GHEI Spreads The Word...

A picture of Saga, holding the front page of GHEI News, which has a picture of Saga, holding the front page of GHEI News, which has a picture of Saga...

I was out on a full moon night a few weeks ago, and as is often the case if you take in Humjibre night life, someone struck up a conversation with me on the main road.  He asked me this:

“Please, what does GHEI do?”

I sputtered foolishly. I am spending much of my time here in Humjibre, telling the rest of the world what GHEI does, how is it that this young man who lives in Humjibre, doesn’t know what we do?!   

He went on:

“I know that you are helping young people, I know you do good things.  But…”

Anxious and flummoxed in that uniquely western way, I finished his sentence. “…you don’t know what those good things are.”  He said, yes.

So, this is the first step in what we at GHEI are trying to do to better tell people in Humjibre what those good things are.  This is our first newsletter to the fine people of Humjibre.  We’re going to put it in the library for everyone to read, right next to the Daily Graphic, and the slightly dated copies of the African Report. 

The stories are already there, because, well there here.  I’ve edited out some of the strange cyber-rhetoric, but in general what you see here at GHEI News is what you can read in GHEI NEWS in the Library.  Traditionally, newspapers come out in print, and then a blog starts.  But we here at GHEI are not traditional folks.

This also coincides with a big push to get the word out about bednets in Humjibre.  We’ve discovered  thanks to a big survey in the community in the summer, that although GHEI has effectively covered Humjibre with bednets for every sleeping area, not as many people are using their bednets as we thought.  Aggie and Mensah are spreading the word, on our endearingly annoying Public Announcement System and in churches, and the CHW’s are making their own PSA throughout the community.  Aggie’s script for the radio announcement is copied word for word in the newsletter, but unfortunately what we can’t copy is her lovely song that accompanies it on the loudspeaker. 

But her words are included in GHEI News along with a few of the other good things that we do in Humjibre.  

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Scholarship Updates: Meet Freda and Janet

A couple weeks ago, we heard about how important GHEI High School Scholarships are to Humjibre.  Since then, the scholarship program has been moving fast.  Dozens of students have come to pick up scholarship applications, and dozens of of applications have been submitted.  Some of them are students from our YEP program, some are the young women in the Girls' Empowerment camp in July, and still many more have never been part of GHEI program but they know GHEI might be able to help.  The scholarship committee is meeting to decide on these applications in the next few days; there has been unprecedented interest, and yet less funding then years past...

Before the current GHEI scholarship students head back to classes in October, I had a chance to sit down with a few of them and see how they're doing. 

This is Freda Donkor.  She is currently in Form 3, roughly the equivalent of senior year in High School.  

She attends school at Sefwi Bekwai Senior High School, which is about 10 kilometers outside of her home of Humjibre.  She is currently focusing her studies on life sciences, and also agriculture and animal husbandry.  She wants to continue studying after High School and study Nursing.  “I want to become a nurse to help those who are sick in my community.  Hopefully, I can come back and work at the Humjibre clinic.”  She is also studying animal husbandry and agriculture because her family are farmers, and “maybe one day, I can help them if I cannot be a nurse.”  However, she is also considering becoming a veterinarian.   

She stays in a boarding school there, and is still able to come back to Humjibre on the weekends to visit her family.  She likes it there, and says she’s quite comfortable.  How is the food though?  She says, “The food is good…somehow.” 

She has one extra-curricular activity, and she takes it very seriously: she plays football (soccer to the North Americans!).  She is a midfielder on the school team, and apparently they are very good.  There is a league between the other High Schools in the district, and they win quite often.  In the last two district wide tournaments, they placed first and then second overall.   

She doesn’t seem intimidated by what the future holds for her, and in fact she’s considering maybe putting off college for a bit.  She is thinking of coming back to Humjibre for a year to gain some experience. “I want to teach a little here and there at primary schools. And then, God willing, I will go to college for Nursing.”

This is Janet Ofori Amanfo.  She is 15 years old and in Form 2 (which is somewhere between sophomore and junior year in USA.  The Ghanaian High School system takes three years).  She attends Twene Boh Kodah Senior High School in Kumawu, about 150 kilometers outside of her home in Humjibre. 

She takes mainly science classes such as physics, biology, chemistry, and elective maths.  Her favourite class is, believe it or not, elective physics.  Why? “I find the calculations easy and enjoyable.”  How?! “I don’t know, I just do!”  She also enjoys social studies, but she is quick to point out, “I like physics more.”

Unsurprisingly, she is a member of the science club at her school.  They meet on Saturdays and go over particularly difficult problems together, and also form a sort of advocacy group.  “If one of our teachers is not performing well, we write letters to the administrators.”  They also help students who are having difficulty in the classes, or at least the ones who don’t find physics easy and enjoyable.   

Attending boarding school is difficult for her sometimes because she is away from her family, and the distance means she does not see them very often.  However, “I like it there, because it means I get to learn things.”  According to her the food is okay, but she says this with a slightly sour face, as though she is being polite about it.   

She wants to become a doctor, and is already picturing herself as one.  “I see doctors and nurses in their uniforms and it makes me so happy.  I know one day I will be one.” 

Both these girls have been sponsored by the Wanawake Wa Wari Cooperative student group at Cornell University.  You can support GHEI Scholarship Program and help a young person in Humjibre attend High School here

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Looking back...

GHEI staff had their annual staff retreat in late August, this time at the lovely Aburi Gardens.  Though we had some time to walk around and savor the beauty, much of our time was spent in heated discussion, and thoughtful reflection.  It was exhausting, but invigorating.

Local staff came up with three volunteers that they felt should be specially singled out for enormous dedication and spirit during this years summer serve and learn session.  Those four will be announced shortly but we have to let them know first! Check back with us next month...

The nostalgia extended to last year, and everyone who was a part of Serve and Learn 2010 fondly remembered it, and went off on tangent stories about various fond memories with volunteers from last year. Those of us who weren't in 2010 felt left out and pouted.  Here are the four winners of the 2010 Outstanding Service Award.

Tamara Mason 

"I participated in the 2010 Girls’ Empowerment Camp.  The Girls’ Empowerment Camp focused on the empowerment and development of adolescent girls in the village.  With a group of six other volunteers, we developed and led educational sessions to encourage the girls to pursue a high-school education, be more assertive, and have more self-confidence. The Girls’ Empowerment Camp helped the adolescents learn how to make decisions to give them more control over how they choose to live their lives, promoting healthy and happy relationships and families."

 

"My volunteer experience with GHEI in Humjibre has impacted me tremendously.  The experience humbled me and made me realize that as American citizens we are fortunate to have consistent access to seemingly simple things such as electricity and water.  Since returning from Humjibre, I try to be more mindful of the amount of water and electricity that I use on a daily basis!  On a professional level, volunteering with GHEI enabled me to participate in development work in an international setting and to also participate in community and consensus building in a grassroots fashion."

Monique Mounce

"I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Humjibre, Ghana in June 2010 with GHEI as a member of the Prevention of Childhood Disease through Handwashing Serve and Learn session. With the help of the Community Health Workers, we planned and implemented effective outreach events to mothers with children under 5 years old as well as all of the schools within the village." 

"One of my most treasured memories was when I went on a run down the main road in Humjibre, and as I was running, a little girl in a dress and sandals ran with me while singing the “Soap and Water” song. At that instant, I realized the power of my presence in the village and the impact on these kids’ lives. Although my time in Ghana was short, I believe I made an impact on their lives, but I had no idea that they would make a bigger impact on mine."

Tianying Zhang

 

"I feel that GHEI has helped me gain a fresh perspective on charity work in developing countries as well as shape my own character and priorities in life. This Serve and Learn Session with GHEI was my first exposure to grassroots community project and it has strengthened my view that truly lasting development work requires the empowerment of the community."

"Despite poverty and despite difficult living conditions, the people I’ve met Humjibre were some of the most welcoming and lovely being I’ve ever met. They smiled through their hardships, laughed in the face of their misfortunes and toiled against all odds. Their infectious smiles and optimism, made me feel so humble, and made my problems feel insignificant. This experience has made me want to be far more involved in charity work in the developing worlds, where I can try and make just a small difference for such truly deserving people."

 

Ramona Mendoza

"My most memorable moment in Humjibre was discovering and connecting with Eunice in the library during the read-a-thon - a beautiful, bright and engaging young lady with tremendous potential."

"Humjibre is a very special village for any volunteer to experience. The Ghanians make it memorable; the time with them truly precious. I’m honored to have participated in filling the community center to capacity with screaming kids, their proud parents and village tribal elders. I hope future GHEI volunteers can engage the wonderful hard-working women of Humjibre through the fabulous library resource to improve their literacy skills and capacity to improve family/community health and welfare."

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A Back To School Message From Humjibre

As many of us, and our younger friends, head back to school grumbling, let’s take a moment to think of those who cannot start classes this September, but desperately want to… 

Here in Humjibre and surrounding communities, students who complete Junior High School (JHS) often do not continue their education to Senior High School (SHS).  It’s not because they don’t want to.  While primary school is free, SHS is not, and if a student in Humjibre wants to go to SHS, they have to go to a boarding school, as there are no High Schools locally.  Tuition is expensive; tuition and room and board is far too expensive to most. 

Anglican Primary School, across the yard from GHEI

In 2002, the year before GHEI began offering after school programming and extra tutoring session to JHS students, only 29 students sat to take the entrance exam (the B.E.C.E.) to get into Senior High School: 24 boys and 5 girls (all figures from Ghana District Education Office in Bibiani).  The pass rate was 28%. Think of that for a moment: Imagine your 8’th grade class is that size and only 8 of you go on to High School.

GHEI’s decision to start the Youth Education Program (YEP) in 2003 was clearly a good one.  And it got results…results I’ll share a bit later.  

Not much info exists on how many students who can go to Senior High School do go to Senior High School, but anecdotal evidence from Lawrence and Christina’s own experience, and in discussion with GHEI Country Director Clement and Education Program Manager Happy, it seems like a little more than half of those who can go to SHS, do.  If that held true back in 2002, 4 or 5 students likely went to Senior High School.  The rest may not have gone because of obligation, but more than likely, their family simply could not afford it. 

At GHEI, we believe the surest way to strengthen a community is to invest in its future, which is why GHEI began the Senior High School Scholarship program.  For those whose families could not afford it, an option now existed.  GHEI doesn’t see this as helping one student; we see this as building a brighter future for this community.  When students complete Senior High School and return to Humjibre , they bring expertise, options, and energy.  Their success becomes the community’s. 

Brown, during the Reading Club quiz

Ernest “Saga” Badu completed SHS thanks to a GHEI scholarship, and now teaches the YEP students in Humjibre, and develops programs on staff at GHEI. 

Samuel Godfried Brown Tano, completed SHS thanks to a GHEI scholarship.  He teaches at a primary school in Humjibre as part of a pilot initiative sponsored by The Ghana Ministry of Education to focus on struggling students.  He also volunteer teaches with GHEI.

Alfred Appiah completed SHS thanks to a GHEI scholarship.  He is now studying Agricultural Economics at University of Ghana. 

Now let’s think back to September 2002.  A few students might be going to Senior High, but GHEI is already cooking up an education program for the next year, something to get even more students into SHS.  YEP and tutoring sessions begin in 2003, and the scholarship program follows in 2005.  Quickly, GHEI grows, a Transformer movie is released, Lehman Brothers goes bankrupt, Barak Obama is elected president of USA, Professor John Atta Mills is elected president of Ghana, and another Transformer movie is released.  It’s April 2010, Ghana is preparing for a fantastic 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and in Humjibre, 74 students sit to take the B.E.C.E. and they all pass. All of them.

In 2002, 8 out of 29 students graduate JHS in Humjibre, and in 2010, 74 out of 74 students graduate JHS in Humjibre.  That’s an extraordinary difference, and it still gives me goosebumps. 

How girls in Humjibre have done taking the B.E.C.E. till 2009

What hasn’t changed?  While education capacity has grown, the economy has not grown at the same speed, and the average family isn’t all that better off now than they were in 2002.  According to Clement, still, only a little more than half of those students will go to SHS.  That means more students are going to Senior High School, but it also means more students who can go to Senior High School, don’t.

More than ever, Humjibre needs the GHEI scholarship program.  And more than ever, GHEI needs your support. 

Sponsoring a student through all three years of High School at one of the regional boarding schools is only $900, and we don’t commit until we have all of Senior High covered.  It does seem like a lot to ask, but you must have 8 friends, right? Imagine each of you gave $100, and formed a coalition to support one student in Humjibre, a student that you would get regular updates on, a student that all of you could root for.  Imagine yourselves as “Team Kwasi” or as “Team Gloria”.  But really, supporting GHEI’s scholarship program means you’re joining “Team Humjibre” as well.  It’s a good team to be on, we’re an optimistic bunch!

Are you going into 9’th grade this September?  If thirty of your fellow freshmen gave $30, all of you would go through High School knowing that you helped someone across the world do it too.  So, while I’m sure there’s a bunch of you really bummed that you’re going to High School, where you’re at the bottom of the social food chain (been there, kids, solidarity), here in Ghana, there’s a bunch of kids really bummed that they aren’t going to High School this year. 

The YEP students on their field trip to the Cape Coast Castle in February. Many of these students are graduating JHS this year.  To see more pictures of JHS students, check out our slideshow taken at The Career Opportunity Lecture Series this year

Please hurry, high school starts later here in Ghana, but not much later, and our deadline for scholarship funding is approaching fast. Over 100 students sat for the B.E.C.E. in Humjibre this year, we want to help as many as we can. You can donate here, or write to us at communications@ghei.org if you have fundraising ideas or want more info.

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Summer Serve and Learn 2011: Krista's Memories

 Krista Nickerson volunteered with GHEI for the first two sessions of GHEI's Serve and Learn program ('Read and Play', and 'Girls' Empowerment').  During the week off in the middle she traveled around Ghana on her own.  To cap off this summer's volunteer programs, Krista shares her thoughts on volunteering with GHEI, life in Humjibre, and the unique challenges and rewards each session offered.

Working with GHEI for two sessions was a really fantastic glimpse of a couple different sides of development work that I was not familiar with. Mostly, I saw how development work can be done right – how small teams can make big changes, if they work with the local community on projects within a defined scope of high priority items that will have a significant positive impact. Being a part of both the broad community outreach work and the small-group camp sessions showed me how both of these approaches can make a real difference if done carefully and planned appropriately. My previous experience in development work was teaching English in South America, and I didn’t think that the sprawling government funded program I was operating under there was nearly as effective as it could have been. When we did our community outreach for Read and Play session, I have never before seen a new program be generated basically from scratch and be realized so successfully in such a short time. I was really impressed by how the GHEI values and structure clearly contributed to its effectiveness. The lack of bureaucracy was a refreshing change!

I was a little unsure about doing two sessions at first, but I also knew I had to follow both my passions - encouraging lifelong literacy and women's leadership and empowerment.  The sessions turned out to be two very different experiences that each taught me different lessons, both personally and career-wise. The Girls' Empowerment camp was more close-knit and intensely emotional among the volunteer team and the camp participants. Each of us was heavily invested in the success of the other as well as the impact on the participants. For the child literacy outreach, however, the volunteers' impact was more dispersed throughout the community and more dependent on communication and cooperation with local GHEI staff and volunteer teachers. 

During the Read and Play session, I feel like our service contributed positively to the role of GHEI in the community of Humjibre and in the surrounding areas that we visited. I think we helped to continue spread awareness of GHEI’s programs and purpose here. Our service helped to initiate a great new library lesson (taking care of books) that hopefully will continue and become a stable and expanding program over the years.  I also think that we made great connections among ourselves as a team (both the Ghanaian staff and the volunteers), and I think we will stay in touch long after this program ends. 

Working with the young women in Girls’ Empowerment, the contradictions stand out to me the most. Sometimes the girls seemed indifferent or resistant to our ideas and questions, and then other times they were talkative and silly with each other and totally engaged in whatever we were doing. Sometimes I thought something may be lost on them, but then they would come up with a brilliant response that proved that they’re ten steps ahead of me. 

When the girls are giggly and shy, it was easy to see them as children still. But as they became comfortable with us over the week, they also showed themselves to be already strong, sincere, bold, and highly capable women, seemingly undaunted by the vast future beyond Junior High School.  In the short time I had to get to know the girls, I was surprised by how quickly they bonded and opened up to us. They are stronger than first impressions show, and I also think that many of them know their own strength well, which I don’t think I did at their age. Maybe it’s because I have not done a lot of work with teenage girls, but I didn’t realize just how proud I would be of them, and how invested I would feel in their ability to achieve their future goals!

The most challenging aspect of both life and volunteering in Humjibre for me was finding my comfort zone with the teams with which we were working. We are all here to try to fulfill a wide variety of personal goals that somehow coincided to bring us together to work on these projects. Some of our backgrounds were similar, but some were very different, and we all had different communication styles among ourselves! Making the effort to build the connections to trust and be trusted by my teammates in such a short time was a leap of faith for me because I am usually slow to gain this confidence (in both myself and others). Overcoming this challenge became my most rewarding experience. In the GHEI community and the work they do, gaining a sense of personal accomplishment takes a back seat to achieving the shared goals of the team, since nothing really gets accomplished without the strength of the team to back you up. I’m not really used to seeing my own value in terms of my role within a team – what a switch from the “me-first” American system! – and developing this mindset while coming up with all our songs, skits, posters, and discussions, while seeing our ideas actually achieving results in such a short time was a complete joy! 

My most memorable experience in Humjibre was probably cooking and eating with the girls. It wasn’t until then that the huge amount of time and effort that really goes into feeding a family here, which the women usually bear the brunt of, actually hit home for me. Chopping what seemed like hundreds of vegetables, watching Charlotte grate heaps of cassava (and slicing my thumb when I attempted to help), seeing Rose use her whole body to stir the giant pot of thick corn mash for what seemed like hours while Jennifer tested the taste and consistency, and observing how all of us fifteen or so women all contributed to the final outcome in some way during the 3 ½  hours the meal took to make was really an eye-opening, and deeply enriching, experience.

I think that Girls’ Empowerment definitely needs to continue and build on itself every year for us to see the long term impacts we want, but honestly, I think that a great foundation has already been laid for lasting changes. I think that the girls will remember many of the things that we taught them about the topics we covered in the camp, but I think especially they’ll take with them the feeling of having a space and the right to freely express themselves. They hopefully will tell their friends about their experience and encourage more girls to attend next year’s camp! I think the GHEI Girls’ Empowerment camp will be seen as an important enhancement to the community’s goals to uplift its children’s education, and I hope that our work has helped the program to earn more support from the elders and other community leaders. 

Doing two sessions gave me a better perspective to assess how I felt about my own and GHEI's work and impact. By the third week (and after traveling by myself for a few days in between sessions), I realized that spending less energy figuring out how to function in a Ghanaian village opened up more time for introspection and observation. I deeply admire GHEI's flexibility and openness as well as its willingness to evolve and improve its own operation. I experienced more emotional highs and lows later in my stay that sparked some of my most intense memories. I definitely encourage anyone with the time and financial opportunity to do more than one session!

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GHEI Football Tournament: Humjibre, Ghana 2011

GHEI’s football Tournament had it all.  Over two days and five games we had heavy barrages of rain, large masses of spectators, a DJ to play music during half-time and between play, live play by play commentary and analysis over the speakers, vendors selling snacks and drinks, and of course, some heavy drama on the field.  Join Saga and I as we go through each of the matches

New Chelsea take to the field

Match #1: New Chelsea vs. Golden Stars

New Chelsea took the field with a quick jog around the track.  They were outsized but undaunted by their opponents, the Golden Stars.  The Stars scored around the 30 minute mark, a decisive blow that would have slayed lesser spirits.  It was a killer shot, powerfully kicked, and the keeper had little chance to react. Rain began falling but the players lost none of their fighting spirit.  The rain let up briefly for at the half, but then a herculean rainstorm fell, stronger than the earlier showers.  With the score and the weather against them Golden Stars scored again.  Initially, the keeper blocked it, but the ball bounced back into play, and a Golden Star connected and found the back of the net (well, where a net would have been).

Saga’s Analysis: Both of them played fairly.  There was no bad sportsmanship.  The Golden Stars won because when you look at the players, the New Chelsea team was younger, and the Golden Stars were more experienced.  The rain was intimidating as well.

Final Score: The Golden Stars 2 – New Chelsea 0

The rain was mighty fierce

Match #2: Golden Stars vs FC Barcelona

The next match was more evenly matched in size, and the game illustrated this.  There were many small battles on the field, but few epic clashes.  FC Barcelona scored early though.  From a strange angle, a player was obstructing the keepers view and he didn’t get around him fast enough to see the ball.  Off a quirky shot, the ball trickled in behind a confused keeper.  For the rest of the match, no team seemed to dominate, and the weather behaved.  There were no penalties, no injuries, and few stoppages.   

Saga’s Analysis: Because the players were at the same experience level in terms of ages, it made the gameplay more equal and interesting.  It was 50-50.  FC found it difficult, even though they won.  Golden Stars were tired because of the match they just played, but played equally hard.

Final Score: FC Barcelona 1 – The Golden Stars 0

F.C. Barcelona in yellow vs. The Golden Stars (In their away uniforms. They were very wet after the last match)

Match#3: FC Barcelona vs. New Chelsea 

This match ended up shocking the crowd, after FC’s slight edge in the last game, prevailing wisdom said New Chelsea could not hold them back from the final.  But within the first 5 minutes, all bets were off.  A New Chelsea player was fouled, and managed to score off the free kick.  It was the fastest goal of the tournament.  F.C. was kept at bay for most of the first half, until they managed to tie it by scoring off a save by the keeper that New Chelsea couldn’t clear.  After the half, the teams seemed surprisingly evenly matched, but then another foul and this time a penalty kick.  New Chelsea scored, and the crowd went nuts. Everyone rushed the field, swept up in the underdog charm of this team.  Only a few minutes before the 90’th, with advancement and glory on the line, FC Barcelona’s striker beat the defense, cutting through them like a knife, and from just outside the penalty box, scored decisively. Neither team could manage to come out on top by the final whistle.

Saga’s Analysis: This match was interesting because I was not expecting that New Chelsea and FC Barcelona would play to a tie.  I thought they would find it easy to beat New Chelsea, but they found it difficult. Although they tied, FC Barcelona had the most points, and advanced along with The Golden Stars.  New Chelsea should be proud of this game.   

Final Score: New Chelsea 2 – F.C. Barcelona 2

Anglican JHS (orange) vs. Deeper JHS (red)

Finals #1 Anglican JHS vs. Deeper JHS

It took some time for the girls to assemble, but by then enough spectators were out in force looking forward to the match.  Anglican started the match decisively, controlling the ball, and controlling much of the offense of the game. They took the first shot, it was wide of the goal, but Anglican girls had found their groove.  

By Deeper’s goal, an Anglican pass came in high and bounced, there was a mighty scramble.  A deeper player headed the ball. It went high, but not long enough.  An Anglican player found an opening, and took a shot at the ball midair.  It connected and soared just above Deeper’s goalie fingertips. 

 

Referee Saga blew the whistle for the half.  Both sides looked spent, but neither ready to end this match.  The crowd was originally a bit indifferent at seeing this match, treating it only as a warm-up to the final match to follow, but now they applauded.  The girls showed fight, and the teams were well matched. When the whistle blew, Anglican’s offensive power managed a slight edge over Deeper, though both sides played well.  Anglican accepted the GHEI Tournament Cup, and both teams received new uniforms for their participation and fair play.  

Saga’s Analysis: The girl’s game was interesting because the Anglican dominated the first half, and Deeper contributed more in the second half.  Deeper was not able to score because they were clearly tired in the last ten minutes of the game.  The crowd really enjoyed watching the girls play; they played well.

Final Score: Anglican JHS 1- Deeper JHS 0

Anglican JHS celebrates their win

FINAL MATCH: Golden Stars vs. F.C. Barcelona

The sun was shining for the first time this tournament, and the crowds were larger and more excited than ever before.  From the way the crowd excitement, it was clear that heroes would walk off this field.

Golden Stars struck first, and beautifully.  The Stars cleared the ball into F.C.’s side and the striker deftly lifted the ball over the defenders, and then easily beat the keeper inside the box.  The keeper had no chance.  Barcelona responded by upping their game, and the competition became fierce.  Players were getting injured, and referee Happy was reaching for his cards.  By 45, The Golden Stars had managed to keep F.C. Barcelona scoreless despite some good chances and several shots on goal.

Golden Stars (in white) vs F.C. Barcelona (yellow)

At 60 minutes, F.C. Barcelona finally equalized.  A fine centering cross, and on the first shot, F.C. was blocked, but on the rebound off the keeper, Barca’s striker found the back of (where) the net  (should be).  They seemed to regain some of their fight after that. 

Sweat, rocks, and Sefwi flew everywhere.  The teams were intensely dedicated to bringing their sides the win, but also to prove themselves against these worthy opponents.  The crowds grew even more passionate.  Players were flying too, and the whistle was blown for a foul against Golden Stars at the 80’th minute. It was a free kick.  The F.C. player, instead of shooting, passed it to an undefended player who shot the ball in directly.  The crowd erupted in joy, and rushed onto the field.  

F.C. Barcelona did a lap with their fans, hoisting their trophy high in the air, while The Golden Stars somberly accepted the new uniforms.  All five teams that took part received new uniforms, handed to them by Summer Serve and Learn volutneers. Each team should be very proud of their performance, no matter what the outcome was.

  

A dusty and mighty sliding tackle, but too late for The Golden Stars

Saga’s Analysis: The final match was a great success, but there was a comment on the second goal. Many thought it was offside.  The comment was from Golden Stars fans, so I didn’t believe them because most of the spectators supported the goal.  They played fairly, there were more injuries but that’s normal, the final match is not going to be simple.  There will be difficulties as compared to their normal games that they played. 

Final Score: F.C. Barcelona 2 – The Golden Stars 1

F.C. Barcelona: Humjibre Heroes

 Final thoughts from Saga: The tournament was a success. I think GHEI should do it annually.  According to people, this was the most successful football tournament held in Humjibre.  There were no fights, and everyone enjoyed watching.  Maybe there were no fights because the referees were fair and balanced, but also I think because of the football camp that was held beforehand.

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