In the summer of 1998 I and a group of volunteers traveled to Ghana to do volunteer work. On arriving at the Accra International airport we were warmly greeted by coordinators of the Philanthropy Host Volunteer Project. The following day we left for the Volta region, where we would call home for the next four weeks. In order to bath/shower we would gather buckets of water from the river in preparation for our work day.
Our volunteer work assignment was to make bricks and lay a foundation for a teacher’s bungalow at a boarding school. Our work day began at 4:00am and ended at 10:00am. The rest of our day was spent having educational exchanges with the students, getting to know the local people and learning the local language Ewe.
The house that we stayed in had no running water, nor did it have electricity, a kitchen, or a bathroom.I was not accustomed to having these accommodations but I decided to embrace this experience as a new journey in my life.
On arriving back in the United States I realized that my experiences in Ghana had altered my perception of life in general. When you see people living with the bare necessities of life it influences what you value and reshapes your own personal needs. This experience of living in Ghana was life changing and altered my perspective on what is really important.
This experience showed me that many of the regions in Ghana are economically impoverished; however, there is a strong community spirit that is alive and well. Seeing this love of family and community influenced my resolve and passion to work with the people in this region of Africa. It opened up my mind and heart to do volunteer work in other developing countries as well.
I am only one of the visionaries of the Ghana Women/Children North American Collective. Our organization and Non Governmental Organizations based in Northern Ghana are giving birth to new and creative visionaries daily.
Thank you volunteers for your commitment to creating better lives for the women and children of Jisonayili.
