The IT centre & other projects

Hi again,

No blogs for weeks and then 2 on one day - crazy hey.

A few people have asked about how the project is going so thought we could post a quick update.

A team of 10 people (Danish, American, Ghanaian and English) move to our village today to ready ourselves for the project. We plan to spend the next fews days readying the site, weeding, meeting local skilled workers, cracking stones, learning how to make cement etc and then start the real work when the initial funding makes it's way to Ghana which should be by the end of next week. Then, we are cementing, building walls etc to get the centre there. Should be hard work but fun. Not sure about this heat or the fact that most of the volunteers are white women and Dave being pretty skinny (his words not mine) but sure it can't be that hard - can it?? we'll see.

We are still working on the funding and have some way to go before completing the whole thing - e.g. build it, furnish, source & network computers, get electricity, satellite etc and potentially look at new ideas like solar power. A couple of events are happening which will help - the Africa Night in London on 25 November which we hope lots of you will support by going and having a good time. Also - Deutsche Bank IT & Operations graduate are working on a global charity event all proceeds to the IT centre. They will be hosting it around the world - Australia, UK, Germany, Asia, America so massively far reaching. Look forward to seeing how these go.

Since being here, we have really seen how the IT centre will be the first of its kind and make a difference. Being built in a village is unique. Many parts of Ghana are concerned with the amount of people who are leaving village life for the developing towns. This project is a way of showing what is possible in town life and helping this particular community.

The centre will be a training centre where people from other towns/villages will come to use thereby bringing money and network to the village. When the centre is profit making, the plan is that proceeds will go towards women in the village specifically. We can't wait to see this impact but know we have some way to go first!

We will update you soon on how the first stages are going.

To keep us busy in the meantime, Dave and I have been taking on other projects to help the charity develop so be able to have more volunteers who can in turn make a difference in more communities. New projects are:

- Establishing a football team in Ho who compete nationally - have a proper training program, kit, registered with the Ghana FA and have real team spirit. TRAID have kindly supported some of the football kit which is making it possible. We are also looking for other donations to fund the registering, training materials and to have kit for more players.

- Creating a new website. Currently DIVOGs website is hosted by an ex-volunteer and very old. We are looking at ways to get a new host for DIVOG so they can update the website with the current projects and hopefully get more volunteers.

- Vehicle. We are working on a project to raise money for DIVOG to get their own vehicle. This would save huge cost financially and in time so enable them to do more for the communities quicker. We are looking for funding and ideas on how to get them a people carrier vehicle with left hand drive. Part of this is looking at ways we can get money making ideas here - e.g. we have set up a book exchange/buy for volunteers, looking at setting up craft workshops and selling jewellery and coke/biscuits. All small bits but should hopefully add up in the long term.

As ever, if anyone would like to run their own fundraising events, or persuade friends who are to do it for our charity, or provide us with donations/advice please don't be shy in getting in touch.

ghana@africa-foundation.org
floudy@hotmail.com
maria_mooreuk@yahoo.co.uk

Take care and see you soon,
Maria and Dave
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Ghana Tour October 2006

Hi all,

Firstly - sorry to all you complaining ones for not posting enough! We have been on our 3-4 week backpacking around the country which has been ace.

The Tour:

Few hairy moments with the local transport here - for example, our bus jumping the 10 bus que ueto go around a jack-knifed lorry in the bushes all directed by our fellow passenger 'The Army Man'. They didn't seem to be too concerned when it got stuck in the bush/mud as just hacked at greenery with machetes and pushed it through with the force of 10 Ghanaian men. 2 hours later later - all out and on our way - perfect. Don't worry mum - big knives are pretty blunt I'm sure and with the lovely culture of peace and love here they hardly ever hurt people. Only if you have stolen or murdered do people get lynched.

We have spent a long time on the south in small villages and on the beach. We stayed at an eco guesthouse call Green Turtle Lodge which was so good we have booked up for Christmas. Beach volleyball everyday after a day of eating lovely food and chilling. This is why I like it. Dave has fallen in love with the compost loos and solar panel power for the whole lodge thereby sticking with his 'green' side. He is trying hard not to be too worried about the no recycling or bins at all in fact.

Following this, we headed up through the central region to Kumasi which has the biggest market is West Africa apparently. It was great. The atmosphere and fun/laughter from stall holders and making us feel welcome was enormous. Sure they are not all laughing at us but with us! We are getting into buying material to have our clothes made so are not being as dull as the obligatory black i wore at home a lot. Not quite sure whether we'll go full out on the colours though!

We got to Kumasi on an overnight train from Takoradi - 12 hours in bunk beds in what felt like the whole train was tipping over a few times. Not the best night sleep but fun and got to see some more remote villages as we went through.

Despite the size of the country it is strange how you meet up with people you have met already. Suppose like usual travelling places people do similar trails - here either north to south or south to north so maybe not that strange after all. Thing is we now have time to ponder this sort of rubbish which I think is actually making me a little brain dead but I tell you a lot more relaxed!

We headed up north next stopping for day trips to bat caves and a monkey village on the way. Mum - you would have loved the monkeys as saw them jumping between trees and pretty close as they come to the village to steal food apparently.

Talking of food, anyone heard of fu fu? or banku? How do I describe it? Dave says its like chewing gum - um - not sure as you're not supposed to chew it. You just get a dollop of it by the right hand (left one only used for sanitary purposes - i.e. wiping bum), add the spicy soup/sauce with fish or chicken and swallow. Looks a bit like mashed potato but made with plaintain and cassava so completely different. 2 women and a mega size pestle and mortar type things are needed to pound it. One sits to folds the stuff whilst the other stands to thrust down the big pole thing bigger than themselves. Few broken fingers later and lots of sweating and you're there. Strange but true and tastes alright actually. Usual food here is rice, chicken, fish with lovely sauces. If you're lucky you can eat beef, goat or grasscutters (large rat things). Can you tell I'm hungry all this talk of food.

So, the north - Mole national park is a big game reserve which most travellers who visit Ghana go to. Usually via the obligatory punchure stop/wheel change, 4.30am bus and bumpy road on the way. All worth it though as get to see elephants within a few feet, different antelope types, warthogs and my favourite - baboons with their babies and raw bums. It's fun to go on the nature walk as you do get so close to the animals but also to see that they live together with people well. E.g. baboons in the staffing quarters, warthogs near the rooms and elephants trying to drink from the swimming pool. Only thing about the north which is tough is the heat - is crazy up there. Whereas Accra the capital in the South is 30 degrees the north is much hotter and humid.

North and South also differ in terms of culture and religion too with the north being more muslim and south more christian which makes different atmospheres. All lovely and people don't seem to mind the preachers who stand up on the buses to tell them all about it.

So, after our 2 day journey home from the north we are back in Ho in the Volta region (South East). Feels lovely coming home. This is a small town where we find people are the most friendly, e.g stopping in the street to introduce themselves, their wives etc and ask you name and how long you stay. Kids everywhere shout 'white man' in their respective languages whether it be Twi, Ewe or one of the others. Amazing how many different languages are spoken here - some of the smaller villages we went to had their own one too. Kids also most usually come up to you to shake or hold your hand which is nice. They are real fun, open and loving life despite what seems like a hard life for kids with all their chores, working and no toys like we would have. Amazing.

We move to our village today which we are really looking forward to as will be a different side of Ghanaian living. We are looking forward to being part of the community as will be there for the remainder of our stay.

So - the village stuff to come later when we are back in Ho with internet access!

Take care all - post some comments - we love them.
Thank you Jax and Caroline/Bobster aka Master Krump Machine) for yours.

Maria (and the lovely Dave)
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Pictures! - as requested...