Visit to Kongo village in the North

At the beginning of December I had an opportunity to visit my hosting organization KoCDA in Kongo village in the North of Ghana.

The trip from Accra to Kongo took over 15 hours by car.

As the time of my stay was limited, I had a planned schedule.

Kongo is a small village and it felt very familiar and welcoming. Even though I was there only for a week, it felt very “home-like”. I was staying in the mission house, which was surrounded by green, with a big baobab tree at the front. The first day I was very cordially welcomed by Victor Mort, the CEO of KoCDA. 

Kongo, in the North of Ghana. The grey looking trees are two big baobabs.

With Victor Mort, COE of KoCDA.

The North was so different from the South, as if I were in a different Ghana. The air was drier, it tasted different, and it was hotter during the day and cooler at night.

The landscape and the architecture were different. Many households were built from sand bricks and had traditional structure, with special houses for guinea fowls, which were there my favourite birds to observe. 

Guinea fowls in one of the households.

Firstly I visited the households that were affected by flooding. Followed by intense rains back in September, floods have destroyed many households, taking the walls, roofs, and livestock and destroying the food. KoCDA with the help of Mondo, was supporting the households of the widows that work in our projects.

Visiting households affected by flooding.

Visiting households affected by flooding.
The house to the left, was newly built and the family did not yet move in before it was destroyed.

One of the topics that many commented on were bush fires. A practise that upsets if not outrages the locals. A quick economic gain, to catch wild-life, or have charcoal for sale, with long lasting consequences, of no shade for the animals, no grass to graze on, and weaker crops, meaning less food...

Bush fires became a frequent practise, that many disapprove of. 

Later I attended two days of shea butter production training, where two groups of women were practicing the skills of turning the nuts of the shea tree into butter. And met some of the ladies who work on our production site. Also I visited our skilled basket waivers, who create Bolgatanga masterpieces. And one can only admire their work and skill.

Left: shea butter tree.
Middle top: on the way to the training, with our top trainer experts.
Middle bottom: shea nuts.
Right: one of the trainees is being examined on her knowledge of shea butter production.

Group picture after the shea butter production training. 

Group of experts working in the project of shea butter production.

Meeting the basket waivers. 

There was also a special meeting with the Brilliant but Needy Children, which are sponsored by our program. A great group of children working hard on their grades to later pursue their dreams.

In front of the ICT centre with the children, to my left Dr. Kingsley Mort, director of KoCDA.

During the visit, I was also witness to the voting process. It was impressive, to see such high frequency of people taking part in the elections and their will to influence and participate in the creation of the future of Ghana.

During the visit in Kongo, even though we did not always speak the same language, and one could feel a warm exchange of happy eyes and smiles, and atmosphere of cordiality. I felt touched by the storied of the people, who were affected by the floods, and very humbled by the gifts of tomatoes and papaya and by being so kindly received and taken care of. Thank you.

I hope that throughout my deployment I will be able to visit Kongo again.