Week 25:
Dwabor has a new volunteer this week. Marta has arrived from Ireland and will be teaching in the school for three weeks. The school are very happy to have another volunteer to help!
On site this week things have been moving very quickly and it continues to look different on a daily basis. All the metal sheeting has been laid on the roof and the ground level plans have been laid for the kitchen and toilet.
Work has also begun levelling the ground leading up to the school so that they can begin making the path for the children. The path will be lined with wood which is being delivered next week.
Josh and Andy have been busy finishing the sanding of the concrete whilst getting involved in the coconut shredding although with the new incentive in place they are not needed as much now! It has been decided that the coconut will be place into bags and attached to the roof in order to avoid animals hibernating their so the bags are being made.
Tuesday 17 November 2009
Week 24 - Roofing completed
Week 24:
In order to try and speed up the coconut fibre factory the coconuts have been split into five piles and a competition has been set. A prize will be rewarded to whichever gang finished their pile first! It has certainly given a sense of urgency to the task!
They have been busy on site completing the roof on both KG1 and KG2 and have started work compacting the ground for the kitchen and toilet areas. The site looks completely different now and it is really easy to get a sense now of just how great everything is going to look when it is all finished.
The wood has been removed from all the concrete columns and Andy, Josh and Gordon are busy sanding it down before the bricks are laid.
Away from site lots has been happening at school with the new members of the Parent Teacher Association and Senior Management Committee appointed and the most urgent issues relating to the school discussed as well as the most recent exam results. Dwabor MA performed very well with a 78% pass rate so the community was very pleased.
In order to try and speed up the coconut fibre factory the coconuts have been split into five piles and a competition has been set. A prize will be rewarded to whichever gang finished their pile first! It has certainly given a sense of urgency to the task!
They have been busy on site completing the roof on both KG1 and KG2 and have started work compacting the ground for the kitchen and toilet areas. The site looks completely different now and it is really easy to get a sense now of just how great everything is going to look when it is all finished.
The wood has been removed from all the concrete columns and Andy, Josh and Gordon are busy sanding it down before the bricks are laid.
Away from site lots has been happening at school with the new members of the Parent Teacher Association and Senior Management Committee appointed and the most urgent issues relating to the school discussed as well as the most recent exam results. Dwabor MA performed very well with a 78% pass rate so the community was very pleased.
Week 23 - Patron visits the project
Week 23:
Dwabor had a very important visitor this week in the form of Sabre’s patron and Ghana first Olymipic skier visiting the village to look at the site and meet the people. Kwame was hugely impressed by the project and Dwabor as a whole and is keen to help as much as he can.
Whilst Kwame’s arrival was very important we also had a new volunteer this week, Gordon from Scotland who has immediately been given duties in the CFF!
It is also worth mentioning the work being completed by the Bamboo Training School. They have now made a bed, some lights and numerous pieces are jewellery which is fantastic!
Dwabor had a very important visitor this week in the form of Sabre’s patron and Ghana first Olymipic skier visiting the village to look at the site and meet the people. Kwame was hugely impressed by the project and Dwabor as a whole and is keen to help as much as he can.
Whilst Kwame’s arrival was very important we also had a new volunteer this week, Gordon from Scotland who has immediately been given duties in the CFF!
It is also worth mentioning the work being completed by the Bamboo Training School. They have now made a bed, some lights and numerous pieces are jewellery which is fantastic!
Week 22 - Window painting completed
Week 22:
It has been a busy week in Dwabor with the school going back so there is lots of activity. The children will spend this week cleaning the classrooms and preparing the grounds for lessons to commence next week.
On Monday the new volunteers met with the Elders who are extremely pleased to see new faces out in Dwabor and thanked them for coming. The problem with water collection was also discussed and a solution has now been reached.
On site, the coconut fibre factory (or CFF as the volunteers now like to call it!) is coming along nicely with the gangs, football team and school children helping out on a daily basis.
The painting of the windows in Cape Coast has now finally been completely much to everyone’s delight! They will be brought to site when the walls are completed and cleaned and retouched before they are fixed in place.
The boys have marked up the steel to cut for the termite barrier whilst Emma has been working hard with the Kindergarten children helping them make jewellery out of coloured pasta.
It has been a busy week in Dwabor with the school going back so there is lots of activity. The children will spend this week cleaning the classrooms and preparing the grounds for lessons to commence next week.
On Monday the new volunteers met with the Elders who are extremely pleased to see new faces out in Dwabor and thanked them for coming. The problem with water collection was also discussed and a solution has now been reached.
On site, the coconut fibre factory (or CFF as the volunteers now like to call it!) is coming along nicely with the gangs, football team and school children helping out on a daily basis.
The painting of the windows in Cape Coast has now finally been completely much to everyone’s delight! They will be brought to site when the walls are completed and cleaned and retouched before they are fixed in place.
The boys have marked up the steel to cut for the termite barrier whilst Emma has been working hard with the Kindergarten children helping them make jewellery out of coloured pasta.
Week 21 - Steve and Emma's trip
After a very last minute decision to volunteer in Dwabor and lots of fundraising myself and my partner, Steve, finally arrived in Ghana. We arrived in Accra on Friday evening and stayed in a hostel near to the airport. Accra was so busy, there were people everywhere and every time the car stopped they would come to the windows trying to sell you things, mainly food and water but also batteries, TV aerials, tea towels, some really obscure things but that is how they make a living. At first was really intimidating but as soon as you say No they walk away and go on to the next car!
Saturday we began the drive down to Elmina, it was about 250km away so a long drive in the heat, albeit very muggy. We visited Elmina Castle on the way which was the castle where the Whites sold Africans as Slaves, was a really interesting Castle and a good insight in to the Slave Trade, although the guide was very much against the Brits (because of the history) however there were some fabricated stories and missing links through the tour and the real history of the castle was not as grim as they portrayed.
We carried on the drive down to Elmina and took in all the sights. Every main junction to the coast and inland there was a village, houses made from clay clocks and bamboo huts and people everywhere. The closer we got to our village I became more and more nervous, I have never travelled, always been on holiday so was very apprehensive and had no idea what to expect. The further away from the cities we got the greener the surroundings, less pollution, less people and less mess! The villages turned from selling all the junk to selling fresh fruit, bananas, coconuts, green oranges, watermelon and so much more.
The smaller villages we passed kept shouting "Bruni", meaning white person, all they wanted to do is wave and as soon as you waved back they were so excited, the smiles on their faces were great!
We eventually arrived in Dwabor, our village for the next 11 days and met Sarah and Michael, a Ghanaian couple who would cook for us and help us with any problems through our stay. They had a 2 year old son called Noble who was adorable, within 5 minutes he was all over us and talking to us in Fante (local language) and English, he was extremely clever. We also met Aunty, she was Sarah's grandmother and owned the rooms we were staying in, she did not speak any English and was very traditional….sitting around with no top on, but you begin to get used to it!!!
We settled in and then the fun began! We met all of the children related to Aunty, they were all so friendly and very excited to meet us, we played all afternoon and walked round the village familiarising ourselves with the community, all you could hear was "Bruni, how are you?". We also went up and saw their current Kindergarten school, basically a piece of concrete floor and a tin roof, it was very overwhelming and upsetting to see how little they had.
Sunday was a chilled day getting to know the children and spending some time with another volunteer, Andy, who had been there for 4 months. All the villagers were at worship so it gave us an opportunity to let everything sink in and get advice from Andy on their culture and what we should/shouldn’t do!
Monday morning was an early start, a bell is rang at 4am to tell the villagers worship starts in half an hour, we were staying opposite a church so heard everything, they are all very vocal so we didn’t sleep through any of it! One thing that’s interesting is that there are 6 churches in the village including a Mosque, so many religions and everyone gets on so well, respecting each other’s beliefs. At 7am we were required to meet the Elders of the village and introduce ourselves in Fante, we were so nervous. They were all very welcoming and were grateful to have us in their village.
The original plan was for me to work on site, primarily shredding 6000 coconuts, the fibre would then be used as sound insulation so if it rains, the classes can still hear the teacher. However Jenny, the volunteer co-ordinator was working in School for the week and asked if I wanted to join her. This is something that I have always wanted to do so I jumped at the chance! We were asked by Head teacher Michael to teach the Kindergarten children, approximately 80 children between 2 or us. As the classes are based on ability the classes have a variety of ages ranging from 4 through to 10. Also many younger children come along to the classes with their older brothers and sisters.
No resources were available for us so we really had to use our imagination. My week consisted of teaching the alphabet and days of the week, trying to teach how letters are used to spell words, numbers, colouring, singing and making pasta shell bracelets. We tried incorporating the counting with games outside to keep the children interested. It was extremely hard work and there were times when you had no control over them. However the majority of my time was really positive and was such a great feeling seeing the smiles on the children's faces when they understood something.
The times I wasn't teaching was spent on site helping Steve and the other volunteers, Steve really enjoyed the manual labour however more time out there would have enabled us to do more work and help to complete the project. A positive outcome of the school build so far is the bamboo school. The locals now sell bamboo cups and jewellery made out of the bamboo from their local bamboo forest which is now a great way of making a living for them.
We really had such an amazing time in Dwabor and only wish we had more time to help with the build and get to know the locals. They are all so friendly and happy and have so much knowledge and wisdom to offer. Still...there is always next year!!!
Week 20 - oh Coconuts!
Week 20:
This week has been extremely busy, with Ben leaving Dwabor and five new volunteers arriving in Besease to begin work at the school and with Sampson’s after school reading group. Ben said a sad farewell to Dwabor although did have quite an eventful leaving do with Andy and Michael catching a whole chicken and eating it!
We have been busy painting the new sign board for Dwabor this week which involved lots of mess but it was highly entertaining. The pictures were chosen as they all have members of the community in them so that people can see what progress has been made and what part they have played in it. Whilst on the theme of painting the windows are nearly finished and looking good!
On site this week the roof shoes have been secured in place and the roof trusses prepared. The community labourers have spent some time this week building scaffolding so that the trusses can go up safely.
There has also been a huge delivery of coconuts for the roof insulation so the community labourers will be bashing each coconut to create enough insulation for both roofs!
The Bamboo training school designed a new treatment table for the bamboo so this has been sent to Elmina to be made which will allow the school to treat more bamboo at one time which will be very useful on site!
There have been two festivals this week, the boat festival in Cape Coast and the yam festival in Abayee which were fantastic! As you can see from the picture below the costumes were extremely extravagant.
This week has been extremely busy, with Ben leaving Dwabor and five new volunteers arriving in Besease to begin work at the school and with Sampson’s after school reading group. Ben said a sad farewell to Dwabor although did have quite an eventful leaving do with Andy and Michael catching a whole chicken and eating it!
We have been busy painting the new sign board for Dwabor this week which involved lots of mess but it was highly entertaining. The pictures were chosen as they all have members of the community in them so that people can see what progress has been made and what part they have played in it. Whilst on the theme of painting the windows are nearly finished and looking good!
On site this week the roof shoes have been secured in place and the roof trusses prepared. The community labourers have spent some time this week building scaffolding so that the trusses can go up safely.
There has also been a huge delivery of coconuts for the roof insulation so the community labourers will be bashing each coconut to create enough insulation for both roofs!
The Bamboo training school designed a new treatment table for the bamboo so this has been sent to Elmina to be made which will allow the school to treat more bamboo at one time which will be very useful on site!
There have been two festivals this week, the boat festival in Cape Coast and the yam festival in Abayee which were fantastic! As you can see from the picture below the costumes were extremely extravagant.
Week 19 - Roofing has started!
Week 19:
It has been yet another very busy on site this week but there has also been lots going on in the village and the surrounding communities Sabre has been working with. Firstly, the playground which was donated to Sabre has now been completed in Besease which to everyone’s delight so well done to all those involved. As you can see from the photo below it has already provided much enjoyment!!
In Dwabor the children have been busy playing and getting ready for their return to school in a couple of weeks. They are eagerly awaiting the opening of the new Kindergarten although it may be a couple of weeks away yet. The pits caused during the rainy season have now all been filled thanks to the hard work of the volunteers and community labour.
The windows are now nearly all finished and looking very good. However the most exciting thing to happen this week on site was the beginning of the roof building which shows just how far the project has come over the recent weeks. The trusses are coming along and the columns poured and there is a real sense of anticipation for the final product on site!
The football tournament began this week which was highly amusing. Gang’s 3 and 4 played on Friday which saw a victory for Gang 3 whilst Sunday saw a great victory for Gang 2! Next week is the eagerly anticipated match between the Community and Sabre which should be interesting!!
It has been yet another very busy on site this week but there has also been lots going on in the village and the surrounding communities Sabre has been working with. Firstly, the playground which was donated to Sabre has now been completed in Besease which to everyone’s delight so well done to all those involved. As you can see from the photo below it has already provided much enjoyment!!
In Dwabor the children have been busy playing and getting ready for their return to school in a couple of weeks. They are eagerly awaiting the opening of the new Kindergarten although it may be a couple of weeks away yet. The pits caused during the rainy season have now all been filled thanks to the hard work of the volunteers and community labour.
The windows are now nearly all finished and looking very good. However the most exciting thing to happen this week on site was the beginning of the roof building which shows just how far the project has come over the recent weeks. The trusses are coming along and the columns poured and there is a real sense of anticipation for the final product on site!
The football tournament began this week which was highly amusing. Gang’s 3 and 4 played on Friday which saw a victory for Gang 3 whilst Sunday saw a great victory for Gang 2! Next week is the eagerly anticipated match between the Community and Sabre which should be interesting!!
Week 18 - Bamboo Window painting
Week 18:
Site is looking quite different now and you can really start to imagine what it is all going to look like once it has been completed! As ever it was a busy week with Ben and Andy doing lots of digging and even more painting.
Whilst school is out the site is often surrounded by children eager to see what their new school is going to look like so it is quite an exciting time.
This week the painting of the windows continued and more paint was purchased to ensure each slat has a double coat. The concrete laid in KG2 last week has had to be constantly soaked to ensure that no cracks occur and lots of digging has taken place behind the kitchen area to ensure no erosion occurs!
Some slightly more mundane tasks have taken place this week, poor Andy and Ben had to tidy out the store cupboard to make sure everything is in order, a vital yet not so interesting task unfortunately!
However, work is under way to organise a football match between all those involved in the project so everyone's competitive nature is sneaking through! Let’s see who wins?!!!
Site is looking quite different now and you can really start to imagine what it is all going to look like once it has been completed! As ever it was a busy week with Ben and Andy doing lots of digging and even more painting.
Whilst school is out the site is often surrounded by children eager to see what their new school is going to look like so it is quite an exciting time.
This week the painting of the windows continued and more paint was purchased to ensure each slat has a double coat. The concrete laid in KG2 last week has had to be constantly soaked to ensure that no cracks occur and lots of digging has taken place behind the kitchen area to ensure no erosion occurs!
Some slightly more mundane tasks have taken place this week, poor Andy and Ben had to tidy out the store cupboard to make sure everything is in order, a vital yet not so interesting task unfortunately!
However, work is under way to organise a football match between all those involved in the project so everyone's competitive nature is sneaking through! Let’s see who wins?!!!
Week 17
Week 17:
With only one new volunteer this week it has been a very busy time! Ben has certainly been thrown in at the deep end as the project continues to rapidly progress!
The concrete slab in KG2 has now been completed much to everyone’s delight and work has now begun on the form and steel works for KG1.
Whilst lots of things were completed this week as usual many things have also begun! Lots of people drove down to Cape Coast to begin the mammoth task of painting all 75 bamboo windows for the school. The colours which have been chosen are red, yellow and green, the colours of the Ghana flag; you can see how good they look! It may take some time to get all the windows painted as we think they are going to need more than one coat but I think you will agree from the pictures that the end result is certainly worth it!
Also this week the concrete was poured into the wooden holds for the top beam in KG2 and the floor prepared in KG1. So a productive week indeed!
With only one new volunteer this week it has been a very busy time! Ben has certainly been thrown in at the deep end as the project continues to rapidly progress!
The concrete slab in KG2 has now been completed much to everyone’s delight and work has now begun on the form and steel works for KG1.
Whilst lots of things were completed this week as usual many things have also begun! Lots of people drove down to Cape Coast to begin the mammoth task of painting all 75 bamboo windows for the school. The colours which have been chosen are red, yellow and green, the colours of the Ghana flag; you can see how good they look! It may take some time to get all the windows painted as we think they are going to need more than one coat but I think you will agree from the pictures that the end result is certainly worth it!
Also this week the concrete was poured into the wooden holds for the top beam in KG2 and the floor prepared in KG1. So a productive week indeed!
Tuesday 4 August 2009
Repeat volunteer Danny on Dwabor...
Danny Hughes, fresh back from Ghana for the second time this year shares his view of the KG project and life in Dwabor..."Following the success of my initial visit to Ghana with Sabre, it was somewhat a knee jerk reaction when, just days after returning, I had signed myself up for a return visit. Perhaps it was not the most sensible idea? Maybe I should have thought about it for longer? As I would not be seeking sponsorship this time around, could I afford it? In the back of my mind, I knew that return trips rarely live up to expectations! In the months that followed I frequently questioned my decision, often considering swallowing my deposit and cancelling.
I couldn’t believe I had signed up for a month’s worth of volunteering in a country that has no cheese; therefore no Pizza! But, what a fantastic month it was!
Immediately after stepping off the plane the month’s worth of trepidation vanished. I sought comfort from the familiar sounds, the smell of spices and the blanket of humidity. I was back in a country where only a few months ago I had one of the most rewarding times of my life; I was ready for round 2!
Trundling our way along the long and bumpy 15km dust track to Dwabor gave us a chance to absorb the scenery. Farmland abuts the road, stretching out either side as far as the eye can see. Palm Nut, Plantain and Yams are amongst the wide variety of produce farmed daily. This is then transported to the nearest village or the main Ayensudo Junction. I say transported, it would often be balanced, precariously, on peoples’ heads whilst they walked along the side of the track. For Dwabor, this is typical life. Nearly everybody has some farmland which they use as their source of income. Dwabor itself is characteristic of nearly all villages in Ghana; the main road meanders through the centre whilst well trodden paths branch off to provide access to tens of single roomed houses. The village is fairly small, housing roughly 1,000 people, the majority of whom are children. These children are the type that will steal your heart, particularly Noble, who spends the majority of his time in the volunteer’s courtyard. Noble is the son of Sarah, the volunteers cook and liaison, and he’s quite possibly the cutest and most advanced two year old I’ve ever seen!
The volunteer courtyard is owned by Auntie, her room opens into the courtyard so we get to integrate with her and her family quite a lot. The advantage with this type of arrangement is that you really feel like you’re experiencing genuine Ghanaian family living; the volunteers’ courtyard is the hub of activity for Auntie and her family.
Like my previous visit, we were ‘inducted’ into the community by the village elders. Early on Monday morning we interrupted the elders’ meeting and introduced ourselves, in Fante, as best we could. Despite this being the thirteenth week of volunteers, we were greeted with as warm a smile as if we were on the first week. The elders, as well as the whole community, are genuinely very pleased and touched that we have made the effort to support their village.
The short walk to the site takes us from one side of the village to the other. Despite the short distance, this can take some time. In the early morning the main road is lined with locals, either waiting to catch the only (and very infrequent) bus out of Dwabor, or they’re setting up their stalls for a days trade. Either way, they’re all pleased to see you. “Bruni, wapourmay?” gets shouted from most directions. The Fante reply of “Boco, wapourmay” usually results in a shriek of laughter rippling through crowd. Unfortunately, your Fante reply will often get interpreted for a fluency in Fante, to which a whole conversation will begin – I quite literally had no idea what was being said, I just smiled, nodded, laughed if they did and hurried off to site!
The site for the school is tucked away on a small hill behind a half built church. The work on site was pretty hard going, but there was always something that everyone, no matter what fitness, strength or skills could help with. Throughout the day the community would flutter by and offer their assistance. There was a paid labour gang, a community volunteer gang and sometimes the football team all chipping in together. The sense of community in Dwabor is fantastic, everybody gets involved in one way or another; children would replenish the polytanks whilst women provided lunch for the labour. The four community labour gangs would alternate the days they worked, ensuring that it was convenient for everyone. Nana, the chief of the village, would frequently wander by the site to see the progress. Everybody was so welcoming, helping whenever they could.
During my time on site I saw a lot of progress; the base layer was laid in KG2 and the formwork for the columns was erected. The formwork for KG1’s foundations was prepared and installed. Foundations were poured, drainage trenches were dug, rear walls were levelled and thousands of blocks were produced. Neither one of these jobs were particularly easy, but completing them was extremely satisfying as they all played an integral role for the overall progression of the program.
My trip to Ghana didn’t only teach me new methods of construction; I feel that I have really learnt some life skills too! I guess these newly acquired skills are what define the ‘life changing experience’ that most people talk about. These skills are with you forever, available to use at work or socially.Culturally Ghana is very different to what we, as Westerners, are used to. This difference is even more evident in Dwabor, which remains a true, un-spoilt African village. At school the children still get caned, whilst out of school the parents use some forms of public humiliation to punish their children. Whilst this was uncomfortable to witness, it was important that we were sensitive to their culture. It is their way of life and we must understand that.
This cultural difference extends to working on site too; the locals have adapted their skills to suit their needs. It was important for me to adapt to their methods. Being adaptable and willing to learn new skills was definitely a quality which was frequently used.Throughout the duration of my trip I was constantly working with new people, be it locals or volunteers. Within four weeks I had worked and lived with such a diverse group of people, whom shared different views, quirks and personalities. However, after knowing them for only a few hours, I felt like I had known them for years.
I cannot emphasise enough just how much volunteering to help SABRE in Dwabor is a 2-way life enhancing experience. It is something that people can only truly understand if they have had the chance to experience it for themselves. All I can hope is that my passion for, and love of, the place transmits itself over these words."
Thanks Danny.
Tom
Recent accounts of life in Dwabor...
Hi All,
Here is a recently written account by Jennifer Watters of her experience in Dwabor. Jennifer was in Dwabor between the 11th and 18th July...
"It wasn’t just me who had been drawn to Ghana as a destination, it obviously had some appeal for President Obama too, who was finishing his visit there as I was arriving. After an extended stop in Amsterdam due to the closure of Accra airport, I eventually arrived 4 hours late to Obama mayhem. Once we’d disembarked the plane we were held on the tarmac, and no more than 20 metres away stood Air Force 1 getting ready for take off. I was too scared to take a picture – just in case I was put on the next plane home before my trip had even begun! But once the President was safely on his way, we were shuttled to the terminal and I was welcomed by the Sabre staff and the other volunteers who would be my room mates for the week, Rachel and Ed, from Davis Langdon and Arup. We spent Saturday evening in a basic hostel in Accra and after breakfast on Sunday morning we all got on to the Sabre bus and off we went, driving through the hustle and bustle of the city, amazed by the colourful Sunday outfits and the ability of the locals to carry huge amounts of goods for sale piled high on their heads through the traffic. After a couple of stops to buy water and a cement mixer(!) we arrived at the Sabre office in Elmina where we were met by Arup engineer Tim for our visit to Elmina castle and our onward journey to Dwabor.
We were taken around Elmina castle by a local guide giving us a better insight into what had happened there. The castle was built by the Portuguese in 1482 and was the first trading post on the Gulf of Guinea. It was first established as a trade settlement but the castle later became one of the most important stops on the route of the Atlantic slave trade. Our guide explained the horrific way in which people had been treated and showed us where particular events had taken place. It was seized by the Dutch in 1637 and the slave trade continued there under their rule until 1871 when it became a possession of the British Empire. Britain, although far from innocent in their part in the slave trade had not traded slaves in Elmina, but had done so in nearby Cape Coast. Britain granted the Gold Coast (now Ghana) independence in 1957 and control of the castle has since belonged to Ghana. It was an interesting attraction with a deeply disturbing story, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
THE ROAD TO DWABOR
From Elmina we were taken to meet Georgie, the community coordinator for Dwabor at nearby Brenu Beach. After introductions, a beautiful view and a bite to eat, we set off for the community. Dwabor is situated 15km from the junction of the main road to Elmina, down a dirt road which is the victim of heavy rains. After an exhilarating journey in the Land Rover and
some expert driving from Tim we arrived in the community to a warm welcome from ‘Auntie’, Sarah and the children, at the house which we would call home for the week.
The first thing we needed to do was to be introduced to the Elders. The village of Dwabor is led by 6 Elders, one of which is the chief, Nana. They called us to meet them by sounding a gong at 7am (a sound I would grow used to), so after a quick lesson in the local language Fanti, we made our way to the meeting place and introduced ourselves with our name and where we came from – and just for the record: “Ye fre mi Jeni, mi fi Scotland” (mi fi Scotland wasn’t too hard for me, not too dissimilar to Fife lingo!).
WORKING ON SITE
After meeting with the elders we had time for a quick breakfast before heading for our first day on site. The site was at the other end of the road leading through the village, around a five minute walk from where we were living. With the sun already up and shining, we armed ourselves with bags of water and off we went, stopping along the way as we were greeted by various members of the community. On site we were grateful to have Danny from Davis Langdon’s Norwich office, who was in his third week of volunteering, to show us the ropes – or
should I say the soil sieve.
Our work on site over the week consisted of moving the block storage ent, sieving soil for the soil blocks, creosoting the formwork of Kindergarten 1 and 2, moving sand and gravel, clearing the site of litter, replenishing water for the block area, and moving the blocks to the store tent. The last was certainly the hardest job I found in the heat, and even though we were moving the blocks between 8 and 9am to avoid the warmest temperatures, it was a very hot and sweaty job – but this also made it the most satisfying. Ed from Arup kindly worked out that we had each moved 6 tonnes of blocks per person between 8 and 9am on Thursday and Friday, and by the time we left Anthony aka ‘James Bond’ had made 2000 blocks of his 2,500 needed for the kindergarten.
When we arrived we were informed that the build was running 7 weeks behind due to the rainy season which had been quite relentless over June and July. We had a couple of rain showers during my week, but I was fortunate enough to be able to go to site everyday. I had hoped the project would be further along when I arrived, but as it turned out it was far more interesting for me to see it at this stage and understand how the building is put together. Watching and assisting in the bricks being made one by one by the only person in the area with a block making machine really fascinated me, and creosoting the formwork was really quite therapeutic even though the heat was challenging.
Working on site was also a good way to see the local wildlife, and on the first day on site we were joined by a green mamba, a poisonous snake, during our water break. There were also a number of colourful lizards and some angry ants who understandably got annoyed when I lifted the bricks they were under, and proceeded to nibble at me on a couple of occasions. There were also the dreaded black flies which drew blood instantly and it didn’t take long for my extremely pale legs to resemble red and white polka dot trousers.
I was impressed by the community helpers on site (not just because one of them saved us from the mamba), there was a group of paid workers who all wore Davis Langdon high visibility vests, the rest were people from the community who were helping out. They sieved the soil (at an incredible speed in comparison to me, I realised the extent of this speed when I was called over to take the other side of the sieve and I lasted all of 10 minutes, of which I suffered for 8 minutes of) and also helped out with anything else which needed to be done. I’m not sure that there’s many people who give this kind of time and energy for free, just to benefit the wider community, and although I appreciate they are asked to do this by the chief, I was really taken aback by the community spirit time and time again during my one week in Dwabor.
THE COMMUNITY
Life is lived outside in the community of Dwabor, as it is in most of Ghana. The women are often cooking together outside and the children play freely and closely together. Walking through the village and past their houses everyone looks up to great you and often call out “Akwaaba” meaning welcome. They are respectful and generous, and whichever way you look there is always a smile to be seen. A village of 1000 they all know each other and take part in community
activities together.
We lived in a basic but comfortable room at Auntie’s, which had two sets of bunk beds covered with mosquito nets. We had a shower room which contained a bucket and cup for washing, and a toilet which was a long drop with a toilet seat. These facilities had been created especially for the volunteers, and Auntie had given up her goat pen to provide the space. The goats obviously missed home though, as they regularly visited us in the shared courtyard where we
ate and socialised.
One of my highlights there was when a DVD had been sent of a couple’s (Howard and Della, ed) stay there a few weeks before. The gong was hit around the village and everyone came out to the cinema, which consists of a courtyard and a small TV. Almost the entire village showed up, so the TV was put into the street and the community crowded around to watch. When they saw the road leading to Dwabor there was such a huge cheer that I found myself welling up, the cheers for the school, site, the volunteers and the residents of Dwabor that followed really touched me and made me realise it was the first time I had ever witnessed community spirit of that nature.
Other Highlights of the trip included watching the Methodist church choir which Georgie and Sarah had set up with women in the community, and having some Rose wine in a hammock on Brenu beach – so it wasn’t all work and no play!
Ghana is an extremely religious country and everywhere you go you see signs of it. The back of tro tro’s and taxi’s read “God Bless” and even the road side mechanics and spare part stores had religious slogans before their name. There are around 5, possibly more, different types of places for religious worship in Dwabor. One of the churches was right in front of our window, around 5am everyday you would hear the gong sound to call people to worship, and for around an hour afterwards you could hear their singing. Catholics, Protestants and Muslims live together in Dwabor in harmony, each given the respect they deserve to follow their own beliefs.
Sarah, Michael, and their adorable son Noble made us feel so welcome and at home, as did Auntie whose home has been completely taken over by the volunteers! The children around the
house - Ruth, Mavis and Ben, were great fun and incredibly smart kids and all of them, as well as the rest of the community, were so warm towards us all that I really didn’t want to leave.
THE SABRE CHARITABLE TRUST
The work that Sabre is doing in Ghana and in particular in Dwabor is excellent and the community will benefit greatly from this new kindergarten. Through Sabre’s Whole School Improvement Programme they are working with the local education authorities to make school a better place for Ghanaian children and encourage them to stay in education for longer. By building and improving schools, ensuring that sufficient teaching and learning materials are
available, and supporting fun extra curricular activities, they are helping to build a better future for school children in Ghana.
A GREAT EXPERIENCE
I’m really grateful to have had the opportunity to assist in some way – although I feel the community gave me more than I could possibly ever give them.
I’d like to thank all of the people who attended my fundraiser and supported me through sponsorship, without that support the trip would not have been possible. I’d also like to thank the people I spent the week with, I was incredibly fortunate to get to spend my time with the
wonderful people in the community and the other volunteers out there, who made me laugh and enjoy the experience no matter how physical the work.
It was an adventure and an eye opening experience which I will never forget, and without a doubt I will be back visiting Africa again soon – and next time for longer!"
Thanks Jennifer, and if anyone else would like to write an account of their experience we would love to read it.
All the best,
Tom and the Sabre Team
Here is a recently written account by Jennifer Watters of her experience in Dwabor. Jennifer was in Dwabor between the 11th and 18th July...
"It wasn’t just me who had been drawn to Ghana as a destination, it obviously had some appeal for President Obama too, who was finishing his visit there as I was arriving. After an extended stop in Amsterdam due to the closure of Accra airport, I eventually arrived 4 hours late to Obama mayhem. Once we’d disembarked the plane we were held on the tarmac, and no more than 20 metres away stood Air Force 1 getting ready for take off. I was too scared to take a picture – just in case I was put on the next plane home before my trip had even begun! But once the President was safely on his way, we were shuttled to the terminal and I was welcomed by the Sabre staff and the other volunteers who would be my room mates for the week, Rachel and Ed, from Davis Langdon and Arup. We spent Saturday evening in a basic hostel in Accra and after breakfast on Sunday morning we all got on to the Sabre bus and off we went, driving through the hustle and bustle of the city, amazed by the colourful Sunday outfits and the ability of the locals to carry huge amounts of goods for sale piled high on their heads through the traffic. After a couple of stops to buy water and a cement mixer(!) we arrived at the Sabre office in Elmina where we were met by Arup engineer Tim for our visit to Elmina castle and our onward journey to Dwabor.
We were taken around Elmina castle by a local guide giving us a better insight into what had happened there. The castle was built by the Portuguese in 1482 and was the first trading post on the Gulf of Guinea. It was first established as a trade settlement but the castle later became one of the most important stops on the route of the Atlantic slave trade. Our guide explained the horrific way in which people had been treated and showed us where particular events had taken place. It was seized by the Dutch in 1637 and the slave trade continued there under their rule until 1871 when it became a possession of the British Empire. Britain, although far from innocent in their part in the slave trade had not traded slaves in Elmina, but had done so in nearby Cape Coast. Britain granted the Gold Coast (now Ghana) independence in 1957 and control of the castle has since belonged to Ghana. It was an interesting attraction with a deeply disturbing story, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
THE ROAD TO DWABOR
From Elmina we were taken to meet Georgie, the community coordinator for Dwabor at nearby Brenu Beach. After introductions, a beautiful view and a bite to eat, we set off for the community. Dwabor is situated 15km from the junction of the main road to Elmina, down a dirt road which is the victim of heavy rains. After an exhilarating journey in the Land Rover and
some expert driving from Tim we arrived in the community to a warm welcome from ‘Auntie’, Sarah and the children, at the house which we would call home for the week.
The first thing we needed to do was to be introduced to the Elders. The village of Dwabor is led by 6 Elders, one of which is the chief, Nana. They called us to meet them by sounding a gong at 7am (a sound I would grow used to), so after a quick lesson in the local language Fanti, we made our way to the meeting place and introduced ourselves with our name and where we came from – and just for the record: “Ye fre mi Jeni, mi fi Scotland” (mi fi Scotland wasn’t too hard for me, not too dissimilar to Fife lingo!).
WORKING ON SITE
After meeting with the elders we had time for a quick breakfast before heading for our first day on site. The site was at the other end of the road leading through the village, around a five minute walk from where we were living. With the sun already up and shining, we armed ourselves with bags of water and off we went, stopping along the way as we were greeted by various members of the community. On site we were grateful to have Danny from Davis Langdon’s Norwich office, who was in his third week of volunteering, to show us the ropes – or
should I say the soil sieve.
Our work on site over the week consisted of moving the block storage ent, sieving soil for the soil blocks, creosoting the formwork of Kindergarten 1 and 2, moving sand and gravel, clearing the site of litter, replenishing water for the block area, and moving the blocks to the store tent. The last was certainly the hardest job I found in the heat, and even though we were moving the blocks between 8 and 9am to avoid the warmest temperatures, it was a very hot and sweaty job – but this also made it the most satisfying. Ed from Arup kindly worked out that we had each moved 6 tonnes of blocks per person between 8 and 9am on Thursday and Friday, and by the time we left Anthony aka ‘James Bond’ had made 2000 blocks of his 2,500 needed for the kindergarten.
When we arrived we were informed that the build was running 7 weeks behind due to the rainy season which had been quite relentless over June and July. We had a couple of rain showers during my week, but I was fortunate enough to be able to go to site everyday. I had hoped the project would be further along when I arrived, but as it turned out it was far more interesting for me to see it at this stage and understand how the building is put together. Watching and assisting in the bricks being made one by one by the only person in the area with a block making machine really fascinated me, and creosoting the formwork was really quite therapeutic even though the heat was challenging.
Working on site was also a good way to see the local wildlife, and on the first day on site we were joined by a green mamba, a poisonous snake, during our water break. There were also a number of colourful lizards and some angry ants who understandably got annoyed when I lifted the bricks they were under, and proceeded to nibble at me on a couple of occasions. There were also the dreaded black flies which drew blood instantly and it didn’t take long for my extremely pale legs to resemble red and white polka dot trousers.
I was impressed by the community helpers on site (not just because one of them saved us from the mamba), there was a group of paid workers who all wore Davis Langdon high visibility vests, the rest were people from the community who were helping out. They sieved the soil (at an incredible speed in comparison to me, I realised the extent of this speed when I was called over to take the other side of the sieve and I lasted all of 10 minutes, of which I suffered for 8 minutes of) and also helped out with anything else which needed to be done. I’m not sure that there’s many people who give this kind of time and energy for free, just to benefit the wider community, and although I appreciate they are asked to do this by the chief, I was really taken aback by the community spirit time and time again during my one week in Dwabor.
THE COMMUNITY
Life is lived outside in the community of Dwabor, as it is in most of Ghana. The women are often cooking together outside and the children play freely and closely together. Walking through the village and past their houses everyone looks up to great you and often call out “Akwaaba” meaning welcome. They are respectful and generous, and whichever way you look there is always a smile to be seen. A village of 1000 they all know each other and take part in community
activities together.
We lived in a basic but comfortable room at Auntie’s, which had two sets of bunk beds covered with mosquito nets. We had a shower room which contained a bucket and cup for washing, and a toilet which was a long drop with a toilet seat. These facilities had been created especially for the volunteers, and Auntie had given up her goat pen to provide the space. The goats obviously missed home though, as they regularly visited us in the shared courtyard where we
ate and socialised.
One of my highlights there was when a DVD had been sent of a couple’s (Howard and Della, ed) stay there a few weeks before. The gong was hit around the village and everyone came out to the cinema, which consists of a courtyard and a small TV. Almost the entire village showed up, so the TV was put into the street and the community crowded around to watch. When they saw the road leading to Dwabor there was such a huge cheer that I found myself welling up, the cheers for the school, site, the volunteers and the residents of Dwabor that followed really touched me and made me realise it was the first time I had ever witnessed community spirit of that nature.
Other Highlights of the trip included watching the Methodist church choir which Georgie and Sarah had set up with women in the community, and having some Rose wine in a hammock on Brenu beach – so it wasn’t all work and no play!
Ghana is an extremely religious country and everywhere you go you see signs of it. The back of tro tro’s and taxi’s read “God Bless” and even the road side mechanics and spare part stores had religious slogans before their name. There are around 5, possibly more, different types of places for religious worship in Dwabor. One of the churches was right in front of our window, around 5am everyday you would hear the gong sound to call people to worship, and for around an hour afterwards you could hear their singing. Catholics, Protestants and Muslims live together in Dwabor in harmony, each given the respect they deserve to follow their own beliefs.
Sarah, Michael, and their adorable son Noble made us feel so welcome and at home, as did Auntie whose home has been completely taken over by the volunteers! The children around the
house - Ruth, Mavis and Ben, were great fun and incredibly smart kids and all of them, as well as the rest of the community, were so warm towards us all that I really didn’t want to leave.
THE SABRE CHARITABLE TRUST
The work that Sabre is doing in Ghana and in particular in Dwabor is excellent and the community will benefit greatly from this new kindergarten. Through Sabre’s Whole School Improvement Programme they are working with the local education authorities to make school a better place for Ghanaian children and encourage them to stay in education for longer. By building and improving schools, ensuring that sufficient teaching and learning materials are
available, and supporting fun extra curricular activities, they are helping to build a better future for school children in Ghana.
A GREAT EXPERIENCE
I’m really grateful to have had the opportunity to assist in some way – although I feel the community gave me more than I could possibly ever give them.
I’d like to thank all of the people who attended my fundraiser and supported me through sponsorship, without that support the trip would not have been possible. I’d also like to thank the people I spent the week with, I was incredibly fortunate to get to spend my time with the
wonderful people in the community and the other volunteers out there, who made me laugh and enjoy the experience no matter how physical the work.
It was an adventure and an eye opening experience which I will never forget, and without a doubt I will be back visiting Africa again soon – and next time for longer!"
Thanks Jennifer, and if anyone else would like to write an account of their experience we would love to read it.
All the best,
Tom and the Sabre Team
Monday 27 July 2009
Week fourteen 18.07.09- 25.07.09
Volunteers involved:
Mithra Rajaratinam (ARUP Australia)
Veena Rajaratinam (sister)
Gokulan Gnaneswaran (partner)
Andrew Low (DL London)
(Danny Hughes and Andy Turner too!)
Mithra Rajaratinam (ARUP Australia)
Veena Rajaratinam (sister)
Gokulan Gnaneswaran (partner)
Andrew Low (DL London)
(Danny Hughes and Andy Turner too!)
What was the aim for the week?
Continuation of foundations and concrete works
Making blocks and sieving soil
What was achieved in the week?
Pouring foundations for KG1 and columns for KG2
Soil blocks (600 blocks) making and moving
Information sign boards
Bamboo training began!
Andy’s football!
New concrete machine
Continuation of foundations and concrete works
Making blocks and sieving soil
What was achieved in the week?
Pouring foundations for KG1 and columns for KG2
Soil blocks (600 blocks) making and moving
Information sign boards
Bamboo training began!
Andy’s football!
New concrete machine
Week 14 will be remembered for the laughter! As well as powering though the block making process Mithra, Veena, Gokulan and Andy brought infectious laughter! Even the trip up to Dwabor on Sunday included shrieks of laughter, let alone the village walk around!The weather was great all week so site progressed well and James Bond was introduced to the power of Mithra and Veena on the block press! Everyone worked really hard all week and Danny and Andy continuing to work at 100%. There were some funny moments including,
“Who are you calling Bruni?”
“Bobby the goat!”
“Is that the power plant?” Andy looking at the public toilets!
Thank you team 14 for such a fun and productive week!
Andy Low " We apply our superficial values and wrongly assume that the community is poor, when in reality they are rich in the most important things in life: friendship, happiness, family and love. The world would be a better place if everyone visited Dwabor!"
Saturday 18 July 2009
Week thirteen 11.07.09-18.07.09
Volunteers involved:
Jeni Watters (Edinburgh)
Ed Tricklebank (London -ARUP)
Rachel Price (Plymouth)
What was the aim for the week?
Soil blocks
Manual labour
Continuation of foundations
What was achieved in the week?
Creosoting formwork
2000 blocks completed and 1500 stored
Moved the storage tent
Soil sieving
Re-grading of back slope
Moved sand and aggregate
Repaired the volunteer tent
Site maintenance
Week thirteen, unlucky for some, but not for the volunteers in Dwabor! The weather was good, progress on site was visible and great memories were made. Arriving on the very night that Barack Obama left the country set the tone for the crazy week. Adventures included some interesting taxi rides, midday water flight and excessive material purchasing! There were also some interesting conversations, including Jeni’s early morning comment of ‘is that Phil Collins’ and watching flies then saying ‘that’s sex, right?’
The week commenced with a warm welcome and elders meeting, and then the work began!
Rachel, Jeni and Ed were three great volunteers and gave it 110% in all that they did. Thank you guys, and thanks to Ed being the first representative of ARUP so far!
Jeni “it’s been amazing to get to sample ‘real Ghana’ in just a week, thanks to the incredible community of Dwabor.”
Ed “a fantastic opportunity it take part in the life of the village away from the tourist trail and learn form the people that live here.”
Rachel “inspirational experience! Incorporating cultural values, building experience and the opportunity to live in a fantastic community.”
Jeni Watters (Edinburgh)
Ed Tricklebank (London -ARUP)
Rachel Price (Plymouth)
What was the aim for the week?
Soil blocks
Manual labour
Continuation of foundations
What was achieved in the week?
Creosoting formwork
2000 blocks completed and 1500 stored
Moved the storage tent
Soil sieving
Re-grading of back slope
Moved sand and aggregate
Repaired the volunteer tent
Site maintenance
Week thirteen, unlucky for some, but not for the volunteers in Dwabor! The weather was good, progress on site was visible and great memories were made. Arriving on the very night that Barack Obama left the country set the tone for the crazy week. Adventures included some interesting taxi rides, midday water flight and excessive material purchasing! There were also some interesting conversations, including Jeni’s early morning comment of ‘is that Phil Collins’ and watching flies then saying ‘that’s sex, right?’The week commenced with a warm welcome and elders meeting, and then the work began!
Rachel, Jeni and Ed were three great volunteers and gave it 110% in all that they did. Thank you guys, and thanks to Ed being the first representative of ARUP so far!
Jeni “it’s been amazing to get to sample ‘real Ghana’ in just a week, thanks to the incredible community of Dwabor.”
Ed “a fantastic opportunity it take part in the life of the village away from the tourist trail and learn form the people that live here.”
Rachel “inspirational experience! Incorporating cultural values, building experience and the opportunity to live in a fantastic community.”
Saturday 11 July 2009
Week twelve 04.07.09-11.07.09
Volunteers involved:
Gary Tracey (Abu Dhabi)
What was the aim for the week?
Continuation of the foundations of KG1
Formwork to columns of KG2
What was achieved in the week?
Production of blocks
Prepared materials for the blocks
Preparation and installation of the formwork for columns for KG2
Re-graded the back slope
Gary Tracey (Abu Dhabi)
What was the aim for the week?
Continuation of the foundations of KG1
Formwork to columns of KG2
What was achieved in the week?
Production of blocks
Prepared materials for the blocks
Preparation and installation of the formwork for columns for KG2
Re-graded the back slope
Gary " Although the rains prevented much work being carried out on the project all week, the warmth and happiness the local people (especially the children) shared with me and the other volunteers is something I will never forget."
Monday 6 July 2009
Week eleven 27.06.09-4.07.09
Volunteers involved:
Robert Winters (Edinburgh)
Daniel Hughes (Norwich)
Robert Winters (Edinburgh)
Daniel Hughes (Norwich)
What was the aim for the week?
Continuation of foundations and block making.
Continuation of foundations and block making.
What was achieved in the week?
Sieved soil
Blinding of KG1 building
Moved tent
Formwork in for KG1
Earthworks
Drainage lengthened
Base layer up to DPC/DPM
Good banter!
Leveling- dumpy level used for the blinding KG1
Robert “this week in Ghana, it has left me with a great sense of family, community and the importance of education.”
Sieved soil
Blinding of KG1 building
Moved tent
Formwork in for KG1
Earthworks
Drainage lengthened
Base layer up to DPC/DPM
Good banter!
Leveling- dumpy level used for the blinding KG1
Robert “this week in Ghana, it has left me with a great sense of family, community and the importance of education.”
(Simon, Andy and Danny are still working hard too!)
Saturday 27 June 2009
Week ten 20.06.09- 27.06.09
Volunteers involved:
Jonathan Baldwin (Manchester)
Susie Kelsall (London)
Alice leFlemming (London)
Susie Kelsall (London)
Alice leFlemming (London)
What was the aim for the week?
Block making and continuing with foundations
What was achieved in the week?
Soil sieving for blocks, watering concrete and blocks, moving blocks into dry and move sand, terraced the hill to increase the surface area to dry quicker.
Week 10 will be remembered for the rain! On arrival to Dwabor we were greeted with an almighty rain storm and all huddled in the kitchen. Work on site was affected during the week so the game of pass the pig, provided by Jon, became the day’s entertainment! All the volunteers worked so hard on site when the weather allowed it and also came to watch the community choir! Other highlights included seeing the car full to the brim of cassava and the strange abundance of hobnobs and tea! All in all a great week and a big thank you to Susie, Alice and Jon! We also can’t forget to mention Andy and Simon, who are still working hard!
Block making and continuing with foundations
What was achieved in the week?
Soil sieving for blocks, watering concrete and blocks, moving blocks into dry and move sand, terraced the hill to increase the surface area to dry quicker.
Week 10 will be remembered for the rain! On arrival to Dwabor we were greeted with an almighty rain storm and all huddled in the kitchen. Work on site was affected during the week so the game of pass the pig, provided by Jon, became the day’s entertainment! All the volunteers worked so hard on site when the weather allowed it and also came to watch the community choir! Other highlights included seeing the car full to the brim of cassava and the strange abundance of hobnobs and tea! All in all a great week and a big thank you to Susie, Alice and Jon! We also can’t forget to mention Andy and Simon, who are still working hard!
Jon “I have a good time but disappointed we couldn’t achieve more due to the weather”
Susie “it has been a really enlightening experience. The community has been really welcoming. One thing I won’t miss is Andy’s singing!”
Alice “its given me a taste to do something like this, having been on holiday in Africa I prefer living in the community and have been surprised at the interest form the locals. Wish I could stay another week!”
Susie “it has been a really enlightening experience. The community has been really welcoming. One thing I won’t miss is Andy’s singing!”
Alice “its given me a taste to do something like this, having been on holiday in Africa I prefer living in the community and have been surprised at the interest form the locals. Wish I could stay another week!”
Saturday 20 June 2009
Week nine 14.06.09-20.06.09
Volunteers involved:
Sharon Mault (Manchester)
Osman Khan (London)
Chris Lord (Manchester)
What was the aim for the week?
· Continuation of foundations of KG2
· Digging foundations of KG1
What was achieved in the week?
· Drainage for site
· Pouring of the foundations KG2
· Block making commenced
· Soil sieving
Week nine was another great one! Sharon, Osman and Chris worked through the blistering heat and the pouring rain. Funny moments included Chris’ sleep talking about the ‘get me out of the blue tape’ (mosquito net!) and Osman’s impact on Noble “I AM A MAN!”
Hard work saw the foundations of KG2 finished, the bedford dug out of the bamboo swamps and a grasscutter for dinner!
Together with the community labour, labourers, football team and the volunteers week nine was great.
Sharon Mault (Manchester)
Osman Khan (London)
Chris Lord (Manchester)
What was the aim for the week?
· Continuation of foundations of KG2
· Digging foundations of KG1
What was achieved in the week?
· Drainage for site
· Pouring of the foundations KG2
· Block making commenced
· Soil sieving
Week nine was another great one! Sharon, Osman and Chris worked through the blistering heat and the pouring rain. Funny moments included Chris’ sleep talking about the ‘get me out of the blue tape’ (mosquito net!) and Osman’s impact on Noble “I AM A MAN!”
Hard work saw the foundations of KG2 finished, the bedford dug out of the bamboo swamps and a grasscutter for dinner!
Together with the community labour, labourers, football team and the volunteers week nine was great.
Osman “I feel have taken more from this project than I have been able to give.”
Chris “I’ve enjoyed my time on the project, it has given me a greater appreciation of the building project and the challenges faced by the site team.”
Sharon “It has been a fantastic opportunity to make a small contribution to such an amazing community.”
Chris “I’ve enjoyed my time on the project, it has given me a greater appreciation of the building project and the challenges faced by the site team.”
Sharon “It has been a fantastic opportunity to make a small contribution to such an amazing community.”
Tuesday 16 June 2009
Week Six - Howard and Della's Story
23 – 31st May Our week in Ghana
It was with some trepidation that we boarded the plane after hearing stories about frequent power cuts and the need for wet wipes as showers were a luxury. Let’s get things cleared up, conditions were basic but the guest house and the people we met were so welcoming that it soon felt like home.
The work was hard; digging ditches and tamping the ground in the sun and humidity meant that water breaks were a necessity. We found that doing the twist down the slope was the most effective way of ensuring that the dumped earth didn’t form too steeply and cause a potential hazard in the expected rain. We were constantly amazed by the ingenuity of the village workers creating tools to solve problems they were faced with. A trip to collect bamboo to make an A frame for a donated tent revealed just how practiced James and Michael were at choosing just the right piece to match the required length with minimal waste. The tent was erected just in time before the rain came and will hopefully provide a shelter for working and storage.
We were advised that charity work like this worked best when both parties got something out of it. We got loads. We met some fantastic people and some wonderful children. The elders made us welcome and the workers on the site were always willing to help us out. We were humbled by the way that the whole community worked together and supported each other and by the enthusiasm for learning shown by the pupils in an environment that lacked all the facilities pupils in this country take for granted.
‘A life changing experience’ can be a bit of a cliché but for us it was. In addition to all we saw and did we got engaged in front of the elders who celebrated with us and bestowed on us a Fanti blessing. It was amazing and we would like to extend a big THANK YOU to all who made the whole thing possible.
It was with some trepidation that we boarded the plane after hearing stories about frequent power cuts and the need for wet wipes as showers were a luxury. Let’s get things cleared up, conditions were basic but the guest house and the people we met were so welcoming that it soon felt like home.
The work was hard; digging ditches and tamping the ground in the sun and humidity meant that water breaks were a necessity. We found that doing the twist down the slope was the most effective way of ensuring that the dumped earth didn’t form too steeply and cause a potential hazard in the expected rain. We were constantly amazed by the ingenuity of the village workers creating tools to solve problems they were faced with. A trip to collect bamboo to make an A frame for a donated tent revealed just how practiced James and Michael were at choosing just the right piece to match the required length with minimal waste. The tent was erected just in time before the rain came and will hopefully provide a shelter for working and storage.
We were advised that charity work like this worked best when both parties got something out of it. We got loads. We met some fantastic people and some wonderful children. The elders made us welcome and the workers on the site were always willing to help us out. We were humbled by the way that the whole community worked together and supported each other and by the enthusiasm for learning shown by the pupils in an environment that lacked all the facilities pupils in this country take for granted.
‘A life changing experience’ can be a bit of a cliché but for us it was. In addition to all we saw and did we got engaged in front of the elders who celebrated with us and bestowed on us a Fanti blessing. It was amazing and we would like to extend a big THANK YOU to all who made the whole thing possible.
Monday 15 June 2009
Week seven 30.05.09-06.06.09
Volunteers involved:
Elaine Sutcliff (Manchester)
Alison Patey (Southampton)
(Simon Costin also arrived!)
What was the aim for the week?
· Foundations
· Drainage
· Concrete works
What was achieved in the week?
· Creosoted formwork
· Continued preparation of trenches
· Protected setting posts from termites with paint
· Sieved sand for stabilized soil blocks
· Leveling of kitchen area began.
Elaine Sutcliff (Manchester)
Alison Patey (Southampton)
(Simon Costin also arrived!)
What was the aim for the week?
· Foundations
· Drainage
· Concrete works
What was achieved in the week?
· Creosoted formwork
· Continued preparation of trenches
· Protected setting posts from termites with paint
· Sieved sand for stabilized soil blocks
· Leveling of kitchen area began.
Elaine “the most rewarding blisters I have ever had!”
Alison “the Dwabor KG project was a challenging yet rewarding experience and the best way to sweat off those love handles!”
Alison “the Dwabor KG project was a challenging yet rewarding experience and the best way to sweat off those love handles!”
Week six 23.05.09-30.05.09
Volunteers involved:
Howard Spurgin (West Malling)
Della Wilson (Partner)
What was the aim for the week?
· Foundations
· Drainage
· Earthworks
What was achieved in the week?
· (Whacking) Tamping
· KG2 foundation trench completed to level.
· Blinding markers
· Leveled an area suitable for storage.
· Regarding. External works.
· Tent erected for the storage of block making and working in rain.
· Concrete mold.
· Got bamboo from forest for tent.
Week six was a great one with many exciting moments. Howard and Della arrived into the community greeted with smiles and warm welcomes. The hard work in the baking sun began in Monday morning, after being greeted formally by the elders, and a full morning whacking and leveling foundations lead to a good sleep on Monday night! Tuesday was another hard day working and ended with a tour of the village and saying hello to the friends already made from site. On Wednesday, Della came to school and did some reading with class 4. Wednesday evening saw in the first women’s group meeting in the Methodist Church. There was a great turn out and was a very positive start to the duration of this group! The plan to go to the beach on Thursday was stopped due to the rain storm that fell on Dwabor. So instead, it was dominoes, shopping for biscuits and drinking tea! However, Friday was by far the most exciting! First thing there was a meeting in the palace, (Della being oblivious to the fact it had been organised in the elders meeting on Monday!) there was a display of culture and a traditional wedding ceremony done by the elders. One of the most unique ways to propose to someone! Luckily, it was a big hug, smile and kiss from Della, followed by ”yes!” .
All in all a fantastic week! Howard and Della were great and really hard working as well as great to have around! Thank you Howard and Della! Also, thank you for all your generous donations and BA for giving the excess baggage allowance!
Medase pa paa pa!
Howard Spurgin (West Malling)
Della Wilson (Partner)
What was the aim for the week?
· Foundations
· Drainage
· Earthworks
What was achieved in the week?
· (Whacking) Tamping
· KG2 foundation trench completed to level.
· Blinding markers
· Leveled an area suitable for storage.
· Regarding. External works.
· Tent erected for the storage of block making and working in rain.
· Concrete mold.
· Got bamboo from forest for tent.
Week six was a great one with many exciting moments. Howard and Della arrived into the community greeted with smiles and warm welcomes. The hard work in the baking sun began in Monday morning, after being greeted formally by the elders, and a full morning whacking and leveling foundations lead to a good sleep on Monday night! Tuesday was another hard day working and ended with a tour of the village and saying hello to the friends already made from site. On Wednesday, Della came to school and did some reading with class 4. Wednesday evening saw in the first women’s group meeting in the Methodist Church. There was a great turn out and was a very positive start to the duration of this group! The plan to go to the beach on Thursday was stopped due to the rain storm that fell on Dwabor. So instead, it was dominoes, shopping for biscuits and drinking tea! However, Friday was by far the most exciting! First thing there was a meeting in the palace, (Della being oblivious to the fact it had been organised in the elders meeting on Monday!) there was a display of culture and a traditional wedding ceremony done by the elders. One of the most unique ways to propose to someone! Luckily, it was a big hug, smile and kiss from Della, followed by ”yes!” .
All in all a fantastic week! Howard and Della were great and really hard working as well as great to have around! Thank you Howard and Della! Also, thank you for all your generous donations and BA for giving the excess baggage allowance!
Medase pa paa pa!
Week five 16.05.09-22.06.09
Volunteers involved:
Barry Higgs (Manchester)
Gail Sutherland (Sister of Barry)
Simon Howson (London)
What was the aim for the week?
· Foundations
· Drainage
· Block making
What was achieved in the week?
· Water tanks erected
· Path to school
· Foundation levels set out.
· Foundation trenches roughed in.
· Cleared site for aggregate area, leveled and prepared.
· 50% rear bank regarded.
· Reinforced steel work fabrication commenced.
In just one week the site has moved into the foundation stages and progressed hugely. Barry, Simon and Gail’s contribution to the project has been amazing. The week got off to a good start with a scenic tour of Accra, as Simon had taken the key from the hostel so we had to turn around!
However, on arrival to Dwabor they were greeted with smiles, hellos and akwaabas! After a good sleep work began Monday morning. Temperatures nearing 33 degrees and lots of work to be done! The same being true in the current school for Gail. Gail had a true Ghanaian welcome to the school and was fantastic, bringing fun and enthusiasm to her reading classes.
She said “the children are so keen and eager to learn. Being someone that works with special needs children in the UK, you appreciate every success- however small they may seem!”
Gail brought smiles, knowledge and determination and did an amazing job!
As well as the determination shown in the classroom, a three hour PTA meeting in a hot room tested many peoples patience! The chief and headmaster along with all the elders and community members expressed their appreciation to sabre and the volunteers for coming to Dwabor and making such a difference. It was so lovely to see how much the community value the help they are receiving through this project!
Barry and Simon also relished the challenges on site and did brilliantly, erecting the polytanks in just one day! They both did their very best and made such a difference!
It was great to have Barry, Gail and Simon in Dwabor this week and thank them for their great contribution towards the project!
Barry “Never thought I’d enjoy being a vegetarian! And I miss my cold milk and cornflakes! It has been an intriguing experience, so glad I came!”
Simon “The response from the community it just incredible. Really glad to have got involved in this and it’s so great to use your skills in a world you couldn’t imagine in the UK. You make such a big difference, even in a week!”
Gail “Fante-astic! I think the Ghanaian smile says it al; hello, goodbye, thank you and we like you.”
Barry Higgs (Manchester)
Gail Sutherland (Sister of Barry)
Simon Howson (London)
What was the aim for the week?
· Foundations
· Drainage
· Block making
What was achieved in the week?
· Water tanks erected
· Path to school
· Foundation levels set out.
· Foundation trenches roughed in.
· Cleared site for aggregate area, leveled and prepared.
· 50% rear bank regarded.
· Reinforced steel work fabrication commenced.
In just one week the site has moved into the foundation stages and progressed hugely. Barry, Simon and Gail’s contribution to the project has been amazing. The week got off to a good start with a scenic tour of Accra, as Simon had taken the key from the hostel so we had to turn around!
However, on arrival to Dwabor they were greeted with smiles, hellos and akwaabas! After a good sleep work began Monday morning. Temperatures nearing 33 degrees and lots of work to be done! The same being true in the current school for Gail. Gail had a true Ghanaian welcome to the school and was fantastic, bringing fun and enthusiasm to her reading classes.
She said “the children are so keen and eager to learn. Being someone that works with special needs children in the UK, you appreciate every success- however small they may seem!”
Gail brought smiles, knowledge and determination and did an amazing job!
As well as the determination shown in the classroom, a three hour PTA meeting in a hot room tested many peoples patience! The chief and headmaster along with all the elders and community members expressed their appreciation to sabre and the volunteers for coming to Dwabor and making such a difference. It was so lovely to see how much the community value the help they are receiving through this project!
Barry and Simon also relished the challenges on site and did brilliantly, erecting the polytanks in just one day! They both did their very best and made such a difference!
It was great to have Barry, Gail and Simon in Dwabor this week and thank them for their great contribution towards the project!
Barry “Never thought I’d enjoy being a vegetarian! And I miss my cold milk and cornflakes! It has been an intriguing experience, so glad I came!”
Simon “The response from the community it just incredible. Really glad to have got involved in this and it’s so great to use your skills in a world you couldn’t imagine in the UK. You make such a big difference, even in a week!”
Gail “Fante-astic! I think the Ghanaian smile says it al; hello, goodbye, thank you and we like you.”
Week four 09.05.09- 15.05.09
Volunteers involved:
Neels Heunis (London)
Charlotte Godfrey (London)
Tom Mason (London)
(Andy Turner also arrived!)
What was the aim for the week?
· Earthworks
· Making blocks
· Foundations and drainage
What was achieved in the week?
· Regarded the front slope of the site
· Strength Block testing
· Positioned the polytanks for concrete mixing
Neels Heunis (London)
Charlotte Godfrey (London)
Tom Mason (London)
(Andy Turner also arrived!)
What was the aim for the week?
· Earthworks
· Making blocks
· Foundations and drainage
What was achieved in the week?
· Regarded the front slope of the site
· Strength Block testing
· Positioned the polytanks for concrete mixing
Vehicle access to site done
Neels “Got a new meaning of life”
Charlotte “It’s all about necessities not niceties”
Tom “I’ve been moved by the children out here, they’re terrific!”
Charlotte “It’s all about necessities not niceties”
Tom “I’ve been moved by the children out here, they’re terrific!”
Week three 02/05/09-08/05/09
Volunteers involved:
Angela Blair (Dubai)
Anne Johnson (Leeds)
James Sanderson (partner)
What was the aim for the week?
· Foundations and drainage
· Block making
· Leveling of site
What was achieved in the week?
· Site was leveled
· Store room treated and drainage done
· Earthworks
· Long drops dug and semi completed
· Treated tent legs
· Moved the platform!
Angela Blair (Dubai)
Anne Johnson (Leeds)
James Sanderson (partner)
What was the aim for the week?
· Foundations and drainage
· Block making
· Leveling of site
What was achieved in the week?
· Site was leveled
· Store room treated and drainage done
· Earthworks
· Long drops dug and semi completed
· Treated tent legs
· Moved the platform!
Kitchen consultation
James “The best food I’ve ever eaten, will Sarah marry me?”
Angela “The children of Dwabor are delightful. The project will clearly benefit Dwabor and be appreciated by everyone.”
Anne Marie “Unforgettable experience! Be prepared to work but it’s definitely worth it!”
Angela “The children of Dwabor are delightful. The project will clearly benefit Dwabor and be appreciated by everyone.”
Anne Marie “Unforgettable experience! Be prepared to work but it’s definitely worth it!”
Week 2 25/04/09-02/05/09
Volunteers involved:
Stephen Wright (Birmingham)
What was the aim for the week?
· Continue leveling the site
· Build the material store hut
· Drainage
· Block making
What was achieved in the week?
· Material store hut constructed
· Soil tests completed
Steve’s week on the project was a great one, full of football, fun and hard work! As well as constructing the bamboo material store, he also went to chop the bamboo down in the bamboo forest just in the village! He also scored the winning goal (of a 1-0!) against the village at the football match with Dragoman and always kept the kids entertained with a quick kick about in the community. He was a hard worker and it shows in what was achieved in his week in Ghana.
Stephen-
“I would never have thought of coming to Ghana for a holiday but now I would happily come back with my girlfriend or family. It has completely changed my perception of Ghana as a country. I would love to come back and see the school when the project is completed.”
Stephen Wright (Birmingham)
What was the aim for the week?
· Continue leveling the site
· Build the material store hut
· Drainage
· Block making
What was achieved in the week?
· Material store hut constructed
· Soil tests completed
Steve’s week on the project was a great one, full of football, fun and hard work! As well as constructing the bamboo material store, he also went to chop the bamboo down in the bamboo forest just in the village! He also scored the winning goal (of a 1-0!) against the village at the football match with Dragoman and always kept the kids entertained with a quick kick about in the community. He was a hard worker and it shows in what was achieved in his week in Ghana.
Stephen-
“I would never have thought of coming to Ghana for a holiday but now I would happily come back with my girlfriend or family. It has completely changed my perception of Ghana as a country. I would love to come back and see the school when the project is completed.”
Monday 8 June 2009
Week one 18.04.09- 25.04.09
Volunteers involved:
Dave Evans (London)
Phil Goode (London)
Eadaoin MacDonagh (Bristol)
What was the aim for the week?
· Leveling of the site
· Block making
· Trench digging
· Store hut construction
· Long drop digging
What was achieved in the week?
· Increase the enthusiasm of the community.
· Soil moved and compacted. (Estimated 150 cubic meters)
· Lots of hard work and sweating!
· Erected the tent for the workers.
Feedback and comments from the volunteers…
Dave-
Overall fantastic week, very eye opening well worth doing learned a lot about myself, others around and the community. Experience I will never forget. Amazed by the way the community operates and the level of discipline. The meeting with the elders at the beginning of the week was a highlight. Physically tougher than imagined but was able to find things to do when I was too exhausted to do the physical labour such as surveying the site, soil testing and laying out site grids. I can’t wait to see the finished project and will look forward to continuing updates from the Sabre team. There was a particularly a great group of volunteers who I got to know very well and now see as friends. The staff and community also who made the whole trip worth while. I love Cojo, he is the dog of my dreams…
Phil-
Life here is simple but it’s pure. There is no excess though it doesn’t seem as if anyone wants for anything. There is purpose in everything that is done and every member of the village has their own role. It’s a real eye opener for a 1st world westerner who hasn’t had to think about where the meal is coming from to be here. In theory, life like this should be horrific and a real struggle. In practice, it’s refreshingly simple. OK, people die here of disease (malaria, cholera, etc) but people die at home of heart disease and cancer. Life is a challenge and though we face different pressures in the UK to Ghana there is something about the mood of the people here that is right! They seem grateful and happy for everything and waste nothing. We on the other hand, moan and always look for something more and all of us waste amazing amounts without even thinking about it and we have the arrogance to think that we are more civilized. As I said, it is a real eye opener. It’s going to be difficult to get to the UK and see the contrast. Eadaoin and Dave both troopers (in the American sense) and had a great time!
Eadaoin-
Absolutely amazing! Experience of a lifetime, you’ll never meet people or experience a community like this anywhere else. I felt safe and happy in the community. Its brilliant to be part of something that’s really making a difference and to get so much encouragement and smiles from all the men, women and children as well as the goats, cockerels and flying ants. The set up (accommodation, Sabre crowd and being welcomed by the elders) is really good, you’re given the opportunity to give as much as you can in terms of work. Eye opening to witness subsistence living and little children were carrying babies on their back and huge weights on their heads! Really touching that they have accepted us so quickly even though we stand out so much. I’ve had great fun! The boys have been fantastic, such a great group! This hasn’t even really sunk in yet. I am extremely lucky to have come with Phil and Dave. I feel like I have really gotten to know them well and that will be an asset for our future working relationship. Words and photos can’t even begin to describe what it is like and what it feels like to be here.
Phil Goode (London)
Eadaoin MacDonagh (Bristol)
What was the aim for the week?
· Leveling of the site
· Block making
· Trench digging
· Store hut construction
· Long drop digging
What was achieved in the week?
· Increase the enthusiasm of the community.
· Soil moved and compacted. (Estimated 150 cubic meters)
· Lots of hard work and sweating!
· Erected the tent for the workers.
Feedback and comments from the volunteers…
Dave-
Overall fantastic week, very eye opening well worth doing learned a lot about myself, others around and the community. Experience I will never forget. Amazed by the way the community operates and the level of discipline. The meeting with the elders at the beginning of the week was a highlight. Physically tougher than imagined but was able to find things to do when I was too exhausted to do the physical labour such as surveying the site, soil testing and laying out site grids. I can’t wait to see the finished project and will look forward to continuing updates from the Sabre team. There was a particularly a great group of volunteers who I got to know very well and now see as friends. The staff and community also who made the whole trip worth while. I love Cojo, he is the dog of my dreams…
Phil-
Life here is simple but it’s pure. There is no excess though it doesn’t seem as if anyone wants for anything. There is purpose in everything that is done and every member of the village has their own role. It’s a real eye opener for a 1st world westerner who hasn’t had to think about where the meal is coming from to be here. In theory, life like this should be horrific and a real struggle. In practice, it’s refreshingly simple. OK, people die here of disease (malaria, cholera, etc) but people die at home of heart disease and cancer. Life is a challenge and though we face different pressures in the UK to Ghana there is something about the mood of the people here that is right! They seem grateful and happy for everything and waste nothing. We on the other hand, moan and always look for something more and all of us waste amazing amounts without even thinking about it and we have the arrogance to think that we are more civilized. As I said, it is a real eye opener. It’s going to be difficult to get to the UK and see the contrast. Eadaoin and Dave both troopers (in the American sense) and had a great time!
Eadaoin-
Absolutely amazing! Experience of a lifetime, you’ll never meet people or experience a community like this anywhere else. I felt safe and happy in the community. Its brilliant to be part of something that’s really making a difference and to get so much encouragement and smiles from all the men, women and children as well as the goats, cockerels and flying ants. The set up (accommodation, Sabre crowd and being welcomed by the elders) is really good, you’re given the opportunity to give as much as you can in terms of work. Eye opening to witness subsistence living and little children were carrying babies on their back and huge weights on their heads! Really touching that they have accepted us so quickly even though we stand out so much. I’ve had great fun! The boys have been fantastic, such a great group! This hasn’t even really sunk in yet. I am extremely lucky to have come with Phil and Dave. I feel like I have really gotten to know them well and that will be an asset for our future working relationship. Words and photos can’t even begin to describe what it is like and what it feels like to be here.
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