Author: Penny

… as Bob Dylan would say.

The rains are not far off now, so in Ashanti they’re trying to fast track latrine projects. Here are some photos of Ohemaa-Dida village (Dida means we eat here, we sleep here – not sure about Ohemaa), where they’re busy digging, and constructing masonry slabs and moulding mud bricks for the buildings.

We were asked to bring latrines to Ohemaa-Dida by the Queen Mother, who believed it would help her village gain good health. Sadly, she died before we’d raised the money. She’d have been so pleased to see it all happening.

Our three successful boreholes at Dagati, JY and Ankumadua have now been joined by a fourth, at Esereso. Here are some photos.

The photographs show the opening of our latest building – a centre for the disabled of Nsuta and District. The main donors, a Swiss charity called BasAid, sent representatives to the ceremony and were very impressed by the whole project. So little is provided for the disabled in Ghana that we feel this is one of the most worthwhile things we’ve done.

One of the Ashanti villages I visited last month was called Wonoo. Some of the community are local Ashantis, but others are settlers who came south because climate change was making it nearly impossible to scratch a living in Northern Ghana or Burkino Faso.

They told us they were from the Dagumba, Fra-Fra, Dagati, Fulanji, Gunja and Mossi tribes. They are collectively called ‘Zongos,’ and they have their own line of authority. A village Zongo Chief will report to an area Zongo chief. Not sure how far up the chain goes.

Most of the Zongos are Muslim, but some are Christian and others follow traditional religions, led by people including the guy in the bottom photo. (Sorry, can’t persuade the photos to turn the right way up.) They all live peacefully together, regardless of ethnicity or religious beliefs. Why can’t we take a leaf out of their book.

The photos show a meeting at the village of Timber Nkwanta, with everyone amazed to learn that a group of UK barristers and a young man called Rufus have decided to sponsor them for latrines. Apparently, the work is going really well – everyone very well motivated and anxious to get on with the work and get their latrines.

Dave Banks has just returned to Ashanti, where he’s got off to a flying start with his teacher-training project. He spent Mon/Tues preparing and planning; Weds training circuit supervisors; Thurs training 50 headteachers; Fri planning/training at St Monica’s teacher-training college. All very busy and positive, he says.

SpecSavers of Leicestershire have just returned from ten days in Ashanti, where they screened, treated, prescribed for or referred over 1,400 people. People came from all directions and from as far away as the northern regions of Ghana. They included important traditional rulers like the king of Nsuta, District Chief Executive Officers, and top government officials. Some of the pictures show the size of the daily queue.

The Ashantis (and Ashanti Development) are immensely grateful to SpecSavers for using their holidays and their own money to give sight to so many people. We had initially worried that local people, who are very poor, would just sell their spectacles on. We were wrong and in recent years when we visit remote villages we increasingly encounter people wearing tribal robes and spectacles – which look good together.