Learning to Lead

When I asked my husband in August of 2007 if he'd go to Ghana with me if we arranged a group of us to go, I had no idea what I was getting into.

I had been to Ghana. I had sent three other volunteers to Ghana. I had been working on the advisory board of a non-profit organization for two years. I had minored in African studies and read voraciously anything on Africa, development, and non-profits I could get my hands on. I knew what I was doing, right?

Yeah, right.

Ready to leave Accra for Cape Coast.

For nearly a year after that, I found out exactly how much I didn't know. From recruiting the volunteers to holding monthly meetings to fundraising to flights to arranging for us to volunteer in a brand new orphanage I'd never been to...it was insane. There was so much stress involved in arranging for 14 people to travel to and volunteer in a foreign country, much that I hadn't anticipated. Luckily, I had a lot of help from my dear hubby, as well as Jessica, a girl I'd previously sent to Ghana who agreed to be the coordinator for one of the groups.
Hanging with the monkeys at Boabeng Fiema Monkey Forest.

It wasn't til we left that I really started to feel the weight of what I was doing.

I had been to Ghana, yes. But I had been alone. I was all I had to worry about until I got over myself and started worrying for and loving the New Life kids more. This time, it was different. I was mama duck to five little ducklings who were in a whole new world. Yes, they'd had training, but nothing prepares you for the real thing. The weight of responsibility was incredible, especially considering we were hosted in three separate locations. We were in a third world country, and I had taken responsibility for their well-being, health, and to see that we accomplished our volunteering goals. Were they getting enough water? Did they know the way to the bank? Did they know how to catch a taxi and then go back home? Were they getting overwhelmed with culture shock and homesickness? Were they getting overwhelmed with the responsibilities of teaching? Did they feel like they were doing enough work, or had too much? I was constantly focused on making sure they were taken care of, and it was so much more taxing than I ever would have thought.

Saying goodbye to Green Turtle Lodge.

And yet, they were wonderful. They were responsible. They all quickly rose to the occasion, worked with the slight chaos and unstability that is a third world country, and came out on top. They learned to take taxis on their own. They learned their way around town. I eventually felt comfortable enough to take every other day to go to New Life, trusting that they knew what they were doing. Even then, though, I was constantly focused on making sure they were doing okay. I had carefully planned how I wanted things to go in Ghana before I left-- the things I wanted to get done while there. Almost none of it happened. Yet, in the end, that was okay.

Teaching them how to read.

Because we still got great work done. A few kids learned their ABC's. Some learned that letters have sounds. Still others learned that sounds could be pieced together to make words. And six people who left the USA as practically strangers returned as friends, teachers, and people changed for the better. In some ways, it was so much harder than my first trip, yet I am so grateful I had the chance to lead those people out there, and to learn a bit more myself.

Last day at Sankofa with David and a few of the teachers and kids.

Issues Affecting African Children #6: Aid Issues in Africa

Jane, Felicia, Sara, and a friend.

The first time I met Sara, she did an uncharacteristic thing-- shetried to keep me from being cheated. I was buying bofroot, a fried ball of dough, from her mother.

"Thousand cedis," Jane declared. I raised an eyebrow, but before I could open my mouth to say I knew it was half that, Sara leaped up from the stoop where she'd been sitting.

"No, no!" she exclaimed. "She is trying to cheat you! It is 500!"

Jane laughed, and I paid the 500. It was actually the start of a wonderful friendship with her and her daughters Sara and little Felicia.

The difference in price, for me, was about five cents. I could have just bought it at the higher price and dealt with it, but I refused to be knowingly cheated simply because I was an obruni. Jane was a good woman, and had nothing personal against me, but because I was white, she supposed two things: 1) I had more than enough money to spare, and 2) I probably didn't know the right price anyway.

Such is the attitude of many Ghanaians toward foreigners and their money. In a way, it's our own fault. For decades, the Western idea of aid was to walk in to a country and fling about cash like confetti. Here, we cried, feed your children, build your homes, go to school! And sometimes it worked that way. Much of the time, governments whisked it off into the anonymity of off-shore bank accounts. When it did reach the people, some began to develop the idea that foreigners equal money-- and they just love giving it away! That idea has become ingrained in many psyche's across the nation.

I had a friend email me a few weeks back. He had been asked to leave school because he couldn't pay his tuition. He begged me to send money so he could return to school. A conundrum was born. It was his education-- possibly the most important investment of his entire life, one that would save him from abject poverty. And yet, I myself am poor by American standards. My husband's own tuition was due, and there was barely enough to pay that. In addition, was I helping or hurting by simply handing out money whenever I was asked? Eventually, I had to tell him I couldn't send the money, but I suggested he try to find a temporary job to help him earn his tuition. This was a novel idea for him, and he thanked me almost as much for it as he would have for the money. It's strange that this idea had not occured to him; but really, was it all that strange considering the ideas he grew up with? White people = money, and he knew a white person! His problems would be solved.

Of course, there are some who do not have this attitude. Sara, with her determination that I not be cheated. My friend Dawood, who my husband and I are voluntarily helping through university. The only thing he ever asked for was for help buying a computer; not for us to buy it for him, but for him to send us the money he had earned so we could purchase it in the U.S. where used computers are cheaper.

Africans are a strong people, and their culture and society did fabulously well for centuries. They don't need us continuing to rule over them with aid as we did with colonialism. Of course, that area of the world is in desperate need of help. We should help others if we are able, if only because we all belong to the race of mankind. Many organizations are formed to give people an opportunity for just that. For one fabulous example in Africa, take a look at Care for Life. They focus on strengthening families and communities, helping people learn to rely on themselves and their community. And that is what aid should really be about.

**Disclaimer: This is not a slam against anyone or any organization that sends money to impoverished areas! There are some areas of the world that are simply too ravaged by poverty, war and disease to be able to become self-sufficient at the moment, and direct monetary aid is often, in those cases, the best and only course of action.

Elizabeth- A Virtuoso Pianist in the Making

One of the things I wanted to do on this most recent trip to Ghana was to teach the children to use the keyboard I knew another volunteer had left. I spoke with my old piano teacher, bought the beginner books she recommended, and had high hopes of eager and proficient students. I'm always an idealist.

Of course, things never work out the way you think they well-- especially in Ghana. It wasn't until my last day at New Life I actually managed to find time to pull out the books, bring in the batteries, and dig up the keyboard. I knew there wasn't much time, but maybe, I thought, I can at least teach them enough that they can use the books to teach themselves.

Most of the kids were either too busy or not interested to sit in on the lessons. Belinda, Elizabeth, and Ophelia were the most interested. I taught them about the different beats each note gets. We clapped through several sections, trying to get the timing right. To my surprise, Elizabeth could clap out each pattern almost flawlessly.

And that wasn't all. As I began to teach them which keys were which note, she began to zip through the songs that labeled each note. She wasn't actually reading the music, but she was able to read the labeled notes and remember exactly which ones were which on the keyboard. And she kept perfect time. Belinda and Ophelia did pretty good too, but whenever they got the timing or note wrong, Elizabeth immediately corrected them. I was astounded. She was a natural.

Belinda, Elizabeth, and Ophelia check out the next song in the book.

We played through some more songs, and I let them look at the part that began to explain the actual reading of music. Elizabeth was fascinated, and delighted with herself for being good at something naturally. We weren't able to get far, but far enough that Elizabeth at least would be able to follow the simple instructions in the book to continue learning. I don't know if she will, or if the others will either. There are many things they need to do with their time, but I hope Elizabeth and any others who desire are able to keep learning. If any volunteers go back who know how to play, see if you can pull out that keyboard, pull up the piano books I left, and give it a go!

Videos from Sankofa

These videos from YouTube are from a dance and drum troup called FanFa Kids. They visited Sankofa this August!

New Video-- The Return to New Life

There is a new video from this June's trip to Ghana! This one focuses on New Life; I'll be posting another in a few months on Sankofa. There were many wonderful things happening at New Life.

Worship and Assembly in Ghanaian Schools

One reason most schools in Ghana are very different from schools in the United States is that they are usually very focused on religion. Religious and Moral Education (RME) is a required subject in the Ghanaian school system, where children learn about belief systems of all types-- at least those that are common in Ghana. Both Christian and Muslim schools exist, and students who may be of another religious belief (such as my host siblings, who are Buddhist) still attend a religiously oriented school. No one seems to mind, so long as their children are in a good school.

Saying the Lord's Prayer at Sankofa

In addition to RME, the students start and end each day with Assembly. They line up in their classes, say the Lord's Prayer, sing a song that is usually religious in nature, say the Pledge, and then march while singing to their classes. Closing assembly is much the same.

Children at New Life pray during assembly

In many schools, a certain period one day a week is set aside for Worship. At New Life, this consists of singing, dancing, praying, reading from the Bible, and sometimes a competition to see who can best answer religious trivia. At Sankofa, the children gathered into the bamboo school house for a similar ceremony-- singing, praying, and telling of Bible stories.

A child shushes someone during worship at Sankofa

While some people find these enterprises a waste of time, I think it is a beautiful thing that they try so hard to keep their strong feelings of religion in all the aspects of their lives. To hear the children singing songs about Jesus can't help but make you smile.

Danny and Patrick join the kids at Sankofa for Worship.

Website Correction

Just a quick correction on the last post-- Sarah let me know that there were some previous volunteers who put together the content for the website, while Sarah and her father were responsible for getting the domain name and putting the site online. I'm not sure who put together the content, but if you're out there, thank you!