Final Thoughts

I am back home in Canada now, after what has been a life altering experience. One week today we flew back into Toronto and since then I have had some time to reflect on my experiences over the last four months in Ghana.  Here is a quick summary of my thoughts for you...

On Development: Development Aid has failed over the last 60 years and continues to do so today. The majority of aid organizations and governments view aid as a means to give things to those without, and it is this culture of "handouts" that is hurting those living in extreme poverty in countries like Ghana. This will persist until aid becomes about empowering people to allow them to pull themselves out of poverty. Only then will the poorest people on earth be able to pull themselves out of poverty.  

On EWB: Engineers Without Borders is doing great work  in Africa. EWB does not give out handouts but rather believes in investing in people by helping build the capacity of individuals so that they can solve their own problems and pull themselves out of poverty. This approach will lead to the elimination of extreme poverty and sustainable development over the long term. One of the biggest challenges for EWB is communicating this approach to people and demonstrating the positive results that this work is truly having for individuals in Africa. 

On Ghana: Ghana is truly the tale of Two Countries. The more affluent, resource rich and fertile South dominates the headlines as Ghana becomes a so-called middle income country and the economic miracle of West Africa. The truth is that 60% of the population work as poor small holder farmers, the majority which live in the north, who get less then 10% of the federal government budget in support, and for the most part live a subsistence livelihood of poverty. Despite great wealth and large amounts of aid from Western countries and institutions, the gap between the rich and poor in Ghana is growing, as the majority poor are being ignored due to systemic corruption and top-heavy partisan politics. Continuing along this path may prove dangerous and may lead to further alienation and division between the two Ghana's. Despite this, the majority of Ghanaians remain positive and optimistic about their future and their ability to forge a better life for themselves and their families, thus leaving one with hope for the future.  

On Myself: Having been through the EWB overseas volunteer experience, I have learned that it can be a truly rewarding and inspiring experience to courageously pursue what one is passionate about. I believe that if people realize this and have the courage to live a more fulfilling and just life through their daily actions and choices, that not only will they benefit, but the poor peoples of the world will as well. My challenge now is to continue living my life in pursuit of what I am passionate about, and to do this with the awareness that the choices I make in my daily life do have an impact on others,  both at home and in far away places like Ghana. 

Living in Saboba

The town of Saboba, which happens to be the district capital of Saboba, has been my home for the past 4 months. I have been hoping to share some photos about my time here for a while now, but have wanted to wait till I got a descent selection to choose from. Sadly, my time here is coming to an end rather quickly, so this is a chance to see what I will be leaving behind. Hope you enjoy this peek into the town and my life here.

Baobab tree in the centre of town, where the only two paved roads in town intersect. The tree was deemed to be in the way, and was going to be cut down by the construction company that had the contract to pave the main road in town. Residents however opposed the proposal and had them build the road around the tree, which now serves as a nice roundabout. Notice the open ditches on the left; these were put in for water drainage but were not graded, thus water pools within them. At first malaria rates shot way up  in town. A task force had to be created that goes around a couple times a week oiling the ditches to kill mosquito larvae and thus reduce the number of malarial mosquitos flying around. This was not the only unforseen engineering flaw with the ditches, as they are also used by children and roaming goats as outdoor bathrooms and places to splash around in. Also many people tend to throw their waste into them, as no garbage bins exist around town. There is however a team of people called zoom lion that go around in the mornings sometimes with these tricycle bikes with bins on the back and pick up waste in town to keep it looking nice.

 Looking the opposite direction of the first photo, is Mohammed's mineral shop/sports bar. Mineral is the term Ghana used instead of pop. He sells Coca Cola, Fanta Orange and Sprite mostly, as well as Malta, a malt drink made by Guiness, which surprisingly dominates the West African Beer and beverage market, and contracts local maize, malt and sorghum to use in making of their drinks. Mo shows English football (soccer) matches on the weekend beside his shop. He charges 50pesoas (cents) admission. This part of town is the Muslim sector of town, as many migrated here from the neighboring French Speaking countries of Togo (borders Saboba, divided by the river Oti) and Burkina Faso. They do not belong to the local tribes, thus live in the downtown part of town, where they are allowed to build and work as shopkeepers.

Down the road, here is the view to the Old Market. Here woman come and sell there freshly harvested crops, bring them to get milled, or sell vegetables and fresh fish. This truck does runs bringing people and goods to market from Chereponi, a town about 30 minutes from town on official market days. Market day works on a 6 day rotation.

The new market on market day. You have few options, buy food, which about 50 venders sell all the same food, or buy clothes and corner store type goods made from China and brought from Togo across the border and sold by French speaking Togolese.

Here is the compound home in Toma Village that I am staying at with a host family. They are a very successful farming family in town, about 3 kilometres from the centre of town. This is a very nice home here, as they have a brick main house on the right, and all Tin roofing. They also possess a tractor, which is very rare in Saboba, as I think only 3 are owned by farmers in town.

My host father, Mr. Jonah Kayil Talibe. He came third last year in the district best farmer competition, and won a bicycle and a machete.

Inside the compound. The courtyard space is used to dry the crops out that are harvested. here we have okra, peppers, nehri, ground nuts, and rice.

My room that I am staying in.

view inside the room

View of my roof from the inside, which was fairly leak-free.

Granda "In-na" Kayil preparing dinner over the wood fire.

Ms. Kayil "Ina"

The boys: Brother Nehemiah on the far right, the rest cousins from the village of Toma. 

Sister Faustina. Fausti used to help me with my laundry, dinner and water fetching. Her favourite hobby was dancing to Ghanian Kukomba music.

Mighty and Precious, the two twins from Toma village. They lived across the road and would come to greet me in the evenings.

Charles Kayil, my host brother. Charles would be there to translate and help me out whenever I needed it. He even stayed with me in the hospital during my battle with Typhoid. He is brilliant kid who hopes to become an eye doctor one day. He also is not a Chelsea supporter, a big deal if your a Ghanian, which means he is alright.

Exodus Baboni, a cousin from the village, grew up as a brother to my host father in the same compound. I stayed in what was once his room. He is 26 and works construction. He built his own compound home for his 3 brothers and 2 sisters himself, as his father died when he was only 11. he hopes to send his brothers through school by working, to then go back and complete his studies one day.

Helen Kayil, my host sister. Helen showed me around a bit my first two weeks in town, then was off to complete teachers college in another town. She was highly literate and hoped to teach in Saboba one day at the primary school.

My pretending to help out around the compound.

Me and my TVS 100 Motorcycle. A week without having to fix it was a good week.