Focus on Learning: GHEI Reading Club

Ten minutes early. I was shocked the first time I walked into the classroom where reading club meets. A dozen students were already present. They had pushed the desks together into a big table and were all sitting down, focused on their books or finishing up some bit of homework. In Ghana, where things never really start when you expect them to, this was incredible.

GHEI’s youth reading club meets twice a week, is open to any junior high school students in the community and is advised by our library administrator, Lawrence Donkor. Normally, the group focuses on Junior African Writers’ Series books, but lately they have been experimenting with different titles. The students just finished E.B. White’s Stuart Little, and prior to that, particularly enjoyed working through Buchi Emecheta’s The Joys of Motherhood. White was a significant departure from the norm for the group. His rhymes and playful use of vocabulary created a fun challenge by forcing students to actively think about pronunciations and creative word usage.

Each student shares a book with a partner and they take turns reading a few paragraphs out loud to the group. They are focused; almost every one of them diligently reads along, pushing their fingers under each line even when it is not their turn. Many bring pens and notebooks and occasionally reach to add to their list of new words to learn. Slower readers are not met with ridicule or derision, but patience and soft prompts of support as they stumble through their section.

After working through a couple of chapters, the group transitions to a discussion. They start by focusing on less familiar vocabulary. Often, one student will venture a guess while others race to see who can look it up first in one of the three dictionaries they bring to each meeting. Lawrence then leads the discussion to summarize the chapters and challenges the students to think critically about what they read.

The thing about reading club is that there are no bribes or incentives offered to coerce students to come. They come purely because they want a space to practice reading, engage in conversations about books and become stronger learners. Lawrence encourages them throughout their meetings and often closes with advice, reminding the students of truths like: “Nobody is born already able to read. So practice and don’t be too shy to ask questions and slowly you will learn.”

The issue now is that these students will soon run out of books. Take a moment to think. Do you know any teachers or school administrators who may have a classroom set that they can part with? Our students are happy to share. We can take as few as ten copies and GHEI will use these books both for our reading club and YEP English classes. If you are interested in donating, please contact communications@ghei.org. 

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Soap and Water: Global Handwashing Day 2013

Global Handwashing Day is one of the most anticipated events on the GHEI calendar. Every year, GHD is comprised of short educational outreach programs at every school, marked by smiling youngsters singing about washing their hands. While these may seem insignificant, GHD actually serves a very serious purpose: explaining the benefits of and promoting the consistent practice of handwashing with soap.

Handwashing with soap is the most effective and inexpensive way to prevent communicable diseases like diarrhea and pneumonia.[1] Children suffer disproportionately from these diseases. According to the most recent yearly measurement in Ghana, diarrhea and pneumonia led to seven and 13% of deaths in children under five, respectively.[2] Handwashing not only means healthier children, it also translates to more time in the classroom. Research shows that handwashing with soap at the three critical times can reduce school absenteeism by 42%, allowing children to do better in school and promoting their continued education.[3]

The goal of our Handwashing with Soap program is to create a targeted change starting with a single group. Children are open to new ideas, and are powerful agents in spreading them to their families and larger community. We focus on handwashing at the three critical times: after using the toilet, before preparing food, and before eating to offer a manageable change when handwashing is most important.

In all nations - not just developing countries - rates of handwashing with soap at critical times range from zero to 34%.[4] Even in places like Ghana, low rates of handwashing with soap are rarely caused by a lack of suitable soap and water. People have access to these things, but neglect to use them. Our program works to go beyond education to changing behavior and encouraging people to form new habits. To do this, we make facilities accessible in schools and employ social pressure to persuade people to use them. Once handwashing behavior has been adopted, it sticks.

Wireko Memorial students practicing handwashing technique

For Global Handwashing Day, our health team led community education outreach programs at eight local schools and preformed a live radio broadcast for everybody in the district to hear. Since the true GHD, October 15th, also happened to be a public holiday in Ghana, the first day of Eid al-Adha, we ran our celebrations on the 14th and 16th.

Our first school outreach program was at Anglican Primary school. Aggie began by introducing the school’s handwashing monitors, student representatives chosen from each school as the first line of defense in maintaining their handwashing with soap program. Next, the students were led in singing the handwashing song “Soap and Water” in both English and Twi (scroll down to watch our community health workers singing below). While singing, the students mimed washing their hands and used the length of the song to ensure a thorough scrub. Following the song, two boys and two girls were chosen to demonstrate proper handwashing technique and Mensah began the educational component by asking the students “What are the critical times to wash your hands?” A bunch of eager students raised their hands, and the first one he called on answered correctly. Finally, the program ended with the presentation of a new supply of soap, educational handwashing posters and for Anglican Primary, an award for having the best handwashing record during surprise visits throughout the year. The headmaster was beaming as he accepted the award and then led the students in an excited encore of the handwashing song.


After Anglican Primary, the team moved on to do similar presentations at Anglican JHS and Wireko Memorial Primary on Monday, and Kojina Primary, Muoho Primary, Muoho JHS, and DC Primary and JHS on Wednesday. In total, more than 1,600 students attended our programs, with an average of 86% of each school’s total enrollment present at each.

For the first time in several years, the GHEI health team, our CHWs, and two brave handwashing monitors hosted a Twi language live radio broadcast celebrating GHD on a local station. After introductions, they performed the drama “Wash Your Hands with Clean Water and Soap to Stay Healthy,” sang the famous GHEI handwashing song, and led a short education section on the critical times for handwashing with soap and its importance. The group was well-prepared; rarely having to consult their scripts as they moved through the program. The show was about twenty minutes long. Click to watch a short segment of it below.

Back in the van, everybody was excited about the performance. Even after hosting school programs all day and a radio show, they elected to sing the handwashing song a couple more times through. The team returned home feeling victorious.

CHWs and Handwashing Monitors at Unique FM

Over the three days in Humjibre, people were talking about tuning in to hear the radio broadcast, Aggie singing “Soap and Water” on the Humjibre morning announcements and the GHEI team coming to each of the schools. We succeeded in not just disseminating information on the benefits of handwashing with soap, but in creating a catalyst for community-wide behavioral change. By educating and fostering energy and enthusiasm around the simple practice of handwashing with soap, GHEI can help improve the health and education of the community.


[1] Why Handwashing? The Global Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing, accessed September 30, 2013, http://globalhandwashing.org/why.
[2] Robert E. Black et al., “Global, regional, and national causes of child mortality in 2008,” The Lancet 375 (2010): 9730, accessed September 30, 2013, doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60549-1.
[3] A Bowen et al. “A cluster-randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of a handwashing-promotion program in Chinese primary schools.” The American Center of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 6 (2007): 76, accessed 30 September, 2013, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17556631.   
[4] Why Handwashing?

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International Day of the Girl Child

Tomorrow is International Day of the Girl Child. Established just a few years ago, this day was created to recognize girls’ rights and bring attention the unique challenges they face. Girls worldwide lack access to education and investment in their well-being, meaningful participation in decisions that affect them and suffer from the cycle of discrimination and violence.[1] One of these issues that we work with here in Humjibre is the basic right that all children have to go to school.

Educating females is a key step in development and considered to be one of the most successful paths for communities out of poverty. According to the United Nations, there is:

“…overwhelming evidence that girls’ education, especially at the secondary level, is a powerful transformative force for societies and girls themselves: it is the one consistent positive determinant of practically every desired development outcome, from reductions in mortality and fertility, to poverty reduction and equitable growth, to social norm change and democratization.”[2]

Even at the household level, educated women are able to their use skills and knowledge to make informed decisions and take authority, helping to ensure the health and education of their children, the next generation.

When Ghana made primary education universal in 2005, it led to an immediate substantial increase in enrollment- especially among females, helping to narrow the gender gap.[3] However, families still focus on their sons and there are fewer girls than boys in schools, particularly at the secondary and tertiary levels. Currently, there are about two girls for every three boys in senior high schools in Ghana. In rural areas like Humjibre, that ratio is worse.[4] Rural Ghanaian girls are not just slighted in the chance to go to school, they are also given less educational enrichment at home. Those females who are in school may be more negatively impacted by teachers’ strikes than their male peers because they are more reliant on teachers for their education. The endemic problem of girl children being relatively deprived of attention means that girls are less likely to be in school, and more likely to have a greater need for it.

There are several barriers that keep girls from attending school, make them more likely to drop out, and can lead to low educational outcomes for those who are able to complete their schooling. To begin with, educating girls in Ghana and many other developing countries is seen as an economic burden. It is believed that not just are girls more useful helping the family, but that educating them is a bad investment. Some argue that if a girl does not become pregnant while she is in school, she will eventually begin bearing children and will have no need for an education.

With this path set before girls, it is no surprise that they are minded less by their parents and teachers, receive less encouragement than their brothers, and are given more chores around the house that keep them from studying and even attending school. Girls are intimidated in the classroom, and taught to be quiet and set low aspirations. All girls are affected by these norms which keep them from fully, confidently participating in school.

However, with a joined global effort, barriers are being broken and negative views are changing. There are more girls in school in Ghana than ever before and there are plenty of family and community members, and initiatives from the government and NGOs like our own that work to support girls’ education.[5]

Supporting girls allows them to stay in school, achieve better educational outcomes, and become role models for younger girls. GHEI requires that at least 60% of the students in our Early Childhood Literacy program, Youth Education Program and Scholarship program are female. Beyond this requirement, we offer intentional spaces for young women to come together such as Ladies’ Night at the Tutoring Center and our two-week Girls’ Empowerment camp for Form 3 JHS girls during the summer. We believe strongly that every girl has the right to an education. GHEI works with girls to help and encourage them to reach their goals, and with the community to demonstrate they are in fact, worth it.

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[1] United Nations, International Day of the Girl Child, http://www.un.org/en/events/girlchild/ (9 October 2013). 

[2] United Nations, Day of the Girl. 
[3] UNGEI, United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative, http://www.ungei.org/ (9 October 2013). 
[4] Camfed Ghana, “What Works in Girls’ Education in Ghana: A critical review of the Ghanaian and international literature.” January 2012.

[5] UNICEF, International Day of the Girl Child, http://www.unicef.org/gender/gender_66021.html (9 October 2013).

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Fifty is Not Easy

Not everyone in Humjibre lives to reach fifty years. So as one of GHEI’s all-star Health Program Assistants, Mensah Gyapong’s 50th birthday approached, everyone looked forward to a big celebration. ”Fifty is not easy.” When I asked Mensah what this meant, he explained: “I did not always think that I would live fifty years, but I have and I pray that my children do also. It is not easy to live this long.” Here, age brings respect, and to live to an age like fifty is something to be very proud of. 

Thursday was the day. The party started early since some of the staff had classes to teach in the afternoon. By 8:30, some people were already at the kitchen beginning preparations. The menu for the day included fufu and egusi soup with tuna and chicken.

Ghanaians enjoy a wide variety of delicious traditional foods, but there is something about fufu that sets it apart. If you ask people, many will explain that eating fufu satisfies you like no other food can. To prepare it: first you have to section, peel and steam cassava and plantains. Then the real work begins. The pounding process requires two people and a full-size mortar and pestle. The person at the top uses their whole body to work the pestle: literally pounding the fufu, sweat dripping down their back. The second person, the driver, sits by the mortar, sweeping their hand under the pestle as it is raised, turning the fufu, working in water and picking out fibers until it reaches the perfect soft, sticky consistency. Everybody took a turn at pounding for Mensah’s birthday. Abby even drove; doing a terrific job preforming in front of the group.

As Aggie was getting everybody’s dishes ready to serve, Happy brought over a large bin filled with water. We started singing “Happy Birthday,” and everybody began splashing from the bin and filling cups to pour on Mensah. In Ghana, when there is a big celebration, like a birthday or a wedding, it is customary to surprise the people at the center by throwing water on them. As Lawrence explained, “Fifty is not easy, so you need to throw water to celebrate.” 

Mensah was smiling, but completely soaked. When we all sat down to eat, his clothes were dripping. After a long morning of preparing fufu and throwing water, everyone was very hungry. We ate quickly until we were full, and then ate a little more. After everyone was satiated and the extra food was put away, an all-out water war broke out with what was left in the bin.

Mensah’s fiftieth birthday was a great day. In another fifty years, when we plan to celebrate his 100th, it will be even better!

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Reflections from a Past Coordinator - Christina Briegleb

The following was written by Christina after coming back to visit Humjibre over the summer. 


 Although it had only been 3 years since I was last in Humjibre, during my recent visit in June, I was expecting things to be different. I found, however, the routine of village life to be relatively unchanged. The woman I used to buy boufruit from was still selling at the same spot and at the same time of the day; the shops to buy basic amenities were stocked with the same items and managed by the same people; while walking through the village in the morning to start my daily runs, the same village elders greeted me at their usual spots. Unlike the fast pace and ever changing ways of the city, the slower pace and routines of rural, village life reminded me of the constancy of Humjibre – how it has moved along as it did yesterday and will continue so tomorrow and so on.

While much of village life remained the same, I found GHEI as an organization had grown. The programs had clearer focus, direction and evaluation, and many had expanded outside of Humjibre. GHEI staff had also grown. While not necessarily in numbers or positions, solidarity among the team was stronger. I believe that much of the success and endurance of GHEI comes from its talented and dedicated staff. GHEI has always been a close knit group, a family really, that works together for a common vision for its community. During my short visit, I saw a team who had grown, each individually and also collectively, into a stronger unit who supported each other, laughed together and worked as one. The work of GHEI has never been easy, at times tiring and exhausting, but together the staff help carry the burdens as well as celebrate the successes of the work. Because of this, I believe that the work of GHEI, much like the constancy of Humjibre life, will continue to make a positive impact on the community for many years to come.

To get to re-visit such a special place as Humjibre, and to re-connect with such incredible people from GHEI, reminded me how honored I am to have been part of this community and team, and to get to witness again in-person the continuing success, commitment and growth of GHEI. 

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One Week Left for Scholarship Fundraising!

To everybody who has already donated, sent their warm wishes or helped in spreading the word, thank you for all of your support! To everybody who is still thinking about donating, don’t forget - the deadline is this Sunday, September 15th.

SHS Scholarships comprise one of our most popular programs in the Humjibre community. If you are still on the fence, read this letter from one of our current students. She may be able to help convince you.

Our scholarships are 100% funded by donations during this fundraising period. The amount we raise dictates how many we offer. By donating, you can help give more students- like the one who wrote this letter- the opportunity to attend senior high school and continue their education. By giving the full $900, you will enable a student to attend all three years of high school and will receive regular updates on that student’s progress toward a brighter future. If you choose to give less, your contribution will still be added to pooled funds for the scheme.

One last time, here’s how you can donate:

• Visit our #STARTARYOT page and be sure to type SCHOLARSHIP in the comments section of the donation form
• Donate through Network for Good on our website
• Make a check out to GHEI and send it to Louise Rickard, 108 Little Brook Dr, Newington CT 06111, indicating that it is for the scholarship fund

For printable fliers and other promotional materials, or if you have any questions; feel free to send me an email at communications@ghei.org :)

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Fundraising Update: Less than Two Weeks Left to Contribute to the Scholarship Fund!

So far we’ve raised $1,290 on Crowdrise and are about a quarter of the way to reaching our goal. Don’t forget to keep fundraising and spreading the word about the #STARTARYOT Challenge!

I promised last week to share more about one part of the challenge: funding for our SHS Scholarship Program. In Ghana, senior high school is neither universal nor easy to afford. It is true that access is getting better and there are more students attending from Humjibre than ever before. However, there are still far too many students who are excluded because their families are unable to pay tuition. Like those in many rural communities in Ghana, the vast majority of people in Humjibre are farmers. Their flow of income is irregular as it follows the harvest of crops. School fees, on the other hand, are due at several points throughout the year. Farmers don’t have the luxury of being able to save, so while paying tuition at some times may be manageable, at others it is not. This is where we fit in.

GHEI’s Scholarship Program helps families by giving deserving students the opportunity to attend senior high school. A senior high school diploma provides a gateway to the life-changing prospects of further education and advanced career options. Check out our website or read our blog Thank You from an SHS Mom to get a better idea of what this can mean.

So far we’ve helped a total of 72 students. Our scholarship program has a 98% retention rate and several former scholarship recipients have continued their studies at the tertiary level. Many have also returned to be volunteer teachers with GHEI to give back and inspire younger students to excel.

The program relies entirely on donations. By donating the full $900, you will enable a child to attend all three years of high school and receive regular updates on that student’s progress toward a brighter future. If you donate less, your efforts will be added to pooled funds and will still benefit the scholarship scheme.

This year, the deadline for scholarship fundraising is September 15th. While there are always more capable and deserving students in Humjibre, the number of scholarships we can grant is directly related to how much money we raise. After the deadline, we will notify the scholarship committee of how many students can be chosen.

There are three ways you can donate:

1. Visit our #STARTARYOT page and be sure to type SCHOLARSHIP in the comments section of the donation form
2. Donate through Network for Good on our website at www.ghei.org/donate 
3. Make a check out to GHEI and send it to Louise Rickard, 108 Little Brook Dr, Newington CT 06111. Make sure to indicate that it is for the scholarship fund.

For fundraising ideas, printable fliers and other promotional materials, or if you have any questions; feel free to send me an email at communications@ghei.org.

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Fundraising, Recruiting and Prepping! Oh My!

To begin with, thank you to all our wonderful 2013 SSL volunteers.

We rely on you in countless ways. You have all been amazing and inspiring and somehow made the summer pass ridiculously quickly. Those of us who work with GHEI full time know the impact of what we do. We see evidence of it every day. Supporting the community is always a part of our daily focus.

To some degree, we get used to it. But when you come in, and we see the way you react and the awe in your expression, it reminds us of the extraordinary importance of our work.

There has been a short radio silence on this end. We were exhausted and took some much needed rest. Now, we’re back. And with our new found motivation and energy, we are going to hit the ground running.

There are almost too many new exciting things happening right now at GHEI. In an effort to keep track of them, here’s a quick run-down of what you should know about:

1. #STARTARYOT Challenge: We’ve partnered with Ryot News and are taking part in this year’s 5-week fundraising challenge to see how much we can gain. Check it out, spread the word and donate if you can. Let’s see how much we can raise together!

2. As part of the challenge, we’re also fundraising for our scholarship program. Senior high school in Ghana is not universal and the required tuition fees are often extremely difficult for families in Humjibre to afford. GHEI fundraises and offers scholarships to give deserving students the opportunity to continue their education. I will be posting more about scholarships in the next couple of weeks as we move toward the September 15th fundraising deadline.

3. We've just published our Annual Report and will be creating new promotional materials. For a beautiful overview of all of our organizational goals and programs in the last year, check out the 12-page report covering June 2012 through May 2013.

4. Summer Serve and Learn 2014: If it’s possible to top this year’s SSL programs, we are going to do it! We’ve had so many positive experiences this year. We are reflecting and carefully evaluating - the good and the bad - and will be rolling out improved programs for 2014. Stay tuned to learn more about them and the role you can play in the coming months.

To our volunteers, friends and supporters: thank you. Writing this, I’m overjoyed to be part of all these things. Thank you for making them possible.

To learn more about how you can help fundraise for scholarships, or if you’re interested in any other GHEI promotional materials, send me an email at communications@ghei.org!

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Girls Empowerment, Lessons Learned

That awkward moment after you say goodbye where nobody wants to take the first step to leave. “Maybe we could start over again?” one of the camp participants suggested. The girls sat in silence with their certificates of completion, goodie bags, and folders with all the work they had done. Communication during the camp had been more difficult than the volunteers expected. But as the workshops progressed, everybody learned to change their vocabulary and speech just enough so that they found a language everybody understood. In addition to the six official workshops, there were home visits, a drumming and dancing class, and other activities to help the groups find common ground and bond in a more relaxed atmosphere. 

Workshop One: Money and Business Management
 
After a few activities on the importance of differentiating between wants and needs and keeping track of purchases, Madam Comfort, a local shop owner, spoke to the girls about what it takes to start a business. Sitting on their benches, they leaned in and listened intently to Comfort’s advice “work hard…take your studies seriously… make plans….”

Workshop Two: Family Planning

Entering the community center on Wednesday, balloons scattered the floor. After having the girls grab as many as they wanted, the first activity was revealed: “This is how many children you will have. With a set sum of money, see how long you can provide for them.” As the girls moved between stations paying for food, healthcare, education and clothes for each of their future children, the lesson became apparent: bigger families are harder to support, and if you want to provide well for your children, you’re better off with fewer. 

Workshop Three: Safe Sex

Thursday began with making sock puppets and using them to role play different important conversations between partners. After some demonstrations, the girls sat down to talk with a local nurse. Judith spoke to them on their level. They opened up, asked honest questions and were satisfied with her answers. 

Workshop Four: Self- Confidence

While confidence is instilled in boys from a young age in Humjibre, girls do not get the same treatment. To help the girls become surer of themselves and comfortable speaking to others, the girls practiced expressing what they like about themselves and taking turns complimenting each other. 

Workshop Five: Leadership   

On Friday, the girls worked to understand what characteristics they would need to develop to be successful in specific occupations and how to make decisions for a group. They then sat for a talk from our very own Agnes Obeng. Beyond being a strong force on the GHEI team, Aggie is a mother, the president of her church and an involved community member in Humjibre. 

Workshop Six: Choice- Rugby and Happy Feet

Using a Nerf football, everybody split into two teams and played touch rugby. With the exception of one of our volunteers, this was a new game for the girls and volunteers alike. They ran around, laughed, and passed the ball in the wrong direction as equals. After the game and singing some football chants that aptly expressed their enthusiasm, everybody sat down to watch a movie together. 

The workshops presented new information and reiterated some ideas that the girls had seen before. Along with support and some translation from our local staff, the workshops were orchestrated by the volunteers. They played a greater role than just teaching useful lessons for the girls as they mature. The volunteers were positive role models and their presence provided encouragement for the girls to advocate for themselves and work toward their goals. To all our Girls Empowerment volunteers and camp participants, you have been amazing: Thank you. Y3 da mo ase paa!

Don't forget to check our Facebook where the final GE photos will be posted tomorrow!

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Girls Empowerment Check-In

The lives of Ghanaian teenage girls who have just finished junior high school hold a lot of uncertainty. Some wait for their exam results to learn if, and which senior high school they will attend. Others just wait to see what the next step in their lives will be. In many impoverished places like Humjibre, educating females is seen as a trade-off. It is thought that girls and women belong in the home, so there is no use in wasting resources by putting them in school. However, educated females ensure the health and education of future generations. For a community, their role creates now what is seen as one of the most successful paths out of poverty. GHEI’s annual Girls Empowerment camp sets aside two weeks for volunteers to help motivate local girls who have just finished junior high school, and give them the knowledge and confidence they will need to continue with their education and fulfill their aspirations. 
 

 Each SSL session completes a vastly different project, so the program changes throughout the summer. For this one, there are about 15 local girls participating in the camp. Workshops with the volunteers are held in the early evenings so that the girls can still tend to their household responsibilities. 

 Sunday night was the first opportunity for everybody to meet. No small affair, the girls had been meeting and preparing for their Girls Empowerment Presentation all-month. When the music came on, they entered the community center in two lines from the back. They danced their way onto the stage and into a line, each with a letter to spell “Girls Empowerment.” Next, they sang this year’s theme song “We are Women for the Future” and put on a hysterically funny performance of the GHEI classic drama The Importance of Girl Child Education. Afterwards, the girls preformed a choreographed dance and the Humjibre Queen Mother; Nana Adwoa Ampo II took the stage. This part was completely unplanned. She spoke about different opportunities available to girls and to the delight of the audience, even lead them in a song. After the presentation, the girls, bubbling with excitement, started a dance party on the stage. The volunteers joined them, taking their first steps to get acquainted and learn their first azonto moves. 

Over the week, workshops began. So far, volunteers have met with the girls on the topics of money, business management, family planning and safe sex. The community center has temporarily become a space reserved for girls to grow and learn. Every day, they are exposed to new ideas and encouraged by an all-female group of volunteers and local staff. This camp is a positive force in the girls’ lives; where they will become more confident, knowledgeable and prepared to face the next step.

More photos will be posted on our Facebook and be sure to check back next week to learn more about each workshop!
 
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