Wednesday, October 26, 2005
To Mpaha and Back!
I have just returned from Mpaha.
I was able to spend the last few days there as the current volunteer Lauren, from Florida,(known here as Kenyiti or patience) closed her 2 years in Mpaha and said her good byes. She has done some awesome work, as the first volunteer here and I am excited to take the baton in December. Her work was less health oriented then mine will be, so there will some overlap with guinea worm, HIV/AIDs, and continuing the library she started, but I will definitely have some new road to pave as well. (I live next door to the town midwife and I can see the clinic from my house!! right now I am thinking about mobilizing weekly community outreach clinics)
The library just opened last week; it is in a community where most people are illiterate and have never seen a library before. Right now it consists of 1 bookself (including an encyclopedia set, a handful of national geographics, a handful of kids books, some career books, learning arabic books (remember almost all
Islam community). They have put in a lot of time to fixing up the building and are very proud. I am excited to see it progress. It is run by a group of 10 community volunteers. The head of the group is named Original, and he is an amazing man in a wheelchair, who has just recently become literate. I will tell you more stories as they come about this amazing man and the other volunteers.
I don't intend to pressure any of you at all, but many of you have expressed interest in helping out.... well, here is your chance. If you feel so inspired, you could start a community book drive with your church, your work, or just what you have around the house... all books can be sent to me via M-bag, which is much cheaper and will taking longer, but that's ok b/c I will be here for 2 years!... once again this not a requirement at all!! Just something for fun, if you feel like it.
For Lauren's going away party there was some traditional drumming and donga dancing. It consisted of two rings: a men's ring where everyone had noise makers made from recycled scrap metal on their ankles, and a women's ring where they all wore traditional northern style textiles and let out amazing cries in rhythm with the drumming and percussion of ankle stomping. Nearly everyone in Mpaha was fasting for Ramadon, so festivities only lasted until sun down when i broke fast with them. A sheep was slaughtered and cooked for the occassion.
We also went to the chief's palace, a small concrete building with a simple tin roof, with a few open-air windows and doors, and mats on the ground for us to kneel on in the presence of the chief and his sub-chiefs. It was here that I received my new Gonja name, Jamaneba, because let's face it "Jenell" is way to hard to say when you can't pronounce "L". It means the maker/bringer of change... I think I got lucky considering some of the other names floating around Mpaha, but I won't point any fingers.
On the way there, one thing became apparent fast... I will be living in the bush. I am 52km of pot-holed dusty road from the paved road that runs from Techiman to Tamale. It takes over and hour to get down it, and frequency of traffic down this road sporatic. It will be an awesome road to run and bike on. all along it are villages even more small and poor than Mpaha. It is a beautiful area with tall grass land spotted with mango or Odum trees that are nearly essential for their shade in the afternoon sun. At night, b/c the closest electricity is over 52km away, the stars are absolutely amazing, and there are thousands of fire flies that light up the grassland to match the sky. Because i am lucky enough to have my own compound, I will be able to sleep outside under my misquito net in my courtyard... maybe i can find a hammock in Ghana. (?)
Sorry that this email has gotten so long... I have so much share... I will try and pace myself.
I hope all is well,
Jenell or Jamaneba :D
c/o Peace Corps/Ghana
PO Box 5796
Accra North, Ghana
West Africa
I was able to spend the last few days there as the current volunteer Lauren, from Florida,(known here as Kenyiti or patience) closed her 2 years in Mpaha and said her good byes. She has done some awesome work, as the first volunteer here and I am excited to take the baton in December. Her work was less health oriented then mine will be, so there will some overlap with guinea worm, HIV/AIDs, and continuing the library she started, but I will definitely have some new road to pave as well. (I live next door to the town midwife and I can see the clinic from my house!! right now I am thinking about mobilizing weekly community outreach clinics)
The library just opened last week; it is in a community where most people are illiterate and have never seen a library before. Right now it consists of 1 bookself (including an encyclopedia set, a handful of national geographics, a handful of kids books, some career books, learning arabic books (remember almost all
Islam community). They have put in a lot of time to fixing up the building and are very proud. I am excited to see it progress. It is run by a group of 10 community volunteers. The head of the group is named Original, and he is an amazing man in a wheelchair, who has just recently become literate. I will tell you more stories as they come about this amazing man and the other volunteers.
I don't intend to pressure any of you at all, but many of you have expressed interest in helping out.... well, here is your chance. If you feel so inspired, you could start a community book drive with your church, your work, or just what you have around the house... all books can be sent to me via M-bag, which is much cheaper and will taking longer, but that's ok b/c I will be here for 2 years!... once again this not a requirement at all!! Just something for fun, if you feel like it.
For Lauren's going away party there was some traditional drumming and donga dancing. It consisted of two rings: a men's ring where everyone had noise makers made from recycled scrap metal on their ankles, and a women's ring where they all wore traditional northern style textiles and let out amazing cries in rhythm with the drumming and percussion of ankle stomping. Nearly everyone in Mpaha was fasting for Ramadon, so festivities only lasted until sun down when i broke fast with them. A sheep was slaughtered and cooked for the occassion.
We also went to the chief's palace, a small concrete building with a simple tin roof, with a few open-air windows and doors, and mats on the ground for us to kneel on in the presence of the chief and his sub-chiefs. It was here that I received my new Gonja name, Jamaneba, because let's face it "Jenell" is way to hard to say when you can't pronounce "L". It means the maker/bringer of change... I think I got lucky considering some of the other names floating around Mpaha, but I won't point any fingers.
On the way there, one thing became apparent fast... I will be living in the bush. I am 52km of pot-holed dusty road from the paved road that runs from Techiman to Tamale. It takes over and hour to get down it, and frequency of traffic down this road sporatic. It will be an awesome road to run and bike on. all along it are villages even more small and poor than Mpaha. It is a beautiful area with tall grass land spotted with mango or Odum trees that are nearly essential for their shade in the afternoon sun. At night, b/c the closest electricity is over 52km away, the stars are absolutely amazing, and there are thousands of fire flies that light up the grassland to match the sky. Because i am lucky enough to have my own compound, I will be able to sleep outside under my misquito net in my courtyard... maybe i can find a hammock in Ghana. (?)
Sorry that this email has gotten so long... I have so much share... I will try and pace myself.
I hope all is well,
Jenell or Jamaneba :D
c/o Peace Corps/Ghana
PO Box 5796
Accra North, Ghana
West Africa
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Gone to Ghana: J's News and Updates
This site is still under construction. Lisa is trying to get a blog up and running where she can post J's emails/etc, put up some pictures, and keep the whole saga in one place so readers could "catch up" on what has been going on. Also J may be able to log on once in a great while and post directly, we'll see...
So far Jenell's first "mass" emails are "blogged" so if you didn't get a chance to read those you can go back and catch up. Apologies about the formatting on some of them, but at least the info is there...
Lisa "habba" Stewart
So far Jenell's first "mass" emails are "blogged" so if you didn't get a chance to read those you can go back and catch up. Apologies about the formatting on some of them, but at least the info is there...
Lisa "habba" Stewart
Friday, October 14, 2005
4th email from Jenell Oct 14, '05
October 14, 2005
I have a home... for the next 2 years, starting December 3rd, I will be living in the village of Mpaha of the Northern Region. It is about an hour and a half to 3 hours (138km) south of Tamale depending on the frequency of cattle cars going down my road that day :D! I will be taking over a Guinea Worm project that has been going on for 2 years, making me the 2nd volunteer at this site. One of my Trainee friends has been to this site for a visit and said it is beautiful grass land... and I have my own little compound. There is no running water and no electricity in my village... so, no one will have TV!!! I am so excited to live in a place so far removed from the Western world.
There are several other volunteers (about 20), with whom I have become very good friends, all living with in a days trip from Tamale. There is a Peace Corps sub-office their where I can go to enjoy free internet, good company, and air conditioning when I need to get away. The Guinea worm season is only a few months out of the year... when there is stagnant water that may contain larve, which can be ingested if the water isn't boiled and filtered. It is easily prevented, but
very painful to contract. In the off-season, I can work with a clinic only 10 kilo away and a school only 20 kilo away for various projects... my mind is racing.
community stats:
population: 3720 men= 1099 women = 1133 children = 1488
Language: Gonja
Religions: Islam and Traditional Religion
Predominant occupation: Farming
Farmers here only make about 2 million cedis a year ($200), yet there are individuals in the community who take time to volunteer themselves and collaborate with Peace Corps to Eradicate the Guinea Worm. I am very excited to go to a community that is so active... last year there was only one case of Guinea worm in the whole village!
Also, I will be near the Mole National Reserve where they have all sorts of wildlife!!
That's all I have for now...
I hope all is well,
jenell OR Jamia, as my host family has renamed me b/c jenell is too hard to say.
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
3rd email from Jenell Oct 12, '05
October 12, 2005
Hello,
Sorry I left you hanging on the last email...
Tomorrow I find out my placement!!! I will let you know as soon as I can.
I am very excited to have focus and start my second language.
Last Sunday I went to the St. Francis Catholic Church in Krobo with my Host Mama. Even though my now recovering case of Giardia prevented me from staying the whole 3 hours, the first hour and a half was awesome! First, came the choir... all wearing bright, bold colorful hand tailored dresses and robes (about 40 people), they sang some rockin' heart felt songs in Twi with a bongo accompaniment. As they sang all the people would stand and wave their hankerchiefs back and forth in perfect unison(a very cool visual).
For offering, there was no passing of the dish, but a pew-by-pew konga line to the front of the church. I just followed along and started shakin' it like the 70+ y.o. women in front of me... as soon as I started dancing, the whole congregation started cheering and clapping. It is amazing how easily I forget that as a six foot white girl, all eyes in a crowd are usually on me. The konga line was of course accompanied by a 20 piece band, with energy and excitement much like my high school pep band. I'd have to say my favorite part was that regardless of age, everyone could not help but feel the music and dance.
Another interesting thing:
The Ghana National soccer team qualified for the world cup. During the game, everytime the team scored there was cheering in the streets and taxis honking. Everyone is so proud to be Ghanaian! as soon as the game was over, the power went out. The gov't actually did this on purpose to prevent riots. When the power goes out, everyone goes to bed. It was the best nights sleep I've had yet. :D
Hope all is well
jenell
Hello,
Sorry I left you hanging on the last email...
Tomorrow I find out my placement!!! I will let you know as soon as I can.
I am very excited to have focus and start my second language.
Last Sunday I went to the St. Francis Catholic Church in Krobo with my Host Mama. Even though my now recovering case of Giardia prevented me from staying the whole 3 hours, the first hour and a half was awesome! First, came the choir... all wearing bright, bold colorful hand tailored dresses and robes (about 40 people), they sang some rockin' heart felt songs in Twi with a bongo accompaniment. As they sang all the people would stand and wave their hankerchiefs back and forth in perfect unison(a very cool visual).
For offering, there was no passing of the dish, but a pew-by-pew konga line to the front of the church. I just followed along and started shakin' it like the 70+ y.o. women in front of me... as soon as I started dancing, the whole congregation started cheering and clapping. It is amazing how easily I forget that as a six foot white girl, all eyes in a crowd are usually on me. The konga line was of course accompanied by a 20 piece band, with energy and excitement much like my high school pep band. I'd have to say my favorite part was that regardless of age, everyone could not help but feel the music and dance.
Another interesting thing:
The Ghana National soccer team qualified for the world cup. During the game, everytime the team scored there was cheering in the streets and taxis honking. Everyone is so proud to be Ghanaian! as soon as the game was over, the power went out. The gov't actually did this on purpose to prevent riots. When the power goes out, everyone goes to bed. It was the best nights sleep I've had yet. :D
Hope all is well
jenell
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Second email from Jenell Oct 8, '05
Subject: Family Life
October 8, 2005
I am writing from an internet cafe in Techiman, about 5k away from the
village of Krobo where I will be living until December. I will find
out my site on Thursday!
My family is great... they are all about teaching me how to do things. The first thing I did when I got to their compound was get a tutorial from a 4 y.o. little boy, Derek, on how to take a bath with only a bucket of water. Derek is my new best friend, he will point to things and tell me the name in Twi until I say it right, and we exchange funny faces whenever Mama isn't looking. Mama Filamina is the owner of the compound where 4 of her 6 children live, and their spouses and their children and their friends... it is hard to tell who actually lives there. there are kids everywhere... it's funny to think of my parents concerns with daycare, as I watch 6y.o. carry a baby in one arm and a cutlass in the other.
It seems that my family is very poor, just like everyone else, because for example they do not have toilet paper, but instead use recycled newspaper when frequenting their pit latrine, and there are no mirrors in the compound. But, they have a Tele and DVD player in one of the rooms, so they can watch Ghanaian music videos.... very strange.
Only 1 minute left, must leave
Until next Saturday….
jenell
October 8, 2005
I am writing from an internet cafe in Techiman, about 5k away from the
village of Krobo where I will be living until December. I will find
out my site on Thursday!
My family is great... they are all about teaching me how to do things. The first thing I did when I got to their compound was get a tutorial from a 4 y.o. little boy, Derek, on how to take a bath with only a bucket of water. Derek is my new best friend, he will point to things and tell me the name in Twi until I say it right, and we exchange funny faces whenever Mama isn't looking. Mama Filamina is the owner of the compound where 4 of her 6 children live, and their spouses and their children and their friends... it is hard to tell who actually lives there. there are kids everywhere... it's funny to think of my parents concerns with daycare, as I watch 6y.o. carry a baby in one arm and a cutlass in the other.
It seems that my family is very poor, just like everyone else, because for example they do not have toilet paper, but instead use recycled newspaper when frequenting their pit latrine, and there are no mirrors in the compound. But, they have a Tele and DVD player in one of the rooms, so they can watch Ghanaian music videos.... very strange.
Only 1 minute left, must leave
Until next Saturday….
jenell
