Coming home

Congratulations and Good Hopping in Canada. (This was from a card my house sister wrote me:) )

My head space has certainly been interesting lately, as I have been finishing my placement, writing my final reports and saying my goodbyes. I am now in Tamale, meeting up with the other JFs and decompressing, and slowly getting into bigger cities and more developed places. These last few weeks have been challenging in a different way, because figuring out how to exit and leave people and not know if you will ever see them again, adding onto that the fact that you have been away from home and in a completely now environment, you are heading back and wondering, how have I changed? Am I different? and more inner dialogue along those lines. It has been quite the ride, but I think that I am ready to get off the coaster and take a break. Go see the Atlantic from my side of the ocean and just sit and watch the seagulls. I have had an incredible journey, both learning about myself, development, a new culture and people in general. I am looking forward to sharing what I have experienced, and I hope people will have specific questions about what I have seen, done and learned. Less than a week. Hard to believe.

Until next time.
Kate, my friend from choir

My family

Pouring Pito!

With some of the kids

Kim, another JF came to visit. What an awesome time!

Gifts from my women groups. SO generous.

Richard, my house father teaching me how to tie a head scarf!

turned out well !!!

My friend Fausta who sold me bread

D4 Innovation Fund Workshop

So yesterday the Storage Learn-Share-Exchange Workshop I had envisioned and started planning for a month ago took place. It was a really good day, with the representatives of my women groups came together to learn about proper care for their storage facilities for their crops and food stuffs to lead to helping them improve their food security. This workshop was made possible through support from EWB's D4 Innovation Fund. I worked with TUWODEP and MoFA (The Ministry of Food and Agriculture) to plan and create the content. We also invited the Tuna Concerned Youth Movement, a group who is working to make Tuna more attractive a d environmentally friendly, to give the women Moringa seedlings (a tree with medicinal and food properties) for their communities. This a very short explanation and some photos of the event. Please feel free to contact me to learn more!
Me and two of the women I have been working with

Anastasia and Raphael, my two coworkers

Me and my coach Josephine

All of the workshop participants, including the women, TUWODEP, and from MoFA, the District Director, Tuna AEA and District Development Officer


District Development Officer and women during the Learn-Share-Exchange

Showing women methods of improving their storage

Introductions and discussions

Learn-Share-Exchange

Faces of Ghana

A profile of some of the people I interact with on a daily basis:


Raphael (on the left)
Raphael is my boss and the Project Manager for TUWODEP. He is 45 years old, and has completed a university program in Agricultural Studies. He has two children, Tobias and Sofia and his wife Monica is a teacher. His family lives in Wa because his wife was able to get a better teaching position there. He spends his time between Tuna and Wa. Raphael is a strong, passionate and devoted person. He has been a strong support for me throughout my placement. He has been working with women groups in the area for over 15 years now. Through his drive, he has been able to start many projects and build up a strong enthusiastic network of women groups around Tuna. Some of Raphael’s biggest frustrations are with the local government and how it does not listen to the needs of its people. We went to meet the District Chief Executive here and the office was full of flat screen computers, marble floors, leather furniture and air conditioning. Tuna does not even have Phase One electricity! He also gets frustrated with dealing with donor organizations that want the priority of projects to be physically measurable results, instead of what will be the biggest benefit for the beneficiaries (yeah that’s right, this man is a true warrior for Dorothy!). One of his personal goals for the future is to attend the Coady Institute in Canada to gain knowledge and experience about development and from others in the field around the world to bring this back to Ghana and broaden revitalize his efforts here in the community.

Anastasia
Anastasia is my counterpart and co-worker. She is my best friend here in Ghana, half mother, half counter part, half co-conspirator to take the afternoon and go to the farm and then for a mineral. She is one of the strongest women I have ever met. She works for TUWODEP as the project assistant and also has a farm, brews pito and rears goats, pigs and fowls. She gave birth to four children but sadly only one lived. Her son, Josiah has just completed high school at age 18 (which for Ghana is young to be completing high school, especially in the Northern part of the country). He is waiting for his results to find out where he can apply for university. Her husband, Thomas is a carpenter and has his own business. They are strongly involved in the Catholic Church and Anastasia is involved in a variety of committees here in the community. She is thoughtful, caring and a genuinely nice person. She is incredibly hard working, going from 5:30 in the morning until 9:00 p.m. every night with her various commitments. She is also a great teacher, seeing as she has helped me get over a number of big hurdles I have faced since arriving in Tuna, including doing my laundry, keeping my room free of dirt and bugs and where to buy the things I need. She also helps support a number of her brothers and sister who live in surrounding communities. I met one of her brothers in the market one day and he proposed to marry me. After telling him flat out no because I have someone wonderful in Canada, I asked him how he thought he could ever afford to think of marrying me, because I would require 25 cows, 100 goats and tiger (which is interesting since they do not live here…) and he said from his sister’s support. Well at least I said no… But she is a pillar of strength in her family and the community. She is always greeting people with a caring smile and nice words. She sees unity and communication as keys to improving development work in Tuna. For the future, she hopes the further her education here in Ghana and also learn stronger computer skills.

Christina
Christina is my housemother. She is 30 years old and has two children, my little house sisters, Augustina who is 5, and Joyce who is 10. She has been married to Richard, my housefather for a number of years, but Joyce was born before she was married. She works to support her family through brewing pito (which she does very well, I have to say!), making cakes to sell and farming. Richard used to have a job driving trucks around West Africa, but stopped because he wanted to be with his family. He recently got work in the Upper West Region with the company that installs electricity in communities, but he has come home to help with the farming season, so currently Christina is supporting the family. She brews pito and sells it Sundays, Mondays at the local market and Thursdays. For me this has been a great way to meet people because they are always around our compound those days to have a drink and chat. Christina can speak a little bit of English and she has been my teacher over the past few months with help from my house sisters to teach me the local language. She often tells me about her struggles; from the money she has to come up with for school fees, medicine when the children or her or Richard are sick (which has been more and more now that the rainy season has begun), feeding the family (which includes her, Richard, his brother Titus, the girls, Rena who is Richard’s niece and myself) and having the start-up for the materials for pito. She also tells me how she misses her remaining family in Jirapa and how sometimes she wishes that she lived closer to them. However, this woman who has become my Ghanaian mother and taken such good care of me will never turn someone away from our compound for a meal or give someone small money if they are in need, even though she is struggling to get at times herself. She is giving, sharing and caring and I consider myself very lucky to be living with her and learning from her. She has taught me how to cook, put up with my struggles to wash my clothes and constantly comes to defend me from the variety of insects that seem to find my room some kind of sanctuary. I asked her what she would say to my family at home and she answered that she would send her greetings and God’s blessing for happiness. What a woman!

Rebecca
This woman represents for me many that I have met over the summer. She is a widow with two small children, who recently lost her husband. She has found strong support within the other women in her group in the village of Bombalanyuro. They have helped her financially, and emotionally to manage to get back on her feet after her husband’s death. She is now the sole breadwinner for her family, which includes farming, caring for her home, washing and feeding the family, caring for their livestock and participating in other income generating activities. She told me through my boss, that without the group’s support, she does not think she would be able to survive. She thinks that poverty would overcome her and she is thankful to God o be able to depend on the other women. To me, this is Dorothy. One of the many I have met, her story tugs at my heart. She inspires me to learn more, and work harder in development, to do my part, however small it may be to try and make a difference in her life.

My mom wanted to see how I spent a typical day here in Ghana, so so I decided to show you part of my week with a photo blog! I hope that you enjoy it!
This is a wild turkey, and they are fierce animals. Pretty entertaining to watch though.

Pounding shea before it goes to be fried and then pounded again.

Babies come to our meetings too. Sometimes children look at me and smile, other times they cry. It is pretty funny, especially when they start running away, but I just smile and try to put on my friendliest face. Sometimes it works, others it doesn't!

TUWODEP t-shirts that they gave to the women a few years ago.

At one of the activity meetings in Gando, one of the villages I am working with.

Pepe - looks really nice, but is not so good on the digestive system is large quantities.

Pito, the local beer

This is how we cook our food at my house!

this feathered friend is my wake-up call. At any time from about 4:00 am until 8:00 pm

I was trying to see the pigs, but they did not like me coming into their pen.

With my fowl Bertha, and the motobike I ride to the village and my friend Elizabeth.

Meeting with the District Director of MoFA

A map of where the villages I work in

A Ghanaian traffic jam!

practicing my Dagaare with the activity

Checking out the results of a time analysis on shea nuts

Doing an activity with one of my women groups

shea nuts (right) and shea butter (left)

the Tuna Market - every Monday rain or shine...although a lot less people when it rains!

these are some of the women I work with selling their goods at the market!

fish for sale!!

Checking tomatoes...we got a deal!

My little friend at the market

Good Shepard Church, where I go to mass and sing in the choir.

Helping with shea nut cracking

Our house dog. She loves me! She always wants me to pet her! Not usual for most dogs here.

My house sisters dancing to Celine Dion on the radio!

Fresh maize! Tasty!

This is how water is carried to homes. So impressive.

After church, hanging out with my house sisters

Helping prepare supper

My house mother preparing supper

These are some of my friends from the church choir I have joined!

My house sister- she is beautiful! This is when we celebrated Canada Day!

This is a girl from one of the villages. The scars of from trying to take away pain.

This is how I bathe. Bucket baths are awesome!

This barrel is where the bathing water comes from. The stalls in the background is where we shower.

This is my house sister, Rena bringing water to the compound. I try, but it spills EVERYWHERE!

Second Hand Clothing

The Second Hand Clothing Market:

You may often wonder where the thousands of pounds of clothing that people donate to clothing drives, flea markets, Value Village and other various places go if it is not sold on the racks of any number of second hand clothing shops. Or you may be like me into a few short months ago, and not even think about it at all. Right before I arrived in Ghana, George Roter (for those who don't know one of the co-founders and CEOs of EWB) spoke about this at one of our pre-dep sessions. He told us how Africa, not unlike other developing countries has become a dumping ground for used clothing. It has become a way for people to make their livelihoods. From the charities that collect the clothes in Canada, the U.S. and countries in Europe, they sell it in bulk to intermediary companies that ship it overseas and sell it by weight to vendors who will travel from bigger cities - here in Ghana, Kumasi and Accra are examples - to smaller places to markets where they sell their goods. Some industrious vendors will hoof around towns and villages peddling their wares. It is generally men who sells used clothing here. From t-shirts, pants, sock and bed-sheets, you can find whatever you need or desire. Sure it isn't haute couture, but it is durable and inexpensive. YOu see people wearing shirts with various slogans, companies names or sayings like "Playboy" or "Miss Naughty" or "Oakville Marathon 2003", without having any idea what they are wearing around. I have heard stories of people coming to Africa and seeing sweaters and t-shirts from their graduating class of college and speaking to the person and finding out that the shirt is actually theirs! (This may be an urban myth, but still...)

But I digress (what else is new!) from the point of this post. So when someone buys a bag of clothing, from 20-100 Ghana cedis, they create their means to feed, clothe and send their family to school. I was explaining to a men selling shorts for 1 Ghana cedis a pair (which is about a dollar) around one Sunday afternoon how people throw away these clothes in Canada and he was ready to get into business with me. He explained if I was to ship 3 or 4 big bowes of clothing over, it would provide him enough money to buy land and build a house. WOW did I feel guilty for giving about 8 bags of clothes over the year to charity or even worse, the dumpster.

SO what? Ask yourself how you feel about this. Does this change how you will donate old clothes? WIll you give more because you know that it is going to create a means to income for someone? Or will you stop donating because this is deceitful of charities to dump clothes on developing countries for money? Why aren't they advertising the fact that they are doing this? Or will you keep doing things the way you are now? I hope this has given you some brain-food!

A little not to accompany this post. Ghana has a very strong clothe industry. From Kente cloth in the South, to hand woven cloth here in the north and various types of tie-n-dye, batik and wax prints, people can have clothes tailor made! In Zambia, where my coach Josephine was in a placement before she came to Ghana, she told me how this also used to be the case, but since the second hand clothing market has come and grown like a big hairy monster, people no long support the local clothe industry like they used to. I sincerely hope that this does not happen here in Ghana. The excitement and character that fabric gives here in Ghana is definitely something I treasure and will miss dearly (I mean come on, tailor made clothes? It is wonderful!)
Until Next time!

At the market, where many clothing stalls are

Chopping a Pig!

Chopping a pig -a conversation about meat, marriage ad mentality here in Ghana.

My housemother's father recently passed away and many preparations are taking place around my compound for the funeral. She is responsible for preparing all the food to feed everyone who will be attending the funeral. From the amount of rice, pito and pig meat that is presently being chopped up, I think they are expecting a crowd. (As a side note I really wanted to attend the funeral, but due to health problems was unable to travel....also missed a wedding because of the same reasons.....gosh darn mosquitoes cramping my style) So the pig's life ended before I arrived home from work (thankfully) but I came home to the chopping and butchering. From my almost vegetarian perspective, I thought I would find this repulsive, but that was not the case. I actually found myself quite interested in which parts were the best, how they were cut up, and so on. I sat with my house brother Titus (who is 27 years old and a carpenter, graduating secondary school 2 years ago) and two other young men from around the area and chatted while they chopped the pig. Right off the bat, when Sei, Bayour and Titus found out that I was 22, not yet married or with any children, they were surprised! I asked why they were not yet married and my favorite answer was that they were waiting to find a white lady. I wished them luck. The second big shock in the conversation came when I explained that I did not cook, clean and do all the household chores for my boyfriend in Canada. I explained that we shared the duties and responsibilities, just like my parents did in my household growing up. They explained that a woman here is expected to cook, and clean and care for the children, while also providing livelihoods, such as farming and brewing pito. I asked them why? And the response was that this is the ways things are. They work fine, and why change? I asked why they do not help with these tasks and they said their neighbors would laugh. I understand tradition but what I do not understand is this reason for accepting that because that is the way things have been that they should continue this way. I know I am not going to change a whole patriarchal culture in my time left, but I think by asking why, this will maybe get people thinking about their traditional roles.

I also explained to them my reasons for not eating meat (which include that fact that it doesn't come skinless, boneless or fatless here, or also that it runs around the courtyard mere hours before it is in soup... and also how my digestive system is having a mind of its own. I have never been able to talk more openly about it!) and they wondered how I got enough protein in my diet (which I am sure I am not at the moment). I told them about how my diet is very different and tried to explain tofu...which was entertaining to say the least. Another topic about food we discussed was how we take our meals here and how it is so different in Canada. Here a large bowl of food will be shared with many people (although men eat separate from women and children...although things get muddled when a white person is put into the mix). They all eat with their hands and you do not talk, because if you aren't eating, no-one is saving your food for you. They asked why we all have separate plates and spend meals talking and socializing. I thought this was an interesting take on meals. We use them in Western culture often as social events, for business and pleasure. Here, meal time seems to be more time to fuel your body and that's it (I think that explains why I have had such a hard time trying to have a friendly chat with my housemother when we are taking our supper).

So overall, I think my interest in these fellows and their culture and their interest in me and my culture sparked a good discussion. I really enjoyed this impromptu opportunity to discuss cultural differences. Although watching Wilbur going into pieces wasn't a beautiful memory, it was an interesting one. Hughie, sign me up for cow duty at Thanksgiving!

Until next time:)

Atale of two sicknesses

Hello out there!

I apologize for the lack of blog entries lately. I have been minimizing my internet time. I do have some juicy blogs handwritten, aching to be typed but they will have to wait for now. Since I last wrote of my foodpoisoning in Damongo, I have been striken with a much more long lived and serious illness. I have just been discharged from the Wa Regional Hospital where I spent the last three nights with Malaria and gatroentronitis *which stands for irritated intestines I amtold* I amdoing much better now, but having Malaria, which started last weekend, getting treatment, and relapsing this weekend has been a tough battle. I have had very good care and support from myhost family,co-workers and coach here. Also frommy support systems at home.It hasbeen an eye-openi9ng experience to spend some time in a hospital here, although I felt like a white princess, in my VIP room, that was sealed from mosquitoes *almost...* and tv and airconditioning.I was constantly feeling this gut wrenching guilt of the fact that my insurance could buy me this comfort, while there was so much suffering around me and torn about thinking about between the fact that if I was at home, I would not feel scared about the level of health care and cleanliness of the facilities and equipment. I had great nurses and an entertaining CUban doctor. The hospital wasclean and all the equipment was sterile.I survived and although weak and tired and stocked up on a variety of drugs to wipe my system of malaria and any other ameobas andparasites that might be hanging around, I am on my wayhome to Tuna. I have learnedabout confronting raw fear and helplessness and feeling at my lowest, physically and mentally. Still, Dorothy is living this all the time. She will travel for miles on foot, and public transport and wait in incredibly long lines and then in even more lines to recieve treatment. Itmakesme wantto work in health care more than ever...maybe I am starting to figure out this big "what will I do when I graduat" question. But for now, I am going to search for a bread and egg sandwich and thank God for my health. It is something that I and many of us take for granted too often until it is threatened. SoI will leave you with these thoughts. Until next time....

As a side note, EWB has been incredibly supportive of me during this, working hard to make sure I have the support and safety I need. Special thanks to Josephine mycoach and yogi ofsorts through this summer and Cat, the go-to and can cry my eyes out and ask question after question and she will still have eternal wisedom of what I can do or how I can figure things out for myself - wonder.