Ghana New Year

Thanksgiving

2010-11-26T14:18:00.000-08:00

Greetings from Ghana! I know it has been a while since I have last posted, and my apologies to our followers. It has been a busy year for us at Easy Track. We have hosted tours to all corners of Ghana, including school visits, safari tours, beache holidays, business travelers, traditional ceremonies and cultural interactions. I have seen so very much.

So on this day of Thanksgiving in the USA, I am reflecting on what I have to be thankful of in this life. The things we take for granted are such the things to be most thankful for: A roof and a bed. Clean water. Plentiful food. Access to good health care and medicine. Loving friends and family. The opportunity to obtain a good education and direct your life.

I have been blessed to be the recipient of all these things in my life. During my life, and especially these past few years in Africa, I have seen that so many people are not so blessed. This is why I have devoted such efforts into making Easy Track a tool for helping people who may not be so fortunate. I am always pushing Easy Track Ghana, and I am proud that we have been able to keep advancing our social responsibilities by providing gifts to schools, clinics and orphanages as well as building a toilet for an area school - while at the same time providing memorable tours for travelers and improving the lives of all our team.

I have had my eyes opened in so many ways living in Ghana. It am truly thankful for the Easy Track team, my Ghanaian family, and all the supportive people I have met as I have been making this transition that is not always easy.

As for things not going smoothly, some months ago I mentioned our community library project, and you may be wondering of the status of that project. Well, in our biggest disappointment to date, we were not originally given land upon which there was clear owership. After some additional months of searching and negotiating, we finally secured property for this community library project. The property owners were legitimate and nearby schoolmasters had approved the location - one even brought us a schedule for when he would bring students.

Sadly, the very day after all agreements had been reached, the donors communicated that they had lost confidence due to the delays, and were withdrawing their offer of funding. It was quite a loss to all of us involved. This is a bit of an embarassment to admit, but it is a story to be told. The best of intentions do not always come to fruition.

Our intentions though, are to somehow find the funding to make this dream a reality. As such, on this day of thanks, I have decided to donate my collection of African art to a foundation that would be able to hold a fundraising auction to raise the necessary funds for this community library. The TransCAP Foundation I work with in the USA is only chartered for health-related activities, so I am in search of an appropriate 501(c)3 charity that could receive this contribution, assist with an auction and help realize a place of learning in a poor Ghanian community. Suggestions or contact in this endeavour are most welcome.

Have a most blessed Thanksgiving.

"Why Africa?"

2010-03-16T16:36:00.001-07:00

I get asked this so often.

Yes, you should definitely come to Ghana someday! Speaking as an American, I am probably like most people in the US - Africa was the last place on earth I had any desire to visit. But some years ago I had a ton of frequent flier miles that were going to expire, so I cashed them in for the maximum award - Johannesburg! I stayed there only for a couple days and then ventured across 6 countries in the next 6 weeks.

So it was really by accident that I went to Africa in the first place. But that one trip changed my life. I didn't think of going anywhere else after that, and when I finally traveled to the country of Ghana, I knew I had found a very special place indeed. I can't wait until I am able to sell my house in California and move there.

All we in the US know of Africa is what we see in the media, which focuses relentlessly on disease, poverty, warfare and all the ills that are certainly there. All that most people in Africa know of the US is what they see in the media, which is all glamor, riches, an easy life with little work, and all the good things that are to be enjoyed here.

Of course we know that homelessness and poverty and crime and other afflictions are in the US, but when I tell people in Africa about these things, they are astonished and sometimes even refuse to believe me, thinking that I am lying to keep them away.

When I first visited Africa, I saw with my own eyes that the life is more than the problems the media feeds us. Sure, all that exists, but there is so much more. Like the kindness and respect shown to each other, the tightly woven fabric of community, the greetings that everyone gives to each other in passing, the sharing and civility and joy of life.

The life isn't always easy in Africa, it isn't always comfortable, and it always isn't fair. And I believe there are those that would say these same things about life in the USA. I don't advise this path I am following for everyone. I will most likely I will have a shorter life if I am living there. But I honestly feel it will be infinitely richer.

Enjoy the pics....they are from my send-off party when I departed Ghana. That's a whole other story sometime!

Save a Life Today

2010-02-21T22:47:00.000-08:00

I have returned from Ghana again, only for a quick business trip over the holidays to tend to projects. We were able to make donations of soccer gear to schools and medicine to the Korle-Bu Hospital Fevers Unit. Our community library project had it's groundbreaking. Four sets of holiday travelers were hosted by Easy Track Ghana.

But most important, the TransCAP Foundation established a new campaign to pay for anti-retriviral therapy for the members of the Brothers Keepers MSM HIV+ support group.

For only $5 per month, you can provide life-saving medicine to a person with HIV in Ghana. This is an important program, and once started, cannot stop. I urge you to make a regular contribution to this important charity. 100% of your contribution is used to purchase medicine.

Save a life here!
Here is my $60 to provide HIV medication to a person for a year ====> CLICK HERE

Here are a couple photos from the community library project that an Easy Track guest is funding. We had the groundbreaking in December and hope to have the project complete before the rains begin.

R.I.P. My Friend

2009-10-24T22:41:00.000-07:00

What has prompted me to write this post was a tragic event last week.

As you know, I do volunteer work in Ghana with an HIV prevention foundation based in the USA. Yesterday, one of the people I worked closest with passed away from complications of HIV and I am deeply saddened. So many people with HIV in Ghana (and other places) have no access to medicine.

My departed friend Augustus, as well as the other members of his support group, are treating themselves with Vitamin C and Selenium. It was very difficult for me to watch them line up and pool their little money to get the only “treatment” that they could afford.

He was a person who I could trust fully and was a selfless advocate for others. As President of the Brothers Keepers HIV+ support group, I watched him provide counseling, advice, education and sometime just a shoulder to cry on.

I will miss my friend very much when I return to Ghana this Christmas for 2 weeks of volunteering. He was a good man, working hard to help others. He was only 26 years old.

Sometimes it was not easy being in Ghana. The harshness of life and the tears of children and the demolished hopes of too many people can be difficult to witness so intimately. How can you speak optimistically to people who you know have no opportunity? How can you encourage hope in the future when there is no food on the table today?

For urban residents, the issue is money, not access. The life-saving drugs needed are at the hospital and other clinics. In the USA, if you do not have insurance, a one month supply of ARV therapy costs well over $1,000. In Ghana, because of pharmaceutical and governmental supports, this cost is $5. Sadly, even that is too much for many in need.

Wrap Up of My Year Living in Ghana

2009-07-04T22:37:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been some months now since I last made a post here. I apologize to friends and strangers alike who may be reading. I have been suffering from re-entry into the USA. It has been very difficult.

I have had to depart my beloved Ghana and am now working in an office in California. I miss my bucket showers under the stars. I miss smiling faces and caring people. I miss greetings given by strangers that you pass on the street. Morning porrage for breakfast and no alarm clock.

Basically no clock period. On the equator, the days never change, so it is sunrise at 6AM and sunset at 6PM.....every day. And every day, you are surrounded by friendly, sharing, hospitable people. Even if they do not know you, they are quick to offer assistance and would give you the shirt off their back if you need a shirt - even if is the only shirt they own. Lives are tightly woven together and everyone helps each other to get by.

Sure, it was not always easy living in a compound house with 18 extended family members, no plumbing and only one pit toilet. But my family that I live with was always ready to do anything to keep me comfortable and healthy. I miss them so very much.

During my year living in Ghana I visited more schools than I can count. Through my work with the TransCAP Foundation (Transitional Center for AIDS Prevention), I was able to pass out school supplies, athletic equipment, essay awards, and even a few laptop computers. I have mentioned Pencil Day before, one of my favorite activities at schools. Just passing out pencils at a school would generate such excitement and joy you would think I was passing out $100 bills. I helped some with reading and computer skills too, with many a night interrupted by a young child asking for some computer time on my home machine, which I also used to help teach children.

I also met with health officials in the Ministry of Health and the Ghana AIDS Commission and visited a number of HIV prevention organizations and clinics. The message is broadcast everywhere in Ghana about being safe. Everyone knows their ABC's. Abstinance. Be faithful. Condomize. The message is there, but condoms are not easy to find or afford.

The infighting and political maneuvering and even ignorance among many of these groups was astonishing, and dashed any hopes I had for doing more serious work in this field. When an official at the Ministry of Health glares across his desk at you and boldly proclaims that "there is no AIDS in the north of Ghana", it feels like a hopeless situation. (The northern regions of Ghana are the poorest and the least served by institutions.) When NGO's are worried more about fighting other NGO's than fighting for the clients they serve, it is clear that priorities are not set correctly. I felt pretty much alone in my works on this front, doing what I could while trying to remain under the radar.

This is why I am so pleased with another project I worked on there. It is one of the best ways I personally have found to help. Rather than importing/exporting goods or trying to raise charitable contributions or even doing volunteer work, it seems best to invest in jobs. Jobs that bring money *into* Ghana would be better. Or jobs that bring people who have money. From there it was quick to see that a travel business stressing charitable giving would be a great way to bring relief into the very poor community where I live.....and Easy Track Ghana was born.

We are a community-based tour business in Ghana. Our staff comes from the shanty where I lived and we train raw talent to become certified guides and administrative staff. We offer opportunity in a place where there is very little opportunity. Bringing visitors to this area has a profound impact on them, and we have received many gifts to give to the community from our guests.

Our corporate responsibility is strong and we pay the salary for employees' time on this library project. We are proud to pay SSNIT (social security) and P.A.Y.E. (income tax) for our employees. We file corporate tax returns with the IRS in Ghana, unlike many of our competitors. It is our responsibility to help build a better Ghana.

While at the same time, we are providing memorable and exciting tours to our guests. The emails I get from visitors that have traveled with Easy Track have been outstanding. More than one visitor has told me that Easy Track Ghana has given them the best vacation of their life. I am so proud of each and every one of the Easy Track team.

In addition to being an awesome adventure and learning experience, this year in Ghana was truly one of the most rewarding events of my life. With jobs so scarce, the rule of thumb is that every employed person is helping support 10 family members that are not working. Supporting familes and the community by giving visitors tours of a lifetime - now that is win-win for all involved!

Want to learn some language?

2009-05-04T23:48:00.001-07:00

Here are a couple videos that teach some simple words in two of the main languages in Ghana.

Twi is most widely spoken in the southern half of the country

My name is Steven
How are you?	E te sen?
My name is Sasto	Ya fre me Sasto
My name is Wisdom	Ya fre me Wisdom
How are you?	E te sen?
Please I am fine. And how are you?	Me pow chow me ho ye. Nso ho ye?
I am fine	Me ho ye
My name is Make Stone	Ya fre me Maker Stone
Stone, my name is Steven	Stone, ya fre me Steven
We are here to speak some small Twi today.....
Thank you	Me da se
Please	Me pow chow
Excuse me	Me pow chow
White person	Obruni
Black person	Obibini
How are you?	E te sen?
I am fine	Me ho ye
How are you?	Wo ho te sen?
I am fine	Me ho ye
Goodbye	Bye bye
Esiu	Water
Where is ...?	... wo ha?
Where is water?	Esiu wo ha?
I want	Ma me
I want water	Ma me esiu
How much?	Sen?
Excuse me, how much?	Me pow chow sen?
	500 = 50 pesewas
Money	Sika
I do not have any money	Sika e ni ho
Welcome	Akwaaba
Thank you	Me da se
Goodbye	Bye Bye Byeeeee

Ewe is spoken in the Volta Region of esatern Ghana, and in southern Togo

Welcome	Woezo (pronounced "Way-zo") Woezo lo
Thank you	Akpe
Please	Medekuku
Excuse me	Kafla
White person	Yevo (or Yevu)
Black person	Amebo
How are you?	E foa?
I am fine	Me fo
Yes, I am fine	E me fo
And how are you?	Wo ha efoa?
I am fine	Me fo
How is your spouse	Sra de? (for male or female)
My spouse is fine	Sra fo
How are the children?	Deviwo de?
The children are fine	Deviwo fo
How is the house?	Afeame de?
The house is fine	Afeame fo
OK, very good	Yo, enyo nuto
Water	Eshie
Where is ...?	... fica de?
Where is water?	Fica eshie
Thank you	Akpe
I want water	Me legee eshie
How much	Nini?
How much is water	Eshie nini?
	5 pesewas = 500
Goodbye	Miadogo
You come!	Ya va!

Financial Headaches

2009-02-25T13:08:00.000-08:00

Today’s post is about money. I know it is the subject that everyone around the world is talking about, so here is what is happening in Ghana.

For starters, the government is more interested with the spectacle of Parliament vetting the President’s ministerial nominees than actually running the country. During the Presidential election, the two main contenders kept arguing whether industrialized manufacturing was a plus or a minus on the economy here. That basically sums up the macroeconomic situation: No one knows. They really do not even know if the country is solvent.

Now, what the people on the street see are rapidly rising prices. Our currency here is called the cedi, pronounced “seedy”. It is falling faster than the Dow Jones, Nikkei, and DAX all combined.

Here is what the currency looks like:

I hope you think they are pretty notes. I may be able to wallpaper my room with them soon.

When I arrived in July 2008, the new cedi was just 1 year old and was basically equal to $1. Today, one cedi will get about $0.65. I have heard predictions that it will fall by up to 30% this year. And my stupid butt is sitting on a pile of cedis to buy my return air flight. Since I do not know when I am returning, I have no choice but to spend the cedis. Every day I hold them they become worth less.

What prompted this realization were two events just this past weekend. In taking a normal taxi route, I sent away 3 drivers who all were demanding what I knew to be an unfair amount. Finally, when the 4th driver also insisted on that same inflated amount, I gave in. The next day, Jessie and I went to the mall (ahhhhhh the cool cool Air Conditioning of the Accra Mall). I was starting to get a feel for the prices of things because I had been hanging out there as a meeting place with friends.

In the month since I was last there EVERYTHING had been re-priced about 20% higher.

Adding to this dismal exchange rate situation, we have an internal inflation rate of about 18% here, so holding cedis is just not an option. That figure comes from the World Bank, because obviously the government of Ghana would not have any idea.
The salary you negotiate at the start of the year is only holds 80% of its purchasing power by the end of one year.

How does one live in such a financial climate? Well, if you want cedis, the saving accounts at banks pay about %25 interest. For the longest time I could not figure out these signs in the bank windows advertising rates. Hahahaha.

Most people with any money at all would rather keep their savings in a foreign currency account that all banks offer. And forget about taking a loan. Interest on a loan is 30%. Yes, that is 30%.

You can also get loans that are US dollar-based. These loans are at the bargain rate of 12%. Anybody got any money you want to loan in Ghana?

I know I have some good economic scientist friends out there, so I am open to any suggesting on how to live in an inflationary economy with a falling currency. I almost want to take my pile of cedis and go buy a car or a house or just buy something that will hold some value.

But the housing market has not crashed here yet. Houses are still way overvalued, so I think I am 6 months to a year before being serious about looking for a house. I believe remittances (money send to Ghana by ordinary people) have dropped dramatically, and that was driving a lot of the housing and property speculation. People outside of Ghana (whether Ghanaian or not) were pumping a lot of money into Ghana to build retirement homes.

Houses can be built over the course of years here. Everywhere in the country you see half-built houses. It is the most secure bank there is. If you have some extra money, put it into a non-liquid asset that will hopefully one day come to fruition. The Ghanaians understand this and will sit tight. I think some of the Westerners will soon start looking to sell. I will let you know about the 2nd dream retirement home that I find. I’m taking the first one I find.

So I am going to end this now and go spend some cedis! I’ve lost money just writing this post! LOL

Hope to see you in Ghana soon!

Whoops.......I missed my flight!

2009-01-21T05:56:00.000-08:00

How are you today my friends? I am doing great! I am STILL IN GHANA!! I decided to stay and was not on my return flight yesterday. It looked like it would be a major ordeal to find work in the USA right now. Since I have a decent, low-stress job here, I decided to stay a few months longer and hope for better options in the USA at a later date.

This is how I felt as my plane was departing without me!

No other pictures today, just an update to let you know not to expect me back in the USA so soon! Here is a link to the Easy Track photo album where yuo can see some other photos:

www.EasyTrackGhana.com/photogallery/_GALLERY/index.htm

Steve
www.EasyTrackGhana.com

Peaceful Election!

2009-01-05T02:30:00.000-08:00

I am certain that you have heard some news about the Presidential election in Ghana. Here is my first-hand account of these roller-coaster days here in Ghana.

On December 7, there was a Presidential election, with the 2 main candidates receiving 0ver 95% of the total vote, but neither achieving th required 50% + 1. A runoff was declared for Dec 28, ruining the Christmas holiday for everyone.

During the runoff, the election was within 1%. It is a miniscule difference in the vote tally, occurring in a new democracy with a weak judicial system. British Airways immediately took action and re-routed at least one flight into Togo, the country to the east of Ghana.

Suddenly, the runoff results from another region started to magically change in favor of the party in power, the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The radio and TV journalists started screaming about how the party in power is stealing the election and changing vote counts. It was so blatant and obvious that the entire country was outraged, regardless of which party they belong to. One radio broadcast said that emergency law would be in force by nightfall on the day of the runoff, but that did not happen. The air was very tense with rumor and speculation running rampant.

At 1:00 PM on the day of this disputed run-off, all the shops started closing. Even the mall closed. There was great tension in the air, but don't worry. I was always quite safe and knew that nothing bad will happen near me. I live in an area that is perhaps 80% opposition supporters.

The supposed 2PM announcement from the Electoral Commission never happened. It seemed like every journalist and every police officer in the country was at the Electoral Commission. Around 4:45PM all the TV stations started showing music-videos and re-runs of popular reality TV shows, abandoning their near non-stop election coverage. It was very freaky, and for the first time, I thought that something may happen.

Radio Gold, which was one of the more outspoken radio stations said that they would stay on the air talking until the Electoral Commission reports. If you hear music, they said, then we know a takeover has happened. The whole area I am in was just going crazy. Jessie's mom came to the door while we were watching the TV waiting for results and said that guns were being passed out at the NDC party headquarters, the opposition party that was having the election stolen from them. Of course that was just a nonsense rumor, but it shows the type of wild rumors that fly about and inflame people greatly.

Shortly thereafter, election covereage resumed and the Electoral Commission announced the results of 229 of the 230 constituencies in Ghana. The run-off was too close, with the opposition having 50.13% of the vote, and the party in power having 49.87%.

It was like Bush vs Gore all over again. The one outstanding constituency (think Florida) experienced flawed voting. So the Electoral Commission has announced that this one constituency will vote for a third time on January 2 - and that they will decide who becomes President.

At first when the percentages were announced, the entire area erupted with joy. Then as the news conference progressed, indicating that the vote was not over, great anger swept the crowd. The emotions that this election have stirred are intense, but everyone here always talks about making a peaceful election.

I went out with Jessie to walk the streets after the press conference. The streets calmed somewhat. There have been HUGE rallies at party headquarters and at the Electoral Commission. All peaceful. Everyone here is excited and anxious, but everyone also is insisting that this be a peaceful election.

Yesterday was the Tain re-run of the runoff election. Tain is the constituency that has to vote again. A giant throng of people descended on Tain for the special re-vote. Tain is mostly a backwater, so this is more attention than they have ever received. Police, military, media, voting observers, international observers, party officials and party supports from everywhere. It was a complete circus.

In the intervening days between the run-off and the special run-off in Tain, rumors I heard indicated that even NPP supporters in Tain were angry with the NPP's refusal to concede the election and were going to boycott the special re-vote. So the NPP, in it's infinite wisdom, decided to officially boycott the special runoff in Tain and is suing the Electorial Commission. Not one NPP official was on hand at any polling place.

The courts immediately rejected all legal actions brought by the losing party and the result was a devastating loss, with the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) receiving 94% of the vote. Previously Tain was much more evenly split.

The NPP Presidential candidate refused to concede, and again the country was feeling tense. Many of the Ministers of the party in power (NPP) came out and indicated that they support the change in power, most importantly the Minister of Defense. This was reassuring to most people because they took such a message to indicate that if the party in power tries to steal this election, the army will step in to prevent it. The current President indicated that he was ready to hand over power, again reassuring the people.

Apparently only one person in all of Ghana was refusing to accept the results. That is the Presidential candidate himself, Nana Akufor-Addo. I always believed he would do the right thing for Ghana, but the people of Ghana were not so sure. A giant crowd of people carrying sticks went to Radio Gold and surrounded the building. (Guns are illegal to posess in Ghana, and gun violence is extremely rare.) Tension was plenty, but there was no violence.

Finally the day after the Tain vote, the Electoral Commission certified the Presidential vote, and my entire neighborhood erupted. I safely walked the streets and enjoyed the great mass of people and celebration.

Eventually the losing candidate, who's father was once President of Ghana, conceded defeat. All is calm now and the entire country is breathing a sigh of relief. The new President takes office on Jan 7. I hope his transition team is ready! The winning candidate was once Vice-President, so he will be able to assume the office quickly.

In Africa, things are rarely clean and neat, but Ghana should be proud of this wonderful election. Ghana has been able to show the world how an emerging democracy can peacefully handle a crisis. One again, Ghana is setting a shining example for Africa. The journalists here also should receive special merit for their coverage and openness. I believe that it was the free press in Ghana that actually saved the day here.

This has been fascinating and exciting to watch unfold. But do not worry, all is safe and calm and nothing bad is going to happen. As you know, democracy is not always clean, and especially in a very young democracy there will be moments that test the people and her rulers. This has been such a moment for Ghana and I have seen clearly how the people of Ghana, when walking to the brink of anarchy, chose a different path and resolved this crisis with great peace and professionalism. Congratulations to Ghana!

Election Fever!

2008-12-28T00:56:00.000-08:00

Yeaaaaa! Bandwidth today! Enjoy the photos.

Election Fever
Tomorrow is the Presidential runoff election in Ghana. It has been a hotly contested Presidential race, with neither of the top two candidates gaining the needed 50% + 1 to become President. So now we have the runoff, and tension is high. It did not feel like Christmas at all because everyone is only thinking of the election.

Professor Atta Mills is the candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). He was vice-president 8 years ago, during the last change of political power here, when
the NDC peacefully turned over power to the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Nana Akufor-Addo is the NPP candidate, a former UN ambassador who talks like The Godfather.

Yesterday the Undersecretary of African Affairs arrived from Washington DC. It was the first time I have seen a USA government official on TV here. Whereas the Chinese ambassador to Ghana in on the TV at least once a week. I see a New World Order shaping here. Unfortunately all across Africa there a HUGE expectations that President Obama is going to change America's relationship with Africa. I try hard to lower these expectations, but he is a Super Star here.

I am confident that this will be a peaceful runoff in Ghana. Both parties are working very hard and are renting every bus in Ghana to get people to their proper polling places. During the election before the runoff, I visited 4 polling places. One was spectacularly chaotic, while the other 3 were calm and relaxed.

Sadly, with the runoff being so late, the newly elected President will have only 1 week for transition to the turn over of office on 07 Jan. This has been an amazing election to witness. It *almost* makes up for me missing Obama's election in the USA.

So, on another note, let me tell you that the Harmatten arrived today. I write a lot in this blog about the weather because it is the harshest thing about living here (for me). The Harmatten winds are a horrific weather phenomenon that arrives here around Christmas. It is a dry, hot, dusty wind that blows across the Sahara for hundreds of miles, unobstructed. Then when it leaves the Sahara, the wind stops, but the air carries the dry dirt and dust for hundreds more miles, finally reaching Accra at the coast. At first you only notice your eyes and sinuses and throat are irritated. Then the next day, the sun is noticeably dim and the entire sky hazy. Finally, on a bad Harmatten day (which thankfully does not happen every year) it is like a thick London or San Francisco fog - except it is dust! It has not been bad yet, but it can last all the way through the end of January. In the northern regions, it is much worse.

My return ticket to the USA is 21 January, so I know I will be ready to get away from the Harmatten, but I will be a total wreck on the day I depart Ghana. This is a wonderful place with wonderful people and it has taught me much about life and, in the process, unalterably changed my life. It is not nearly as comfortable as life in California, but it is infinitely rewarding to the soul.

I plan to return to Ghana before June 2009.

The unfortunate thing is that after 5 months working towards a Residency Permit, I am *still* waiting on some stupid bureaucratic nonsense. Two months ago I was certified for an "automatic Residency Permit" because I have founded a business here. However, this "automatic" permit requires that I wait for a letter of approval which every week I am told is coming.

TIA....TIA....TIA.....This Is Africa

It is a good bandwidth day at the cafe, so here are a couple more photos. Remember the student Helen Tekpor that I mentioned in a previous post? She was one of the
winning students in the TransCAP essay contest but was unable to receive her prize because of the death of her mother. She is now living with her aunt, but We were finally able to find her. Here is a photo of her reaction when we showed at the school where she now lives. She was the Big Woman On Campus that day, and probably for a long time thereafter.

Here are shots from a couple other schools:

Here is a photo of the construction of the Easy Track office. Unfortunately, the concept of a 'home office' is not acceptable to the bureaucrats, so we had to build a
separate room next to the house. Jessie did a great job making a cool space. All who enter ask me if there is air conditioning. HAHAHA! I can only dream of such luxury!

Here I am with Jessie's mum Anti, wearing my new dress on Christmas. I love it. My family is so good to me here. We had a GIANT feast for Christmas - a wonderful salad
with fresh fruits and vegetables and pasta, jollof rice with beef, and fufu with groundnut soup. Normally this much food will last 3 days in the house. The children played and there was singing and dancing. Later we all watched "Kung Fu Hustle" which I had brought with me. They all loved it.

OK, I will post again soon. Have a GREAT NEW YEAR! It is an enormous party here, so I am off to enjoy now.

Greetings from Ghana

2008-10-28T08:04:00.000-07:00

I have been in Ghana for 3 months now, and the life here has been wonderful so far. It has not always been easy or comfortable or spent in good health, but fortunately these inconveniences pass quickly and are overwhelmed by the sheer joy of life here that everyone shows every day. The good nature, cheerfulness and hospitality demonstrated by all people in Ghana are astonishing to me. Even more so, considering the difficulties and harshness of life here.

I have managed to travel some while here and that has been great. I’ve been to the Volta River region (my favorite), all along the Atlantic coast, inland to mountain villages and waterfalls and rock formations, and even to Togo. This travel has involved a lot of research and training too. I have been organizing a community-based travel services company in Ghana, and these trips have been intense training for new staff.

But a problem happened along the way……the Western economies crashed, and it suddenly became a poor time to organize a new business venture around expensive discretionary leisure spending. All the Americans in our pipeline canceled almost all at once. We still have at least one confirmed booking per month for 4 of the next 5 months, but the anticipated 4.5% annual growth in Ghanaian tourism for the next decade now seems like a distant dream.

Jessie is out this week traveling with a German who has been living in Nigeria for the past 20 years. I’m jealous because this client is traveling luxury, so they are enjoying great food, ice cubes in cold drinks, nice swimming pools and AIR CONDITIONING! We even had to go out and find a different car to rent for him. He has loads to spend and our 4X4 is not to his standards. A friend is renting us his luxury 4X4 for $60/day, which is a great bargain.

I ran into the German with Jessie and Sasto in the area yesterday. They had brought him to the neighborhood just to walk around and see and meet family. I was walking back to the house with some food I bought at the roadside, so I was finally able to use the line I hear so often myself: “White Man, how are you?” We all laughed and walked back to the house together. They all told me about the great day they had had and all the sights they went to. The German seemed like a very satisfied client.

It was the first time another white has seen how I am living. Jessie said the German was asking a lot about me and how I am living here. I have seen a number of other whites come and go while I have been here. They will be in the area for a few days, staying with a local family, and then they are gone.

My life here at the house is far far different from that luxury life. I have been really blessed by the weather since I have been here. When the stone was presented at the voodoo hajj in Glidji, Togo (see previous blog posting), people said that the color of the stone indicated that it would be cold and rain. Well, the stone got it correct. It has been blessedly cool with light rains to cool things more. The few days that have been cloudless, windless and sunny have been days that force me to seek refuge in some shade somewhere. But even when cool, the tropical humidity is intense and just a short walk is a sweat-drenching activity.

The worst thing is that it seems I am living in the hottest house in Ghana. Where I stay, it is impossible to stay inside the room from 10AM until 4PM during a sunny day. Other houses I have visited, while hot, are not nearly what I experience in my room. I could bake break in my room during the day. The office where I work at the Department of the Controller and Accountant General is blasting with arctic cold air. Some days I actually look forward to going into work.

For me here, ‘work’ involves about 5 hours a week (and 6 additional hours of commute time) giving instruction and management to a team of software developers working to develop the government’s new payroll processing software. For this, I receive $1,800 per month, which gives me a decent life here. Not a great life that would allow me to go party every night and enjoy the fine things here, but I don’t need that. To have a life with maximum comforts like the USA, you really need a USA salary. It is very expensive here if you are living on the top side of the economy.

This job I have could be extended for up to 5 years. I am tempted to forget about my return flight to the USA in January.

Listening to me talk about my job, I don’t want you to think that I am doing nothing. My other jobs are intense and take up a lot of my time. The schools I have been working with have been amazing. While children will be children and act up sometimes, these young boys and girls are always respectful and polite. One of the best things has been having a donated laptop computer with some learning software on it. With only one laptop, I have to severely ration computer time, and the students are attentive and eager to learn. It is just basic instruction without Internet connectivity. Sometimes children even show up at my door in the evening to beg for some time on the laptop.

Internet connectivity is available via a wireless modem through various mobile services. The one I have been using is slow and expensive, so I bought a different service that is supposedly faster. Sadly, when at my house, it did not work at all. I was told by technical support that a tower has fallen and the re-routing has left me in a dead zone. It will be fixed any day now, I am told. That means sometime after I return to the USA. TIA TIA TIA

My favorite activity with the schools is what I call Pencil Day. It is nothing more than taking boxes of pencils to a school and handing each student one or two pencils. You would not believe the excitement and joy that this simple act elicits. You would think I am passing out $100 bills. It seems like the entire school is jumping up and down and screaming.

If just a pencil generates such emotion and gratitude, then imagine how I felt on the days that I award essay writers with prizes of $120 paid to their school for their tuition and supplies. Sometimes it is difficult not to let tears come to my face when I see the impact that this award will have on a life. The students also sometimes have a hard time controlling tears, but people here are taught to never cry, so while I have seen some misty eyes, I have yet to see a tear falling. When I meet the parents, I also see the immense gratitude for this substantial burden being eased for a short time.

I have to travel to Winneba next week for one of the award winning students. During the school break, her mother died, and she has moved to live with her aunt. Since I give the award money directly to the school where the student is enrolled, I need to travel to the village of the aunt to find this school. Keep Helen Tekpor in your thoughts as she deals with this difficult period in her life.

My other job, trying to build a travel services business, has been the most time consuming. It is a lot of time on the computer, answering queries, building our web site, writing all the documents and spreadsheets, preparing tour proposals. It is also a lot of time in meetings, both with hotel owners as well as staff development. In Africa, the culture here is that it is a huge insult to require a precise accounting of funds. Supposedly it is because if you ask for the precise accounting of funds, you are accusing a person of dishonesty. … Hmmmm... Well, the dishonesty that is everywhere in the system is exactly why a precise accounting is needed from my staff.

Eventually, after numerous attempts to explain why, one of the guys named Sasto came to understand the importance of the expense report as a tool that allows us to better plan for the future.

Looking at the future seems to be a terribly difficult concept for people to grasp here. But when Sasto got it, he was able to explain to the others from his own mouth, and they all quickly came into line. All it takes is to convince one person, and then the others will follow.

Fate and God rule your life. That is what people think here. People have difficulty planning because they see it as an insult to God’s plan that He has already made for you. How can you attempt to change what is your fate, which apparently is believed by many to be set in concrete. I have heard stories of taxi drivers, when heading for imminent crash, will remove their hands from the steering wheel and their feet from the brake, and cry out to God for His mercy in what His plan has coming in the next instant. I heard this story from the passenger, who was able to grab the steering and quickly run the car into a ditch.

It is a very different place, Africa. If not for the weather and the expense, it would be an easy decision to remain here. Sadly, Accra is now ranked as the most expensive city to live in all of Africa. The discovery of oil has super-charged the economy and widened the gap between rich and poor. When I first visited 3 years ago, the largest currency denomination was equivalent to $2 and there were no coins in circulation. Now the largest denomination is equivalent to $50 and the poor live only on newly re-introduced coins. History shows that oil discovery is terribly destabilizing to a country, especially when the wealth is not distributed widely.

I live in a poor place, and getting paid $1,800 makes me really rich. That is 2,000 Ghana cedis. When I cash my paycheck at the bank, I usually get all 20 cedi notes, which are like having no money at all in my area because no one can change a 20. I will flash my 20 to show I have money, the vendor cannot break it, so I take what I want to buy on credit. Eventually my balance gets to the point that I have to walk to a gas station or a popular bar to cash a 20 and pay my debts. When the debt is paid, if there are any small coins or currency remaining, that is quickly taken for food or water when I return to the house. Today I do not have the 0.40 that I need to take the bus to work and cannot get a 20 changed, so I have to miss work because of this. This is Africa, and that is a perfectly acceptable reason for missing work, even at a government ministry. So no problem. I get to write email while still collecting a salary.

Tomorrow is another day of stress for me. I must return to my bank to again inquire as to the delay in receiving the documents I need to apply for my residency permit. I cannot believe what a fantastic hassle this has been.

I have to decide how much I am really going to take back and how much I will leave to run the business when I return to the USA. With the economy as it is, I am not as confident as when I departed about being able to find a well-paying position upon my return.

If I return.........

Student Essay

2008-09-30T12:21:00.001-07:00

Here is a copy of one of the student essays. TransCAP sponsored an essay contest on the topic "How To Improved the Health in My Area". This is one of the outstanding essays we received. The three best boy authors and the three best girl authors received an award to pay for their school fees for 2 terms, about $125. Click on the image to get a larger view.

Working with Schools

2008-09-17T08:25:00.003-07:00

While in Ghana, I have been to many schools already. Jessie and I have made presentations on behalf of the TransCAP Foundation at 3 schools. TransCAP is also helping with the construction of some new classrooms at one of these schools. These projects cost little, but are having a huge impact. Maybe you don't come to my blog to be asked for money, but I am *always* soliciting funds for the TransCAP Foundation to support the projects we are doing in Ghana. Your tax-deductible help, no matter how small, makes is an important contribution. Thank You!

Trip to Togo

2008-09-04T07:20:00.000-07:00

I returned from Togo last night. I attended the Eke-Ekpe festival in Glidji, Togo with Jessie and his mom. I saw things that I never thought I would see in my life with these eyes. I had to eat and drink strange things. I had to walk barefoot for miles and cover myself with African cloth. I had to dance in traditional ceremony and offer coins to too many ‘spirits’ that were in ‘possession’ of a human body. I was bathed by priests and holy men. Oh this festival was too much!

There were hundreds of important spiritual leaders of the voudou religion. Their headdress indicated their status, so I was prevented from wearing a hat the entire time there.
I also was prevented from wearing shoes or a shirt most of the time. I stayed at the home of an important leader of the village, and it was a great honor. It was like the Hajj for voudou, and people were sleeping everywhere. People with powdered faces are ‘posessed’. A simple white headdress means you have some important connection to the gods. There was so much symbolism.

The President of Benin attended the festival one afternoon. That was the main day of this days-long event. Among the thousands of people that had descended into this small village near the Benin border in south-eastern Togo, there were a lot of whites. But only a few besides me were staying with Africans and wearing traditional dress, and most departed that same afternoon. The whites and other dignitaries sat in a shaded bleacher area, but because of my dress (African cloth with no shoes or shirt or hat), I had access to a lot of areas that most of the whites were prevented from entering.

This main ceremony lasted all day and involved singing and dancing and speeches before the main presentation. There were lots of video cameras, and it seemed like a big media event too (for Togo). Yes, I snoozed some during the speeches. The picture of Jessie and me is from that afternoon. There was nothing unusual about our dress at all, as you saw many men in such dress.While some of the whites and the military officers did look at me oddly

The main presentation was the presentation of a stone, bigger than a hen’s egg, but smaller than an ostrich egg. Everyone was overwhelmed when this stone was presented and pandemonium erupted. All the cameras were fighting to get a photo of the stone, which from where I was seated, looked like a big bar of Irish Spring soap. Apparently a sacred stone is presented at this festival each year. Each year the stone is a different color and location where the stones are obtained is a sacred, unknown location.

This festival also involved a lot of prayer. Yes, I attended prayer. At 3AM on the 2nd day, we had to rise and walk, barefoot of course, to an area of altars. I knelt in the dirt and prayed to closed doors, pressed my head to a wall and prayed more, knelt at a few more traditional altars, and then finally walked to a grove of trees to offer more prayer – all in the dark and twilight of the morning, barefoot.

The next day, we returned to this area and our host presented us to the big spiritual man. He was the only person wearing such a hat, and he accepted our offering of a bottle of schnapps and a bottle of Lion Killer soda. He and his entourage took us into the grove of trees and he offered our refreshments to the trees while all in the group were blessing us.

We then were taken to a sacred bathing area behind the trees. There were 6 men there who took our clothes. First the bottoms of our feet and the palm of our hands were held over a smoldering pot of some burning roots. Then we had to kneel on a special stone and be bathed by the men. Then the priest at the bath put a necklace of some scented vine around our necks while we were pronounced blessed and clean. Our host gave each of us a set of rings to wear for African power. One of Jessie’s is supposed to keep him safe while driving. One of mine is supposed to be warning me of danger when it feels hot.

On the way back to Ghana, at the border, it took me forever to cross. I have steadfastly refused to give up a ‘tip’ when presented with a hassle, so it is a long wait for me. Jessie just hands out a small ‘tip’ whenever anyone stops him with any question at all, and he quickly is ushered onwards. For the first time ever, I was required to show my vaccination certificate. It is required to have, but no one has ever asked to see it. So to be asked to present this document at the border was simply an effort to catch me unprepared and force a ‘tip’ from me. Then one of the Ghana immigration officers that examined my passport kept insisting that my visa to enter Ghana had expired. I had to show her many times that the visa had not expired before she finally let me pass. When I finally arrived on the other side, Jessie’s mom was annoyed that it took me so long to get across the border. She had been waiting in the hot sun for some time.

I will upload more photos when I find some bandwidth.
Steve
www.EasyTrackGhana.com

Arrival in Ghana

2008-08-03T11:12:00.000-07:00

Well, today is the end on my first 10 days in Ghana. WOW! Never would I have expected I needed some warm clothes, but I was actually complaining that I was cold last night. It is the end of the rain season, and everything is cool because of it. I will enjoy it, because I know it comes to an end in one month, when the rain stops at the end of August.

The rain has been plentiful this year. When I last departed back in April, my friends here were clearing a plot of scrub land for planting. I could not believe when I saw this plot last week. Full of corn ready for harvest. It is truly amazing how fast plants grow here when there is water.

The life here has been very good so far. Meeting new people, saying hello again to familiar faces, finding new food and drink. I am taking a new anti-malarial medicine this time, and I hope it is working well. It feels like I am playing roulette each time I get bitten. I have talked with other foreigners who tell me they get bit all the time and in 3 years still have not gotten ill from the mosquitoes.

I have been to graduation ceremonies at 2 schools so far. At one, I was the Honorary Chairman and was given a seat in front & center and helped distribute awards for excellence. Graduation ceremonies here are very elaborate affairs, with students participating in drama, dance, singing, poetry recital, and other activities. Most of the stories that are acted out are desigened to instruct. A couple of the most amusing ones were 1) a tro-tro accident and 2) community cleanliness. Both are huge issues here.

A tro-tro is a form of public transit here. Imagine your minivan stripped and shoved full with up to 23 people. Yup. That would be 4 rows of 5 people, a driver, and 2 people in the front passenger seat - and even a few chickens under the seats or a goat in the back if you are lucky. And no, there is no air-conditioning. At your stop, everyone in front of you has to get out to let you out. Then we reload and move on. Tro-tros are cheap, uncomfortable and a great way to get friendly with people. How can you not engage a person in conversation when you are practically sitting in his lap? Many young children will say they want to be a tro-tro driver when they grow up.

I have seen horrible traffic accidents on the roads in Ghana. I guess for a developing country they are decent roads, but by Western standards, we would call them a death trap. When it only takes $1 to bribe a policeman at a checkpoint, why bother obtaining the necessary insurance. Or even a driver's license for that matter. You can only imagine the consequences of a tro-tro being crushed by an overloaded truck carrying timber.

The student's story about the tro-tro accident was sponsored by the Red Cross. The Red Cross is responsible for this segment each year, so students are doing the same skit at each school. It is instruction on how to provide aid for a nose-bleed and for fainting. At one school, these were induced by an assault from a drunk. At the other, it was a tro-tro accident that caused these medical conditions.

Drunkenness, poor hygiene, inappropriate urination and defecation, pregnancy, and the consequences of a poor education were common themes in these mini-dramas that the students perform. The other skit I remember vividly had a number of children pretending to be sick and vomiting and having diarrhea. These children were in grades 4-6. The cause of their pretend illness was an outbreak of cholera because of various demonstrated unsanitary actions of 3 other children. It is a very serious subject and the story line evolved into a physical fight between those calling for cleanliness and the 3 offenders. The students had everyone laughing so hard, but underneath we all are acutely aware of the seriousness of this story.

I have one more graduation to attend on Thursday. This is at the most recent school where I have organized an essay contest concerning community health. I will be making presentations of awards again, but this time they are awards from the TransCAP Foundation for their excellent essays. The 6 winners, 3 boys and 3 girls, are additionally receiving certificates they may take to their school to pay for school fees. At this time I do not know exactly how much the fees are at this school, but I am estimating that the $125 award will pay for two terms at school, with a small amount remaining for supplies.

I have the winning essays scanned, but unfortunately I did not upload them before I departed. Bandwidth is difficult to find here, but I will try to attach them to this letter. I also have a couple lovely videos from one of the graduation ceremonies. It is impolite to be jumping around taking pictures when sitting at the dignitaries table, so I have no photos from the second graduation ceremony. I will bring along a photographer when I attend Thursday's graduation. Again, it is difficult to determine when I will be able to upload a copy of these videos.

At this graduation, I also have a special gift for each participating student. When the President of the TransCAP Foundation read the student essays, he immediately opened his wallet and asked me to purchase a Life Straw for each student that wrote an essay. The essays are truly touching. To read about the conditions and the issues that these young children must endure cannot leave you unshaken.

A Life Straw is a personal filtration device produced by Vestergaard Frandsen. It is a tube that you drink through that filters dirty water and makes it safe for the person drinking. It is an amazing device. There is also a family filtration device they sell that filters 18,000 liters. The personal device is $8.50, and the family unit is $30. I have a goal now to raise $3,500. I can get a box of 500 personal Life Straws for $7 each, and I have a remote area already selected for distribution of these devices. Check this web site for more information: www.vestergaard-frandsen.com

As always, I am continuing to solicit funds via the TransCAP Foundation that I volunteer with in the USA. 100% of any tax-deductible donation comes directly to me in Ghana to support their activities here. It does not pay my rent or for the food I eat or anything like that. Be assured that every penny you donate is going directly to a child or to a clinic here in Africa. I know it is only a drop in a bucket, but I am here to do what I can for the few short months that I will be living here.

OK, this is enough for now. I will try to keep making postings regularly. I AM LOVING IT HERE !!!!

Why am I going to Africa?

2008-05-06T13:54:00.001-07:00

Oddly, I get asked this a lot. Hahaha! Not only from my friends in the USA, but also from people in Africa. A lot of the perplexity stems from misconceptions on both sides. In the USA, the media focuses on the negative aspects, such as violence, poverty and disease. Sure these things exist in Africa, but there is much more than that. In Africa, people think that everyone in America has more money than they need and live in large luxurious homes that are owned outright. Sure these things exist in America, but there is much more than that.

I always say that I have 57 good reasons to make this move. So, while there may not really be that many reasons if I list them all, there are many things that are all compelling me to do this.

Some reasons are about wanting to help. My adult life has been blessedly free of any real hardships. I have seen first-hand how much just a small change in thinking or in finances can have an enormous impact in a developing country. The volunteer work I have performed is small, but I know the schools and clinics have benefited greatly just from small contributions. I have seen first-hand the difference I have helped make in peoples lives. I know that the things I have delivered have saved lives.

There are disadvantaged schools and suffering people in the USA too, you say. Yes, I am not new to volunteerism. The level of gratitude is entirely different. Just one pencil given to a child unleashes huge joy. I know. I have handed out hundreds of pencils at many schools, and the reaction is always the same.

Life is strong in Africa. Every person you pass, you greet. Everyone on the bus is sharing stories or sharing food. Strangers look you in the eye and speak audibly - and you speak back with a smile. I cannot tell you how many times, just since I returned, that I have greeted a person while walking and received no reply. I cannot walk 15 paces in the neighborhood where I stay in Ghana without hearing someone yell out "Steve-o!"

In Africa, you are never alone. There are always people everywhere. There is music and laughter and children everywhere. When you need help, strangers gladly assist. When you are sick, there is always someone with you. If people have not seen you in a couple days, they will stop at your door to check. People depend on each other every day. It is an interdependent lifestyle, as opposed to the independent lifestyle of the West.

I hope to make myself a better person in this environment. After 13 years of working at home, I have lost some of the little social skills that I had. In Africa, being social is a requirement of every waking moment of the day. There are many useful skills I can learn about socializing, negotiating, leading, and sharing.

There is soooo much to learn, and that excites me. Yes, I confess, part of this adventure is undoubtedly a mid-life crisis. I know that a certain amount of physical stamina is required for this, and I am not getting any younger. Someday I would have deep regrets if I were not to do this.

To give up my comfortable, complacent life will make me appreciate what I have. I know I will return more educated about my place in this world and my responsibility to it. To live for some months in a new culture and a strange environment will wake up my brain again. I know I will return wiser.

A saying I once heard has been in my mind a lot lately: The more you know, the more you owe. I have seen a lot in this world, and feel I have a big debt. I am blessed with the opportunity and the time in life to give back. I do not know of any better way to guarantee that what I am giving is going directly into the hands and heads of people in need.

I will admit, too, that some of my reasons are selfish. As an older, educated, white, male, I am treated very well in Africa. In Africa, education is respected, age is respected, and a white living among blacks is respected. I feel like I am leading a privileged life. In the USA, I feel I'm just another old white man destined for a warehouse when I cannot take care of myself. Part of this trip is an on-site inspection of a possible retirement home.

While I'm getting personal, let me talk about my food allergies too. There is something in our food supply that causes me great difficulty. I have worked with doctors and nutritionists unsuccessfully to alleviate this problem. When I am in Ghana, I have no problems with the food - other than the pepper being too hot sometimes! It is a welcome relief!

OK, maybe these are not really 57 reasons, but it is a lot to contemplate. And believe me, there are just as many reasons not to be doing this! My health. The weather. Giving up my great job and comforts. The huge expense (Ghana has become one of the most expensive places in Africa). I will always be an outsider. I will always be a target. I will never know the languages.

OK, I better stop before I talk myself out of it! NOT A CHANCE! I CANNOT WAIT TO GET TO GHANA!

I'm back again!

2008-05-05T16:02:00.001-07:00

I was in Ghana and Togo for Easter this year. As always, working with the TransCAP Foundation, Jessie Nana Kofi and I delivered medicine, educational supplies and soccer gear. We even had some beautiful laptop computers donated by Fry's Electronics.

I have so much to tell you about this trip, but I know you want some good photos first.

We visited 4 schools, including a school for deaf children. As always, we visited the West Africa AIDS Foundation. We also made some contributions to community development organizations, local doctors, and one of the main hospitals in the country, the Korlebu Teaching Hospital.

Have a look at some of the adventures:

A wonderful gift

2007-11-28T11:11:00.000-08:00

The TransCAP Foundation received a wonderful donation from Fry's Electronics this past month. Five refurbished Toshiba laptop computers! WOWOWOW

This is a much needed contribution and I am grateful to Fry's for recognizing the work we are doing in Africa. I anticipate distributing these to two schools, an orphanage, a clinic and an HIV prevention organization.

THANK YOU Fry's

I'll take more if you have a used laptop that you want to donate and write-off on your taxes.

What's Happening Now?

2007-07-10T22:16:00.000-07:00

It is some months yet before I travel back to Africa, but my work there continues. I am trying to fund two student scholarships and medical supplies for HIV clinics.

At the Olivet primary school in Kisseman, Ghana, two students writing the best essays on the topic "How Can I Improve Health in My Village?" have been promised a 3-year scholarship to pay for their JSS education (grades 7,8 and 9).

There will be three, $50 payments through the school year for each student. Successful completion of a semester is required before each payment. The total for these two scholarships is $900.

Tax-deductible contributions to the TransCAP Foundation will be passed to me to administer this scholarchip program. 100% of your donation will go directly to Africa for this or other projects you wish to support.

As you know, I will also be purchasing medicine to take to HIV clinics in Botswana and Lesotho in December, as well as visiting schools with clothing and educational supplies. Then I am back in Ghana and Togo again in March 2008 for another charitable mission. Even small gifts are significant in these places.

You tax-deductible contributions go directly to people in need.
Thank you so much!

http://www.transcap.org/transafrica.htm

Ghana Lolotor Nye

2007-04-07T17:33:00.000-07:00

Is it the pineapple that brings me back? Ohhh, the sweetest pineapple anywhere on earth.

Is it the music that is everpresent in the air? It is too hot to move, but still your body insists that you dance.

Is it a simpler way of life that is closer to earth and community? In these times of a search for sustainable living, there is much we can learn from Africa.
As we search for ways to be human, Africa, mother of all people, can show us much.

Ghana, lolotor nye, my love, thank you for the joy that you bring into my life with every visit. The work I do with the TransCAP Foundation brings purpose to my visits. (http://www.transcap.org/transafrica.htm) But my reason for returning is my family and friends there and the happiness that is found in every day.

It was also a great celebration while I was there. The Ghana@50 Jubilee was the 50th anniversary of independence from the UK. As the first colonial country in Africa to achieve independence, Ghana is the making the most of being the first to reach their 50th anniversary. It was a massive celebration. Flags and people were everywhere.

As you may know, I was taking contributions of clothing, medicine and cash prior to my departure.
I collected less cash this time, but I had more materials to bring. I carried 360 lbs of checked and carry-on luggage. Where did all this stuff go? Well, I didn't take many photos this time, but there are a couple short videos posted, so read on....

Kisseman schools

2007-03-19T21:45:00.000-07:00

As on previous visits, my trusted friend Jessie Nana Kofi is helping make contacts and assisting with the distribution of goods. While in Kisseman, a very poor area in Accra, we visited 4 separate schools.

At the Olivet school, we delivered a few soccer balls. This is a school that we have previously delivered uniforms and school supplies to. Jessie's son Bismark just started first grade here. As a gift to my good friend, I paid the fees for the remainder of the school term. It was $30, which is a month's salary.

We visited the Next Generation school, which is another school that we have previously given uniforms. All of the soccer gear mentioned in this blog was donated by the Montclair Soccer Club (http://www.montclairsoccer.org/). Including these beautiful soccer cleats we gave to the Next Generation School.

Another school in the area, the Kisseman E. P. Primary school, received a set of uniforms and balls.

Headmistress Mrs Stella Alagbo was Jessie's teacher when he was a young boy. She did not remember him, but he remembered that her arm was strong with the cane. At most of the schools I have visited, a strong swing of the cane seems to be the preferred method of bringing order to a classroom.

Finally, we visited a small 2 room school called the River School (how many walls are required to make a room?). The uniforms were the largest sizes we had to donate, and the children at this school were the smallest of any school we visited. It did not matter at all. The excitement and joy were the same, even though the uniforms did not fit so well.

We gave pencils to every student at the River School. The kids were jumping and screaming while tightly clutching their new pencil like it was the greatest gift ever received.

Coastal visits

2007-03-19T18:30:00.000-07:00

Jessie and I made a road trip to Cape Coast. While there, we made contact with a representative of the Center for Popular Education and Human Rights Ghana (CPEHRG), one of the few organizations in the country that addresses LGBT issues.
(http://www.geocities.com/popeducation/AIMS) We gave them condoms and individual lubricant packets and antibiotics for a clinic.

Thanks to the Midwest AIDS Prevention Project (http://www.aidsprevention.org/), and PjurUSA (http://www.pjurusa.com/) for their very generous donations of supplies to distribute.

While in Cape Coast, Jessie and I went to the beach, and climbed to a hilltop castle.

Our friend Maxwell came to greet us one afternoon. We met Maxwell last year on the day before the total solar eclipse.

Abongo is another person I met last year. He has a craft shop in the Cape Coast castle. He has very prominent tribal marks, indicating he is from the far north. Many are now beginning to discourage this traditional scaring and younger people tend not to like marks that they have.

I am constantly amazed by the African brain. People's brains retain everything. People I met only briefly a year ago instantly remember me and the fine details of our original encounter. Building relationships with others is critical to life here, and every person encountered is a person remembered.

Adanwomase, Ghana

2007-03-19T12:30:00.000-07:00

Any visit to the Ashanti region would not be complete without a stop at the kente village of Adanwomase. Jessie helped me carry a very heavy pack this long distance. Inside were 26 soccer uniforms and soccer balls for schools.

Our hosts Justice and Kofi helped sort the football uniforms the night before we distributed them to the schools.

At each school, it was a big event to have a stranger walk onto the school grounds. Excitement was in the air and the students were called to assembly. It would quickly erupt into pandemonium when the school team would appear wearing their new uniforms.

We gave a set of uniforms to two primary schools: the RC Primary school of Adanwomase and the SDA Primary school of Adanwomase.

Here is a video of the reaction at one of the schools when the team appeared wearing their new uniforms donated by the Montclair Soccer Club of California.

Not pictured, the Modern Star primary school received a few balls.

When departing, a child grabbed my hand and asked for a photo. I knelt down, and before the camera was focused, I was surrounded by dozens of joyous children.

Palm Wine

2007-03-17T23:21:00.000-07:00

Mmmmm.... delicious, sweet, yeasty palm wine. Fresh from the tap.

In this palm forest, it was time to harvest, and a couple dozen palm trees had been felled. A hole is made in the trunk and the juice drained out into a container.

The juice was then poured into a large drum and allowed to fermet naturally.

We paid money to push aside the foam and dead insects (mostly bees) and fill a jug of fresh palm wine.

The development chief of the village joined us in this national treat. He also showed me how to mix it with a Guinness. I know it sounds nasty, but it was really quite tasty.

Jessie and I had carried 1500 antibiotic tablets as a gift to Nana Kwakye Berko, who was born in Adanwomase, became a successful anesthesiologist in a New York City hospital for 30 years, and now has 'retired' back to the village. With his hectic schedule and constant stream of visitors, I think his life is probably busier now than it was in NYC.

Chocolate really does grow on trees. Cacao trees grow in a limited geographical zone, of approximately 10 degrees to the north and south of the Equator. Nearly 70% of the world crop is grown in West Africa.

This giant cotton tree was as tall as a redwood. The fluffs of cotton it produced were everywhere and could be gathered for use as cotton balls or gauze.

Maine-Ghana Youth Network

2007-03-10T10:27:00.000-08:00

As you have read in this blog, Jessie has been a great resource and has knowledge of the organizations working in his area. At his recommendation, we visited a culture group that he was familiar with.

With this group, I found an American woman, Erin from Maine. She informed me the name of the group is the Maine-Ghana Youth Network (http://www.maineghanayouth.org/)

While shopping at the Center for National Culture, Jessie and I decided to make a gift to the group. We stopped at the Best Way Drums Shop and spoke to Ras Tofic. It was the first time I have seen Jessie bargain hard and he secured a magnificent djembe drum for $38. It was so beautiful I wanted to bring it home for myself! Now that I have seen similar drums for over $200 on eBay, I know what a prize this drum is.

We gave it to the group and asked them to sometimes use it to tell stories promoting AIDS prevention and reminding the children of their ABC's. Across Africa, the ABC's of AIDS prevention are taught: A=Abstinence B=Be faithful C=Condomize

Unfortunately, funding from the US government is limited only to groups that do not teach C.

The following video and photos are from a dance practice one afternoon at the youth center. The man sitting in the far corner is using the new drum purchased with funds donated to the TransCAP foundation.

The details March 07

2007-03-09T20:38:00.000-08:00

Here is the accounting of your donations and where your money went.

Ghana March, 2007 Summary
Cash Contributions: $1028.00
Cash Expenditures: $ 960.35

Together with the December 2006 project, over $3,000 has been collected and distributed in Ghana.

Unfortunately, carrying 330 lbs of checked luggage involved a hefty fee. It was was worth the cost to bring clothing for the orphanage and soccer gear for the schools .

Donate now

----------------------------------------------------
1000 condoms
1000 personal lubricant packages
3000 antibiotic tablets

48 outfits for boys at an orphanage
43 outfits for girls at an orphanage
68 soccer uniforms split among 4 primary schools
28 soccer balls
12 pair soccer cleats

$400 excess baggage fees to Delta
$300 over-the-counter medicine for WAAF in Accra
$100 on-site liaisons: advance work, security, distribution, etc.
$ 50 medical supplies
$ 42 schools supplies
$ 35 djembe drum for Maine-Ghana Youth Center
$ 25 one large bag for checked luggage
$ 7 pumps for soccer balls

Total disbursements: $960.35

----------------------------------------------------

Sadly, I do not have photos of distribution of clothing to orphans, or condoms to HIV prevention organizations, or medicine at clinics. In hindsight, I realize I need to be more diligent of documenting these distributions. To be honest, sometimes the camera makes people nervous and I try to be low-key when making new contacts.

Thanks again to the Montclair Soccer Club (http://www.montclairsoccer.org/), the Midwest AIDS Prevention Project (www.aidsprevention.org), and PjurUSA (www.pjurusa.com) for their contributions.

I must also recognize all the people in the USA who contributed greatly in the form of cash, clothing, or other in-kind donations. Your generosity has been incredible. I wish you could be there to witness the joy you bring to people in Africa. You helped touch so many lives. I do not know how I can thank you......except to ask you to give more.

I return to Africa in December 2007. On this trip, I will be visiting Botswana and Lesotho, two countries with the lowest GDP and the highest AIDS infection rate in the world.

Your donations will never go farther or more directly than through your tax-deductible contribution to the TransCap Africa Relief project. I get 100% of your contribution to take directly to Africa.

Thanks to the TransCap Foundation for recognizing the important work we are doing in Africa. Working with trusted local liaisons, we personally place medicine in the hands of doctors, books in the hands of schoolchildren, and clothes in the hands of orphans.

TransCap Foundation
1170 Peachtree Street
12th Floor Suite P3
Atlanta, GA 30309
http://www.transcap.org/transafrica.htm

Donate now

A Return Trip to Ghana

2007-01-09T08:23:00.000-08:00

When I originally planned to return to Ghana, I knew that I could not return empty handed. I made a simple request to some friends for second hand clothing for children, and the outpouring was incredible. People donated clothing, but also cash, medicine, and other goods. My spare room looked like a thrift store for some months.

I eventually had to stop taking donations of clothing.
There is only so much that one person can carry - and 310 lbs was quite enough! But cash is always useful.

This blog is a description of the distribution of the cash and goods that were donated. My good friends Jessie Nana Kofi and Adjei Agomavi were there at the airport to greet me when I arrived. Without their assistance, this adventure could
not have happened. Jessie is looking rather annoyed in this photo because this is the second trip to the airport to retrieve a lost bag. Although I had been told the bag was found, it was still some ordeal to actually retrieve it.

I learned a lot on this trip. About how things are done (and how they are not done). I saw the economic model that Africa uses with brutal efficiency. I learned more about the delicate art of indirect speaking and managing expectations, of doing business and finding resources, and the limits to what can really be done.

Certainly there will be things I do differently next time. Was your money well spent? Absolutely! But read on and you make your own decision.

International Health Care Clinic

2007-01-08T17:56:00.000-08:00

First stop was the International Health Care Clinic operated by the West Africa AIDS foundation.

These are photos from the clothing give-away for children affected by HIV/AIDS. The nurses from the clinic assisted. This is where half of the luggage I flew with was emptied. We had clothes for infants, boys and girls. Some of the larger children sizes were given to people living with AIDS.

Some children were fashion models that day....

SCHOOLS

2007-01-08T07:49:00.000-08:00

All schools were all out of session for the entire time I was in Ghana and all I
passed were empty schoolyards everywhere. I don't have photos to show now, as we were only able to deliver supplies to the school administrators.

We made a stop at Jessie's house to sort the workbooks and story books and to pump up the soccer balls. In addition to the supplies, we had 76 soccer uniforms, mostly donated from the Montclair soccer club.

We visited two schools that were in Jessie's area. These were two schools that I had previously visited.

The Olivet School is a primary school with 350 students. Jessie originally took me to this school because of the reputation that the school has for integrity and
quality education. The administrator, Ms. Caroline, lived on the school site with her family in a very nice home. She is here with her parents in this photo.

The Next Generation School is a school for orphans in the area. Mr Stephen insisted that I pose with him in a traditional kente cloth.

Jessie says he will follow up and try to get some photos of the distribution.

West Africa AIDS Foundation

2007-01-07T15:09:00.000-08:00

The West Africa AIDS Foundation runs a clinic in Accra. A large portion of the donated cash was used to purchase important over-the-counter medicines. Things we just pick up at the drugstore like Imodium, Tinactin, antibiotic ointment and pink bismuth.

My personal physician Dr Richard Cazen of San Francisco donated some prescription HIV medication for me to bring as well.

We also had 1000 condoms and individual lubricant packages

The pharmacy was in much need.

Orphanage Africa

2007-01-07T06:10:00.000-08:00

On Christmas, we visited an orphanage in a small village called Ayenyah.

There were special guests there that day.

This was an amazing place, with running water, beds and nets for the children and caring staff. This place is environmentally friendly, using a windmill and solar panels to generate their own electricity.

There were gifts for every child at the orphanage. Among these gifts were around 25 pair of shoes that were donated by families in Oakland.

Jane and Michele are friends from Oakland who are volunteers with the orphanage.

The orphanage made quite an impression on Jessie. When we returned to his area, he spoke at great lengths to all his friends and family about this wonderful place for children that he had visited. He talked passionately about the life these children have and the good conditions in which they are living. These kids have a better life than many of the children in Jessie's area and he was very moved to witness such a caring environment.

Ekpui, Togo

2007-01-06T03:05:00.000-08:00

Ekpui is a small and very remote village on the bank of the Baga river in Togo. No water, no electricity, no commerce. It was a desperate place where only the elderly and children were living.

Working-age adults traveled to the city of Lome to find work during the week.

The only things this village has are the fish from the river and whatever they can grow in the inhospitable soil around the village.

In a place like this, the best thing you can do is spread small amounts of cash as widely as possible. We did make a few notable contributions here. The people below are the village elders. They are trying to build a school for the village, and have a foundation already in place. They have concrete blocks that they purchased in another nearby village, but no means to get the blocks to Ekpui. We made a contribution that would pay for to get the blocks moved.

We also paid the school fees for one year for Shaunee, the hardest working boy, and Felix, the smartest boy in the village. It was an investment in the future of this village that was greatly received.

In many small villages like this, children do not go to school because the nearest school is too far and the yearly fee (about $50) is too dear. A small gift like this relieves a great burden on a family. I wonder what happens next year.

Here are some more photos from the village.

The sacred river Baga was used for food, laundry, bathing, cooling off, and, well, other things too.

There was play time too

2007-01-05T16:33:00.000-08:00

Not to worry. While at times it seemed like it was all work, we really did have some time to enjoy the holidays. The day before Christmas and the day after (Boxing day) are holidays. As is New Year day, and the day after New Year day. So almost half the time I am in Ghana, it is a national holiday of some sort.

For such a deeply relegious country, I was suprised to see that Christmas eve and Christmas Day are big days to dance and drink and party. More than a couple nights I was out dancing to the hiplife beats at the Morgan Spot in Kisseman. I gave some CDs to the DJ and he burned me 4 CDs of some outstanding Ghanaian hiplife.

The details December 2006

2006-12-12T09:31:00.000-08:00

Here is the accounting of your donations and where your money went.

Ghana Dec, 2006 Summary
Cash Contributions: $2,220.00
Cash Expenditures: $2,197.29
Clinics .......... $672
Children ....... $575
Education ..... $506
Shipping ....... $393
Staff ............. $ 50

----------------------------------------------------

50 outfits for boys at an orphanage
50 outfits for girls at an orphanage
75 soccer uniforms split among 2 primary schools
23 soccer balls

$588 over-the-counter medicine for WAAF in Accra
$300 cash contribution to Orphanage Africa for AIDS orphans in Ayenyah
$268 educational supplies purchased in Ghana for schools in Kisseman
$200 cash for school uniforms and fees for AIDS orphans in Adaklu-Tokor
$ 84 medical supplies for WAAF
$ 75 cash for clean water project in Adanwomase
$ 50 cash for school building project in Ekpier
$ 50 School fees Felix in Togoville
$ 50 School fees Shaunee in Togoville
$ 32 cash to Next Generation school for orphans in Kisseman
$ 25 cash for teacher housing project in Adanwomase
$ 24 pencils for schools in Kisseman
$ 7 pumps for soccer balls

$300 excess baggage fees to Delta
$ 53 two large bags for checked luggage
$ 40 parking and transportation
$ 50 on-site liaisons: advance work, security, distribution, etc.

Total disbursements: $2,197.29

----------------------------------------------------

12,000 antibiotic tablets (amoxicillin and erythromycin) were given to me, but these were expired and the West Africa AIDS Foundation would not receive them. I passed most of these to Dr Robert Scott in Oakland and he is taking them to his clinic in Zimbabwe in February 2007.

I was able to distribute some smaller amounts of the expired medication at clinics and one of the orphanages that had a clinic. The non-expired HIV medications donated by Dr Richard Cazen of San Francisco were well received by the WAAF.

Of course gifts for friends and their family were also packed. Without the assistance of my friends there, this project would simply not be possible. In addition to hosting me for 2 weeks, they provided transportation and assisted with the distribution. They are my cultural liaisons and also provided me with a sense of security as I walked around Ghana and Togo with cash to distribute.

Thanks to the Montclair Soccer Club (http://www.montclairsoccer.org/), the Midwest AIDS Prevention Project (www.aidsprevention.org), and PjurUSA (www.pjurusa.com) for their very generous contributions.

I must also recognize all the people in the USA who contributed greatly in the form of cash, clothing, or other in-kind donations. Your generosity has been incredible. You helped touch a thousand lives this holiday season. I do not know how I can thank you......except to ask you to give more.

I return to Ghana on February 28. Your donations will never go farther or more directly than through your tax-deductible contribution to the TransCap Africa Relief project. I get 100% of your contribution to take directly to Africa.

Thanks to the TransCap Foundation for recognizing the important work we are doing in Africa. Working with trusted local liaisons, we personally place medicine in the hands of doctors, books in the hands of schoolchildren, and clothes in the hands of orphans.

TransCap Foundation
1170 Peachtree Street
12th Floor Suite P3
Atlanta, GA 30309
http://www.transcap.org/transafrica.htm