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Ghana Blog, Page 3

Thursday, August 09, 2007

TOWN FORUM HELD AUGUST 7, 2007 in Axim

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Congratulations to the Global Citizen Journey Ghanaian delegate alums (shown in planning meeting in photo) who on August 7, 2007 successfully hosted a followup Town Forum! By all accounts the meeting was a step forward for the folks of Axim. The District Chief Executive gave the opening remarks. Attendees from various sectors in the commnity attended, including representatives from the Christian Council, Fishmongers, Fishermen, Traditional Council, Market Women, Assembly Members, N.E.D.A., Farmers, Urban Council, Opinion Leaders, Secondary School Leaders, G.N.A.T., Health, and G.P.R.T.U.

According to one of the conveners, community participants openly shared their views, opinions, and concerns. Topics included the condition of the roads, sanitation and water, education, the condition of the Axim Landing Beach, and the use and sustainability of the new orphanage/community learning center.

Thanks to the first Town Hall meeting, held back in November, 2006, hosted by North American and Ghanaian Global Citizen Journey delegates, the local people were familiar with the process this time around, and according to particpants, the meeting went smoothly and was very helpful. Plans are afoot for another meeting next year as followup.

posted by Maryanne at 3:10 PM xx



Wednesday, July 25, 2007

WE RAISED THE ROOF!!!

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The GCJ Ghana North American alums made a MIGHTY effort to RAISE THE ROOF on the orphanage!! We raised more than $3000, enough to buy the needed 256 aluminum roofing tiles, and nails to DRIVE THEM HOME!! Thanks to all who donated items, bought items, hauled stuff, lifted stuff, and gave us so much encouragement. We appreciate it.

If you missed it, you can still use your shoulder to hoist the water polytank into place, or get some ceiling panels in the kids’ section. Or you can help pay our faithful carpenter his due! Maybe nails are your thing. GO FOR IT with a donation to Global Citizen Journey, via the web site at http://www.globalcitizenjourney.org/ or mail to Global Citizen Journey, 4425 Baker Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107. (Make sure you indicate “GHANA PROJECT”)

Our “Western Heritage Scholars” thank you!!! (These are the kids who will be moving in soon)

posted by Maryanne at 7:24 PM xx



Tuesday, May 29, 2007

May 28
Hi all. I’m back in the US, but the work goes on. Most of the building materials for the roof have been purchased. Because of the delay in work due to our Boeing grant check being impounded by customs, we will need more money to finish. During that time, cement escalated in price by about 25%, due to power outages.

On my last day, James and I visited Produce Buying, American Embassy, Ministry for Women and Children, Ghana Commercial Bank, and West Africa Trade Hub office. We also contacted Ghana Bauxite, but the person we needed to see could not receive us. All of these contacts were positive, and the companies indicated interest in helping us with funds. They have requested formal requests from James as Chair of the WHH Board.

The aim is to have kids living in the facility by Sept when the new school term starts. If you’d like to help furnish and equipment the facility (bunk beds, gas cookers, industrial strength oven, etc.), please visit the www.globalcitizenjourney.org website to make a donation. We need help of any kind. The items can easily be purchased there. They are making a mighty local effort to find or buy items, but it’s difficult for them when it comes to these large items.

We have 19 kids enrolled in Manye Academy and have received their first school reports. Some are doing quite well, but most are very much behind due to irregular or no school attendance until now. They are receiving tutoring. We will be looking for adult volunteers, either locally or “visiting” to help give them a boost between terms, after school, etc. We have one child enrolled in Morning Star Academy, because she is doing extremely well there, likes the school, and so far wants to stay there.

I have the life stories of the kids now—I’ll add details in an upcoming blog. Suffice it to say that Annie and Esi have done a good job (difficult) of selecting the truly needy kids.

Other news: a fellow who designed the computer lab for another learning center in Central Region is putting together a plan for our Learning Lab. We already have requests from local establishments to provide training for their staffs. Also, when I left Axim, the satellite internet connection was working quite well, thanks to hours of work on the part of two technicans who came all the way from Kumasi to work on it. We will probably be able to share the signal coming to Axim Beach Hotel.

We have a “good enough” accounting system in place, now, using Quicken software. Almost all receipts have come in, and we are very close to matching inflows/outflows. This has been a big accomplishment for Anastasia, our Admin. Assist., and for the whole Board, actually. It’s not easy to do in what is, essentially, a cash economy. Patrick, our logistics guy, has done a terrific job of keeping records. He is also a district assemblyman, and deserves this position because he is a leader and conscientious man.

On my last day in Axim, I attended the Anglican Church with Old Soldier. It was a funeral Sunday (most are), and almost all were dressed in white and black. The women’s dresses were really stunningly beautiful, I thought. The Ghanaians are experts at designing beautiful fabrics, and making simple but exceedingly beautiful dresses. Their cultural pride is evident at these gatherings. There was a visiting choir—and the entire congregation sings well, too, in parts, etc. Beautiful. Now I’m dreaming of a choir festival in our new facility in Axim—hmmm. Sometimes dreams happen.

More later…Maryanne

posted by Maryanne at 4:19 AM xx




WHH Orphanage/Community Learning Center Construction with King of Lower Axim Inspecting

posted by Maryanne at 4:12 AM xx







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May 19

Today was another good day. Yesterday I was exhausted and just kind of hid out at Axim Beach. Typed up a report for James, and also a report about care of children from the public health folks, etc. I am particularly proud of the bookkeeping system we’ve set up; Patrick and all have really done a wonderful job of keeping receipts on all purchases, and Anastasia has caught on quickly to Quicken software. We’re doing it all in “new” cedis, because the currency will be converted in about two months. Today we went over all the Quicken data, and made fixes. Then Justine came about 6:30 which was fun. She stayed with me overnight.

We walked down to the Palace and at 8:57 am arrived, to find Constance and four others WAITING for me! The meeting was supposed to be at 9:00 sharp, and so it was. But the king came in and ordered the room swept, so that had to be done first. About 20 some were there—I have names and occupations for each, and good info. I realized that I was expected to train them in something. Gulp. I thought what would Susan P do, being the resourceful type. So I put them all in a circle, got a stone, and asked them to each introduce themselves, and speak about what was going well. This worked great—they each got up and recounted what they’d learned before and how were applying, if they’d been there before. Time management, quality, keeping records, selling something completely different, selling to a school, low profit margins to increase turnover, etc. So, this was great. I have more detail—thank goodness for Justine and Anastasia who spoke Nzema, and more or less took over. It was terrific—really. They are EAGER for Diana and Gifty to return, are interested in learning more, getting entrreprenship, more capital, etc. very good. A great nucleas. Then, I found out later some Upper Axim women were upset they weren’t invited—but I didn’t do the inviting—Constance did. I assured them they would be invited next time. A great day.

Then the king invited Justine and me for lunch, so we had lunch there—-fufu, smoked fish, light soup.Very good. I’m getting good at using the right hand to eat (with the hand, not fork, etc.). We had red wine!! But the family ate in another room, so Justine and I just sat together and chatted and ate. Then a wild ride with him to the site, where we went over everything. Looking very good. I got quite a lot of info about chief things, land issues, etc., too from him. Mary is such a nice person. He is giving them two weeks to finish. Well¦maybe…
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Then to the Beach Hotel for meeting with Esi, Bentil, Justine, Anastasia. One name came up: Axim Asomdwee Heritage Home (asomdwee is “peace” in Nzema) We voted unanimously, but have to consult James and Awulae. (Note: in the end the Board decided finally on “Western Heritage Home”). They also decided to try to raise the furnishings themselves—I think, Ravyn, they’ll probably not make it on the gas stoves, oven, bunk beds, etc., but they marked an “L” next to everything that can be donated locally in their judgement. This is terrific, and something VERY new for them. They are going to write letters to everyone imaginable asking for support, and take people to visit the site. Bentil will take the guys tarring the streets, and get them to grade the road. Things are moving. The interesting thing is that they said this has never been done in this town before (asking for donations, etc.) They are brave to step out like this.

Then the colors came up: cream and chocolate are OK, but they want COLOR! This is Ghana, after all!! So, big discussion about blue and green with cream and chocolate, no, yellow, no., I just enjoyed it. Who knows what it will eventually be! They want to make “the cloth”, too. I assured them we’d buy 15 shirts at 120,000 each ($13.00).

Then, back to my room to dismantle the computer to return to the little WHH office in Bentil’s building. Anastasia took charge. Each person got into Thani’s cab, and held part of the computer on his/her lap. Carefully. They all went down to the office together to put it back together. She was just beaming. Leif, you would have loved it.

Then, I just sort of collapsed down at the beach area on a lounge chair. What a day! James is coming tomorrow for a funeral. I’ll go to Anglican Church with Old Soldier, and then to Sekondi. I have tentative appts with Coca-cola, Ghana Bauxite, US Embassy and Produce Buying.

So, since I may not get to an internet connection again until I get home, I’ll sign off from Axim. I’ll catch a flight 9:00 at night on Wed. See you all SOON!! Good luck to the BHam folks at church tomorrow—I wish I were going to be there. It will be great.
So, good night. Love you, Maryanne

posted by Maryanne at 3:59 AM xx




May 16
To review: Jerome, Dina and Frank have done the basic registration, will do the forms in June, and the student will go to school in Sept when the term starts. Dina has the money. All is OK on that front. Please let Jackie know.’

We are meeting tomorrow to figure out the next strategy for the building. Things are going well, although yesterday the masons didn’t show up which annoyed everyone. Today the paint color was decided: cream and chocolate. Basically, the guys deferred to Anastasia who had strong opinions. They want it to be spectacular, and so it will be.Basically did receipts and training in reports, etc. today.

We have the final, final bank statement, checkbook, and the last receipts, so tomorrow we’ll polish it off. Going well.Kids are in school and attending regularly. Got the invoice for 2nd term today, (esi did) but there was an error in it, so back it goes.

BARBARA: women’s meeting won’t be until Friday, per Constance. We went to her stand today. Bentil is looking for a place to meet, which seems hard to come by.

Anastasia can’t wait to “market” the new building as a meeting place. She is dynamite. 🙂 The young guys around Axim are definitely aware of her…interesting. I’ll report on that at some other point. She has the bank manager around her little finger because she has mastered the new currency—she did the entire Quicken file in the “new” currency, so it will all be consistent. He was so impressed, he gave her a special poster that is supposed to go only to “big” outfits, such as the Social Security and Insurance Administration.

Lots of discussion about the building: should they put the roof up? or finish the floors first? Everyone has an opinion, but the contractor, who presumeably knows what is best, will do what he will do. It sprinkled a bit today which kind of set everybody off on the roof business.James is coming tomorrow; Justine on Friday to be with the women’s group. Anastasia will go to the women’s group, too, to help us, take photos, notes, and generally be helpful. She’s very excited about it. She will be a good network person for Gifty to get to know.

posted by Maryanne at 3:58 AM xx




x Annie and neighbor girl making “real” African fufu for our dinner (served in a ball in groundnut soup, with smoked fish)

May 15

Diana for you: I have good photos of Hajara, girls, etc which I’ll forward to you when I get home. I have also read all your “idea” emails. The people here have a pretty full plate right now—and I don’t think I should introduce something new right at this time. The girls and Hajara herself really appreciate your scholarships—a chance for them to learn a vocational skill.

Leif: I talked to Ghana Telecom again today. I have more info, but I think I’ll wait until I get back to discuss thoroughly with you. I’m not quite finished with my fact gathering. Went to a lot of places today, and have a few more interviews on that subject ahead of me. Also, I laid the CPU on its side today and it took the CD immediately, so…just to make sure the vent on the top side is not covered. When I got back to the room, A had covered it with a booklet, so tomorrow I’ll go through that with my more “stern Mom” approach.

Barbara: I went to the “special gardens” today, and learned through a guy who just happened to be there and was willing to interpret that the plants are from various places in the world, not from “our” forests/jungles here. So that will be a more complex project. Please just give this much to BHam James who was interested in my findings on that. He is interested in what local wild herbs/plants etc might be cultivated and used. Note that Essie stepped on a nail, made a poultice of a leaf and ginger, put it on a hot stone, and in two days, it was fine. Hmmmm.
Also, please tell BHam James that according to the contractor (M Biney) the site is perfect for solar application. He actually went to Accra to talk to somebody about it. So…

Susan P: I got them to fill out surveys—they’re input seems a bit sketchy, but I’ll forward them to you.

Went to the site today. The roofing materials have almost all been delivered. The last row of concrete is being added to the “near” side. Probably as soon as tomorrow they will begin the roofing. Today they were treated the wood with preservative. Many of the doors have been hung and swing easily and also lock. They are starting to think about the color of paint–they want it to be “spectacular”, per Patrick! I can’t wait to see what they choose. When I thanked Patrick for his incredible vigilance and work, he got quite emotional. He really loves this project.
Today Anastasia finished entering all data, deposits and receipts, from inception until the last we have. She’s doing a terrific job. I noticed some anomalies which I’ll work through with her tomorrow. Then on to how to make reports, how to backup, and how to download and file photos.

I had a great and “real” African dinner made by Annie and Esi last night—they said at the meeting (as they call it) we had Ghanaian ingredients, but not made and served exactly like they like (which is why the Ghana GCJ meeting notes included Gifty’s comments about our not eating “good Ghanaian food”. They were outside, pounding the fufu (very very good—cassava and plaintain mixed) with fish and sauce and rice in case I didn’t like fufu. It was fun. They love being “real Africans”, and said “doesn’t it smell like Africa?”

With luck Constance will gather her women tomorrow. She’s working on it. I hope it comes off—even if only a couple. I let her know I’d like to talk just to her, if others can’t join.
Hot again today…more typical. The cool spell is definitely passed us.
Enough before I get cut off. Love you whoever you are reading this…Maryanne

posted by Maryanne at 3:55 AM xx




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May 13

Hi all. I’m going to paste below my notes of Friday and Sat.because I could not send them out earlier.Today internet seems to be working. Jonas is back and apologized to me for all my troubles, and said a guy is coming tomorrow. We’ll see.Rich, I’m sending this to you, too, to forward if the other one doesn’t work. Anastasia sent me a text message for mother’s day—nice of her. I was sitting next to her working at our data, and my phone beeped and here was a nice message from her. She’s a sweetheart.

Today I attended the Methodist church with Bentil and Anastasia. The music was terrific, the sermon preached by a lay woman in the absence of Pastor B. All in all a wonderful day. I was asked to “bring greetings”, but I used most of my time to discuss the goals/etc. of WCHH, etc. Decided to greet briefly, and use my remarks time to do a little PR work. After church, who should zoom up his motorcycle but John Abugri. Now that the streets are tarred, I see more bikes and motor cycles—not loud ones, but small quiet ones.

Annie, Esi and Anastasia came up to ABH with me, and we worked all afternoon on getting the details recorded on each WHH Scholar—family situation, why they need a home, current situation, etc. They just left, and I’m going to relax a little. Many extremely sad stories—they have done a good job of selecting truly needy kids, I think.

Here’s Friday and yesterday’s:
I just spent half an hour getting into the Netmail service, composing, only to have it all disappear somewhere when I tried to send. I

I really enjoyed Chamsou and Lo. They are really good, gracious, gentle, caring people. She joined in our meetings, although she knows little English. Really great folks. Of course, I invited them to connect with us when/if they/he is in Seattle area.

Well, that’s off my chest. Now on to the good news. Yesterday was a good day—we started off with Chamsou (Boeing rep) and I and Lo, his wife, going to the building site at about 8:30. We spent about half an hour looking at everything, taking photos, etc. He was positively impressed, had a lot of questions. The workers are making really good progress—working hard and skillfully. Mostly it’s the masons and plasterer now, but Michael says on Monday they’ll start the roof. He is anxious because of the long delay and the rains are coming. Michael has the solar all worked out—says using the roof is just major unnecessary expense. If we install, we will put on a stand, like the Hot Water systems here at ABH. Plenty of proper exposure, he says.

Then back to ABH for the WHH Board meeting. Good meeting. Discussed name change but took no action yet, decided to go for water pipe AND bore hole, agreed that a Polytank is an absolute necessity, discussed a less expensive fence, etc. Then we joined Chamsou and went over to the Dist Chief Exec office to meet with Mr. E., all but one of the elected assembly members, some other officials. Patrick is an assembly man so he was there, too, kind of for both them and us. James went over the whole plan, blueprints, status, etc. They were very receptive, very positive. Felicia (from our gender dialog) is an assembly woman and also works at Manye Academy, and was a very positive advocate. She said the Assembly members should finish off the playfield behind Manye, and asked for support for that. They were all very enthusiastic about the whole project, I thought. Very very positive. It was really a great feeling. They, too, gently suggested taking the “Christian” out of the name, because they want it to belong to the whole community. James is following the proper route and will bring it to a vote at next Board mtg.

Finally, the DCE looked at everyone, and said “This is our baby. We need to support it. We will provide the water pipe and fix the road”! Well, people clapped! He didn’t mention “when”, but this is good news, nevertheless. Also, Annie told me today he’d promised both a pipe and borehole, so, if that happens, we’ll be in good shape. When we left, our WHH people were ecstatic. The Dist Chief Exec said he’d come to see me at the hotel. Later that evening, one of the staff came to get me and two of the DCE’s assistants were here saying he regretted he could not meet me that evening (which I hadn’t quite caught on was the plan, but I would have been happy to host him). I thanked him for the barracuda, after the meeting, and he laughed! James said he thought he’d had to go to the Regional Minister to get it approved. Not sure if that is true. He also said that at least one of the Assembly members should serve on the WHH board. I’m hoping maybe Felicia will, but James will know which one to choose. I think Father Paul will also come on board.

Ravyn, it was at the Board meeting described above, which was in full swing when you called, and we’d all just promised not to answer our cell phones. I really was so sorry, but I really couldn’t talk then. Maybe it was just as well, since I have included a lot more info since I talked to you.

Then, on to the ABH where we WHH people met for another 3 hour w/Chamsou. Michael Biney, the contractor, also joined us. Chamsou had a lot of questions which the WHH people answered very forthrightly. In the end, he said he thought it was a very good project, he was very impressed by the quality of the facility, and like them, he has concerns about its distance from town but he feels they addressed it, and he really liked the relationship in distance from and also the nature of Manye Acad. He said he’d like to help us more, and gave us (me esp.) info about applying for a grant for 2007! He said he preferred to work with our US organization because we’d gone through the Boeing process for being a trustworthy, reliable organization, properly registered, etc.(rather then WHH directly—so they very formally requested me to represent them and follow up, etc) So, he and I talked more later. Since the grant money was available only two days before I’d left for Ghana (having cleared three banks), it’s a little hard to say exactly how we used what we have, but we of GCJ need to report on the Boeing website by June 6 as to progress, and then write a new grant request. He stressed having a plan, knowing your outcomes, etc. He was positively impressed by the Board, I think, as to the quality and focus. Well, they were very happy about the whole business. He mentioned working together on infrastructure over 3-4 years!

After all that, I tried to send out email or blog or something, but no…the African Internet God was not with me/has utterly abandoned me, I guess.

So, then comes this mammoth thunderstorm—lightening, thunder, pounding rain, high waves, etc. When it subsided, I ventured to the restaurant and joined Chamsou and Lo for a light supper and of course, the storm resumed, leaving us in the dark. Thanks for headlamp, Rich—worked great—we dined by headlamp light, and the staff all wanted to know how it worked, how much it cost, etc. It was amazing how that little light lit up the whole area, really. This went on most of the night, back and forth. And today was actually “cool”–as in Washington State type temperatures, but much more humid. But a relief. And just to make sure, Florence left two sheets for me tonight in case I get cold–not much chance of that!

Today another surprise. I happened to notice the calendar in the office had “April” up and a photo of the Skagit Valley! I said to the receptionist that it was a photo of my own home valley. She was amazed, and then said that on May 7 another guest, a guy, had mentioned that it was HIS home valley and he was amazed that they had it! Of course, she is new and didn’t know us from before. Of course, since this was Ghana, they told me name, description, parts of his conversations, etc. He is Michael O. from Anacortes. I have heard of Michael—he does development work—but have not met him. Unfortunately, we did not connect, even though I’m in room 13 and he was in room 14! I noticed two young-ish, nice looking guys around, but… I’ll call him when I get back. The staff is appropriately somewhat flabbergasted by this event, with two of us from the same spot. They see very few Americans, after all, as compared to Europeans and Africans, and from the same place?!

Then, Frank showed up. Yesterday he had worked on the office computer and got all the activations done from the Trial Software to the real stuff, a few more updates, and loaded Encarta. The half hour internet part of the task took five hours and cost me 150,000 cedis. He also sent you all an email, I believe. This is “reality” at this time; I’m not sure why. Last week everything was working quite well with the Ethernet. They blame it on the weather, but…. Today he came a bit early and helped me get ready for the GCJ Ghana alum group. We had a little time and he pumped me with “computer” questions—Leif had told him, he said, to learn all he could from me. Well, I tried to share whatever knowledge I might have. Tonight I just refused to pay for half the time Sammy seemed a little crestfallen, but I told him if you go to a restaurant and don’t get anything to eat, it’s not fair to make the person pay. He agreed.

Leif, you are doing a wonderful job coaching Frank. He is so motivated, so grateful, and, compared to when I was with him last fall, so MUCH more knowledgeable—it’s just so great to see. He will keep the administrator password and told me he has no money to donate to WHH, but he will donate his abilities and time to help Anastasia as she needs it. That is just so great.

Frank and Patrick were on time; Gifty came about 1.5 hours late. Annie and Esi were 2.5 hours late. But, nevertheless, Dina, Gifty, JC, Patrick, Bentil, Annie, Esi, Frank and I were there. James and Justine were doing a motivational talk at a SS. JJ is 7th day Aventist and Sat is not good for him. Mustapha is the new Deputy Head master at a private SS in the middle of the country and couldn’t come. Steve was at his Mother’s funeral. Highlight was the 45 minute discussion going through items in the Town Hall notes. Finally, I suggested very gingerly, that perhaps they might consider….holding a public Town hall Followup meeting. They were a bit skeptical, but I could tell they wanted to do it. I suggested that if they would find it helpful, perhaps Barbara could assist them since she’s been trained in Appreciative Inquiry, and would be here in Sept. That seemed to galvanize them—they were determined to go ahead on their own, without our help. They didn’t feel they need training. They have also experienced AI with a USAID program and know how to do it. They decided right then and there to do it themselves (nothing to do with you, BJG just more or less got them focused on what they wanted to do—this is rheir baby). And they decided to do it BEFORE we come, on the third Tues. in July. Then the ideas just came flowing out—finally Gifty insisted on a talking object to keep the discussion reasonable! They really got their collective juices going. They more or less planned the whole thing right then and there, right down to who would do what and when, including where to find cardboard for writing on. I said I still have some magic markers in my suitcase, and will leave all of them. Frank took a copy of the Town Hall Notes on his thumb drive, and Bentil offered the paper to print copies for each GCJ person, plus Constance and a couple of other women they will ask to help. They agreed to invite all who had been there before and aim for 100 people, and hold it in the new WHH building if it’s ready. I was spellbound. I suggested that we North Americans might help a little bit with expenses if they think it would be helpful. They said they’d let me know! This may or may not end up being the most perfect AI session, but it will be a perfect Town Hall Meeting!!

Then another big surprise. At the beginning of the meeting, JC rather formally introduced me and welcomed me. Then, according to the agenda, I had to make a speech. So, I briefly summarized some happenings, including the new journeys being planned for Burundi and Nigeria in 2008. Then, I was knocked off my feet by JC saying that he would like to be a delegate to Burundi, to join the non-Burundians part of the delegation there!! They all concurred that this would be exactly what they want to happen. They are serious. SUSAN, CAN WE POSSIBLY MAKE THIS HAPPEN? I think it would be great. I realize it would be a bit of a stretch with training, etc., but he’s such an insightful, articulate, intelligent, and warm guy, that I think it would work. And he is trained already, one might say. I suggested that since Burundi is poorer than Ghana, perhaps they would have to assume some of the expenses, just as we had to for Ghana, which is poorer than the US. That didn’t seem to phase them too much”in fact, they agreed! I guess we’ll need to think about it, but really, this is a terrific development, in my opinion. (The airfare will be a problem for them, I think.) I told them that the latest I’d heard was the possibility of working together on a well/borehole as the legacy project, which they thought was a great idea—they are well aware of the Hutu/Tutsi situation, and they just want to be involved—Africans working together one said (can’t remember who) put it. He asked me to find out how he could apply.

Patrick spoke eloquently about how, as assembly man, he goes around his district each morning and urges all the children to go to school. He is really a motivated man. Just a terrific guy.
Not only Patrick’s father, but also Stephen’s mother, and Bentil’s mother (Aunt actually, but assumes mother position when the biological mother dies) have died in the last week. Bentil’s brother also died this week, and a couple of Gifty’s cousins recently.

Well, you’ll get the minutes from Frank at some point, so I won’t go into everything. I used the some of the gift money from you guys to buy a nice lunch (including Dina and Gifty’s sons), and I would say we had a really good meeting and a good time. So thanks for the help, esp. Diana, and we enjoyed the chicken and fried rice a lot. I told Gifty I would wire her money as soon as I get back and know for certain what has cleared the bank on our end. She was fine with that.
Jerome, Dina and Frank have seen to the young man’s college. They have helped him do all the registration paperwork, and in June he will have to do more forms. Dina has the money and she and Frank assured me they will pay for him when he starts in September, which is the start of the new year. He had to wait until then to start.

That’s about it. I’m zonked, but kind of hyped–hence this long conversation. Had to talk to someone!!. I’ll try to get this out sometime tomorrow. I will meet Bentil at the Meth. Church tomorrow. Time to sing a little!!
Maryanne

posted by Maryanne at 3:41 AM x

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Ghana Blog, Page 2

DEDICATION OF WESTERN HERITAGE HOME CHILDREN’S HOME AND COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER IN AXIM GHANA

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Definitely, definitely, this was the HIGHLIGHT of our journey!! What a day!!
First, we must acknowledge the heroic efforts of so many workmen and women who put in so much effort to get the building ready for the dedication. We especially honor and appreciate the dedication and energy of Patrick K, the WHH Logistics Specialist, who has overseen the work, purchased most of the materials, spent his day on the building site and even sleeping there on occasion to protect the construction materials. Patrick is also an elected District Aseemblyman, and is a dedicated community leader. In the days leading up to the event, the electricity had failed numerous times, and three terrazo machines (two from Takoradi) broke down because of the inadequate electrical current. Terrazo machines are essential “cement polishing” machines which prepare the floors in this humid climate with a hard polished surface. This is necessary for cleanliness and to prevent mold.
Meanwhile, workers were painting the building, cleaning up the site, hauling in chairs from “somewhere” (we suspect we owe a VERY big thank you for the Catholic Church and Father Paul and Esi Biney, Church President). When we all arrived at the building, we were ushered inside by proud WHH staff members in their beautiful blue and brown patterned WHH “cloth” outfits, made especially for the event. The conference room on the 2nd floor had been transformed into a clean, spacious room, complete with a beautifully appointed head table covered with a white cloth and flowers. The WHH Scholars arrived in their Manye Academy uniforms, with Mr. Browne, and Felicia, the Nursery School teacher, and our own Mustapha, himself a teacher and headmaster, helping them to find seats, etc.
Those of us associated with GCJ and WHH Board and Staff members had lovely blue and brown Ghanaian style shirts and dresses, with cloth specially designed for the occasion.
Other distinguished guests arrived: the King and Queen Mother of Upper Axim; the Queen Mother of Lower Axim and her sister, the Acting Queen Mother; Father Paul of the Catholic Church; Father John of the Anglican Church; Mr. Kojo Armah, the member of Parliament for this region; Mr. Joseph Elimah, the District Chief Executive; and many friends and family members, including the two women, mother and daughter, who were the water carriers supplying water with their headpans to the workers over the months of building. And of course, our WHH Board members, led so capably by Mr. James Kainyiah and his wife Justine, who are the visionaries and leaders on the ground. Other Board members present were Miss Frances Polley, Father Paul, Mr. Isaac Bentil, Mr. Joseph Quansah, and Awulae Attiburukusi. They were joined by GCJ Ghanaian alums, Gifty Asmah and her husband, the Headmaster of Nkroful Secondary School, Stephen Kwabia and wife Deborah, Frank Cudjoe, Esi Biney, Annie Essien, Dina Cobbinah, Mustapha Abdullah, and Francis “Old Soldier” Nokoe. Our friend from Bellingham, Kathryn Roe, who has a program supporting secondary education in the Cape Coast area, also honored us with her presence. As you can imagine, this was also a wonderful reunion for all of us GCJ Ghana Project alums, North Americans and Ghanaians.
The King of Lower Axim, Awulae Attiburukusu III, our friend and WHH Board member, officiated. The dedication was conducted by the Archbishop of Metropolitan Accra, a native son of Axim. Barbara and Maryanne attended the Catholic Church the day before, where Father Buckle preached about children and encouraged the congregation to care for all the children of Axim. His Mom, the mother of twelve children all of whom are educated, still lives in Axim, and we were honored to meet her as well.
Esi Biney was the master of ceremonies. James Kainyiah gave the opening remarks. Anastasia Amoo, WHH Administrative Assistant, gave the closing remarks. Ann Essien presided over the dedication of the veronica buckets.
Best of all, the children who will soon call the WHH facility home and some of their temporary guardians were there. Several older children participated in the ceremony. The Catholic Band played festive music—kind of an Africanized version of our New Orleans type of music–gay and upbeat for sure!! (After all, where did this music originate???!!!) Everyone was dressed in traditional cloth—a colorful and celebratory atmosphere!

I believe all of us there felt a kinship and partnership that goes far beyond our respective national borders. We did indeed feel a global connection centered around the care and love of children and what we adults can accomplish if we come together in a spirit of understanding and sincere desire. For a little while, we forgot about the bad phone connections, the electrical breakdowns, the lack of internet connectivity, the communication challenges exacerabated by wide cultural differences, the economic disparities, the heat and humidity, and all the other obstacles we have collectively faced. We just allowed ourselves to bask in our mutual feeling of accomplishment and our collective determination to continue step-by-step, not quite knowing where the future will take us, but having faith in ourselves and God that we will together find our way.

posted by Maryanne at 11:15 AM xx



Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Kundum Festival in Axim

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Kundum is an annual festival of the Ahanta people, whose traditional center is the city of Axim. What a week!! The drums beat furiously, wonderfully. The rhythmic complexity is astounding. Families reunite around the “family homes”, with traditional Ghanaian food, music. Everyone is dressed in traditional clothing—esp. the women with their colorful batik dresses.

Let me tell you a little about the Kundun festival in Axim. It’s one of the larger ones in the country. For 4 weeks, the drums move around and get closer and closer to Axim. At the beginning of the week, heads of families, and kings request that anyone holding grudges in the community come forth and reconcile with their opponent. Thus many rifts are healed. The next day everyone cooks, and anyone can walk into to anyone’s house and eat. There is a day of remembering and mourning the ancestors. There is a day of killing of a fowl, 4 goats and more drumming and cooking.

On the high festival day, the royals – the co-director of our project was one this year – the first white person ever to be so honored — all arrive at the palace about 10 to dress and await the parade. 3 Of us went elsewhere to be dressed in royal cloths. Maryanne was carried in the palanquin as the development Queen of Axim (Nkosohema). Thus did Axim honor and thank our GCJ group for our work in Axim during this past year. We walked behind her. It was quite an affair – colorful, rhythmic, joyful. We ended up at the field and listened to speeches and music and dancing, and then it was back into the palanquins in what seemed a bit like a rodeo. The carriers danced back and forward and bounced the palanquins quite a bit. Some of the more experienced riders stood up and cheered them on. It was very colorful! Finally we ended at the palace for dinner. It actually reminded me a bit of Mardi Gras. Not surprising – where did Mardi Gras come from? What a day!
All in all, it is a time of peace, reconciliation, remembering the departed, generosity and celebration of life. A good thing, I think. Although some Christian missionaries tried to stamp it out as pagan, and current Pentecostal churches pan it, others are now being more tolerant. (text by Barbara G)

posted by Maryanne at 9:50 PM xx




MANYE ACADEMY SCIENCE PROJECT

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We’re back from Axim, Ghana, with seven of us GCJ Ghana alums plus one grandson spending three weeks in Ghana. Alas, no internet access so no opportunity to update this blog while we were there.

As reported earlier below, we brought with us 7 suitcases, of about 50 lbs each, of elementary/junior high level science supplies and equipment for Manye Academy — microscopes, measuring instuments, charts of all kinds, resources for teachers, etc.

Why Manye Academy? Manye is the school which 20 of our orphans attend. The school has welcomed the group of children the WHH Board has selected to live in our children’s home, and receive assistance in education. The Director, Mr. Browne-Umar, is trained in science himself and wants to improve science education in his school. Maryane visited the school in May ’07, and discovered that although the school and teachers have both a school goal and a goal set by the Ghana Dept of Education to improve science education, there were virtually no supplies or equipment with which to carry out the learning in the Ghana Science Curriculum. Thus was born our “science project”. Working with Mr. Browne during the summer, we enlisted the help of many friends, and local Northwest Washington teachers (thank you!) and pulled together a basic collection of teaching aids. This represents our “thank you” to the leadership and staff of Manye for their acceptance and dedication to education for all children, regardless of prior educational deficiencies.

The school put on a colorful and moving dedication, complete with student color guard and drill team and all students present in organized formation in their beautiful blue shirts! What a welcome!!
We were especially honored that Professor Nokoe, the school’s owner, was present. Prof. Nokoe is also the Acting Chancellor of Ghana’s University for Development studies, and has extensive scientific training himself, holding a PhD in Biometrics from the University of British Columbia.

Some of us with science training and interest worked with the teachers in workshops designed to review the materials and explain the workings of the microscopes, etc. We also met with Manye students, and Suz did an HIV-AIDs workshop with the students. Professor Nokoe hired a bulldozer to build a playfield for use by the school and also our Western Heritage Home Scholars, as they are known by the Manye staff and students. Our team walked the path through the little settlement and up the hill from the school to the WHH Facility. The school looked great—it had been fairly recently painted blue, the school color, with the blue shirts on each student matching the blue. We sensed the pride and dedication of students and staff.

Now for some speedbumps before and after the school, to protect the children who have to cross the busy street from the speeding vehicles—a constant danger in this area. Indeed, one of our group witnessed a tragic traffic accident on the highway just outside of Axim in which a four year-old boy was struck and killed by a truck. The newly paved streets are a great improvement in holding down the dust, but now the traffic dangers have increased.

posted by Maryanne at 3:48 PM xx



Friday, August 24, 2007

PACKING UP!!

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A group of 7 GCJ Ghana Project Alums are returning to Axim in September. While there, we’ll take in the Kundum Festival, a traditional gathering of the local Ahanta people, whose traditional center is Axim. Watch this Blog for photos!!

AND more importantly, we will particpate in the dedication of Western Heritage Home. We’ve worked long and hard on this building and we are looking forward to dedicating it and seeing it put to good use. We’re hoping the children can be moved in in mid-September. Next goal is to raise funds to finish the second floor, put the community learning center’s conference area to good use and develop the computer learning lab.

Meanwhile, Mr Browne-Umar, the Manye Academy’s Executive Director is focusing on deveoping the science program at his school. Since the school has so warmly embraced our children — our Western Heritage Home Scholars –, we have decided to pitch in and bring science equipment and supplies not readily available for purchase in Axim. Jerome, Suz, Jeanie, and Rich (shown), and Tom have gathered six suitcases of science equipment and supplies. Thanks to so many friends, esp. teacher friends, for their generous help. Mr. Browne-Umar is organizing an orientation and workshops with the teachers and work to coordinate these materials with the Ghanaian Dept of Education’s science curriculum.

posted by Maryanne at 2:42 PM xx




Wow, the ROOF looks GREAT

The Western Heritage Children’s Home and Community Learning Center building is getting there. We’re still short funds to finish off the second floor, but the first floor is just about finished, and will soon be ready for children to move in.

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posted by Maryanne at 2:38 PM x

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AGRA listserve directions

You are welcomed to join the list-serve and go to the site where you will find many useful documents:

TO ACCESS DOCS ON LIST-SERVE:

-Go to https//:lists.riseup.net

-Join if you have not already (to create your password)

-once you enter with your password, click on agraconcern, in left hand column

-click on “Shared Docs” folder

-click on articles you want to read/download

 

To add a document, 

-click on “expert mode” at top

-scroll down under existing docs to: 

Upload a file inside folder SHARED 

-browse to find article you want to add

-Publish to add it to the list

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AGRA Resources

 

Paying Attention to Agricultural Developments in Africa

LATEST NEWS:

African Farmers & Environmentalists Speak Out Against a New Green Revolution in Africa

 

Oakland, CA: A new report from the Oakland Institute, Voices from Africa: African Farmers & Environmentalists Speak Out Against a New Green Revolution in Africa, issues a direct challenge to Western-led plans for a genetically engineered revolution in African agriculture, particularly the recent misguided philanthropic efforts of the Gates Foundation’s Alliance for a New Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), and presents African resistance and solutions rooted in first-hand knowledge of what Africans need.

The report finds a lack of accountability, transparency, and stakeholder involvement in philanthropic efforts such as AGRA. “Despite the Gates Foundation’s rhetoric of inclusion and the claim that their investment in agricultural development benefits the growing majority of the world’s poor who rely on agriculture, a leaked Gates Foundation confidential report on their Agricultural Development Strategy for 2008-2011 actually emphasizes moving people out of the agricultural sector,” said Anuradha Mittal, Executive Director of the Oakland Institute and the editor of the report. “Their intention is to reduce dependency on agriculture, but their strategy report does not specify where or how this new ‘land mobile’ population is to be reemployed,” she continued.

AGRA claims to be an “African-led Green Revolution,” and features Kofi Annan at the helm as its chairman; however, African civil society has rejected the idea that one man can speak on behalf of over 50 countries and 680 million people. It is also not apparent from the foundation’s Agricultural Development Strategy report whether–or how–the Gates Foundation consulted with African farmers before launching their multi-million dollar development strategy for the continent. Some of the foundation’s external advisors have long partnered with biotech companies: for example, Ruth Oniang’o is featured on Monsanto’s website claiming that there is an urgent need for food biotechnology in Africa, and Gates Foundation potential grantee Calestous Juma has urged the G8 to put biotechnology on the agenda for for Africa and discard the application of the precautionary principle because it interferes with the development of new technologies.

“Africa does not need dumping of food aid by rich countries that destroys local efforts to produce. Not the imposition of industrial-style agriculture based on chemicals and ‘high-yielding’ seeds, with the paradoxical outcome of greater production of a few food crops accompanied by even worse hunger and environmental degradation,” said Diamantino Nhampossa, a contributor to the report and Executive Coordinator of the União Nacional de Camponeses (National Peasants Union) in Mozambique and member of the Via Campesina’s International Coordinating Committee for the Africa Region.

The battle over genetic engineering is being fought across the world, between those who champion farmers’ rights to seeds, livelihood, and land, and those who seek to privatize these. While promotional campaigns for technological solutions to hunger regularly feature a handful of African spokespeople who drown out the genuine voices of farmers, researchers, and civil society groups, there is widespread opposition to genetic engineering and plans for a New Green Revolution for Africa. Voices From Africa is based on the essays and statements of leading African farmers, environmentalists, and civil society groups, and brings to light the real African perspectives on technological solutions to hunger and poverty on the continent–and the solutions that the people on the ground believe would bring true development.


The increase in hunger resulting from 2008’s steep increase in food prices has been used to make a case for increasing agricultural production through technical solutions such as genetically engineered crops. This “poor washing”–the spurious claim that technology will address the needs of the hungry–and “green washing”–the claim that this technology will help address the threat of climate change–conveys a false sense of need. Voices from Africa clarifies how solutions to hunger and environmental degradation require a paradigm shift that values local and traditional knowledge and biodiversity, opens policy space for developing countries to craft their own solutions, and allows for agriculture and trade policies that protect local and regional markets for small farmers, pastorlists, and fisherfolk. “The way to fight poverty in Africa is to embrace the proposal of food sovereignty that comes from the movement of peasants, indigenous peoples, migrants, women, and rural communities,” said Mr. Nhampossa. “Food sovereignty puts those who produce, distribute, and consume food at the heart of food systems and policies, rather than the demands of markets and corporations.”

Other voices featured in the report include: Mariam Mayet, African Center of Biodiversity, South Africa; Nnimo Bassey, Environmental Rights Action, Nigeria; David Fig, BioWatch, South Africa; Mukoma Wa Ngugi, BBC Focus on Africa Magazine; Makhathe Moahloli, Katleho Moho Association (KMA), Lesotho; Zachary Makanya, Participatory Ecological Land Use Management Association (PELUM), Kenya; and Gertrude Kenyangi Kabusimbi, Support for Women in Agriculture and Environment (SWAGEN), Uganda.

 

Voices from Africa:African Farmers & Environmentalists Speak Out Against a New Green Revolution in Africa is a publication of the Oakland Institute (www.oaklandinstitute.org), a think tank for research, analysis, and action whose mission is to increase public participation and promote fair debate on critical social, economic, and environmental issues in both national and international forums.

 

Download a copy of the report athttp://www.oaklandinstitute.org/voicesfromafrica/pdfs/voicesfromafrica_full.pdf

 

Download the Introduction of the Report at http://www.oaklandinstitute.org/voicesfromafrica/pdfs/voicesfromafrica_intro.pdf

 

Meet the Authors at http://www.oaklandinstitute.org/?q=node/view/501

 

Read other reports and policy briefs on the global food crisis at http://www.oaklandinstitute.org/?q=node/view/489

News reports

Unmasking the New Green Revolution in Africa: Motives, Players and Dynamics, by Elenita C. Daño for Third World Network, Church Development Service (EED) and African Centre for Biosafety

Gates hopes his money can help poor farmers, by Tom Paulson for the Seattle PI

Gates Foundation’s agriculture aid a hard sell, by Kristi Heim for the Seattle Times

African Agriculture Needs Green Growth, by David Cronin for Inter Press Service News Agency

Sent by The Gates Foundation (funder of AGRA):

BBC Online ‘Boost for Africa Green Revolution’

The Seattle Times “The Fuel of Food”

Financial Times “Local Knowledge Reaps Rewards”

AFP ‘Africa in Spotlight at UN Food Summit’

New Times (Rwanda) ‘Increasing Africa’s Food Security’

Rockefeller Foundation Website

Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa

Gates Foundation on Agricultural Development

Gathered from AGRA Watch (grassroots group concerned about AGRA)

Pitfalls of Agra in Boosting Food Security, by Mukoma wa Ngugi

Ten Reasons Why the Rockefeller and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations’ Alliance for Another Green Revolution Will Not Solve the Problems of Poverty and Hunger in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Food First

More and Better

Join the AGRA Watch listserve for updates and more documents.

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Agricultural Developments in Africa

Paying Attention to Agricultural Developments in Africa:

Acknowledging the serious problems created by the ‘first’ wave of Green Revolutions which industrialized agriculture, brought expensive fertilizers, debt, terminator seeds and loss of small farmers to India, Asia and the United States back in the 70’s and beyond, GCJ and other Seattle nonprofits have been concerned to hear of plans to bring a Green Revolution to Africa.

Since we are located in the same community as the Gates Foundation, which is funding AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa), along with Rockefeller, we are well positioned to take action as good global citizens. We are delighted to serve as a catalyst in helping to create dialogue between the Gates Foundation and an ad hoc group (AGRA Watch) created by the Community Alliance for Global Justice (CAGJ).

More resources

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Earth Charter

The Principles of the Earth Charter

“We stand at a critical moment in Earth’s history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny. We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace. Towards this end, it is imperative that we, the peoples of Earth, declare our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life, and to future generations. […] We are at once citizens of different nations and of one world in which the local and global are linked. Everyone shares responsibility for the present and future well-being of the human family and the larger living world. The Way Forward requires a change of mind and heart.”

Values and Principles for a Sustainable Future
I. RESPECT AND CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY OF LIFE
II. ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY
III. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE
IV. DEMOCRACY, NONVIOLENCE, AND PEACE

I. RESPECT AND CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY OF LIFE

1. Respect Earth and life in all its diversity – and interdependency
2. Care for the community of life with understanding, compassion, and love.
3. Build democratic societies that are just, participatory, sustainable, and peaceful.
4. Secure Earth’s bounty and beauty for present and future generations.

II. ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY

5. Protect and restore the integrity of Earth’s ecological systems, with special concern for biological diversity and the natural processes that sustain life.
6. Prevent harm as the best method of environmental protection and, when knowledge is limited, apply a precautionary approach.
7. Adopt patterns of production, consumption, and reproduction that safeguard Earth’s regenerative capacities, human rights, and community well-being.
8. Advance the study of ecological sustainability and promote the open exchange and wide application of the knowledge acquired.

III. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE

9. Eradicate poverty as an ethical, social, and environmental imperative.
10. Ensure that economic activities and institutions at all levels promote human development in an equitable and sustainable manner.
11. Affirm gender equality and equity as prerequisites to sustainable development and ensure universal access to education, health care, and economic opportunity.
12. Uphold the right of all, without discrimination, to a natural and social environment supportive of human dignity, bodily health, and spiritual well-being, with special attention to the rights of indigenous peoples and minorities.

IV. DEMOCRACY, NONVIOLENCE, AND PEACE

13. Strengthen democratic institutions at all levels, and provide transparency and accountability in governance, inclusive participation in decision making, and access to justice.
14. Integrate into formal education and life-long learning the knowledge, values, and skills needed for a sustainable way of life.
15. Treat all living beings with respect and consideration.
16. Promote a culture of tolerance, nonviolence, and peace.

Learn more: www.earthcharter.org

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Green Team

Background: The Greening of Global Citizen Journey

When you think about it, there’s hardly an issue more global or interconnected than climate change. The green house gases we each emit disperse around the globe, and the effects of climate change leave no community untouched. GCJ has at its heart many issues—pollution, oil and resource use, human rights, economic development, global justice—which are also fundamental issues of climate change. As global citizens, we realize that we need to view our actions in relation to how they affect our world’s climate, and so we are committed to interweave the “Green Team” into everything we do. The Green Team is just at the beginning stages of discovering how to incorporate carbon offsetting into GCJ, beginning with our travel and our journey projects. We intend to offset the carbon emissions from our air travel by investing money and sweat time directly into climate-smart projects in communities where we build relationships. We have far larger aspirations, too. We’d like climate thoughtfulness to become part of who we are and what we do at all levels, from the hands-on aspects of our Journey projects to our cross-cultural dialogue when abroad to our messaging and activity here at home. The newly formed Green Team is working on several approaches to this:

  • Develop our ecological responsibility and sensitivity by minimizing our carbon footprint. beginning with the travel we engage in for our Journeys.
  • Identify ways to ensure that the projects we build are as green as possible.
  • Begin exploring how to set up a carbon offset program that is relationship based, where we invest carbon offset funds in the local community where we are working (for example, the Niger Delta, Burundi and Ghana).
  • Develop educational materials for our website and offer training and resources for other individuals and organizations who are interested in becoming greener.

If you have technical expertise in renewable energy or the carbon cycle, green ideas from past journeys or simply a passion about the environment, think about joining the Green Team and helping us bring ideas to life. Email Morgan Ahouse, our Green Team leader: Morgan (at) globalcitizenjourney.org

Resources:

Earth Charter

The Earth Charter is a declaration of fundamental principles for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society for the 21st century. It was created by global civil society, endorsed by thousands of organizations and institutions, and serves as a call to action and a motivating force inspiring change the world over. GCJ is committed to the values and principles it expresses for a sustainable future. Learn more about the Earth Charter.

Agricultural Developments in Africa:  AGRA WATCH

Acknowledging the serious problems created by the ‘first’ wave of Green Revolutions which industrialized agriculture, brought expensive fertilizers, debt, terminators seeds and loss of small farmers to India, Asia and the United States back in the 70’s and beyond, GCJ and other Seattle nonprofits have been concerned to hear of plans to bring a Green Revolution to Africa. Since we are located in the same community as the Gates Foundation, which is funding AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa), along with Rockefeller, we have felt called to engage as global citizens. We tried to create a dialogue between the Gates Foundation and an ad hoc group formed by the Community Alliance for Global Justice (CAGJ) to monitor AGRA and were disappointed to find the lack of openness or sustained interest in dialogue from the Gates Foundation.  We share  growing concern about their ties to the biotech/chemical industry and their lack of listening to the grassroots and voices of Africa. Learn more about AGRA.

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Tunke-Aye Bisina

Report from the Field

 

 

Oporoza: Beckoning for aid

By Tunke-Aye Bisina

 

 

Tunke is a journalist from the “creeks” riverine area of the Niger Delta, currently living and working in Warri. He recently made a trip to Oporoza to help research and plan for the Global Citizen Journey Nigeria 2005 trip.

 

 

The story of Oporoza, traditional headquarters of the Gbaramatu Kingdom, located in the Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, is an apt description of the general decay, deprivation and underdevelopment the oil rich Niger Delta has been subjected to in the Nigerian Federation. The Gbaramatu Kingdom, one of the Ijaw speaking parts of Delta State, according to Chairman of the Oporoza Federated Communities, Hon. Matthew Diofelo, besides little hamlets, is made up of 19 towns. “To the sea side we have Tebujor, you have Opodobubo, you have Opuede, Okpelama, Epopo, Sagara, Oporoza. Then if you come towards the Warri end we have Azama, Ibefan, Inikorohgha, Ugoba, Kunukunama, Okerenkoko, Krutie, Kokodiagbene, Ebama, Benikrukru,Abiteye, Kenyagbe.” By the 1991 national population census figures, the area had a population of 23,000 inhabitants, though the figures of the census were disputed across the federation.

 

Gbaramatu Kingdom lying on the bank of the Atlantic Ocean fortunately is an oil rich land with American and Anglo-Dutch oil giants Chevron-Texaco and Shell having their operations in the area. Diofelo explained that Shell has four flowstations, Jones Creek, the biggest in West Africa, Egwa, Odidi I and Odidi II, while Chevron-Texaco has flow stations at Abiteye (Ikiyangbene Flow station), Makarava (Utunana).

Diofelo lamented however that the operations of the oil companies have not impacted on the Oporoza community in any way. The community, which he said has a population of 5,000, has suffered neglect and deprivation both from the various levels of government and even the multinational oil companies. He noted that there is virtually no government presence in terms of social infrastructures in the community. The village, he explained, lacks hospital, portable drinking water, affordable means of transportation, electricity and other infrastructures.

“There is no single drinking water here. What we drink is this sachet water coming from Warri. The only grace that will make people to drink good water is during the raining season. You have to collect some during the raining season for the dry season… No toilet here, what you do is, you go to the waterside to the canoe, and if you are ashamed you go to the bush… If you are sick you only pray God to survive it. In severe cases, it takes about three hours to run you from here to Warri. There is no hospital here. You see a house there, it is a hospital project from OMPADEC (Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission) but it is abandoned. In the entire Gbaramatu Kingdom there is no single hospital. If somebody is sick, what you just do is to hire a speedboat to rush you down to Warri,” the community chairman lamented. In the area of electricity, the community he admitted was fortunate to have a generating plant provided by the local government administration noting however, “We cannot put it on every day, because we do not have the ability to sustain the running cost. It is operated and fuel by community effort.”

Oil operations in the area, which naturally should have brought development to the area, Diofelo said has rather impoverished the people. “As you come in today as a visitor, the next thing you go inside the village is to see that you see fish. People give you freely, you don’t buy. But hardly could somebody give you fish now because with the oil operations, with oil spillages here and there, there have not been sufficient catch for them to be so kind to their next neighbor. So it has affected us so greatly even in our eco-system, it is very bad. The whole thing gas flaring, if you see every roof in the community, the few that are built with zinc, they are all burnt with this gas and heat coming from the gas flaring. It has affected both wild lives, fishing operations, even the forest,” the community chairman lamented. He explained that a pipeline outburst from a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and Chevron facility behind the village almost wiped out the entire population.

Diofelo said that the only government institution in the community is the Gbaraun Grammar School, which coincidentally is the only college in the entire Gbaramatu Kingdom. The school itself transformed from a community school. According to Mr. Pius Soroghaye, principal of the college, the school was established in 1980 as a community school but was later approved by the government in 1994.

This was the principal’s account about the school, “This school, Gbaraun Grammar School, is a school I was posted to in May 2002. And from the record I met on ground here, the school has passed through many stages. As a community school headed by different persons and emerged as a government approved school in the year 1994. It was established in the year 1980. Right now the student population is 300.

 

“The staff strength is grossly inadequate. Right now I have only four teaching staff. Non-teaching staff I have five. As a matter of fact, this has been one of the seething problems here and that is why I have cried to the community, cried to companies but there seems to be no response. These four teachers are qualified and sometimes they still spend some extra time teaching the students even after school hours. Some of the teachers that are augmenting the short fall in the teaching staff are the community staff. We have about four community teachers augmenting the other four. The least qualification among the staff is NCE (National Certificate in Education). The community teachers, because we just have to make do with what we have, some people are WASC (West African School Certificate) holders with good results teaching the junior secondary classes. We offer all the subjects in the senior school certificate exams. The major subjects.”

 

He blamed the problem of inadequate staff on the Delta State Post Primary Education Board. The Board he explained was “supposed to post teachers to this school but as I said earlier on, the powers that be seem to have neglected us and so all effort to get teachers posted here has not yielded any result. That is why we are still having this poor staffing here.”

 

Diofelo provided further insights into the problem. “Most teachers don’t like to come to the riverine to be employed and work for their money, they like to stay in the urban areas. So there is this issue of lack of teaching staff. And majority of the parents prefer taking their children and wards to urban cities, Warri which is very close to us.”

 

The community he said has not been sleeping over the issue. “As a matter of fact, we’ve not been relenting all this while; we’ve been working with the principal to coordinate the issue of bringing staff to the school. The principal has been so committed and he has not relented all these while. We are making every effort to see that the government sends more teachers to the place,” he noted, adding that the community pays the salaries of teachers it has engaged to augment the government teachers. Besides, the principal of the school said, “We are still crying to the Post Primary Education Board, the Ministry of Education to remember us in this part of the country. That we need teachers because there is no other way you can acquire the knowledge expected of the learner if there are no teachers to teach them adequately.”

 

Nevertheless, the principal views the absence of library in the school as “one of the greatest problems because we are cut off from the cities were we have state libraries. In a place like Warri, you have the state library were students go in to do some extra studies, or research work but because we are cut off far from the urban centers, no assistance. In short, you can’t get bookshops to buy books. So the need for the library here is a very serious one. In fact if we have a library around here, it will enhance teaching and learning in this place. It will not be of use to only the students but even staff will have reference areas to prepare their lesson notes. So the need for a library here is very important to us here where government and companies operating around the area have neglected us. Because if you look, nothing is coming to aid education here in this part of the country.”

 

He emphasized, “I think it (the library) is going to be one of the greatest achievements in this community and even not just the school and the community but the entire clan will enjoy the benefit that is coming. If really we have a library here, it is going to serve a very good purpose. Students will spend their leisure appropriately. It is a plan in the right direction. We will appreciate it and we pray God that it becomes a reality.”

 

His vice, Mr. Godwin Miebi also noted, “Lack of library in Gbaraun Grammar School, Oporoza has immensely caused a lot of damage to the school: interest to read books by the students is defeated; students are not acquainted with the spirit of reading at the appropriate time; students are not well organized in the mode of reading; students lack ability to go ahead with research work; needed books to read at the appropriate time are not there.”

Mr. Sawacha Tamaranpiriye Felix, Physical and Health Education teacher in the school speaking against the background of sports noted, “If library is built here in the school, it will serve a reference purpose for the school in terms of sports, they will know more about sports. What they will read and see will be refreshing in terms of sporting activities and that will help them broaden their knowledge and scope of learning in the various aspects of education.”

Chairman of the community also highlighted the benefits of the library to the school in this way: “It will help a long way to ensure that the students get to know that the culture of studies should be imparted into them. Once an environment is conducive, there are books available, they will always know that it is a good thing for them to gather together to study. It will help go a long way to see that the children are educated.”

To Elekute Macaulay, a library in the school will “increase the standard of learning; give students the ability to work hard; make learning easy; encourage many students who have stopped schooling to come back to the school; and enhance students performance in external examinations.”

 

A student in the senior secondary II, Guwor Justina, says that the absence of a library in the school was detrimental to the academic interests of students, nothing, “Students therefore are not making good use of their time; thereby making learning to become difficult. The presence of a library will make student to use text books which our parents cannot buy for us.”

 

Another student Zibimoghan Marvel says, “Since a library is very important to students and teachers, I will be very happy if a library is built for Gbaraun Grammar School, Oporoza.”

The principal of the school stressed that besides, the school was faced with other problems like ill-equipped laboratory. “We have what we call a laboratory but not a standard laboratory. It is just a multi-purpose open hall we just use it as a laboratory. It is below standard but just because we have to prepare our students for the senior school certificate exams we just have to make do with what we have, but as I have said earlier it is below standard.”

Soroghaye lamented further, “If you look around there are no infrastructures in the school. No toilet facilities, no administrative blocks, you can see my office. What you see now here, the roof is leaking through the length and breadth during the raining season. You can see the color of the ceiling. You can see how hot it is. You can see how I am sweating. Not well ventilated. All the corridors are dilapidating; the walls are giving way and no help from anywhere so it is a very pathetic situation. It looks like we are not part of the system in the country we are living in.”

The community chairman on his part attributed the problem of infrastructure in the school to government’s general neglect of the riverine communities. “You have the post primary education board: if you go to the urban cities you see them building primary and secondary schools here and there. But in the riverine, they don’t come to do anything. There is no project of note in our secondary school. The only class room you see existing was built about eight years past by Shell. After then there has not been any development, even the one you see there that is down. It is over about twelve year now and I think there has not been any effort from the government and even the oil companies to assist to build up and make the environment very nice, decent place for studies. It is even the effort of the community to put one and two together to see that there is a little place for the students to study.”

Surprisingly, the principal said the students still make good results in their external examinations through the extra efforts being put in by the teachers. “We’ve been making some good results in the past. We have made nothing less than 60 per cent in our WAEC (West African Examinations Council) and NECO (National Examinations Council) Exams. Students have been passing well. A lot of them have gone into higher institutions on yearly basis despite the shortage of staff. That is to say that we are putting in extra effort to keep up with the shortfalls but we will do better if more teachers are posted to us. Then we will expend less energy to produce what we are producing now.”

Residents of the sleepy town despite the deprivations, like every other community in the Niger Delta, still take life easy, undisturbed. Diofelo says “Basically what we do here for a living is just fishing and a little bit of subsistence farming to gather food, maybe a little of vegetable for family living and that’s all. We are not too much into big farming. Basically our occupation is fishing; that has been the means of livelihood to sustain an average family.” Mr. Nelson Ogelegbanwei also spoke in the same vein. “We are Ijaw people. When we wake up in the morning most of us engage in our daily fishing because most of us are fishermen. We go for our fishing according to the tide. Some go for their fishing by the high tide, some by the low tide. It could be in the night, in the afternoon and so on. When we come from the fishing we have to relax till the next tide that you set for the fishing again” Mrs. Rosemary Omula on her part says, “Women here are into fishing. In the morning you wake up and go for fishing and later we rest.”

Movement from one community to the other and even for their fishing endeavors is usually by local canoe and paddle, except a few on trading ventures who use engines to propel the boats. Men in the community, after returning from their fishing expenditure, find time to gather in groups to crack jokes and take some alcoholic drinks and cigarettes, while the women work almost round the clock. They are either seen weaving fishing gears or cooking or engaged in one domestic chore or the other. Ogelegbanwei summed up the leisure life of male residents this way, “The young ones play football, people of our category we sit down and refresh ourselves.”

Their foods consist mostly of cassava products eaten with either cooked palm fruit or oil soup.

The Oporoza Community is less than 50 kilometers from the Chevron-Texaco Oil tank farm located at Escravos on the bank of the Atlantic Ocean. The community is usually accessed through Warri by means of water transportation, which takes about one hour thirty minutes to three hours depending on the boat being used. The fares ranges from N1,500 to N2,500. Because of its closeness to the ocean, the river water is always salty throughout 365 days, hence they have to depend on rain water for most of their domestic chores as the community chairman pointed out earlier.

 

Houses in the community are a mixture of traditional raffia with thatched roofs and modern block and cement with aluminum zinc roofs. The traditional houses do not have toilets and bathrooms. Owners of such houses build small structures to take their bath and go to the stream and inside the bush to defecate. Cooking in those houses is usually with firewood. The modern buildings, which are going to accommodate the Global Citizen Journey Team, built by persons who have resided in cities like Warri, on the other hand, are a direct opposite of the former. They have toilets, bathrooms, kitchens, all in-built with modern wooden beds and foams as obtains in the cities.

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Thank you for your interest in Global Citizen Journey (GCJ). We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to creating connections and dissolving boundaries between communities all around the world. Our roots began in Africa and then India, but our aspirations are to facilitate the creation of a network of people that spans the globe.

GCJ’s journeys join hearts in conversation and hands in work by connecting U.S. delegates with citizens of a host country where they work toward a common goal and common understanding. In 2005, we took 20 delegates from the Puget Sound area to the Niger Delta in order to build the first library in the region in partnership with the Niger Delta Professionals for Development (NIDPRODEV). In 2006, we took a second group of delegates to Ghana to build an orphanage and community center in partnership with Western Heritage Home.  Then for several years we worked in Liberia with 30 local peacebuilders.  In 2017, we brought 12 westerners to join with 16 Indians in Pune, India at Maher, a community for destitute women and children.

Our current journey is in Kashmir, India, in September 2018 with our host partner ELFA International. As we prepare for this journey, we will develop an online packet of information designed to be informative to the press.

For more information about Global Citizen Journey and for a complete list of links to recent news articles about GCJ and about JRMB/YRWD founder, Prosper Ndabishuriye, please see the news section of our website.

If you have any questions or wish to learn more about our organization, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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