Royal Seed home of chaos

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Since I was so abruptly cut off last entry, I will start with some statistics about the Royal Seed orphanage and school. These facts were given to us by the head of the orphanage, but we have absolutely no idea if they are true or not.
*There are 150 orphans living there and 100 community children who go to the school
*There are 28 workers at the orphanage. 14 teachers and 14 people to care for the kids (this is the fact that seems highly unlikely as I have only ever seen 2 or 3 people caring for the children)
*The monthly budget for paying the workers is 1500 cedis or about 2000 dollars. Divided by 28. If they are all payed equally (which I'm sure they're not) its about 53 Ghana cedis or 75 dollars a month.
*The monthly food budget is 2000 cedis (3000 dollars). To feed 150 kids 3 meals a day, plus 100 kids lunch everyday. I don't know how the math works out, but that 's not much.
*After growing up and leaving the orphanage, 1/3 or every child's salary is sent back to the orphanage. So essentially they pay off their time they spent there.

So a bit more about what it's like to work there. Everyday I think I might finally be starting into a routine, and everyday that thought just becomes completely absurd. I am supposed to teach creative arts everyday to class 2, then creative arts and math twice a week to class 1. That never happens. Usually there is some problem that must be handled: the teacher didn't show up and we have to teach a class all day, the kindergarten and toddler classrooms have been demolished for reconstruction and 100 of the smallest children are crammed into one class, etc, etc.
Other than these minor everyday catastrophes I generally teach my classes and just hang out with the kids. I have become very popular (as most obrunis are here) for several reasons. One is the fact that I will talk and play with the kids without beating them. The second is my watch. Anything technological is a great entertainment and at all times I usually have about 10 kids hanging on my left arm pressing the buttons of my watch. The other is my hair, which is long and braidable. So whenever I am sitting down I usually have about 15 girls surrounding me and braiding my hair. So for these reasons (and just the excitement of me being white and different) I usually cannot escape the dozens of kids crowding around me and we have a great time goofing off. I can't say I'm the best teacher, due to the fact that I like hanging out with the kids so much that I have trouble disciplining them, but we have a great time together, and that's what matters.

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Comments

[Michael]

thanks
Great image of all the kids hanging on to your arm! Had no idea the kids had to pay off their time at the orphanage.... Our thoughts and prayers are with you, M