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Published: August 7th 2007
Diary of a volunteer
Ghana 2007 ‘This volunteering is bloody hard work! Both mentally and physically.’ This entry from my travel blog more or less summarises my 8 weeks of volunteering. On 6 January 2007 I left behind the cold weather in Scotland and the comfort of my home and set off for Ghana in West Africa.
My voluntary trip was organised by Cross Cultural Solutions, an American based charity who operate volunteer programmes around the world. I’ve been asked many times what made me go, but the truth is I don’t know. I remember watching a programme about the Live 8 concert that took place in 2005, and although I’m not 100%!c(MISSING)ertain, I think this was a factor in my decision to go to Africa. It was not an over-night decision - I’ve always been moved when watching the news or documentaries about the poverty in Africa.
Whatever the reason, the latter part of 2006 was spent fund-raising and organising my trip. That; combined with having to endure about 10 different vaccinations! I remember getting discouraged by the number of forms I had to complete and the amount I had to organise before I left.
I also felt nervous and had doubts about whether I could actually go ahead with it.
To help you understand, I had not really travelled or experienced a different culture before I went to Ghana. I had been on a few beach holidays where they mainly cater for British tourists, but that was the stretch of it. I was even feeling nervous about changing flights at Heathrow airport.
I tried to learn about Ghana and its people but I’ve since learned that reading books or searching the internet does not really prepare you for entering a third-world country. I was anxious stepping off the aeroplane at Accra airport in Ghana and was immediately thrown into a different world. Being white suddenly made me feel very conspicuous and I felt intimidated at times.
Of course, all this is part of the ‘culture shock’ and in hindsight I am glad that I experienced this. I would feel cheated if I arrived in Africa and did not notice or feel anything different.
Arriving at the base where I would spend the next 8 weeks I remember thinking I had made a mistake. 8 weeks seemed like a long time,
and during those first few days I genuinely wished I had only committed to 3 or 4 weeks.
7/1/2007
‘The home base is not what I expected. I thought it would be basic but my room looks like a shed and my bed is a mattress on the floor!
I laugh now when I read this because I soon learned that my accommodation was a lot better than where some of the local people lived. The home base is situated outside the town of Ho, which is approximately 2 ½ hours drive inland from the capital, Accra. The water and electricity were periodically turned off. However, it didn’t take me long to settle in and I soon felt at home in my ‘shed.’ My voluntary placement was at Christ the Prince of Peace School, which has classes for children aged 4 to 18. The owner of the school is a 75 year old woman called Charity who started the school in her house almost 30 years ago. The classrooms at the school are empty apart from some old wooden desks and a blackboard. I was placed in Class 2 and asked to help the teacher. The children in
the class were all aged between 8 and 9 years old.
11/1/07
‘I sat and observed the class, but was shocked at what I saw. The teacher told the children to buck up or she would lash them. There was no encouragement and the pupils who struggle are ignored.’ And so began my 8 weeks of teaching some of the most amazing children I have met. No more threats of being lashed or being ignored. It was time, I decided, to show the kids a different way of life. On my second day at the school, the teacher handed the class over to me and asked me to teach them English. I stood at the front of the class with 21 pupils looking at me, eagerly awaiting me to start teaching.
I’m not a teacher and had never taught before so was feeling a bit nervous, not helped by the stifling heat. But by the end of the first week my initial nerves disappeared and I was starting to enjoy teaching.
14/1/07
‘Friday at the school was good. I gave the children paper and crayons and asked them to draw a picture of themselves. The pictures are now on the walls of the classroom which were previously bare.’
My free time in Ghana was spent getting to know the locals or travelling to other parts of the country. I visited one village called Bamefedo, where I met a small boy called Elli. As soon as I stepped off the bus, he grabbed my hand and wouldn’t let go for the rest of the day. All of the children I met were intrigued by my white skin, and would spend ages touching my hands or hair. I found it strange to start with, but by the end of week 8 I was used to being examined! I also visited Cape Coast, the former Capital of Ghana.
20/1/07
‘This afternoon I visited Cape Coast Castle where the British imprisoned black slaves in dungeons before shipping them away to other countries. It was interesting but very sobering and impossible not to leave feeling depressed. There is a door called the door of no return because once the slaves went through this door they never returned to Ghana.’ I much as I enjoyed travelling and learning about Ghana, I realised that I wanted to be back at
the school helping what I now refer to as ‘my kids.’
24/1/07
‘At school the teacher often threatens the children with the cane but I’ve never actually seen her use it - until today. When I arrived in class there was not a seat for me, and the teacher went a bit mad! She made the children come to the front of the class, one at a time to be caned. I really wanted to stop her but felt I didn’t have the authority.’ After this incident I went to the headmistress and tackled her about the caning of children. She replied that African children need to be disciplined by using the cane. I found out that it is actually illegal for class teachers to cane the children; however, they can go to the head teacher and ask them to cane a pupil. But from what I’ve seen, all of the teachers still use the cane.
While I was at school I introduced detention instead of using the cane and the teacher in my class agreed to continue this after I left - but I have my doubts.
4/2/07
‘I’m now half way through my time in Ghana - the last 4 weeks have past really quickly, and I’m now looking forward to simply enjoying the next 4. I’ve done so much over the last 4 weeks and it’s only now that I feel like I’ve settled in and am getting to know everyone.’
By the end of week 4, I was glad I was not going home. I still felt like I had a lot to do. As well as attending the school, I had been visiting an orphanage which is home for about 20 children. The orphanage is called the Save Widows and Orphans Development Centre and is run by a lady called Bernice. She is really nice, but I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of her!
I always imagined that an orphanage would be a sad, depressing place, but the children were happy and always greeted me with a smile. I asked Bernice about some of the children and behind the smiles were some very sad stories. There is Elolo who is 5 years old but looks about 2. He was being brought up by his 7 year old sister and from what I was told the village chief
where he was living was waiting for him to die because he had become a burden.
10/2/07
‘When I first visited the orphanage I asked where the boys beds were and was told they were outside. I presumed they were being washed, but it turns out there are no beds. This week it seemed to annoy me more than usual, probably because I don’t have much longer here. So, I have been to find out about buying some bunk beds - I think I can get 2 for about £80.00 which is not that expensive.’ I bought the beds from a workshop which, fortunately, was beside the orphanage. The bedroom was completely transformed when the beds were delivered and the excitement on the kid’s faces was priceless. It’s good to know they now sleep well at night.
During one of my visits to the orphanage I discovered some of the children were not in school. I learned that they could not attend school until September, when the new term starts. I decided to forgo a couple of days at the school to go and teach these kids. None of them spoke very good English so it was
hard work but they were eager to learn and enjoyed our lessons.
15/2/07
‘I’ve had a mad week - there is no water in Ho, therefore I’ve been transferred to another town called Woe, about 2 hours away from Ho.’ Cross Cultural Solutions have another base in the town of Woe, which is on the South East Coast of Ghana. It’s a small fishing village and appears to be more deprived than Ho.
When I arrived I met a young boy called Charles. He went to shake with his left hand which I found strange because it is custom in Ghana to only shake with your right hand. However, I noticed that his right hand was badly infected and one of his fingers was swollen and bleeding. I don’t know exactly what happened to him but I was told he has epilepsy and fell into a fire.
Along with some of the other volunteers I took him to a local hospital for treatment. None of his family would accompany us to the hospital and I never did meet his mother or father, but the cost of medical treatment meant they simply could not afford it.
When we were moved from Ho due to the water shortage I was not too pleased because I did not want to be away from the school or orphanage. But looking back, I think it was meant to be so Charles got the treatment he needed.
19/2/07
‘I’m back in Ho tonight - it’s good to be back in what now feels like home. I’ve only got 11 days left in Ghana - I always think there is not much more that can happen, but going by the last few days anything is possible.’ I returned to Ho, excited at the prospect of going back to the school and orphanage and also thankful that I had the opportunity to live in another part of the country for a few days. Living in Woe, I thought, gave me the opportunity to witness the real effect of poverty. Little did I know it had been staring me in the face all along.
Stephen, who’s 19 years old, lives near the home base in Ho. He helped me buy the beds for the orphanage - in fact I doubt I would have managed without his help. He lives with his
elderly father in what can only be described as a mud hut. It was obvious they had very little but I did not realise the extent of their poverty until one day Stephen told me he was ‘fasting’ because they had no food. He was also facing the ‘sack’ from school because he could not pay his school fees.
He told me hoped to become an architect but without his education he faced a bleak future. I’ve been asked how I decided who to help, but I didn’t make a conscious decision to help anyone in particular. I simply found myself in situations where I knew I could help.
And I knew I could help Stephen. Along with another volunteer, I brought him some food and more importantly, have offered to help pay his school fees over the next couple of years. It’s not a massive amount of money but it will make a huge difference to Stephen’s life.
21/2/07
‘Today I went to see Stephen’s father, who thanked us and told us God would bless us! His father was the happiest I have seen him, and I know he will no longer have to worry about his son.’
My last 2 weeks in Ghana were spent enjoying my time at the school and orphanage, as well as packing in some sight-seeing. I visited the cultural market in Accra, climbed Adaklu Mountain, went on a boat trip on River Volta and even went to church!
My final week brought a mixture of emotions. I was feeling sad. I was feeling excited and I was even feeling nervous.
27/2/07
‘In class today I showed the children some postcards of where I live, which are now on the class room walls. As usual, I had many requests from the children to take them home with me on Friday. One pupil asked me to go to the head teacher and tell her I wanted to take 5 pupils home with me, and he was sure she would agree to it!’ I always knew I would become attached to some of the children, but nothing prepared me for how difficult it would be to say goodbye. My last day at the school was one of the best and one of the worst.
I gave all the children a card and small gift and we played games
and danced around the class. On 2 March 2007, it was time to say goodbye and the whole class came outside to see me off. As we stood in the shade under a tree, the children were unusually quiet and well-behaved. I think they knew I was leaving. I will never forget watching the children walk back through the school gates as I waved goodbye.
I had to go through it all again as I said goodbye to the children in the orphanage. I never imagined 8 weeks in Africa would have such an effect on my life. I plan to go back and visit some of the people I met, and will continue to fundraise for the school and orphanage. I feel like my 8 weeks in Ghana was just the beginning.
2/3/07
‘I came to Ghana to try and help people, or more specifically children. I’m not sure if I’ve really made any great difference but I know I’ve had an amazing experience and all the children I’ve met have been happy and excited to meet me. People here are not starving to death but there is real poverty that people in the U.K will never experience. But their ability to be happy and their hope for a better future are to be admired. During my time here, I’ve probably learned more than any of the children I’ve taught.’
Ricki Lyon
2007
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don
non-member comment
I was moved
Hi Ricki, I was moved by your account. I'm glad you had the courage to buy the bunk bed, and to help Stephen. Yes, perhaps, in the "grand scheme of things," you made a small impact--but at least you had the courage to make that impact, no matter how small. That's better than what can be said for most people who criticize those who "make a difference."