This dynamic duo, who single-handedly change the world through books, blogs and beards, just celebrated their big THREE-OH! Chad (raised in Chad coincidentally), is our almost former Communications Director (almost gone but never forgotten!) and Lawrence (who just welcomed a new baby girl to the family!) acts as our fantastic librarian. These are some of our stunning in-country staff here at GHEI!

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Progress and Patriotism in Humjibre

Pictures by Mandolyn McConaha

On Tuesday, March 6, Ghana celebrated 55 years of independence.  Everyone had the day off except all students in Humjibre, who gathered in their cleanest school uniform (and nicest shoes) at the top of the hill.  Martial drumbeats were heard since early morning and by time Jen and Mandolyn and I made it to the street to watch the parades, students were assembled in rigid lines and were beginning their marching.  Even the very youngest ones, in their purple preschool uniforms, attempted a lock step march, but their big eyes mostly wandered to the raucous crowds lining the street. Teachers rushed alongside, scooting the straying ones back in line.

We followed alongside as the various schools began their marches through town to the football field.  The early morning clouds had lifted, and everyone was in a fantastic mood.  I kept running into people I’d met months back, now back from school or from working in the city and home to celebrate.  I kept getting further behind the festivities, and it began to sink that I am leaving this great place really soon and I have not taken any pictures of these kids! How am I supposed to blog about this?

Fortunately, Mandolyn was there.  Mandolyn McConaha is GHEI’s new communication director, replacing yours truly.  She has spent a lot of time abroad, and even worked in a communication director type role with an NGO in southeast Asia.  She also has a background in photojournalism, so her pictures were going to be way more awesome than mine that day anyways.  Remembering this, I went back to slapping hi-fives with rowdy dudes, and finding food (including someone cooking a “Flying Rat”.  Did you know that rats fly?  They do in Humjibre!)

The schools gathered on the football pitch to march once more, this time past the seated VIPs. As they passed, they delivered swift little salutes.  I asked a spectator, if he did this when he was in school. He told me, with a touch of patriotic nostalgia, that he was the lead drummer during his Junior High years.  I recognized some of the GHEI YEP students, leading their schools.  I spoke to an older gentleman who remembered Ghana’s very early years till now, “Fifty-Five years and not enough progress!”  He didn’t have much hope for seeing a drastically better Ghana, but he thought the kids marching today will. Ghana is still a young country, and people are proud of it.

by Mandolyn McConaha

As you can see if you take a look at our facebook photo album on Ghanaian Independence Day, Mandolyn got some really great shots that day.  I’m excited to see what she does with the blog, and excited for all of you to get a fresh perspective on GHEI’s work.   Even if you know GHEI’s daily grind as well as I do, and you have an idea of what life is like in a progressing Ghana, there’s always a new way of looking at it.   

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Youth on a Learning Tour of Ghana

Leaving in the dark

If you’re a North American, it probably wasn’t until your very late teens that you truly loved the roadtrip. With visions of a high tech Kerouac, you would spend more time excitedly making the ultimate Roadtrip Mixtape than packing...(for you young ones, that’s like an iPod playlist)…But if you’re eleven, and your family decides they’re spending two and a half weeks of precious summertime traveling in fumes of gas, McDonalds, and seat sweat to British Columbia, it’s not so awesome. 

So, on Friday, February 24’th, when GHEI YEP students were assembling for the Youth Learning Tour of this year, a daylong roadtrip across Ghana to see the Akosombo Hydro-Electric Dam, I was a little shocked to see their enthusiasm. Nothing much registered though because I was numbed by the outrageous hour we were meeting.  The night was dark and cool; a serious rainstorm had beat down Humjibre the night before.  Power was out and the moon and stars were blanketed out by thick, lingering clouds.  

Humjibre Athletics and Football Gala 2012

By Saga.  All photos by Saga.

A player on Muoho Primary Football team and Anglican Supporters behind him

The Humjibre schools athletics and football Gala competition was held on 20^th – 24^th February 2012 and consisted of 4 primary schools and 3 JHS. Many peoples were there and excited about this event.  The best students in athletics and football school winners will go to Bekwai to also meet the best students in athletics and football from other schools. 

The schools are as follows:  Anglican primary school, Christ Redeemer preparatory school, Muoho primary school, D/C primary school, Anglican Junior High School, Muoho Junior High School, Christ Redeemer preparatory Junior High School.

Here are the results from the Athletics:

Careers! Opportunities! Lectures! 2012!

This past Friday, GHEI staff and volunteers presented the annual Career Opportunity Lecture Series, a chance for students in their second year of Junior High School (JHS) to get a look at what sort of careers are out there, how you can achieve it, and how to properly register for Senior High School (SHS). 

I was a bit surprised when we started this event on time, but not a bit surprised when I heard us starting this event as we do all, with pulse-pounding dance music, even at 10 am on a weekday.  The JHS students lining up to register for the event didn't seem to notice.  Were they too cool too dance?  The sullenness of adolescence is a universal truth… 

When all 86 students from the schools in Humjibre and Muoho had taken the bright, plastic chairs, Happy began explaining what the purpose of the day was, and the minute details of the schedule. Happy had assured me the day before, there would be no delays! He even pounded his fist into his hand, like he was striking a gong...it scared me a little.

We're Still Accepting Applications for Serve and Learn 2012!!

...but hurry! Spots are filling fast!

You can still apply to spend meaningful moments with young women from Humjibre, learning about their lives and sharing your own, while encouraging them to achieve success these girls never thought possible but is so clearly in their grasp, in the Girls Empowerment session.

You can still apply to get a taste of the enthusiasm and joy that young students in Humjibre take in reading and being read to, while supporting the education system in Ghana by lending your own enthusiasm to literacy themed lessons in all local public schools, in the Read and Play session.  

You can still apply to catch a glimpse of what team work and community building can mean to young people here and help organize one of the most highly anticipated sporting events of the year in Humjibre, in the Kickin it in Ghana session.

You can still apply to take part in our effective malaria prevention program that protects entire villages from Malaria through bed nets and education, in the Malaria Prevention session.  

But in all these sessions you get a chance to live life in rural Ghana, and work with people from Humjibre, for Humjibre.

If this and the chance to tour some of Ghana's most culturally significant spots interests you, don't think too long on it!  Apply now!

Learn more about Summer Serve and Learn

Session Descriptions / FAQ / Application 

Email Application to Tabatha at apply@ghei.org

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The Annual General Meeting in Humjibre

Clement

On Sunday night, GHEI had their Annual General Meeting for the Humjibre Community.  It’s become an anticipated event here, and a good moment for GHEI to get the community up to speed on what we’ve been doing in the past year.  This evening was also an important time for our mechanized borehole committee to update the assembled on their progress.  A site has been selected near the centre of town and work begins soon.

As it has happened for the last five years, the chief and many important members of the Humjibre community were in attendance.  And also, as usual, a DJ with absurdly large speakers got the evening off to a thumping start.  And also, as usual, the lighting played havoc with our photos so, I’ll keep this short.

An Afternoon with Brown in ECL

Brown and his students in ECL2

“Tell me the words you see on this page.”  Small hands go up instantly. “Fish!” yells out one child when called on. “Night…” whispers another. “Shoop” says another, a little too quickly. Samuel Godfried Brown, the teacher for this ECL class, smiles, and says, “No, it’s pronounced SHOP. Say it with me.” All the children do.

Brown, as he is commonly known, grew up in Humjibre, and was one of the first students that GHEI sponsored for Senior High School though the scholarship program.  He went on and completed Senior High School at Kumasi, and then returned to Humjibre, hoping to continue on to University shortly, but decided to work for a bit first.  Slowly, Brown became more involved in GHEI, first volunteering with the tutoring centre, and then YEP classes, and finally Early Childhood Literacy, or ECL.  He was the first teacher to volunteer to teach to the ECL class.  

A New Year, A New Project, A New Approach from GHEI

GHEI has started 2012 strongly.

The Chief of Humjibre called a general meeting for Wednesday morning in the community centre.  There was no need to ask what the meeting is for, people simply dutifully showed up, in small numbers earlier, but the crowd grew to nearly hundred.

Nana Kwado Twum II, The Chief of Humjibre

Nana Kwado Twum II was briefed by Clement last week.  Over the holiday break, GHEI received news that one of our projects listed on the Choose a Need website had received the full amount of funding, and was ready to go.
When Clement and senior staff sat with the chief, he explained that GHEI were attempting something new.  GHEI has since it's humble beginnings been entirely community focused.  The talent and energy infused into the work by volunteers and staff from Humjibre for Humjibre, has been a big factor in its success.

Review of Summer Serve and Learn Volunteer applications begins on January 15, 2012

We are welcoming applications for Summer Serve and Learn now! 

GHEI will start reviewing applications from January 15'th on. Review will continue until all spots on volunteer teams are filled. Successful applicants will be contacted to schedule interviews. 

Learn more about the Summer Serve and Learn program

2012 Summer Serve and Learn project descriptions / FAQ / 2012 Summer Serve and Learn application

Email applications to apply@ghei.org