| Day 1 March 7th,
2007 - “Be the change you want to see in the world”
- Nelson Mandela |
| Tonight I was introduced to so many people it was
hard to remember all of their names. Their personalities
however, were not as easy to forget. During this initial
meeting of the convention participants, a kind of questioning
began. What emerges is an informal testing of knowledge
and an inquiry into the individual’s beliefs.
Topics of religion, government and social structures
flow freely in conversation; everyone is eager to both
pick your brain and share their own knowledge. |
| Contrary to some Western beliefs on developing Africa
countries, the people I have met here are among the
brightest people I have met. Each individual is completely
knowledgeable of his country, its past, its present
and hopes for its future. In some ways the young people
in Ghana have put American youth to shame. Despite all
the social and economic problems they face as youth
living in a developing country, they make it their responsibility
to do something to help their country. |
| Moses and I began talking at the table over pizza,
while sitting at a small bar across the street from
our hotel. Moses who was elected Vice Speaker for SWA
last year as a result of his high level of activism
in his community and on the SWA website, was interested
in my scope of knowledge, and asked me questions like
“What do you know about Ghana?” and “Do
you know anything about Africa?” . Later, he told
me about the work he had been doing in Africa. |
| Moses not only works with NGOs such as UNICEF and
Children’s Right International but he also drives
14 hrs once a month to work with children who are hearing
impaired. With a small team of 12, he helps build the
confidence in these children and helps them overcome
the setbacks associated with their disability. One particular
student who remains “close to his heart”
is a child of six years old who was born deaf. His parents
who were “shy” and unsure of how to care
for him locked him away in the home for six years. When
he was finally rescued, he was unable to socialize and
was afraid of others. However, Moses worked personally
with him and the child now freely interacts with his
peers a year later. Moses made a point to say that all
of the children he works with are important to him;
he holds no favorites and cares for the children all
the same. |
| Later that night we made the first of many trips to
find an internet café. It was about 10 o’clock
and what was most amazing to me was how quite the streets
were. Coming from New York I am used to constantly seeing
traffic on the road, people on the street, stores open
to late hours; driving along the road, seeing the desolation
of the area seemed strange to me. |
| During the van ride, all of us from Kingsborough continued
to ask questions. Moses and Cyril another SWA volunteer
were glad to answer our many questions. We wanted to
know “Why is it illegal to wear camouflage? How
many other languages besides English are spoken throughout
the country? Moses and Cyril inform us that green camouflage
in Ghana is considered to be the attire of those who
wish to disturb the peace and that many people in Ghana
speak more then one language beside English. Each of
the 10 regions in Ghana has their own language, but
also people often mix the language of their region with
English. |
| The internet café is surprisingly crowded considering
the late hour and the desolation on the road. Filled
with mostly teenage boys, the rest of us scatter among
the many computers and get our internet fix for the
night, checking our emails and connecting with friends
and family. |
| Back at the hotel, which is staffed with friendly
and hospitable people, The rooms are quite comfortable
and have the largest bed that I’ve ever seen.
There are some adjustments that have to be made, like
getting accustomed to the low water pressure and cold
water temperatures in the shower; however these are
minor changes that really do not matter much considering
the important reason for our visit. |
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