Our first visit of the day was to the Takoradi Thermal Energy Power Station. One of the plant’s technical engineers briefed us in one of the plant’s conference rooms and was very pleased with our students’ curiosity and well-posed questions. He explained how the plant transported crude oil from offshore oilrigs, to be treated and converted to electricity. After the briefing our group hopped back on the bus to be toured around the complex, stopping at various points of interest, such as the water treatment tanks, where water removed from the crude oil is treated before being discharged. The students were captivated to hear how the principles they had learned in their science lessons were being applied in a practical way. And they weren't the only ones - GHEI staff were all very interested in seeing the amount of oil required to produce a steady flow of electricity to Takoradi and the surrounding area. We were surprised to learn that the plant uses 450, 000 barrels of crude oil in a week! Seeing the large tanks used to store the crude oil before treatment put the consumption into perspective. Unfortunately, taking pictures around the plant was prohibited for security reasons. Next on our tour was a visit to Takoradi Harbour. Our tour guide through the harbour was informative, conveying his knowledge in an accessible and humorous way. He first covered details on the history of the harbour, which was established in 1928, and then described the types of commodities being shipped into and out of Ghana from this port. He explained that Ghana exports raw materials, cocoa for instance, which are used in production of goods abroad. The students were in awe of the massive ships around us, and cheered at the sight of thousands of fish swimming in schools around the boats.
Our last stop of the day was the Takoradi Flour Mill. The students' attention was riveted even before entering the building, as they walked by a conveyer belt feeding large bags of flour to men who were stacking them on a flat bed truck. After breaking into smaller groups, we set out to tour the facility. The tour guide that led our group was fantastic, enthusiastically describing each of the five flours produced by the mill. He was delighted to answer any and all questions the students had for him and was so energetic that he literally ran from one station to the next with the kids in hot pursuit, laughing along the way. He understood the best ways to keep the attention of his young audience, and gave the kids a hands-on learning experience by opening compartments in the machines to take out the different types of grains being milled for a variety of purposes. The only complaint we heard during the tour was that the metal staircases were frightening to some who are fearful of heights, as you could see from the very top floor to the ground level over the railings of the staircases. This was understandable since there aren’t many staircases in Humjibre, or tall buildings for that matter. As we were leaving the mill we had to get the attention of one boy who had fallen behind the group and was staring at the men working the conveyer belt at the front of the mill, completely mesmerized.
After a lunch break not far from the market circle of Takoradi, we all loaded back onto the bus for the long ride home. Even after our busy day the kids were still bursting with energy, and once again set into their musical numbers. Our bus passed by a local soccer game that had gone to shoot-out, running parallel with the football field just as a player shot what must have been the winning goal. This was enough to prompt hysteria among our group, who were already keyed up from their busy day. “GOOOOAL!” they cheered in unison. It was a long and dusty ride after that, back to our corner of the Western Region, but as we got closer to Humjibre, the volume of the singing jumped again.. Cheers went up for each town they recognized along the way. When we finally reached the main street of Humjibre, their shouts had reached the pitch of jubiliation.. They were so keen to tell their families and friends all that they had seen and learned on the excursion, and others were apparently eager to hear these stories, as many proud parents and pals gathered around the parked bus and cheered as they spotted their loved ones emerge. It was only then that it became clear how important the Youth Learning Tour really is, for not only our YEP students, but their families as well. Many residents of Humjibre will never get to experience such things, and will spend most of their lives in and around the village. Students who participate in the tour have the chance to really broaden their horizons. It’s a wonderful opportunity for them, not only to see the fundamentals of their school lessons put into practice, like at the power plant, but to get an idea of what educational and vocational opportunities are out there and available to them, if they take their schooling seriously. They also become better acquainted with their country and the world around them.
It’s important to mention that the tour almost didn’t happen this year due to a shortfall in funding. When we publicized this need, many of you stepped up with generous donations that put the tour back on track. GHEI is immensely appreciative and would like to extend our sincere thanks to all those who made the 2013 Youth Learning Tour possible. You should take great satisfaction in knowing that your gifts have allowed the students of our community to see the world around them in a new way, through an experience they will never forget.
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