Our friend Mark brought a ‘Google Home’ to Ghana last month. It’s the size of a doughnut, and tries to answer questions by searching for information on the web.
In the little village of Gyetiase, it was a wow – everyone wanted to have a go. Mark mounted it in a box on the back of a church, and day and night we could hear voices asking questions – for the name of the President of Ghana, or who Michael Essien was, or what was the capital of Togo, or just to be told a story.
In a recent speech, our Founder Martha Boadu called on Ghanaians to always think outside the box in their quest of developing the country.
More about Martha’s speech, and some photos
Last month in Ashanti, we talked to the farmers of Mpantuase Village about the agricultural training and support they were getting. They seemed very well versed, and all knew to watch out for the dreaded army worm, which can destroy crops at the snap of a finger.
Here’s a picture of our meeting, and a couple more of Mavis paying them their loans. They will use the money to buy tools and tubers, seeds, wellington boots and agro-chemicals, and then repay it after the harvest.
This tree was made out of 500ml water bottles – about 200 in all. It won a competition and raised £150 for our new project to ensure no child in our villages suffers from worms.
Dave & Kathy visited our dress-making school at Gyetiase earlier this month. Everybody was working hard and there was a happy atmosphere, with the apprentices showing great respect for their teacher and trainer, Kofi. Many of them are single parents, and some left JHS prematurely, which makes it very important for them to gain accreditation.
Kofi takes ten women, aged between 18 and 30 for a three year training. During that time they learn to design and make shirts, trousers and shorts for men, dresses and blouses for women, and school uniforms.
Apprentices routinely arrive at 7.30am for an 8am start. They use electric machines (from John Lewis!) but during power cuts they have recourse to hard-operated sewing machines. They use traditional Ashanti cloth from the local markets to make commissioned garments.
They have an ambitious motto: ‘Clothing for Africa and Beyond,’ and many Ashanti volunteers take the opportunity to have clothes made for them.
The Disabled Association report that the Centre we built for them last year in Nsuta has led to a considerable improvement to their status in society. What’s more, a donor has just offered to fund a computer room for them, so those who are literate will soon be able earn a bit of money writing letters for those who aren’t, or as an internet cafe.
We told the local authority about this, and asked for their cooperation in improving the lives of the disabled in the area. Their headquarters is just a stone’s throw from the Centre. In response, they promised to provide a free computer trainer, and to contract all their printing to the Association, provided we could provide two big printers. They also said that in a year or two they find a job for a Disabled Association member, provided there was one with the appropriate education – which is very likely.
So things are looking up for this particular Disabled Association. We’ll do our best to make sure they go on that way.
Our principal patron, Keir Starmer MP, dropped in last week on the stall we were running at the Camden Christmas Market. As you can see, Martha taught him how to play oware, and we were joined by other well-wishers. What a good way to start Christmas.
David Williamson and Rodney Bickerstaffe, Sandra’s Story, Microcredit: Empowering the Poorest of the Poor
Last year, The Ghana Government awarded Mampong District around £2,000 in a competition for the best grant application. 121 Districts entered and Mampong came seventh. Its application was for funding 100 Zongo latrines in Mampong Town, ie enough latrines for 1,000 people. Zongos are immigrants friom northern Ghana or Burkino Faso, who come south because climate change means it is too difficult to sustain life in their homes.
The District’s application described the extreme poverty in which the Zongos live, with 10 or 20 people sharing a single room, and most of them begging for food or living off produce from very small smallholdings.
Nicholas has been carrying out ‘beneficiaries identification’ among the Mampong Zongos, which must be difficult because they will all be desperate to get a latrine. Meanwhile, he’s sent us these photos of the part of Mampong where they live.
