Thursday, December 16, 2010
I’m not sure where to begin. First, a few tidbits:
Kindergarten has only recently become mandatory, hence, many children only began in grade 1, which is in Twi, with English as a subject, which explains why the grade 5 and 6s’ grasp of English is so precarious.
Vocab: adding “oo” to a word, adds emphasis. i.e. “bra-oo” + come quickly; or me daase oo: “thank you so much”
Loan interest rates here range from 30-50%!! Do you believe it?! No wonder so few people take out loans and why most houses are “works in progress” for years and years.
Now, down to summarizing the events of yesterday and today. These two days have been emotional and impactful, to say the least, and I am, yet again, at the end of a day, tired, needing to go to bed to rise early (5am) and feeling like I need to write down at least a little while my memories and reflections are still fresh.
Yesterday, I attended a Kumasi East Rotary Club meeting. It was jovial yet reverant, project focused yet included animated banter, singing, raffling, happy cedis, and, as always, included visitor presentations. I was very impressed. I spoke about my experiences and gave a heartfelt thank you to the club members for so openly welcoming me into their meetings and even dinner with their District Governor. I also received a Kumasi East bannerette on behalf of the Mont Tremblant club and, more specifically, my brother, Mark, their outgoing president, who would have been here in my place if he could have, and without whom this trip would not have been possible.
The link to these pictures is:
After our usual running around, Prince and I headed out of town to Ejusi. Here there is a boarding school started by a veterinarian doctor (a saint as far as I’m concerned). She had asked Fei about orphan children (often due to HIV/Aids) in the communities, knowing the work he had been doing with Rotary and Adumasa Link. Together, they gathered 27 orphans and this woman houses, feeds and educates them at her own cost, seeking out private donations and support to sustain the school. She is a saint. I saw children who were well cared for and who were a tight-knit group, full of spirit and caring for each other. I also saw dilapidated and destroyed buildings (one building had its roof completely ripped off from a storm, the present one for Kindergarten to grade 2 has gaping holes in the walls or no walls at all, simply frames etc..), with inadequate furnishings (not enough chairs for students, KG-grade 1 no desks whatsoever, no teachers desks in some classes). There has obviously been some financial support as a new Junior School had been built (how it is completed or furnished I can’t say as we ran out of time and daylight), which needs a second floor to house the Kindergarten and primary classes.
The dorms are basic and seem to be adequate, but lack an essential element: bug/bed nets! Fei thinks the rotary may have some they can donate, if not he hopes they may be able to arrange for this. In this area this is absolutely essential with malaria rampant.
Another cause for concern was their well. The children have to haul water from a 30-40 foot well with buckets on rope, no safety rail or anything. Fei suggests an electric pump and a tower to mount a tank as has been done in many of their communities, so that they have gravity-fed water, accessible by turning a tap. This might also enable better latrine and bathhouse facilities as these, too, are in dire need of upgrading.
It is amazing to meet the people who somehow create something out of almost nothing. The owner, Joyce, was not there unfortunately, but the two live-in house parents, Marcus and Madam Bruce, were there. Madam Bruce is actually the headmistress and mother (another saint) to all 27 children, living with them, cooking for them, caring for them when they fall sick etc.. She makes about $75 a month! She was able to give us a “run down” of the situation, the term costs per child (school fees, supplies, food etc..) and then organized for us to take pictures of each of the children for a sponsorship program. Fei and I had spoken on our drive back from Domeabra about this school and the children, as well as other orphans in the Adumasa school community (Elisabeth, who I have befriended, being one of them). I thought we could create a sponsorship candidate list for children without parents, and in financial need which I could then have when I return home to link people who want to help with the legitimate, authentic means to do so. The costs are really quite minimal, made especially lower with the value of our currency to theirs.
I realize the time is getting on, I am tired, and I need to get to bed. I am afraid I will not do justice to the experience as a result. It was powerful to say the least. It is incredible to see how the children’s faces light up at the slightest attention and they laugh at the slightest provocation. They are survivors and are rolling with what life has given them, seemingly unaware of the hurdles they are overcoming daily. Fei had arrived with a huge bag of the trimmings from his church’s host/eucharist which they received happily. We didn’t end up bringing other food with us, as Fei thought that the school was vacating for holidays the next day. It turned out not all of them were and that they had no more food, so I was happy to give Madam Bruce 50 cedis, knowing it would be well spent.
Link to these pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/kpedicelli/HarvardRoyalLearningCentre?feat=directlink
Today was a different sort of emotional. I went to a teacher Xmas luncheon not really realizing that this was a farewell to all of them. I was honoured by kind words and even presents. We did two official presentations: one was of the Mont Tremblant bannerette which just arrived in the mail (it took 3 weeks by airmail), I presented to Fei on my brother Mark's behalf; and the other of the multifunction printer Mom and Ron donated. Here I said goodbye to Ben and Emmanuel, the two IT teachers I have been working so closely with to get the computer lab up and running. It was sad to say goodbye to many of the teachers today, exchanging contact information, knowing that I may never see any of them again. The irony of such an experience, that it is intense and yet fleeting.Link to these pictures:
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| Elisabeth |
I had a visit with Elisabeth this afternoon and we had dinner together. Elisabeth is one of my students who has struggled like Samuel to continue her schooling, having a gap in her education due to family issues (her mother died and her father went into a serious depression; subsequently he is an absent parent and she is living with her rather emotionally abusive grandmother in an unhappy household). She is back at school, at age 15 in grade 9. She is a gentle, loving, bright girl and I would adopt her if I could. She wants to be a doctor someday and I do hope this is possible for her. I know I have written about her before. She left here tonight (I gave her some small gifts as well as stationary and supplies to be able to write me)and went home to be insulted by her grandmother, saying that she was lying having visited me and that she had been with a man. I know this because Elisabeth called and asked that I speak to her neighbor, who speaks English. I straightened out that issue, but then, it seems, there might be an issue with our corresponding (they don’t want me sending her letters), so I will communicate through the school. I spoke to Julianna about it and she explained that she has experienced this before and it is the fear of those who are illiterate and lacking education, fearing and being jealous of others who strive to be educated. She also thinks the grandmother is becoming senile. Whatever it is, it is a poisonous environment for Elisabeth as, here, elders are respected, and as her grandmother speaks badly about her, she will be believed and hold sway on how Elisabeth is seen and treated. Poor girl. I didn’t know what to tell her tonight, apart from affirming her and telling her that peace and love are from within, not without and “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”… this is the sort of thing that makes it so hard to leave. I do hope I am able to stay in touch with her from home and know that at least I can support her from there. I have also explained the situation to Martha, Samuel and even Ben, the night custodian, as well as Julianna, asking that they watch out for her. I will also speak to Fei again as she is on our sponsorship candidate list.
I must end on a happy note: Martha, Samuel, Julianna, Fei and I are going to the Monkey Village tomorrow and Akaah Waterfalls. I am excited for me and especially for Martha and Samuel, to see another part of their country they have yet to experience.
NOTE: This may be my final entry while still in Africa as the broadband internet system is EXPENSIVE. The credits get eaten up in no time. I don’t know how anyone here can afford it. I may upload the last of my pictures with a summation while I am in Cape Coast next week, but will have to wait and see if I can afford to “top up” my credits. Otherwise, I will simply write my daily logs in Word each day and simply post them and the pictures when I return home where we can pay a reasonable annual or monthly internet fee!
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