‘how can I make this report useful so that I can do something for all these people who are counting on me?’
‘how can I show how inspiring and relevant to work with Zeinabu was?’
‘how can I show that Issa Sole is a great entrepreneur, despite his lack of education…how can I show that though he is just asking for money he is desperate to do the right thing, that really all he needs is business management training, someone to take the time to explain to him the facts about bank accounts’
‘how can I capture all these opinions that these individuals have about the Business Advisory Centre and what it should do?’
…these questions raced through my head as I tried to pull this thing together. The hardest report I have ever had to write. No marks here, no one checking to see that I had an executive summary that was less than 250 words or group member that I can’t let down…I was accountable to no one, no one but those 28 people that I interviewed over the past few weeks, and those 20 in Busunu who I kept in my heart, and all those across the northern region who I had to potential to impact in some small way. It would be easy to say that I am just learning about development, this is my first time doing something like this, this placement is more about what learning I will bring back to Canada anyway…but this was the most important thing I ever had to write. I was able to gather perspective on my placement and what I was able to do in the time I had, but I threw my heart and soul into this research that I was undertaking and needed to genuinely do the best I job I could at it.
WHOA! Backtracking, those were horrifying pressures I was putting on myself, so I stepped back, yet again, and realized that though this was MY biggest contribution, it was a small part of a bigger process. All I could do was the best I could do. So just do it, and I did. Somehow. And in the end I was pleased with what I managed to produce.
I had already accepted that I wouldn’t have much impact on my office, it’s fruitless to work with unmotivated people, and unrealistic to try and be able to create that motivation in 3 months (one of the keys to development I have learned is to work with motivated people).
However, my big presentation at the Zonal Office went great. Though I had malaria and was out of steam in every which way, the people at the Zonal Office are passionate about the Rural Enterprises Project and were excited to learn more about how to work with and support existing business owners.
After that was over, as we say in Ghana after a big meal, I was satisfied. Though my work is not over, what I was able to do overseas was and I was ready to go home.
That was the hardest summer of my life, the greatest learning experience, about the world and myself, but hardest mentally, physically and emotionally to date. Homecoming was exciting, and as I said, my work is not yet done. I will continue to learn and share my findings with people in Canada in an effort to connect Canadians to Ghanaians, to show that we are all living in one world, and stimulate the change in our actions to reflect that reality.
I am excited to continue to work with EWB in Canada, because it is an amazing group of passionate and determined individuals, but also on my own, starting out a life of continuous learning and curiosity for the complexity and simplicity of this world.
Here are some pictures of some of the people who meant a lot to me, those who motivated and inspired me, or just brightened my day and made up the faces in my life for the past 4 months. Thanks to everyone who was a great support this summer, I hope you were able to take away something from this experience too…as we say in Ghana, somehow.
The Ghana JFs of 2008
My Family for the summer
In the office, two of my co-workers, Hardi the Business Development Officer and Pamela the Admin Assistant
Saratu and her seamstresses, greated me everyday as i passed and made lovely dresses
Two of my brothers and friends, Sherif and Junior
Madame from the zonal office, inspirational and down to earth
The station women who sold me fruit and boiled eggs
Giftey, who was just as jovial and lovely when I went back for a second visit
My shea picking partner, also just as impressive and powerful on second glance
My little Paul, the sweetest and most beautiful boy
Sarah Grant, long term volunteer with EWB, an awesome role model and friend
Sakara, friend from the village as previously viewed, but a great friend even if our interaction was short-lived
Zeinabu and her husband with their family in their electrical shop
Fouzia, who was there the whole summer, through the good times and the bad, morning and night!
Issa Sole, making my tire shoes
Kofi the chemical seller
Patience who made beautiful batik tie and dye and was as sweet as anything
My phone units seller, always welcoming and having my 7.5 cards!
The woman who i bought most of my beautiful material from
Bawa, my bicycle repair man and enthusiastic greeter, anytime of the day, and numerous times!
Anthony, my landlord, host father and friend who i could share my morning tea with and frank and intellectual conversations about my work and development and Ghana
