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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