This week I visited with one of the other JFs Steph in her home town Tuna. It was wonderful to see where she was living and who she was working with. For me it was good to see a different approach to development work, a grassroots NGO versus a huge development project throughout Ghana streamlined into the government. Steph has done a great job with her work, and she could explain it better through her blog, so I encourage you to check it out, but basically her partner organization, Tuna Women in Agriculture (TUWODEP) works with women’s groups in villages working on food security, education and introduction of new income generating activities. During my visit I got to walk around and have a taste of Tuna (no pun intended), travel to two villages to meet with some women’s groups, see Steph’s living arrangements and conditions and spend time with her devoted co-worker and friend. Check out more on her blolg: http://www.stephghanasummer.blogspot.com/, or from the link along the right side of this page "Steph in Ghana". 
Guinea Fowl that we were given as a gift...and chopped for dinner!
Steph's compound, I like the mango tree in the middle!
clay pots that one of the women's groups make
storage facilities for grains, something steph has worked a lot on improving with TUWODEP
The TUWODEP office
Tuna Market
This is Steph and her awesome co-worker Anase
Me and Anase with 3 women's groups in a nearby village
A piggery that TUWODEP helped to a women's group set up
Local beer, 'Pito' that we were given as thanks for our visit...delicious
Guinea Fowl that we were given as a gift...and chopped for dinner!
Steph's compound, I like the mango tree in the middle!
clay pots that one of the women's groups make
storage facilities for grains, something steph has worked a lot on improving with TUWODEP
The TUWODEP office
Tuna Market
This is Steph and her awesome co-worker Anase
Me and Anase with 3 women's groups in a nearby village
A piggery that TUWODEP helped to a women's group set up
Local beer, 'Pito' that we were given as thanks for our visit...deliciousIt was an interesting opportunity to see another approach to some of what REP is striving to do: work with women’s groups to empower them and improve their livelihoods, but on a much smaller scale. Furthermore, there is a great opportunity for REP to partner with organizations like TUWODEP because of their shared focus and intended beneficiaries. REP likes to work with people in Groups, but from what I have observed, a lot of the time the groups form because of training sessions, instead of training sessions working for pre-existing groups. I am interested to learn the difference this would make in the success of a program. It seems that a strong cohesive group would be more successful than one thrown together at the last minute. Continuing on that note, meeting with these women’s groups, they could benefit greatly from any of REPs trainings (beekeeping, soap making, batik tie and dye, etc) so its too bad REP isn’t working in this district…but I guess on the other hand good that there is a project like TUWODEP working there.
While I am sitting down and putting together the results of my business owner interviews…the question I am trying to find an answer to is: what support do existing business owners need, and how can the BAC or local support networks provide that support. It’s hard! Where would you go to for support if you were struggling to set-up or run a business? What role should an organization like REP play in the business community? What if the results aren’t in line with its existing strategy? So far, yet again, the issue of dealing with people in groups arises. But most business owners are independent. So what role does the BAC play in assisting lone entrepreneurs? The feedback I have gotten so far from the field is that the BAC should be a resource for all businesses, and it should be able to redirect and link entrepreneurs to other sources if it can not directly assist them. Money is always the major pitfall for business owners, but though REP isn’t able to financially support everyone, it should have the capacity to direct people to sources and present them with different options, give sound advice on steps to take to better manage money, and invite people to workshops that they run on business management. Of course everyone just wants a quick fix, but its up to something like the Business Advisory Centre to educate people on the various ways to become more profitable.
While I am sitting down and putting together the results of my business owner interviews…the question I am trying to find an answer to is: what support do existing business owners need, and how can the BAC or local support networks provide that support. It’s hard! Where would you go to for support if you were struggling to set-up or run a business? What role should an organization like REP play in the business community? What if the results aren’t in line with its existing strategy? So far, yet again, the issue of dealing with people in groups arises. But most business owners are independent. So what role does the BAC play in assisting lone entrepreneurs? The feedback I have gotten so far from the field is that the BAC should be a resource for all businesses, and it should be able to redirect and link entrepreneurs to other sources if it can not directly assist them. Money is always the major pitfall for business owners, but though REP isn’t able to financially support everyone, it should have the capacity to direct people to sources and present them with different options, give sound advice on steps to take to better manage money, and invite people to workshops that they run on business management. Of course everyone just wants a quick fix, but its up to something like the Business Advisory Centre to educate people on the various ways to become more profitable.
I’m on the cusp of my last week…somehow in the next few days I need to pull together a report on these business owner interviews, present it to my office and the zonal office, finish buying and making everything I want to take back, snap all the pictures it was too awkward to snap in the beginning, say goodbyes and then manage to pack up all my stuff, put it on a bus and head to Tamale. It feels like a mountain I need to climb in the next 7 days…I hope I can do it!
