.000-07:00

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

My Experiences in Ghana

2008-06-14T05:17:00.000-07:00

My journey in Ghana started great. Abigail who at that time received me was a nice hostess. Even through complications she does a great job for an 18 year old. So be patient, we are experiencing a different culture. The tro-tro ride though was an interesting experience, that in time I got used to.
Now for my stay in Kpandu! Mama Esi at Ryvanz-Mia Orphanage Kple (&) Mawusi and Baby at Missahoe Children’s Home, where great in making me feel at home. The kids in both orphanages where/are really optimistic even in place of having a tough past. I truly commend these kids and will always pray and hope that these children will do the best for Ghana and Society in whole!

Aside from being at the orphanage I also taught at Delta Preparatory School grades 4-6 English and Math. This for me was a great learning experience that added to my cultural engagement, simply because there were children that had the younger years of their childhood grown up in different regions of Ghana. This to me gave a round cultural outlook on Ghana life because unfortunately I was unable to travel up north or to the western regions.

Now as for my cultural experience, I found that buying and playing Hi-Life music on my laptop and actually dancing according to how locals are dancing. Buying a drum and learning a few patterns of beats. Being open minded to the different foods, even if they don’t look appealing. Then attending church and actually engage in the dancing at times will help. Then finally asking questions about ones life experience in Ghana most definitely helped me in acceptance of local poverty and culture that is present in Ghana, which I had a hard time to accept at first. I learned that through poverty people are stronger mentally and physically and spirited because there is no great materialism that people are dying to have, like me and cable TV/ specific foods. Though I have accepted the situation in whole, I left feeling that I have done my part to place a piece of a bright future for those I have come in contact with. Vise versa. They also have given me great memories and an excellent taste of Ghana life.

So finally embrace the culture and have a different paradigm of thought. Because coming in thinking like an American, Australian or whomever, the experience won’t be the same as putting your own self in Ghanaian shoes! Embrace the present time rather than future or past and have fun!

Jorge Mendoza
National City, CA – USA
Ryvanz-Mia Orphanage, Kpando – Ghana
April 2008

Volunteering in Atorkor

2008-06-13T15:29:00.000-07:00

I have always dreamed of doing volunteer work in Africa and this year I decided to make that dream a reality. After researching different NGO’s for a couple of months I decided to volunteer through Village Volunteers. On April 2^nd 2008 I arrived in a small fishing village called Atorkor which is about a two and a half hour journey from the outskirts of Accra, Ghana. There I would call home for the next 5 weeks. When I arrived at the Chief of Atorkor’s house (where I was going to be staying) I was greeted by many smiling faces and participated in a brief welcome ceremony. Some school children dressed in brown and orange uniforms sang a song of welcome for me and another volunteer and we met some of the elders of the community. I was amazed after getting a grand tour of the Chief’s residence at how modern it was…..flush toilets, sinks and showers, and an air conditioned living room and dining area. Not at all what I was expecting and in the weeks to come I would see why everyone in the village referred to this place as ‘The Palace’.

I was volunteering with the Atorkor Medical Clinic doing Health Screening in Atorkor and surrounding villages. This was a truly amazing experience. The purpose of the screening was to identify health issues such as malnutrition, malaria, asthma/ respiratory illnesses, and high blood pressure in different households. As well we were checking children’s immunization status and assessing whether or not pregnant women were receiving pre-natal care. We went from house to house conducting surveys and offering health advice. This was a great way to see the living conditions of the people in the area and experience the culture on a more personal level. It was really amazing to see how resourceful some of the people were and how they could make do with what little they had. As a nurse this was definitely a different experience for me…….taking blood pressures while chickens were running over my feet and goats scavenging for food bahing in the background. The households were very welcoming. They’d greet you with what sounds like “Wayzoe” which means “you are welcome”. And after you were done they would say what sounds like “Akbay” which means “thank you”. Many were very amused and delighted when I responded with “Yooo” which basically means “I accept your welcome or your thanks”. I also had the opportunity to volunteer with the Community Health Nurse of Atorkor doing Well Child Clinics (vaccinating and weighing infants and addressing any concerns the mothers had). I won’t ever forget when we showed up to one of the Well Child Clinic sites in the village of Srogbe. As we walked through a tall metal gate into an area fenced in by about a 6 foot tall cement wall we were greeted by over 50 mothers with infants. They were all seeking shade under a huge, lush mango tree…..the largest mango tree I’ve ever seen. There we weighed infants on the weigh scale which reminded me of the scales we use in grocery stores in Canada to weigh food. The children were placed in fabric sacks and hung from the scale. As they swung back and forth on the weigh scale under the mango tree I just thought to myself, “Wow, so this is Public Health Nursing in Africa…..if only we had mango trees in Canada”. Now I’m at the end of my 5 week stay in Ghana. I leave tomorrow. It is very bittersweet because although I am really excited to see all my family and friends in Canada, I am very sad to leave this place which has become my home away from home. There are so many things I will miss. The food was amazing……my favorite was Red Red which is black-eyed peas in a spicy red sauce served with fried red plantains. I am going to miss walking down the street passing people carrying various objects balanced on their heads while goats and chickens run across the street and waves of the ocean crash against the beach in the background. I am going to miss the scenery…..Ghana is such a beautiful country. Home to such a rich diversity of plants and animals. I had the opportunity to go on 2 excursions during my stay. One was to the Northern Region in which I got to go on a safari in Mole National Park. I got to see elephants, baboons, monkeys, many different types of birds, crocodiles, and antelope in their natural habitat. I also got to explore some of the Central Region in Cape Coast. I saw several slave castles which were very beautiful but heartbreaking at the same time. I went on a canopy walk (40 meters off the ground) in Kharkum National Park and went on a guided nature tour. Of all the things I’m going to miss about Ghana I’ll miss the people the most. I’ll never forget the friends I’ve made and all the wonderful people I’ve had the privilege of meeting. This was the most amazing experience of my life and I hope to be able to come back to volunteer in Ghana again soon.

Heather Valgardson
Cochrane, AB Canada
Atorkor Development Foundation
May, 2008

2008-06-01T22:25:00.000-07:00

From the moment I walked out of the airport in Accra I felt welcomed to Ghana, starting with the massive crowed (granted they were waiting for their respective travelers) I almost felt they were there waiting for me and if they only had started cheering with the flashes of cameras I would have probably had my first and only experience of what it's like to be a celebrity. A hot and sweaty, sleepless first night at Gunadiish's house only to wake up the next day with air conditioning installers connecting it up - what a tease...My village is fantastic, Fesi a culture much like that of a Westernized culture, I felt that I fit right in. The flies I would never get used to, but bathing under the light of a bright night sky or a work day that starts at 10 and ends between 3 and 5 are aspects that I could absolutely get used to. Being surrounded by such strong women, children and grandchildren all working in pottery so effortlessly was such a fascinating experience. I spent more time watching them work and interacting with each other than I did working with the clay.

In addition to working at the pottery shed, I took an excursion to the Volta Region with multiple other volunteers from the surrounding villages where we saw the Wli Waterfalls, a magnificent and powerful form of Mother Nature. After we had such a peaceful day at the waterfall we went to the hot, gruesome, testing our determination of a basically straight incline of Mount Afadjato - the tallest mountain in Ghana. I also had the opportunity to learn batik cloth making with some very talented and patient guys that taught me a lot about the art. I left there with some beautiful fabrics.

I was so lucky to meet such a wonderful, caring, welcoming group of people and it was so hard to leave a place that made me feel so at home.

Emily Stuut
Chicago, Illinois
Fesi pottery, Kpando
April, 2008

2008-06-01T06:10:00.001-07:00

My 6 weeks in Ghana were some of the best weeks of my life. I feel like I learned a lot, grew a lot, and will now be returning to Georgia a completely different person. I give credit to all of those who made my trip possible, the program coordinators, and the people I have met while in Ghana.

I arrived with lower expectations of my accommodations and food. I was surprised to have my own room, electricity, and large portions of food. There was no running water in Have, but I got used to bucket showers and will actually miss those when I get back home. The food took some getting used to for me, and my stomach was upset the majority of the time. However, if you speak up and tell your cook the foods you like/dislike, then the food transition will be much easier for you.

The clinic in Have was quite an experience. I got to see a few babies being delivered, and I also got to help chart things and take blood pressures. The nurses and people in charge were extremely welcoming, and it was actually sad to leave them. The clinic was, however, a more laid back environment than I used to. Sometimes there was not much for me to do, so I had to move around and keep asking questions. If you go to Have, I would recommend taking charge in order for your experience to be more memorable.

I went on two excursions and one cultural festival while I was in Ghana. My favorite excursion was the Central Region (Cape Coast). The canopy walkway was exciting and the slave castles were very beautiful and very informative. I also went on the Volta Region tour. Since Have was in the Volta, I had seen a lot of the landscape but the monkey sanctuary was interesting and Wli falls were beautiful! The festival was really interesting, but you have to be at the right place at the right time in order to see what is going on.

I spent a lot of time with Gunadiish during my stay because I was always traveling during the weekends. The most impressive thing about him is that he seems to be the only Ghanaian who tries to be on time. Everyone else is on “African time”, so you should expect to wait on most people when they are suppose to meet you. Gunadiish is also very easy to talk to if you have a problem in your village.

Ashley Denney
Athens – Georgia
Community clinic, Have
May 2008

2008-06-01T06:10:00.000-07:00

I’ve traveled a lot in throughout my 31 years of life, but must admit, that this trip has been the hardest, both emotionally and physically. Maybe I’m just out of practice or out of shape! Honestly though, despite being the hardest, it has been by far the most rewarding. I was only in Kpando for one month, but felt like I developed a true connection with the kids at the orphanage. The minute I met them, I knew I was doing the right thing. They are all so very special.

I feel fortunate that I was paired with Baby, Mawusi and Missahoe Charity House. I couldn’t have asked for better people to stay with. They took care of me as a daughter, friend and sister. Not to mention that Mawusi is an amazing cook! She cooked local dishes in the likes of fufu and banku, as well as salads, chicken, anything you would ask for. Their warm hospitality had me quickly forgetting about the bucket that I had to use for a toilet, and the 100 degree heat that I had to bare without AC or fans!

There were a few cultural differences that I had to overcome during my stay. When I witnessed something I didn’t agree with, I had to constantly remind myself that I came to Ghana as a volunteer to help the children, not to change the culture. I learned to accept the differences, but I’ll never agree with them. Regardless of this, I think Ghanaians are some of the nicest people I have ever met. I could tell that they really appreciated my efforts. Everyone was eager to help me. When I first arrived in the village, some locals were shaking my hand saying “Welcome.” Others even said “Thank You!”

When I wasn’t at the orphanage, I was teaching at the L.C. Boys Primary School. Most of the boys from the orphanage went here, so I got to spend a lot of time with them. I loved it, the kids were great. They were all so enthusiastic about learning. Some of the boys were brilliant. I wish the government was more concerned about their education. I saw some real potential, but the lack of money will most likely prevent these boys from a higher education. It makes me so sad.

So all in all, it was an amazing trip. I overcame all my obstacles, not for myself, but for the sake of the children. They taught me that it was possible. They taught me a lot actually. Leaving them was heartbreaking. I feel selfish for coming into their lives for such a short amount of time. I wish I could stay with them longer. They have left a lasting impression on me, and I hope that I have done the same for them.

Vanessa Ziegler
Austin, Texas – USA
Missahoe children’s home
March 2008

The Asutsuary Women Development Society

2008-05-06T10:40:00.000-07:00

Since visiting Africa 11 years ago and doing all of the touristy things I wanted to return to spend some time with the people. I really felt like I could learn something from people that seemingly have so little but yet seem so happy. After spending nearly a month living in Asutsuare and working with the women of the Asutsuare Women’s Development Society I feel as though I got a sense of the amazing spirit that these people have. The women went out of there way to make me feel welcome and for the month I was there it felt like I had 32 mothers.

I come from a farming background and also wanted to learn about farming systems in Ghana. Around Asutsuare they use the water from the Volta to irrigate rice. You really have to admire the adversities that these people work with. Farming rice is a difficult business, working in hot, humid fields often ankle deep in water, relying on manual labour for most of the work. It’s hard to fathom spending the three weeks prior to harvest out in the field everyday from 6 in the morning until 6 at night scaring birds off of the nearly ripe crop.

In the short time I spent in Ghana I was privileged to get what I felt was a true sense of how the people live and work. I hope that I was some value during my time there and won’t be just remembered as the Aussie who sweats all the time.

Andrew Ware
Tumby Bay, South Australia
Asutsuare Women’s Development Society, Ghana
March, 2008

Volunteering at Ryvanz-Mia

2008-05-06T10:32:00.000-07:00

I wish I had more time to think before writing something but I guess there is no time like present. The past six weeks in Ghana have been an amazing period of my life. At the ripe old age of 35 (celebrated in Ghana!), I have been looking forward to traveling to West Africa since sometime in my early twenties. Although the plans for such a trip have been in my head for many years, I really tried to hard to go to Ghana with little preconceived notions. It’s difficult to put my experience into words right now but to summarize, I wish I had a lot more time in Ghana ahead of me instead of heading to the airport tomorrow (although of course I miss my family/friends/animals!)

I loved the vibe and the beauty of the Volta Region. With the exception of a few days visiting Cape Coast and Elmina, I spent my entire visit in the Volta Region. Initially, I planned to volunteer for 4-5 weeks and travel for 1-2 weeks at the end. After only a few days at the Ryvanz-Mia Orphanage with Mama Esi and the kids, I decided to volunteer for all six weeks. I am very sad right now about leaving the Ryvanz-Mia Orphanage Family so I’m not going to write too much. Suffice it to say that all ten kids at the orphanage are amazing and wonderful little people. Mama is a strict and caring Mama who took very good care of me and my fellow volunteers. I will miss the delicious fresh meals prepared by Mama and Naomi too. Although I have no knowledge of sewing, I enjoyed the experience of seeing the Dzidefo Women’s Coop in its early stages. I was also amazed by Mama’s skills as seamstress and pastry cook. I was fortunate to attend the graduation for her apprentices. I had wonderful fellow volunteers in the orphanage and the Kpando neighborhood as well and feel fortunate to have found so many new friends along the way here. Having very little experience with extended time with children, I was pleasantly surprised to find out how much I looked forward to spending time with the kids each day. They made me smile and laugh so much and surprised me again and again with their antics, strength and warmth. I am getting sad again so I will just end this part by saying I will miss each and every part of the Ryvanz-Mia Orphanage family.

I also “taught” lower primary classes at the Delta Prepatory School. I certainly learned a lot more from the kids and the experience than anyone learned from me! I would say I acted more as an entertaining (hopefully) teacher’s aide than a teacher. It was challenging to learn the rhythm of Delta’s schedule but eventually I got the hang of it and spent most of time with the P2 class. The class is large and energetic and both the kids and the teacher, Mr. Atsu, made me laugh a lot. I especially enjoyed P.E. I appreciate the gracious hospitality extended by the Director and Headmaster. I have no prior experience with teaching and thought I was going to be working on a Moringa farm so I was surprised to arrive in Ghana and find out that I was staying in an orphanage and teaching. The “teaching” and time with kids made me stretch outside of my comfort zone – always a healthy exercise!

I also enjoyed spending time at the Missahoe Charity Home. Baby and Mawusi are so welcoming and it is amazing to see the work they do with their large family of children at the Charity Home. I also had the opportunity to do a small amount of site planning for a new facility for Missahoe. As a landscape architect, I was excited that my training could be put to use in at least a small way here in Ghana. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the plants and landscapes of the region and I’m quite sure my traveling companions and hosts are still laughing at me for my many, many plant questions and pictures of leaves and plant parts!

Overall, I found myself extremely relaxed during my stay. I have very happy memories of my excursions around the region, particularly, the beautiful hike to the upper part of the Wli Falls. I loved the Cape Coast/Elmina area and wish I had more time to spend there! I appreciate Mr. Kojo’s patience and assistance (especially the plant information!) Kpando is like a second home to me now. I met wonderful people with huge hearts and I feel like I am taking away so much more that I can put in words! I hope to return before too long. The landscapes I have seen and the people I have met here will always be in my thoughts.

Jennifer Ward Souder
NYC, New York – USA
Ryvanz-Mia Orphanage
April, 2008

My Visits to Fesi women's Pottery

2008-05-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

Very talented women potters in Fesi! Firstly I just spent as day just watching them making pots and burnishing and firing their works. I inspected their work, their gallery, their wood kiln and just watched those making pots.

The next visit I had made some sketches of new ideas, and designs, and talked to them about designs, proportion etc, and left them the sketches, and then when I returned next they had made every sketched piece, plus more with their own interpretation of the designs and it was amazing! They were remarkable! I was floored! They had even taken a image from my business card and made the quirky teapot off it!! I suggested they made local animals like anteaters, pigs, guinea fowl chicks buck etc, and their designs were truly delightful!

They are not interested in using their wood kiln supplied by Oxfam, because they do not want to fire longer than their open pit 25 minute bamboo and bark firings. I suggested that they did not blacken all their pots but left some with the rich colors of the flame on their deeply red earthen ware clay.

They need markets to sell their work in, they need flyers to been printed and posted at all the guest houses, and tourist bureaus in the area. And they need to answer emails that are sent to them! There is a possibility that Tim Dougherty the local Peace Corp man will reopened the art gallery for local artwork and they should certainly be part of that.

Great women, great potters and artists! Some 3 generations strong,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, incredible!

Peta Hall
Bloomfield, Ontario Canada
Kpandu Village
February 2008

Dzidefo Women's Coop, Kpando

2008-04-01T15:55:00.000-07:00

Dzidefo (means "there is hope") (pronounced Jidefo) Women's Coop was established in February 2008, by Village Volunteers and by "Mama Ama Peta", a volunteer from Canada! The coop was founded to give the women a sustainable income, develop their business skills, and to develop their sewing techniques and skills to enable their work to be marketed in the US and Canada.

Five amazing women; Regina, Joan Mabel Aku and Rose were the founding members. In two and half weeks they made nearly 80 toddlers outfits, diaper bags, crib blankets and laundry bags! They were dedicated, (often arriving an hour early and leaving a hour late!) they worked as a team, they were creative, attentive, produced quality work, and were wonderful smart, funny laughing women, so keen to learn and it was such a reward to work with them.

Village Volunteers purchased the machines, fabric and sewing supplies, a cupboard, and opened a bank account. All the fabric used is GTP or ATL designs (pure Ghanaian fabrics) or woodblock batik prints. This is to promote Ghanaian fabrics and to give a really delightful ethnic flavour to all the items made.

The next steps are to buy 6 more machines, a large table, more fabrics, and sewing supplies, and expand their repertoire to include sunhats, new toddlers clothing designs, pinafores, maybe change mats, etc. Interesting designs, but not overly ornate as the fabric will tell the story. Sewing knowledge and skills is an asset here.

Kpando is a great friendly town with a terrific market, just make sure you have enough cedi's as the nearest place to change money is 40kms away.

Mama Esi Regina is an incredibly hardworking woman, she runs an orphanage, where I stayed, she is a woman of many smiles and infectious laughter, and has a huge heart. Edward Kojo the coordinator is a true gentleman, infinitely helpful, thoughtful, caring man of the old school.

I felt very privileged to have worked with both these people and my "wonderful women" from the coop.

Peta Hall
Bloomfield, Ontario Canada
Kpandu Village
February 2008

The Have Clinic

2008-02-17T14:43:00.000-08:00

My experience with Village Volunteers began with a call home to the US from Ghana to try and figure out how I could extend my stay in Ghana and do some volunteering of some sort. Through a couple of calls I got hooked up with Village Volunteers and was able to practice some of my nursing skills in the small village of Have in the Volta Region of Ghana. I moved into a house in Have with another volunteer Sam where we had our home cooked meals cooked for us by Florence a great cook who always made sure we had enough food three times a day. We soon became friends with her son Richard who helped Florence out bring us our meals and made sure we got anything we needed. Another friend of ours was Jimmy a 15 year old boy who was full of energy all the time. On our first night in Have he took Sam and I around the village show us where everything was and he also brought us to meet Paul’s family who runs the show out in Have. We also met Felix who is a very important person in the village and made sure we were always comfortable and brought us anything he thought might help us be more comfortable. As for my work experience in Have, since I am a nursing student I helped out at the Have Health Clinic. In the mornings I arrived at the clinic at eight and joined the staff for worship until around eight thirty and then the work began in a much laid back sense. This meant that if you needed to go get a loaf of bread you could probably just leave and so do it. Some days when there were hardly any patients, this meant that the staff went to the road side to get a snack which sometimes lead a half an hour long snack break that was unplanned. The laid back sense of things kept everyone in good spirits but at the same time everyone was able to get down to work when it was needed. Since all of the staff is not always able to be there everyone has to be very flexible and shift around to different areas of the clinic when ever asked. This was great for me because I got to work with in PEDS, consulting, and in the maternity ward. The only difficulty with this was that since I do not speak Ewe which is the language of the people in Have it was hard for me to do the documenting, but I got to do a lot of hands on work. The hands-on work was taking vitals, giving vaccines, and other tastes. The thing that really made my entire experience so wonderful was how helpful the other nurses were and how understanding they were having me working with them in their clinic. I became especial good friends with one of the nurses and so when the weekend came and she was making a trip home to her village where they made (Kente) cloth she invited me to come with her to see how it was made. This was a wonderful cultural experience traveling to her village and meeting her family. It continues to amaze me how people with so little seem to be the most giving. I was true throughout my entire time in Have the hospitality was most amazing. I am sad to have to leave after only a short two week stay in Have, but I hope one day not to long from now I will be able to go back.

Krysta Frye – Norwich, VT – USA
Have, Ghana
January, 2008

My time in Ghana

2008-01-20T00:55:00.000-08:00

I had wanted to do hands on volunteer work for several years and after researching many organizations decided to travel to Ghana through Village Volunteers. I’ve just returned from a 3 week stay in the Volta Region where 3 friends and I divided our time between an orphanage called Missahoe Charity Home in Kpando and helping in the renovation of a library in the village of Have.

We quickly became adjusted to life in Ghana… The burning fires on the side of the road, roosters waking us up at 2am, meals of fufu and banku, the very relaxed laid back attitude and locals wanting to shake our hands and greeting us with “You are welcome” wherever we went.

Working at the orphanage was incredibly rewarding. As we walked to the orphanage each morning, 27 adorable kids would run up to us to hold our hands and carry our bags. Since school was out for Christmas vacation our days were spent playing soccer and football, coloring, reading stories, teaching the kids American songs and dances, and helping to prepare meals.

Spending Christmas at the orphanage was truly special. We first accompanied the children to Church where we caused quite a stir as we were ushered to the front 4 pews. That afternoon we purchased and then served lunch to all of the kids which consisted of chicken, rice, Coca-Cola and cookies. The children were grateful and I will never forget their smiling faces on that afternoon when most of their friends were sitting at home with their own families enjoying Christmas lunch.

The orphanage is run by two of the kindest most sincere women, Mawusi and Baby. They care for the children like they are their own, and it shows because the children have nothing and yet are happy and playful and kind and well mannered. They have been through so much at such a young age and it shows in their maturity. Saying goodbye to 27 crying kids was difficult and I will never forget the time I got to spend with them.

In addition to the orphanage we spent 5 days in the village of Have helping to renovate a building which will now be used as a library for 10 local schools. Working in conjunction with the townsmen we chiseled, laid cement, painted, installed new doors, built bookshelves and purchased books to fill the library. Our donation went a long way and the village chief along with the local MP came to the ribbon cutting opening ceremony, which was covered on the radio the next day. Our work was greatly appreciated and although we were sad to leave Ghana, we were pleased to know that the library would benefit the village and be used by the schoolchildren immediately.

Joanna Kornfeld
New York, USA
Missahoe Children's Home Kpando &
Have Village, Ghana
Dec, 07 - Jan, 08

My Experiences in a Herbal Clinic in a village in Ghana

2008-01-19T23:36:00.000-08:00

Antie Esi is back in Accra!

There are not enough words of beauty to describe my experience here in Ghana. I worked in a village called Owuram located in the Eastern Region. The village is small with no electricity. I was placed at a Herbal Clinic where I worked along side and witnessed the excellent work of Dr. Normesie. I saw amazing improvement in the stroke patients who live at the clinic and became close with them and their caretakers. The village life is full of nature, beauty and loving hospitable people. I’ve learned many things about herbal medicine and had a lot of hands on work with the plants themselves. I saw all the processes of herbal medicine from collecting the plants, to the manufacturing, packaging and sales. Owuram will always have a warm place in my heart. The 4:00am wake up call by the rooster, bathing outside as the sun rises with the occasional visits from the goats and chickens, the bushwacking hiking trails, fufu (a local meal), the children calling me “OBRONI OBRONI!! (whiteman!)” everywhere I go, the caretakers and their patience, doing my own laundry, the cocoa farms, the music, and so much more of the culture. And it’s true Ghanaians are really the nicest people you will ever meet!! When I first entered the village I was greeted by the elders of the village, they performed a prayer for me which was very powerful. The prayer was said to protect me from the evil sprits. I felt very honored to have this prayer.

The excursion with Gunadiish to the Ashanti Region was truly a treat. The bamboo forest was one of my favorite spots in Ghana. I also took the Batik and tye and dye class in Accra one weekend. I was able to make my own bayic and tie and dye local cloth which are going to make wonderful gifts for the family!

I’ve only stayed here for one month, but I’ve learned so much and made so many friends here in Ghana. It’s been the hardest thing I’ve done in a long time to leave this place. I will always remember the memories that Ghana has given me. Thank you Village Volunteers for allowing me to have this great opportunity here in Ghana. It’s truly been a trans-personal experience.

Shoshanna Rome
Sommerville, MA, USA
Health for all Clinic/Research Institute
Awuram, Asamankese, Ghana
Dec, 07 - Jan, 08

My Days in Ghana

2008-01-18T16:07:00.000-08:00

I spent three months living at the Kumasi Institute for Tropical Agriculture (KITA) in a rural area near Kumasi. As an International Development Studies major in university, I wanted to gain some experience volunteering through both an international NGO and a local organization, and Village Volunteers fulfilled that experience for me. I found their support before, during and after the trip extremely comforting and was especially glad to have the in-country coordinator, Gunadiish there when I needed him!

I was blown away by the hospitality and kindness of Ghanaians, and after the three months was comfortable having some degree of conversation with them in the local language, Twi. KITA is an non-governmental agricultural college, and staying there I got the opportunity to learn much about tropical agriculture, grow my own vegetable garden, and also care for mushrooms and rabbits. However, my main project was a community development youth program in the surrounding two villages, Apromase and Domeabra. I facilitated a club where, with the help of the KITA students, we tried to encourage farming as a sustainable livelihood for the future of junior high school students, through the creation of school vegetable gardens, production of mushrooms and snails, and other lessons on sustainable, organic agricultural methods. The children I worked with showed amazing commitment and leadership throughout the program, and they always managed to make me smile. The students I met at KITA showed me that they are just the same, in so many ways, as my university-aged friends at home, and I made some great friendships with these amazing, hardworking people.

I was glad that I was able to be in Ghana long enough to experience both the challenges and benefits of working for an organization, of trying to immerse yourself into a whole new culture, and of facilitating a program in a completely different cultural context. I learned so much that I have taken back with me, which I can apply to my school, work and general outlook on my life. To any future Village Volunteers, I highly recommend trying to stay for a longer period of time, as the more time you spend in a place you gain real insight on how to become a part of that place. Ghana will always be a part of me, and I hope to return there someday.

Michelle Schram

Winnipeg, Canada

KITA Village Volunteer

October-December 2007

Apromase-Domeabra, Ghana

Teaching at Have village, Ghana

2008-01-15T01:33:00.000-08:00

Akwaaba, I arrived in Have weary from long flights from New Zealand, however the hospitality of the local community was simple incredible. From Alex and Jimmy who were assigned to look after us volunteers, to Florence the cook, to everyone who was just walking down the street and happy to say “Hello” and “You are Welcome”. One moment that touched me was at the bus station in Accra on the 2^nd night in Ghana, we were waiting for the bus to depart and this local kid who we had not met before invited us to join him with his dinner, that is something that you just don’t see back home, but here where people have much less, people were much more willing to offer things like this. When I got Malaria, the doctors and technicians at the clinic were very sincere, but not only that, they were very fast and efficient, diagnosing me quickly, getting my bloods taken, getting the results, and providing me with the drugs to beat the parasite. They were much faster than hospitals back home, and I was very impressed with the care they provided.

My main purpose of my time in Ghana, and in Have in particular was to teach the kindergarten kids, this was something that was a huge challenge for me as I had never done any teaching before, but it was a great experience and really rewarding. Seeing the kids improvement over the 5 weeks was really special, and getting a “Thank You” from fathers of the kids meant a lot to me. At the start the kids were struggling with their colours but by the end they knew what colour Green, Blue, Red, Yellow, Brown, Purple, Orange, and Black were. They also improved dramatically in writing letters and numbers, and seeing a kid who kept making the same error in his writing, finally get it right and the smile on his face, is something that will stay with me.

The kids smiles were infectious, and they loved being able to colour in some drawings, something I don’t think many had experienced before. By the end, some of their drawings were very impressive, so I decided to make a mural of their drawings on the last day to brighten up their classroom, something I hope they will enjoy.

The sunsets in Ghana were absolutely stunning, pictures don’t do them justice as the redness in the sun is unique to Africa. The landscape when the sun was setting was brilliant with the haze of the Hamatan making the landscape somewhat of a blue, with the red sun burning in the background. I will miss the people I encountered a great deal, I will miss the kids smiles and them yelling out “Teacher” and “Sir” as I passed them in the street, I will miss the tro-tro rides, theres something about being squashed in a minivan that becomes really enjoyable.

Marc Byers,
New Zealand,
January 2008
Have, Ghana.

My experience in Have, Ghana and Gunadiish's Weekend trips

2007-09-30T11:28:00.000-07:00

My experience in Have, Ghana, will never be forgotten. There is so much beauty and peace in the day-to-day lives of the people. From the start I was welcomed with open arms in my village and became very spoiled by the kindness of the people, their attention and appreciative present-tense way of living. It's just an entirely different mindset than what I am used to, and it was a breath of fresh air.

The impact of EDYM Village on the local Have community also truly amazes me. The organization aids their community in all ways possible: from sustainable agriculture methods to education to micro-finance. I was proud to get my hands dirty and to help in EDYM's growth.

Many fond memories continue to stick out in my mind: Trekking up Have's mountainside with local friends, introducing the game of frisbee, trying new local dishes like Banku for the first time, learning how to graft mango trees, manufacturing Moringa Tea, the peacefulness of just sitting on a family's porch, invitations to local football practices, late night drumming sessions, and the weekend excursions all over Ghana with Gunadiish and the other volunteers. I wish I had had the opportunity to stay longer than one month.

Rashelle Simpson

Have Village volunteer

Sustainable Agriculture

August, 2007

My most memorable experience

2007-09-25T16:18:00.000-07:00

My trip to Ghana as a volunteer was very memorable. The thing that stands out most are the people of Ghana themselves who are very friendly, very cheerful very hospitable and very optimistic.

I chose to volunteer for Women Empowerment Program. I stayed in a small town called Nsawam, a two-hour drive from Accra, the capital city of Ghana. I worked with an NGO called AMPA which is contributing significantly in the area of HIV/AIDS education. I helped with many workshops and seminars organized by AMPA resources foundation. I helped by helping to conduct group discussions, role plays and dramas to raise the awareness of the issue. The role plays and dramas were part of the workshops. The people participated very enthusiastically in all the tasks organized by the volunteers. In fact, it was a two-way learning process. I learned a lot from them as well. I would go to AMPA office at about ten in the morning and workout the details of the seminars and workshops and off we would go to meet the targeted groups. The beautiful thing about the workshop discussions was the willingness of the people to discuss the issue openly and honestly.

The weekend trips that we went were out of this world. The most memorable one was the trip to Mole National Park. That night was a magical one with a very beautiful starlit night with even the Milky Way visible. The campfire, the exotic African drums and the dance created a magical night.

Geetha Nagendra
Hong Kong
August 2007
Nsawam project volunteer
Women Empowerment/ HIV Aids project

Teaching in Kpandu

2007-09-24T06:44:00.000-07:00

My time in Ghana was wonderful.

I was pleasantly surprised by how friendly and caring all of the people were. The weeks that I spent here went by way too fast and am already expecting to return next year. I worked in a school teaching art to primary students. The children were eager to learn from me and enthusiastic about everything I taught them. I was welcomed by the students, teachers and the entire community of Kpandu, (a village in the Volta region), in a way that I could have hardly imagined. I brought along myriads of educational and art l supplies which enabled me to achieve my objectives.
I recommend this experience to anyone with an open mind and love for other cultures. I have many things that I would love to accomplish in Kpando and hope to continue helping when I return home. The people have inspiring hearts and had a lot to teach me. I encourage future volunteers to do and see as much as you can with the time that you have. Leave all of your preconceived notions at the door and absorb all that you can.

Mia Maureen Jensen
Seattle, USA
September 2007
Art work in Preschool and primary
Delta Preparatory School
Kpando,

Ceremony in Aveme - Ghana, Vlta Region

2007-09-14T16:34:00.000-07:00

Playground before Playground after

Courtney been dressed as the queen of the village. Courtney, Zach and Mr Godson
*

After we finished building the playground the people of the village Aveme Dzeme threw a ceremony for all the volunteers. Zach and I, the two out of the four volunteers that were left, were able to feel the gratitude from all the people of Aveme. I hadn't expected such an extravagant ceremony. I knew there would be food and dancing, but nothing like what experienced. When we first arrived there were tents and chairs set up all around and all the people of the village were dressed in their finest attire. We were welcomed by the Chief and all his elders and we were given an introduction. Then we were led to the Chief's house where we were dressed up into the traditional wear. As we exited to house all the village was waiting at the door with drums, and rice, and beautiful cloths that they laid on the dirt ground for us to walk upon. Also one of the men who had helped build the playground had a gun which he was shooting in the air. When we made it back to our original seats we were named Developing King and Developing Queen Mother. All the villagers cheered and sang and played their drums. Then we were kindly asked to make a speech to the people. We each stood up and shared how welcomed we felt and that we were also thankful for them. That we would never forget of our experiences in Aveme Dzeme. After we ate and danced some more, the whole village went to the playground site where Zach officially opened it to the school. It was amazing to see all the children play, I could see in their smiles how thankful they were. I will never forget that day in Aveme Dzeme. Not only could i see the appreciation and gratitude from all the villagers, I could also feel how true it was.

By Courtney Portal
U.S.A.
Kpando, Aveme & Have Volunteer
Building School playground, Teaching, &Sustainable Agriculture
August 2007

Consider Kenya, Summer 2007

2007-09-12T20:38:00.001-07:00

Written by Tyler Batson

Consider Kenya, Summer 2007

2007-09-11T17:26:00.000-07:00

It’s an overwhelming thing to consider. “Should I do this? Am I actually going to travel to Kenya?” These were the thoughts running marathons through my head as I sat watching my flight taxi into the gate. I looked around, alone, saw the faces of my fellow travelers and then felt mine sink. “What the hell have I done?”

I could make a hackneyed attempt at telling you what I did at Mama na Dada and Namunyak Maasai Welfare, respectively. I could tell you of the people, the gorgeous landscapes, the sweeping hills, or how all the clouds in the wide expanse of space above all seemed to be rushing from the further reaches of the planet to this singular place. I could tell you all of this, yet still you would not truly understand. And that is exactly the answer. What I have done is found an understanding. An understanding of the world, of relationships, of genuine love and community. And, perhaps most importantly, of struggle. Not in its expected form, however. The lifelong struggles of disease, drought, exploitation, and government corruption have grown roots in the soil of this place. From these roots have grown its people. The men, women, and children are all leaders, eager to find direction in the mud and mire of their under-developed homeland.

At Mama na Dada I arrived like some kind of celebrity. In the States, in the city, if you were to greet a stranger on the street, the best you could get is a returned sense of aversion. Everyone that met me wanted to know my name, where I was from, wanted to shake or hold my hand. They want to know you! There’s no suspicion, no hidden agendas, no aversion to speak of whatsoever. They are reaching out, trying to find direction in this beacon of hope: you.

So often I wanted to pick up one of the kids at the Mama na Dada Day Care Centre or Namunyak Maasai and never let go. I did not know their language, but you grow to realize that those things don’t matter. Come as you are and you will learn even more about what that truly means, what you mean to the world and to the individuals who suffer from it. There will invariably be some trepidation maybe even some hesitation when confronted with these realities. Some kids may not want you to jostle them into your arms at any given chance. Just know that it is your presence alone that is the utmost blessing. It may not seem like it was that hard to get there, but to get out is the struggle. You serve to those kids, and to everyone, as an example, as a personification of freedom, of moral strength and integrity. You may not have known it, but your nationality has bought you strength. Its youre responsibility as a human being to live it and to share it.

This lesson was never more clearly learned than from Emmanuel Leina Tasur, director of operations and projects at Namunyak Maasai Welfare. When I thought to go there, many past volunteers and others looked at me like I was crazy. “I heard that there wasn’t much going on there.” “Those Maasai are wild!” was what one Kenyan even told me. This convoluted notion of the Maasai is something that precedes their magnificent strength, once more, signaled by their presence alone.

Indeed, when I arrived, I was shocked. However, I was offered an opportunity. In the vast landscape I found in front of me, I found a total completeness and complete emptiness. These antithetical notions were not battling with one another, rather they were existing as just that: notions. My mind needed to understand this place. As I grew closer to Emmanuel, his wife Lillian, his three kids, their cousins and all of the guests that would come by every day that feeling of emptiness faded away. It was not Maasailand that was empty, it was me, still searching, still applying notions where they need not be. I just needed to be, with the same genuine quality the Maasai inhabit that remains unchanged throughout history.

As contrived as it may sound, the past two and a half months in Kenya, I have learned to love. Not only all of my new friends and surrogate families, but also myself. In this world, we think that we can find the answer to happiness in impulses, capital gain, boyfriends and girlfriends, but we cant. I campaigned with Emmanuel and taught sexual health education and creative writing at Mama na Dada with Daniel Rateng. Have I ever even considered doing any of those things before? The answer my friends, is no. It wasn’t until I dared to just be and exist in an environment that supported a goal of individual empowerment that I realized true happiness and success.

Reward comes when you use an opportunity to take a risk. The ultimate reward comes when you do it for someone else.

Epilogue:

September, 2007
Los Angeles, CA

Just yesterday I ran into a Mexican man selling blankets door-to-door in the middle of summer. I held the door open for him to an apartment building and began to speak to him in Spanish. “No se te nota!” he said, referring to my rather un-mexican appearance. I told him that it was unfortunate that my Mexican background is so unapparent, that I am proud to be Mexican. He was stupefied. “You are the first person who I have heard say that in the 6 years that I have been in this country,” he told me.

Now, you may be wondering what my point is so I’ll just tell you. This man was selling blankets to doors that were, I’m sure, routinely shut on his face as we sweated through the streets of L.A. Before that he did hard labor in a plastics factory, construction work, and gardening before that. He did all this for his family back home, suffering under a corrupt government regime, poverty, and strife, and now Hurricane Felix. So just remember, when you travel, you bring your culture with you. Make sure you know what that means before you watch your plane taxi to your gate wondering what the hell you have done. And take pride in what that means, because if you don’t, no one will, and your roots will just get stuck in the mud and mire that keeps you caught up in a notion of happiness. Instead just remember: all you have to do is be.

THE BEST TEN WEEKS OF MY LIFE.

2007-08-25T09:58:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Muhuru bay, home of the Mama Maria Clinic and it's projects with little idea of what to expect but was greeted so warmly by the villagers I would be living with, that it was difficult to not feel as though you had been part of their family for years. The ten weeks I have spent in Kenya, seven of those being at Mama Maria and the others at Namunyak Maasai Welfare, have been the most rewarding, eye opening and humbling ten weeks of my life. At Mama Maria I was involved in the building of the new volunteer compound site where the new clinic will eventually be placed, and the upkeep of the ambulance. The clinic is running a continuous battle against Malaria and has to give out so many drugs in this fight that it is consistently under pressure to try to keep from running out of these precious resources. Throughout my time there I met many different people and the one thing that stood out above all else was there overwhelming happiness. Despite the fact that everyday there is a struggle to buy food and collect drinking water from the lake which is often filled with parasites, and that simply feeding your family every day is your main objective, everyone has an amazing appreciation of life and unwavering faith, which humbles you to the bone. I made an uncountable number of friends, both locals and other volunteers and as a result of the experiences we went through together, these friendships became very strong. For the people I was able to meet and the things I was allowed to accomplish I am eternally grateful.

After my seven weeks in Muhuru Bay were up I headed to the hills of transmara and to the Namunyak Maasai Welfare project that is led by Emmanuel Leina Tasur. When one meets Emmanuel you can tell that there is something special about his character, but it was not until a couple of days of living with him and speaking with him on various issues that I realized how truly inspirational he is. He is running for MP for the whole of Transmara constituency, which is inhabited by the Maasai and Kipsigis tribes, and has an amazing vision for this area. He allowed me to see how much hope there is, not just in Transmara but throughout the whole of Kenya for it's future. Its people are truly amazing and have simply been let down by years of corruption, broken promises and marginalization by the government. Emmanuel believes that Transmara is an area on the edge of prosperity and I believe he is the man that can finally bring this area into this prosperity that they so deserve. He and his family are some of the most warm and welcoming people I have ever had the opportunity of meeting and they love every volunteer that stays with them. I was given the chance to speak on his behalf at some of the political rallies that we attended and jumped at the chance of portraying my belief in his vision to people of the area. Transmara is a simply stunning land; its fields expand to the horizon everywhere you look and its culture is probably the richest I have ever seen. We were able to experience many cultural Maasai events, which were simply stunning to see and it was fascinating to follow a man around that is starting so many projects for the area and is so warmly greeted by everyone you meet. It is a long and hard road that Emmanuel is beginning, but with our support for him and his projects, I believe Transmara can be transformed into one of Kenya's great regions and aid the continued development of Kenya as a whole.

I will sorely miss this great country and all the people who I have had the fortune of meeting, so much so that I am already making plans for a return trip either next year or the year after. To anyone who may be considering volunteering in Kenya, make the jump with an open mind and an easy going approach and you, as I did, will have the most incredible, rewarding and inspirational experience of your life – of that I'm sure.

By Chris Kwiatkowski.

chriskwiatkowski@hotmail.co.uk

Jambo! from Ryan Drysdale

2007-08-21T17:16:00.000-07:00

Jambo! I just spent a month at Namunyak with Emmanuel and company and had the best time. Before I left I was a little hesitant about my safety alone in Kenya, but after a couple days with amazing people I felt completely safe. Emmanuel is an amazing man who is about to make an amazing difference to the Transmara District by running for Parliament. I learned more from him than I have in a semester at college and at college I don't get to go on safaris!! Emmanuel is also an amazing safari guide. My advice is if you are thinking about going even just a little bit do it! You will have such a great experience and be able to see the optimism and potential of a great country.

Karibu and Jambo!

2007-08-09T06:52:00.000-07:00

Village Volunteers was an incredible experience. I just spent 6 weeks at Common Ground program and 10 days at Namunyak Masaai Welfare. Both places were unique in it's own way and have opened my mind without question.

The people I met and came to love at common ground were absolutely amazing. During my stay I was able to work on various sustainable development projects. I was also able to take part in several physical education classes with the kids which was a lot of fun. The kids there are amazing and it was not easy saying goodbye. I only hope I was able to give the people of common ground as much as I received from them. The accommodations make you feel right at home and Mama Sandra and Mama Elizabeth make one mean chapatti.

Numunyak was also a great time and I was only there for a little more than a week. During my short stay I was able to pick the mind of a Emmanuel Tasur who is currently running for MP. Emmanuel has an amazing vision for change and I hope he keeps his vision ripe. During my stay I was able to attend a fundraiser for a local school as well as a political rally. I ended my trip with a safari at Masaai Mara which was awesome. The wildlife is unmatched and Emmanuel is a great guide.

The best part of this experience has been the people I have met and the friendships I have made. It is no fun saying goodbye, but this experience has given me all the reason to come back to Kenya. If you are at all curious about experiencing Kenya this is the way to do it. It will be something you will never forget.

Joshua Braunstein – Dix Hills, NY – USA - jsb100@gmail.com

Ian Crump Journal Entry

2007-08-09T05:45:00.001-07:00

I have just returned to Nairobi after spending five weeks with the Village Volunteers Common Ground and Namunyak Maasai Welfare projects, and hundreds of things are going through my head….

The main emotion right now is sadness at having to not only leave the programs, but I'm already missing the many people that I had the great fortune of meeting and working with. During my stay, I worked with a number of volunteers, and none of us were ready to go "home", so my feelings are definitely not unique. It doesn't take long for Africa to plant a seed in your heart, that's for sure!

I came to Africa knowing that I would probably learn more from the people here, than I could possibly ever repay through advice, education, business training, etc. and I was right. I also came to Africa with a "plan" on what I hoped to accomplish and be involved with, and though many of those specific ideas did not come to pass, I know that what I did get involved with was more important to those people involved.

I began my stay at Common Ground, just outside of Kitale in the west of Kenya, and was met with open arms by everyone… from the 300 students at the onsite school, to the other volunteers, to the employees at the program, and especially by the head of the program, Joshua and his family. Though African culture and way of life is significantly different than the western culture I was raised in, it only took a few hours for me to start marveling at the beauty of the Kenyan culture, and I quickly forgot where I had come from a short few hours before.

This feeling continued as I traveled to the Namunyak Maasai Welfare project, where I was fortunate to meet and work with Emmanuel. He has a very clear vision of what he believes the people of his district can achieve by working together, and all of the people I met there are personally committed to doing their part to making this vision come to fruition.

The excitement that we were met with from everyone that we worked with: the widow's groups, the youth groups, the woman's groups, etc made my heart very warm!

I know I'm not alone in saying that I'm already looking forward to my next visit to see these very special people!

Oriti Kenya “ Goodbye Kenya in Luo”

2007-07-31T14:37:00.001-07:00

The blog was written by Village Volunteer Mariel Rosen on July 31, 2007
Evey029@hotmail.com

Oriti Kenya “ Goodbye Kenya in Luo”

2007-07-31T13:47:00.000-07:00

I was not ready to say goodbye to the amazing people I grew to care so much about when the time came for me to leave Mama na Dada. The three weeks I spent in Kunya village allowed me to make lasting friendships and unforgettable memories with people who were more welcoming than I could ever imagine. I feel a piece of my heart will always remain there and I look forward to when I can visit that place and those people again.

Although I only visited Namunyak Masai for one week, it was long enough to see that Emmanuel Tasur is an inspiring, passionate and motivated person from who I learned a lot. Transmara is a beautiful place that is very peaceful. Though many of the programs lack financial backing, the vision that Emmanuel has for his people and community is worth every penny one can spend to visit and help support.

Karibu!

2007-07-22T12:34:00.001-07:00

I have just returned from Namunyak Maasai Welfare and I had an amazing experience. I first arrived in Nairobi and stayed overnight with Junior. Another volunteer, Kit came in at the same time from England. Junior took us to an amazing Ethiopian restaurant for dinner. The next morning we were escorted to the bus station where we rode the bus to Kericho. Emmanuel and his wife Lillian greeted us there and we stayed the night in Kericho with other volunteers. The next morning we headed to the village. Transmara is beautiful. It is very green with many hills. When children hear the car coming, they run to the side of the road to wave to you. We arrived at the house and the boys were assigned to one hut and the girls to another.

Everyday was different. We spent some time at a local secondary school for girls. Carol (another volunteer) and I did a girls empowerment group with one of the classes. We also met with a youth group and a women's group who were both trying to start a business to better their situation and to better the situation for their children. It was very inspiring to see their determination to bring themselves out of poverty. We went to many schools to meet the students and to see the current conditions of the schools. Emmanuel is running for Minister of Parliament so we attended political rallies. We were also able to meet orphans to hopefully get them sponsored when we got home. Emmanuel also took us on a safari at Masai Mara. I never thought I would be so close to lions, cheetahs, elephants and so many more! It is definitely worth the trip.

The Maasai people are wonderful. They were so happy we were there and would always stop to greet us. The children were especially happy and would follow us as we would walk home and would want to shake our hands. Emmanuel and Lillian are very kind and work very hard to give you a wonderful experience.

One of my favorite parts of volunteering was meeting other volunteers. You meet other people who have come from all over the world with a common goal. Everyone I met was wonderful and I plan on keeping in touch with each of them when I go home.

I would highly recommend anyone thinking about volunteering to do it. You will have an amazing experience, one that you will always treasure.

Kara Berneathy

July 2007

klberneathy@yahoo.com

Jambo!

2007-07-14T15:06:00.001-07:00

Jambo!
Village Volunteers was an amazing experience for me. Since the time scheduling was extremely flexible I was able to fit it into my summer plans. I spent three weeks in Muhuru Bay at the Mama Maria Clinic and one week in the Transmara province with the Namunyak Maasai Welfare Project. It was very enjoyable at both locations, and staying with the two different tribes, the Luo and the Maasai, enabled me to get a well-rounded experience of life in Kenya.
At Mama Maria, I was able to work in the lab at the clinic and test people for malaria. I also helped out at the new site they are building – a brand new expanded clinic with enough room for surgery and a maternity ward, all on the shore of beautiful Lake Victoria. The huts at the compound we stayed at were very nice – and the solar showers in the evening made it an extremely comfortable stay. To top it all off, the food was amazing, with fresh pineapple and deep fried tilapia straight out of the lake every evening. Before dinner we would go to a rocky hill near the compound and watch the sun set on beautiful Muhuru Bay.
After my stay there, I took a bus out to Kisii where I was picked up by Emmanuel, the coordinator and man-with-the-plan for Namunyak. We stayed at Emmanuel's house in Oronkai in the picturesque Kapune Valley. There I helped teach at local schools and helped Emmanuel at his political rallies (he is running for Minister of Parliament for the district). While there I also went to the Masai Mara National Reserve for a safari in Emmanuel's car. The view was breathtaking – the savannah stretched out to the horizon, covered with zebra, gazelle, and giraffe. We also saw elephants, hyenas, warthogs, and hippos, all in the idealized African landscape.
Once I returned to Nairobi, I went shopping in the market and visited the National Aquarium and Reptile Habitat. The city contrasted sharply with living in the villages, so it was fun to look around. Overall, Village Volunteers was wonderful, and I hope to return to Africa one day to visit this lovely country again.

Hakuna Matata,
Ryan Dowdy
July 2007

Become a Village Docent

2007-06-22T15:33:00.001-07:00

Recently, Village Volunteers has had a surge in volunteer participation, and while we are very excited to have so many people involved with our partner villages, we have become overwhelmed with the amount of inquires.

As such, if you are an alumnus of our volunteer program and would like to help familiarize soon-to-be volunteers about the specific region where they will be volunteering (and obviously, where you have volunteered as well), please email Shana@villagevolunteers.org to let her know that you would like to help.

It's a great way to continue to support the efforts in the village programs, pass on your experience to others, and help make their experience as enjoyable as possible. Better prepared people make better volunteers.

Our Newest Blog Ever!

2007-06-13T15:48:00.000-07:00

We've switched from our old TypePad account to our friends at Google and are giving the Blog a slightly adjusted look and new content. Come back soon because we'll have stories from in the field, pictures, and much more.