First weeks in Ghana

-

I've been in Ghana now for two weeks. This is the length of a period that usually tourists like to spend in favored destinations. 

Unfortunately, as a tourist, I would be a lousy one. So far I haven't visited any famous sightseeings or parks in Ghana, attended safaris, filled my wardrobe with colorful prints, or spent hundreds of cedis in markets. In fact, so far I've spent only 1 cedi to purchase ginger for my cold. 

My "tourist period" - the two weeks - has passed by moving into my new home, and getting to know my workplace, my area, and Ghanaian culture. I've also made start with Twi classes (the most widely spoken local language) and already had a chance to attend a funeral and a Christian Sunday Service. And well, catch a cold. Because it is rainy season now. And every other day it pours cats and dogs in 30-degree heat.

So who is this odd tourist you're reading here about? 

Me, Saile! A European Union Aid Volunteer who next 6 months lives in Ghana, Ashaiman. (A town 20 km from capital Accra, with around 300 000 inhabitants.)

My purpose? - To assist a wonderful NGO called Rays of Hope with communication means and channels, teach its beneficiaries ICT and create a database of them.

What is Rays of Hope Centre about? 

RoHC is an NGO that helps street kids in Ashaiman back to schools and society. It has two centers - one in Ashaiman, where every year a group of beneficiaries is educated daily by the caretakers so that in the following year they could join the local school system. 

The second center situates 35 km from Ashaiman, in a small town named Aykuma. The center is an everyday home for the RoHC children until they finish Basic Education (9th grade) in the area.

As a volunteer what have I done so far? 

Besides settling into my new life I've met with the staff and beneficiaries both in Ashaiman and Aykuma. I've monitored some classes and have had a chance to assist caretakers with teaching, I've made my first updates on RoHC's webpage and social media accounts.

I've also gathered some thoughts about my oncoming assignments but hope to talk more about this in the next blog post. 


So far be welcome to enjoy the beauty of Ghana and the start of my volunteer deployment in Ghana. 


Together with the beneficiaries in Ashaiman.
Pointing on our homes.

Rays of Hope Centre in Aykuma.


Twi class.


View from my garden in home.


Wearing kente on the African Union day.


Eating local pineapple. Yummm.
I'm wearing black in this heat because I just returned from a funeral.


And the pineapple seller.
Bought 4 for 10 cedis. (around 1.2 euros)


And now let's start with the goat photos.

Here's a mom with a 15 min old baby.


And here's a goat with its reflection. 

And here they are. Chilling on a tree.
I simply love goats.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Greetings from sunny Ghana!

-
Image
Coming to Ghana has been on my mind for a long time. Interesting culture and beautiful traditions, scenic nature, friendly people and tasty local cuisine were some of the things that would pop up on Google every time I was researching the country. When an Estonian NGO called Mondo provided me with an opportunity to come to Ghana as a climate change advisor volunteer for Kongo Community Development Association (KOCDA) under the European Solidarity Corps program, I was so incredibly excited and began reading about the country even more. I wanted to be prepared for every possible situation so that I would know what to say and how to react and would not offend anyone or get overwhelmed after seeing something that may not be so common in my home country. Mondo had also arranged trainings about the country and it's culture and advised of the things that should and should not be done in the country, so I felt absolutely prepared for this exciting adventure. However even after preparing so...
Read more

Finding my way in a new country

-
Image
During my first meeting with the board of my host organization, CoDA, someone asked about my experiences so far and whether my expectations were being met. From previous experiences, I have learned that it is best to approach projects like this with minimal expectations. Despite this, I can only say that the first month has exceeded my imagination. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming, making me feel at home in a new country almost immediately. The first month was all about adaptation and observation for me. I had to adjust to a new culture, new foods, and lots of new people. We also delved into the local culture and history, emphasizing the importance of introductions. Consequently, we spent the first two weeks traveling around Kongo and its surrounding areas, meeting key figures in the community.  Engaging in conversations with everyone I meet is something my Dutch self is not used to. At first, I struggled with the language, not only Nabt but also English. However, like everyt...
Read more

Until we meet again, Kongo

-
Image
I cannot believe I am saying this, but my time in Kongo village and Ghana in general is almost over. When I first came here, I thought 3 months and a half was plenty of time, but I could not have been more wrong. These months have passed by so quickly that it feels like I came here a week ago. I guess this just proves how amazing my life has been here, because time flies by so quickly when you are engaged in activities that are interesting and fun for you. And as much as I miss my country and my loved ones, I would love to stay in the village longer. I want to start my final blog by saying a huge thanks to a Kongo based NGO CoDA, that has been hosting me all this time. Their dedication to make me feel great in this village was incredible. Since the day I arrived in the village they treated me like a family member and helped me in every step of the way. Taking me around for sightseeing, teaching me the local language, cooking me delicious vegetarian meals, greeting me with a smile eve...
Read more