All in the Family

Hey my peoples!

Sorry I’ve been M.I.A. but it’s definitely crunch time in my placement. I’ve been wanting to write this post for over a week now. But I digress…

A couple weeks ago when interviews were being conducted at the college for this new top-up program that is going to run over the weekends, there were a tonne of people around the administrative block on campus. One of the applicants was a woman with a toddler, who naturally I befriended right away. On this particular day, I was going to a nearby farm owned by an AWESOME entrepreneur who had graduated from the college 30 years ago, and this little tyke joined me and the driver for the ride. When I returned, walking back towards the office holding this little guy’s hand, one of the lecturer’s exclaimed, “Is that your son?” I shook my head, with some sort of awkward shocked look on my face and said no.

He then went on to explain to me that he meant adoptive son, for in Ghana they really don’t distinguish those types of things. For example, anyone who you meet who comes from the same hometown, or even region as you is automatically your brother. Your aunt can even be your sister, and any women somewhat older then you can be your “antie”.

This got me thinking: why do we find such a need to distinguish who we are in Canada? I mean, I remember once I actually described a relative as my second cousin once removed. What does that even MEAN? Does it matter? Couldn’t I have just said cousin?

It reminded me again of my Italian roots… how you call someone from your town your paisan. If you meet a paisan, you’re automatically friends.

I think this notion of everyone being a family member, or at least termed as such, is a great description of the sense of community here in Ghana. Everybody is friends. So maybe, if we start calling everyone our sisters and brothers, we can get a better sense of community where we live to. To quote Fight Club, “…let that which doesn’t matter, truly slide”. At the end of the day, we’re all part of the homo sapien family right?

Later days brothers and sisters!

Daniela

I'm a Tool

Today while I was riding in a taxi, I saw a sign at the side of the road telling drivers to wear their seatbelts. I laughed to myself because at the moment, I was smushed in the front seat practically sitting on the PRNDL while the driver is trying to drive standard. A.k.a. no possible way to wear a seat belt. This is, of course, because I was in a car made to seat 5 people, and there were 7 people in it; 3 in the front (including the driver) and 4 in the back.        

Looking out the windshield, I see a tro tro zoom by. A tro tro is basically a van that can seat about 15-23 people on the benches, or sometimes other things you can sit on like stool or jugs. I like to think of them as the Ghanaian public bus system: there are stations, where a bunch of tros park and wait for passengers, and there are various routes.

Anyways, these tro tros do not have seat belts at all. And it’s not just tro tros. A lot of taxis don’t have working seat belts, and even people’s personal vehicles tend not to have them either. There is no culture, or enforcement to buckle up. So what’s the point of this sign?

Don’t get me wrong, I think buckling up is important. It’s a safety precaution we learn in Canada before we even know we learn it. But I think I’ve worn a seat belt once (if that) in the past two months.

The sign in itself is a great tool; advertising safety in a clear and concise manner. But throwing this tool into an environment that isn’t able to use it seems like a waste. A joke. That’s why I laughed. Think of it as like being given nails while at the beach and being told to make a structure. Nails don’t do much when you’re using sand.

I think a lot of people working in development are addicted to tools. Tools come in the form of workshops, brochures, donkey carts, and even buildings. People like to train people, and give them stuff to try and make stuff better. And this is good! But if you’re just throwing in a hammer and telling people to build a house, you can’t expect great results if you’re in the middle of a swamp. In order for tools to be effective, the environment needs to be prepared to use it.

Here’s another example related to what I’m doing: Last year, the college did course evaluations for the first time. You know, those things we bubble in at the end of every semester, except these ones aren’t scantron. Course evaluations are awesome! It means that the staff are looking to get students’ opinions and improve their overall education! But if there is no means of analyzing the information, or no incentive for lecturers to take the information to heart, what good does it do? Luckily, the college is on the ball and there are plans to give bonuses to lecturers who have good comments.

How do you shape an environment? Great question. And I don’t have much of an answer. Shaping an environment has A LOT to do with behaviour change, and that is not something we humans do easily or quickly. I know of performance-based incentives, bonuses being an example of that. People are asked to change, and then there is a reward for improvement, meaning that the change becomes a focus and the atmosphere is encouraging of it. But other than that… I’m still pondering.

Later days,

Daniela

A is for Apple

When I told people I was going to spending my summer in Ghana, I got a lot of “Are you building a school?”

I’m not going to lie, in high school I thought building schools was the greatest thing ever. One of the Millennium Development Goals in Universal Primary Education, so naturally I was like, “oh, more school buildings means more kids can go to school!”

And youth were and still are being taught this. Volun-tourism has become huge for my generation and those after me. We’ve been exposed to a movement of being globally minded and we all want to do our part, and we’ve been told that that means building a school.

But I’m a little older and wiser now.  I’ve come to understand that education does NOT come from infrastructure. Sure, that’s an aspect, but do you really need a building to learn? Even looking at my education in Canada: every school I went to did not have the best facilities or resources. The public system is strained. That didn’t get in the way of my learning though, no sir.

Frankly, there are school buildings everywhere in Ghana. From where I’m typing right now, there’s a College, Primary School and Junior High School in less than a kilometer radius. When I was on my Village Stay in Bongo, the community I was in had a Primary School and JHS right smack in the middle, and then another Primary, JHS, and SS down the road small.

The problem is not access to school buildings; it’s quality of education.  For Ghana, the poor quality comes from the British style of teaching being copied and pasted here, combined with teacher attendance and motivation. Kids are learning “A is for Apple”, when they haven’t even seen that red shiny fruit before in their lives. That is of course, if the teacher shows up.

Here’s another thing to ponder; why send over students who probably have never picked up a shovel or mixed cement before in their lives? Why not send over construction workers with experience? Or better yet, why not contract local construction workers and promote local businesses?

My inspiration for this post came from reading this blog by a guy who has experience and deep insight into the education system in East Africa: http://www.owen.org/blog/4715

Later days,

Daniela

Now that's what I call a coconut!

I never used to like coconut. Those flakes are dry and definitely not very tasty. Even that one time I smashed open a coconut and tried a bit, I was not super impressed. Better than the flakes, but still dry and hard.

Well, as it turns out, the coconut that I used to know is only the inside of one. Yeah, you know when you would draw pictures of a tropical island as a kid and throw in a couple palm trees? Those coconuts you drew were not accurate. Sorry.

A real coconut is this oval of ruggedness that you have to chop with a machete to get to the good stuff. And when you get to that sphere that most resembles what we see in grocery stores, it is not dark brown. It’s a light shade of tan, bordering white. Now with this sphere of goodness, you can either slice it to make a small “lid”, or puncture it to make a hole. It must be done carefully because you wouldn’t want to spill the translucent liquid inside. Coconut milk. Well, it’s more like coconut water. Regardless, peering into my first coconut, all I felt was freshness. It’s like a little oasis inside this rough shell.

Once you drink the water, you are in for the best part; the white, soft flesh that surrounds the inside of the shell. Oh man, it is soooo good. It’s moist, and has a very subtle kind of milky taste. It’s hard to describe. It’s just awesome. (Yeah… fruit part beats out the water by a million… had trouble drinking that stuff)

Anyways, there is more to this post than me describing a coconut to you. Despite how much access to information we have, despite being supposedly connected to the world, I think we don’t know as much as we think we do. It’s a stupid little thing… but it bothers me that I used to think that little brown ball was what grew on a tree. It bothers me that I didn’t realize what I bought at that grocery was not a fresh coconut. It bothers me that I never even questioned it for a second.

I realize that a lot of people probably know that the Canadian version of a coconut is the inside and it’s not fresh. Hey, I may be the only one who didn’t realize. But, it’s just an example. The point is, I think we can all use the access to information and knowledge we have a little better. It starts with questioning things and being observant.

Who knows, maybe you’ll try some fruit you used to not like and realize it’s the most delicious thing ever.

Later days,

Daniela

Processing Power

Ciao!

Walking through any Ghanaian market, you pretty much see the same thing. Stalls with women selling the same stuff. Farmers have two paths for their crops: either to their stomachs or straight to the market. And since different regions specialize in growing only a small number of crops, you get extreme market saturation. Take Bongo, where I did my village stay. The two big crops are millet and groundnuts. What do you think you see the most of in the market?

Yesterday I talked with my friend who in a post-harvest processing engineer about how processing “adds value”. When you do something to your crop, your profit theoretically is greater. You charge for the work and resources it takes to change the product. What’s more expensive? Fresh tomatoes, or tomato paste? The tomato paste right?

Everywhere you look, Ghana is only selling raw materials. Whether it is on the international level of exporting gold, or the small-scale sale of millet, there are so few industries in Ghana I can probably count them on my fingers. 

Why? Why isn’t there more processing? Well, my friend gave some good insight on that too. It turns out the first president, Kwame Nkrumah, wanted to industrialize Ghana. Capitalize on her resources, and process to the max. So it was all going fine from there until the next head-of-state took over and didn’t continue his work. Industries dwindled because of government policy. And to this day, the policy is still not processing.

I’m not saying processing its resources would be a quick and easy solution for Ghana’s economy, but I think it’s something important to consider. Why did Nkrumah have so much faith in it in the beginning? Why is processing and industrialization not encouraged?

DANIELA’S BLOG CHALLENGE NUMBER 5

This one has to do with agriculture in Canada. I challenge you to find out how Canadian farmers sell their crops. Is there a market they all go to and sell to retailers? Is there an agency that buys from farmers and sells to grocery stores? First person to find out and get back to me gets a sweet prize and is forever thought of as super cool by anyone who loads this page! My friend asked me about this and I had absolutely no clue. Please, cure my curiosity and get Googling!

Later days,

Daniela

Seeing Bongo

**Warning: The following post is an excerpt from my journal and is really sappy. These words are not for the tough at heart.**

July 7^th, 2011

As I took my walk to the primary school latrine to free myself this morning, I saw the most beautiful sunrise I’ve ever seen.

As I sat on a rock looking out at the seemingly never-ending millet fields, scattered mud huts and sheet metal, I was overcome by the beauty of this place.

The sun rays bounced of the sides of the school blocks, as two young boys decked out in their classic burnt yellow and brown uniforms guided goats to new grazing grounds.

And now, only a few hours later, with the sun high in the sky, the wind so strong it makes the millet bow, I feel at peace. Sitting under this tree, nothing else seems to matter. 

...you were warned. 

Groundnut Sounds

Hey guys!

Long time no see! Sorry. It’s just the past few weeks were not optimal for blog post writing or computer access for the matter. 3 weeks ago, I had a cold that knocked me out for a few days. Go figure. Then, the next week, all the Ghana Junior Fellows (JFs) and African Programs Staff had a wicked retreat! Us JFs were lucky enough to spend a couple days in Mole National Park, where I was like less than 50 metres from 3 gi-normous African elephants! Soooo cool! And then the next week, I was on my village stay in the Upper East region, in a sweet community in Bongo, super close to the Burkina Faso border. And this is where today’s blog post is from. Don’t worry, a lot went down the past couple weeks so I’ll do my best to make up for me absence.

Rural life is not easy. Especially in northern Ghana, where the Sun bakes the soil and the rains are never frequent or heavy enough. Despite it being difficult, it is incredibly beautiful; both the land and the community of the people.

One morning, I set out with my host mother to the field where we would be sowing groundnuts for the day. The rains had not come to prepare the land, but it is getting late in the season so it was time to take a risk and plant the seeds, hoping the rain would come that night.

I walked behind her, through the millet fields, around mud hut compounds, up and down small variations in the land for a solid amount of time. As we walked, I switched from looking at the uneven ground in front of me to the trees and field in the distance. It was already hot; I pulled my bandana over my ears. Ear sunburns, they’re the worst.

When we made it to the field, I saw that other woman from the group were already there. A woman spoke to me in Fra Fra, the local language, and my host mother translated that she said we were late. I said sorry, realising that my host mother had purposely taken me later because it would be hard for me.

Regardless, my host mother handed me a hoe, I took and handful of groundnut seeds, and she showed me quickly how to plant. I began moving down a row in the field, scraping open a hole and dropping in a single seed. As I moved down, I was told to make various adjustments. It definitely was not easy. Looking around, I saw the women move quickly and smoothly; they shot seeds into the holes like a machine. Half the time I couldn’t even see the seeds leave their hands.

The best part was the way they talked with each other. I couldn’t understand a single thing, but you could tell by the tone that it was a group of friends having a conversation. Anytime you get a bunch of women together, some good chats are going to happen.

But then, out of nowhere, all of their hoes started making a rhythm. The metal blades hit the dry, sand-like soil at the same time. They broke out in song. They moved down the field, sowing seeds in unison, singing together. All of sudden, there was a random scream of throat-singing from a woman, and although it startled me, I didn’t look up from the field and did my best to try and keep up with the rhythm. I was in absolute awe. I felt the song in my bones; I saw the way it helped everyone keep going. It was a moment I will never forget. After some time, the singing dwindled, and after some more chatting, it started up again.

The beauty of people, of humanity. Working together, living together, singing together. Looking back, I should’ve asked what the song meant, but I guess it doesn’t really matter. I think that’s part of the beauty of it, not knowing the words and just embracing the sounds.  I think I’ll keep it a mystery.

Later days,

Daniela

Breaking Barriers

Imagine you are fresh out of school, eager to take on the world. You are ambitious, driven, innovative and hard-working. You have ideas coming out of your wazoo of what you want to do with your life. You want to start a business. You have it all planned out; where you will work out of, who will help you, what you’re going to do, the whole nine yards.

But then… you see it. Everything you were planning comes crashing down on you and you are standing face-to-face with reality. Your dream has been sucked out of your head like the last bit of slushie at the bottom of the cup.

You realize you don’t have the one thing that controls it all. Money.

This is what happens to so many young people who have the knowledge, skills and attitudes to become successful entrepreneurs. Let’s be real, coming out of school, no one has money lying around to start a business. Most don’t have capital in any form at all. And that’s the kind of stuff you need to get a loan.

Here’s the thing…this barrier, although very real, is not the one that should shut down the dream. There are ways around it. They may not be easy to see, and there may be tough times, but money is NOT the thing that should prevent you from starting a business. As a very wise woman once told me, “Don’t worry… the money will come”.

Today I gave my first presentation at a staff meeting, focusing on what I have been working on so far and the next steps. When I was finished, I was asked a few questions that were extremely beneficial and opened up many doors to move forward in for the rest of the summer. One lecturer in particular, came and spoke with me afterwards and made me realize there is a blaring challenge that needs to be tackled in order for entrepreneurship to be most effective; access to information about finances.

He explained to me that credit has become a mindset for Ghanaians; it is a burden that everyone carries. In truth, finances are only one small aspect of starting a business and right now, there is a lack of access to financial information. If we can break that barrier, the students’ ambition and innovation will actually turn into something. If it is possible to teach students that capital should not be the limiting factor, there is potential to shift their mindset away from credit.

This is not an easy task, but it is definitely one I am eager to investigate. Money has and probably always will be a huge defining characteristic of people, institutions and, well everything. It is used to classify, measure, and limit access. Man, I hate money. I used to argue that the world would be a much better place if money didn’t exist. There would be little to no crime, and no poverty. I realize that’s pretty impossible, and even if there was no money, people would be measured by other forms of capital, I know… but a girl can dream.

I don’t know how to break the financial barrier right now; I’m not even sure where to begin looking. But I do know that the information exists, and the methods to be successful starting with nothing are out there too. Bring it.

Later days,

Akua

A Five-Letter Word

Hey y’all! What’s crack-a-lackin’?

The other day, I went into Adum, which is what I like to think of as the downtown of Kumasi. It’s actually awesome; the streets are bustling, but not over crowded, and there are many shops. You can pretty much get anything.

I was going to a seamstress to pick up two dresses I had made. Oh, man they turned out so well! I love them! Already busted one out twice!

Anyways, I’m getting off track here. What I want to talk about are the shoe-makers who work where I picked up my clothes.

The seamstress is located inside a small market, with a number of alleyways. As you turn down one of the alleys, your nostrils immediately fill with the smell of paint, glue and burning foam or rubber. As you meander your way through the narrow passage way blocked by tables and chairs and people, you catch some people looking up from their work to stare as you pass. Sometimes you catch some shouts of “obrunyi”.

Okay, I said shoe-makers before, but it’s more of “slipper” or “flip-flop” makers. Tomato, tomatoe right? Anyways, there are many men sitting at tables, either tracing out a foot shape many times over a sheet of foam, painting the strappy part, and other flip-flop making steps. What stood out to me was a man painting a five letter word in silver paint where the heel of your foot would sit. The word? Gucci. Yup, branding. You cannot escape it.

When I first saw it, I smiled and laughed to myself. Hahahaha, foam and plastic Gucci flip-flops. Win.

Now thinking back to it, it made me realize how much people care about brand names. If you can get your hands on a name everyone else recognizes as cool or high-end, you feel a little more powerful (for lack of a better word). Usually cool or high-end means more pricey so by wearing those shoes or sweater you are ultimately saying “Look at me! Look at me! Look what I can afford! Boy, am I stylish!”

Okay, so that’s a bit exaggerated. But, we are definitely drawn to the popular and expensive brands. We are told those are the “good” ones and we will look good and be cool. By who? Media, our friends, and just human nature I think. We naturally want to fit in with our fellow humans.

The other thing about it is it doesn’t matter where you live or how much money you have; you still want what everyone else wants. You still want to be cool.

What would you buy? Flip-flops that said Gucci, or Stone? You would most likely not just buy the Gucci ones, but probably pay a higher price too. Oh, and the manufacturing cost is probably the same. From a business perspective, painting Gucci on a pair of flip-flops is much smarter than the word Stone.

 So that five letter word has much more market power than another five-letter word. 

Later days,

Daniela

Sore Thumb

I don’t know if you know this, but I’m white. I’m pretty used to being a majority.

In Ghana, I’m nowhere close. I stick out like a sore thumb. A sore thumb that’s a different colour than the rest of the hand.

I like being the centre of attention sometimes, but that’s usually because of my antics or my funny hats. Never for what I look like. And now, all of sudden, my appearance defines me.

A few weeks ago, I thought I knew what discrimination and stereotyping was like. I knew that judging people on what they look like was wrong. But I never really understood.

Here in Ghana, everywhere I go, I am just a white girl.

Walking down the road, young kids shout “Obrunyi!” and come running to get a view. Older kids and teens look at me and talk with their friends in Twi. One of the students at the college even asked me for my camera, because apparently I can get it cheap in Canada.

None of this attention demonstrates hatred or anything negative towards me, but what it does do is make assumptions about me based on my skin. It’s funny because even though most of the assumptions are true, it still frustrates me. I am pretty well off, at least in comparison. I will be leaving Ghana after only a short time.  If I left my camera, I probably would get another one. It just sucks that people think this without even talking with me. The attention I’m getting is welcoming in a sense, but it still makes me feel very uneasy. I don’t want to be thought of like every other white person who has walked through here. I want to be judged on my personality, on my own merit.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. - Martin Luther King Jr.

How many times have I made assumptions about people? Too many to count. I’ve judged people on the clothes they wear, how much make-up they use and even the way they cut their hair. Appearance. Whether or not we like it, it does define us. At least for first impressions. I’m not saying it should, but that’s the reality of it.

And you know what; I think we all know that deep down. And that is why we choose to make ourselves look a certain way. Hey, I know I pick the clothes I wear for a reason. I’m sure most of you do too.

But there’s something about being judged on your skin colour that is different from the rest of it. That, is something you have no control over.  Maybe that’s why it doesn’t make me feel good.

If I don’t like being called out in a nice way, imagine how it feels to be looked at negatively and flat out disrespected because of your skin. I can’t even fathom how much that would hurt, and how demotivating that would be. 

What I ask is to do best not to judge people on their skin colour. Actually, try your best not to judge people on their appearance at all. You and I both know that not all white people are rich. Doesn’t it work the same way for every other skin tone?

Later days,

Daniela

This post does not represent the opinions of any other person or organization. 

My Heart Will Go On

“Love can touch us one time… and last for a lliifffeettimmme. Doo you know my heart will goo onnn. Near….. FAAARRRRR, whereEEVVVERR you are, I’ll be h—“

Oh sorry… didn’t see you load the page. [Clears throat]

Ghanaians love Celine Dion. Like a lot. Whenever people ask me what my favourite song is, or my favourite artist, it’s followed with, “Don’t you like Celine Dion?”

When I say no… then comes the “Why not?”… I’m Canadian, and she’s a Canadian artist. So I should like her by affiliation, right? Well, I don’t have a single song of hers on my iPod. The most I can say about my listening to her is this one time I put “The Prayer” (duet with Andrea Boccelli) on repeat on a boom-box so I could tap into my Italian roots. And of course, belting My Heart Will Go On after watching the Titanic. She’s not really my style. I think her popularity in Ghana makes it difficult to explain why Canadians (in general) don’t really listen to her anymore.

I had a very interesting talk with a friend of mine yesterday about this. He told me he used to listen to her, but he stopped when he saw an interview she did.

Apparently, she couldn’t believe that 70% of her 5 million bucks in CD sales were from Africans. She said that they were not her target audience and should stop buying her stuff. What person in their right mind tells people not to buy their product? Seriously?!?! I don’t care who your target audience is…if they’re not biting, maybe you should aim at a new target.

Now, I’m hearing this info second hand, so it may be a little embellished, but I also heard a rumour that she refused to tour or do a concert in Africa.

I know what you’re thinking: “Okay, what’s your point?”

I just think it’s weird. I’m not pulling out the racist and prejudice card just yet, but I think this is an example of Western arrogance and a little ignorance with a cherry of naivety on top. The “us” and “them” syndrome.

WHY WOULD SHE SAY THAT?!!! C’mon, does it really bug you THAT much that non-North American people dig your tunes? If anything, you should be impressed with yourself. Your work resonated with a different audience than you intended.

And for the record, I’m not hating on Celine Dion. She’s probably the most famous Canadian artist worldwide. Everyone has heard her name. So she must have done something right. I’m not even sure if this information is true.

I feel like this post is tip-toeing of the lines of political correctness, so I’m going to stop here.

Later days,

Daniela

Remember, these are my own personal opinions and words. They do not represent the views of any person, organization, or robot. And no one is endorsing anything either. Gosh. 

The Same but Different

I’ve finally realized how small the world really is.

              

 I’m in a different country, in a different continent across the Atlantic Ocean, and I still see similarities between Ghana and Canada. Like a lot of them.

              

  Yesterday, I went for a stroll. As I turned the corner around the house, there was a group of young boys playing football and joking around, and a group of girls playing a clapping and jumping sort of game.  Classic elementary school scenario. The girls taught me their game, and although I tried to the best of my ability, I kind of failed. The coordination needed is ridiculous!

              

  I continued down the road. As I approached the football pitch, I saw a group of boys playing football, and some other boys riding their bikes through the pitch. I specifically remember feeling that this could be Canada… that I have seen this scene before. Okay, sure, so the pitch would have been covered in grass instead of dirt, and things like that, but it was the same.

To be more specific, people are the same. People, in every place, in every language and every skin colour, want the same things. Kids want to play sports, games, joke around, and are curious. Babies want to give you high-fives. Teens and young adults want to be more successful and cooler than their parents. Adults, and more specifically, parents want to provide for their families and be able to buy things that make them happy.

It never fails; every day I see or hear that reminds me of Canada.

              

  I think that generally when people travel, they always focus on the differences. They seek out what they do not recognize and let those things take over. This is not necessarily a bad thing either, because it is pretty cool experiencing the new cultures, and learning new things that open your mind. But it is equally as enlightening and interesting to focus on what makes us all the same. It’s funny because it is so obvious too! It practically hits you in the face, but you have to take a step back to realize it. The similarities are buried beneath the new climate, environment, clothing styles, languages, infrastructure and stereotypes. If you can take a moment to make that all transparent, what’s left is human beings. Living life, just like you are.

                

That’s why the world has to be small. If it were big, wouldn’t people be more different?

DANIELA’S BLOG CHALLENGE: The FOURTH!

               

This one is right up my alley because it involves food. Oh yeah, I can hear your stomachs rumbling from here.

Part 1 (Yes, there are two parts… ooohhh aaaahhhhh)

     

           Next time you go out for dinner with friends, suggest a place with ethnic cuisine you’ve never tried before. There’s so much out there, but I know it’s easy to hit up the same places again and again. (I’m totally guilty of this)

           I know there are great Ethiopian places in both Hamilton and downtown T.O. Another great evening out includes Korean BBQ, where you grill your own stuff. It’s sooo good, and fun! And with your food, of course you are going to need to order a drink! For the engineers in the crowd, try some foreign beers, and for everyone else, there are some great teas, coffees and fruity beverages!

 Or if you’re anticipating paying your student fees, or waiting for that next pay cheque and are not down to blow some cash on a night out, search for a recipe online and have a(n) [insert country name here]  night! Why not rent a foreign movie too! What I want to hear from you is the country of origin of the restaurant/dish you cooked and if you can remember, the name of the dish. I want my mouth to water from all the way over here, okay?

And now…

Part 2

This one can either be really easy or really hard. When I return to Canada, I want to be able to prepare some Ghanaian dishes. This requires ingredients that I cannot smuggle onto the plane, so my challenge is to find a Ghanaian food shop in and around the Toronto area or Hamilton. Get those Google searches going and let me know what you find!

And remember, the fate of my stomach rests in your hands.

Later days,

Dunkaroo Daniela

The Price of Urbanization

G’day mates!

I was wondering… what do you define development as? What does it look like to you?

For a long time, I considered it to be eliminating poverty. Eliminating poverty by making other nations more American. More Western. Recently, in the past year or so, I have come to realize that this is not the case. In fact… that is totally, completely, 100% wrong. Impossible, and definitely not a good thing. we definitely do not need more Canadas up in here. 

Countries are different because they have to be. For my grade 12 English essay, I read The Poisonwood Bible by Barbra Kingsolver. It is about a Baptist Minister and his family travelling to the Congo to “save” the Congolese people. “Mr. High and Mighty Minister”, thinks he knows everything, boastfully plants his Southern American garden, like he would back home, expecting great yields. You know, because he knows the right way to do it (read in sarcastic tone). To his surprise, his garden was washed away. Nothing grew. No shit Sherlock.

It is not just languages that do not translate well country to country. Methods and lifestyles do not either. It is because of the vast differences in environment, culture, and economy.

One of my go-to examples is shelters. In some places, you do not need windows because it is so hot. They would prevent air-flow. Or, something I just learned recently, in Northern Ghana, there are many mud-huts (more traditional style dwellings), whereas in Kumasi, the homes are concrete with metal roofs. It is much hotter in the North, and using metal sheeting for a roof would probably cook the people inside.

Why is it we think the way we live is the right and only way? Arrogance and ignorance rolled into one, eh? That is why travel is so important:

“Travel has a way of stretching the mind. The stretch comes not from travel’s immediate rewards, the inevitable myriad new sights, smells and sounds, but with experiencing firsthand how others do differently what we believed to be the right and only way” - Ralph Crawshaw

The other day, I was talking with a man named Eric. We spoke about my first impressions of Ghana, and differences with Canada. We got onto the topic of urbanization, and its effect on culture. He used Accra as an example, explaining how people there will not even look up at you, whereas everywhere else in Ghana, there is still that hospitable and welcoming nature. As Accra becomes more urban, dare I say it, more Western, the Ghanaian culture begins to disappear. Accra will become more and more like walking the streets of Toronto, with everyone wearing blinders.

I’ll make another snap judgement here: Urban=Business=Workaholics=Less Human Interaction

And less human interaction means culture begins to fade away.

Whether or not this is true, I think it is interesting to think about. I would love to hear any thoughts out there.

So how do I define development now? Well, I’d be lying if I said I have a refined and simple definition. I’ll leave you with this:

Development is building on what already exists. It is focusing and supporting what has potential to be beneficial and fading out what is detrimental. Development is complex. It is not aid, money, buildings or any other kind of infrastructure. It is methods, it is organization, it is concepts. Development is empowering people.

Later days,

Daniela

Ghana-3, Congo-1

Hey guys!

Guess what? I WENT TO THE GHANA vs. CONGO NATIONS CUP QUALIFIER ON FRIDAY!!!! I saw the Black Stars play! I saw my first international match ever! I cannot contain my excitement (I’m even surprised I waited until today to blog about it!)

It was absolutely amazing! Crazy loud, crazy spirit, crazy football!

A few minutes before the match started, it began pouring rain. Some people went to take shelter under the overhang into the stands, but most just stayed where they were. As soon as the game started, everyone was back in their seats; NO ONE LEFT! The stadium was packed, except for a few rows closest to the pitch (worst view of the field). I was totally in awe of the commitment of the fans!

How did I score this deal, you may be asking? One of the perks of living in Kumasi, I guess. ;)

Ghanaians love football! So an extension student (student who already works for the ministry and comes back to upgrade their degree) organized a bus from the college to the stadium. Principal asked if I would like to go, and obviously, I didn’t hesitate!

There was a little damper on my experience, and it wasn’t the weather. You see, many students packed into the bus, general and extension. I was introduced to one of the extension students, and I was going to stick with him. We ended up getting separated from the general students, and before I even knew what was happening, myself and 3 extension students were going to the VIP section of the stadium. Also known as the only part with “obrunis” or whites. Yup… there it was. The whole white privilege thing. It really got me down; one because I didn’t realize, and two because there really wasn’t anything I could do about it.

At that point, I thought to myself I can either sit through the game beating myself up about it, or let it go and enjoy myself. I went with the latter.

The price of being naïve was I think the other students had a better view. 

Let me paint a picture of how intense Ghanaians are about their football. Two fights broke out around me because people were standing and blocking other spectators’ views. One guy even grabbed on of our water bottles and sprayed on the people standing because they wouldn’t sit.

There was a buzz of cheering the entire game. Up near the top of the stands, there were large groups of people with instruments and choreographed dance sequences, performing the whole time. Now that’s what I call fans!

There were no goals the first half, and the fans were getting antsy. I myself was getting nervous… I mean, the Black Stars are one of my favourite football teams. I predicted the score would be 3-1, and nil-nil at the half did not look good.

And then… it happened.

GGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!

The crowd went nuts! Jumping up and cheering! Man, it felt sooo good! What a moment!

Another 3 goals came about; 2 by Ghana, and 1 a mistake by the Ghanaian keeper, Kingson. It was rough…fans were saying he should play for another team. Needless to say… it was a bad move.

My prediction was right: 3-1. Ballin’!

Later days,

Akua

Engineer and Entrepreneur: One in the same?

On Thursday, I interviewed a graduating student named Martha. She is a remarkable student, with so much potential insight and knowledge! We spoke about the Agribusiness and Entrepreneurship project she did last year, as well as entrepreneurship in general. It was a pleasure talking with her. Martha defines an entrepreneur as someone who identifies problems and finds solutions to those problems. That’s funny… it’s exactly how I define an engineer. And you may be thinking, “Ha! No way! Entrepreneurs are business focused, and engineers are design focused! C’mon, what are you saying!”

Alright…I know how it looks. And don’t worry; I’m not becoming a Commie or anything.

Engineering and entrepreneurship branch off from the same root: Innovation. That’s right! Entrepreneurs create innovative businesses and engineers create innovative designs.

At the college where I am working, there is a huge focus on entrepreneurship. The way I see it, agribusiness is going to have an immensely positive impact on Ghana in the future. As young people develop their own businesses, those strengthening the economy and created jobs, things will begin to change. Innovation in entrepreneurship is to Ghana, what engineering is to Canada.

“Whoa! Daniela, seriously! You are making a pretty critical statement here, and you’re pretty biased, don’t you think?!!” Here’s what I am thinking: the problems that need to be addressed in Canada are very different from the problems that need to be addressed in Ghana. Right now, Ghana has few jobs to go around, and many young people entering the work force. Also, there needs to be a shift from subsistence agriculture, to a more profit making attitude. In Canada, although we also have serious issues with poverty, the way we must go about addressing it is different. What I am thinking is new systems and products that will become not only less expensive, but better for the environment. A friend of mine here at the college, who is the out-going president of the UNESCO chapter, told me yesterday that developed nations are responsible for 80% of pollution. The thing is, we all share the same atmosphere, whether you’re in Canada, Ghana or Antarctica. In Canada, engineers will be responsible for a new way of life. I’m thinking new fuel, new cars, new agriculture and food processing, new technology, for the betterment of all people.

Right now, whether you are in business or in engineering, you have to be socially-minded. There are no two ways about it. You must be innovative, while considering people and the environment. Ask someone in the field. To be successful, you must think globally.

So, the moral of the story is, depending on the context in which you are speaking, engineers and entrepreneurs are pretty similar. The skills are totally transferrable. Engineers need the soft skills entrepreneurs have, and entrepreneurs benefit greatly from technical knowledge.

DANIELA’S BLOG CHALLENGE NUMERO 3!

This one is much more measurable (and easier) than yesterday’s!

Behold! Trivia questions! First person to get back to me with all the correct answers will receive a ballin’ souvenir upon my return to the Great White North.

1) What is Ghana’s capital city?

2)  What is Ghana’s largest man-made lake?

3) What does “Ghana” mean?

4)  Name 3 of Ghana's export commodities.

5) Name Ghana's number one import partner.

6)   How many times have Ghana Black Stars won the African Cup of Nations?

7) When was Ghana's Independence Day?

Later days,

Akua

Little Drops of Water make a Mighty Ocean

It’s not what you do, it’s how you do it. I’m a firm believer in this phrase. There are many people who hold positions of leadership and influence who do little or nothing with it. There are also people who go about their daily lives, making huge impact on the people around them. You can be the King of the World and have nothing to show for it. But you can also be a teacher, a custodian, a family doctor, an artist, an engineer, whatever, and change someone’s life.

It’s all about starting small. Making someone smile. Being someone’s friend. Beginning a movement.

By putting all of yourself into what you do, you unconsciously inspire others to do so as well. Imagine, if you will, that you are a tiny flame. Even if it is the fire burning from a match, it still gives off light. That light touches people you greet on the street, the elderly woman you help step onto the bus, the awkward high-five you give a baby in a stroller. I bet you that the person you just interacted with, 9 times out of 10, will make someone else smile that day. Have you ever seen the movie Pay It Forward? Well, it’s like that. It totally happens.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is out light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~ Marianne Williamson         (also known to be quoted by Nelson Mandela)

I’m seeing it all around me lately. In Ghana, it is all about spreading light. Everyone I talk to has others in mind. The graduating students especially! There is so much ambition, potential and compassion among people, and it gives me hope. Hope for a better future.

Take my counter-part, the brilliant lecturer, Ishak. He implemented a program that allows students to realize their potential and discover the options they have in the future. Everyone I have spoken with looks up to him, as do I. He had an idea, and it has spread throughout the college, and to another one in the north. This, is the power in giving all or yourself.

I was reading a document from Voices of Youth and the World Association on Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, discussing a conference for girls from a number of countries (developed and developing) from a around the world. Its focus was education. A participant from Canada said, “The very fact that there are good teachers who teach and are role models for their students will institute changes in the community through either the teacher, or the students who were inspired by them. People do not realize how important teachers are based on the impact they have on those they teach and influencing a person.” I thought of Ishak as I read this. His influence on his students is immeasurable.

As for the title of this post, wanna know where it came from? A student. That’s right, in one of the concept papers I read, a student used this proverb when talking about entrepreneurship and the impact it can have. Talk about teachers inspiring students!

And now it’s time for:

DANIELA’S BLOG CHALLENGE 2.0!

For this challenge, I’m going to ask you to do something hard. And I’m not talking calculus or chemistry hard either. I mean something real, and something that will push you outside your comfort zone.

The next time you’re on the bus, waiting in line at the grocery store or chilling at your local watering hole, I want you to talk to someone. Not just a “Hi, how are you?”, but really talk to someone. You may meet someone who is not down to talk, and that is okay. They may be having a bad day, or might be distracted by your dashing good looks. Try again. If you have seen the movie Patch Adams, Robin William’s character talks about dialling a random person and having a conversation with them for 3 hours. Okay, I’m not asking you to do that, but the point is the same. Everyone has a story, and I bet after talking to someone, you will feel inspired inside.

Or if you don’t think you can do this, try calling up a friend you haven’t talked to in a while. See how they’re doing.

If you are brave enough, and are successful, I’d love to hear about the conversation! If you feel like sharing that is. And I could totally bring you back something for this challenge too! J

I think I’m going to leave it there for today. If you have any questions, or want to take a look at the document I referenced, holler at your girl!

Later days,

Akua

*Also, please note that these are not the opinions of Engineers Without Borders Canada, nor do they endorse anything referenced in this blog. These are all my personal statements and opinions. 

Sunday Best

A few weeks ago, I thought Sunday was a day to sleep in and eat grilled cheese sandwiches. You know the feeling; it’s the last day of the weekend, where depending on what time of year it is, you either do nothing, or try to stop procrastinating and finish the report that is due the next day. But in Ghana, it is a totally different story.

Religion is the purpose of living here. Everyone has faith, and everyone is faithful. There are no “C and E Christians” (people who only go to Church at Christmas and Easter), only-Kosher-on-the-High Holidays, or even atheists for that matter. In fact, everything orbits around religion, and it is never more obvious than on Sundays. I woke up yesterday morning, and there was a buzz in the air. And I don’t mean figuratively. Literally, the air was full of sounds; hymns being sung, prayers being spoken. I stood outside, looking into the distance that sunny morning, just taking it all in. I would soon be going to my first Witness meeting with Lois. I was a tad apprehensive, as I am not a Jehovah’s Witness, but I was down for an experience.

My view from outside my room

The meeting was in Twi, so I knew going in, not only would I not know the process, but I wouldn’t understand a thing. It turned out to be a pretty good reflection time. Lois had lent me an English bible, so I could read along. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t fully paying attention… it was a really good opportunity to allow my mind wander and be relaxed. And when it was finished, I’m pretty sure I shook hands with almost everyone that was there, plus I got to help sweep the meeting place!

I’ve been trying to figure out why North America and pretty well all Western nations have become so secular. Why is it that Churches and Temples are more relevant to tourism than religion? Why are stores open every day of the week now? Maybe we don’t think it is necessary anymore. Religion, I mean. Maybe, our lives are good enough that we feel we don’t need to believe in anything greater than ourselves. Or maybe, that is just the price of capitalism.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not devout. I fall into the secular category as much as the next Canadian. I’m just thinking out loud here. I think what I am trying to get it is, suffering breeds faith.

This may be a bit of a heavy topic, and a controversial one at that. I think it is something interesting to think about. I am not bashing secularism; I am just making a generalization, and an intense comparison.

I’m going to leave it at that.

Later days,

Akua

When I say "Impact", you say "Model"!

There is tool that exists for planning that has power you cannot imagine. It takes the form of a simple table-like structure. It is labelled with simple initials that are the most meaningful sets of two letters in the history of the world. Yes, I am talking about the Impact Model, my new favourite business tool! They make me get all excited inside!

Alright, in all seriousness now, the Impact Model is a tool used to define the value towards certain customers or stakeholders (or in most EWB cases, who is impacted by the project) touched by a project or initiative.

Check out the chart-looking thing. That is an outline of an impact model. It is the skeleton. All that is missing is the juicy, meaningful, meaty parts inside.

Okay, let’s start with the backbone; the middle part of the model, indicated by the “VP”.

Value Proposition (VP):

This is what the initiative is bringing, and essentially the expected impact or outcome. Ask yourself, “what is the value I intend to bring?”

Customer Segment (CS):

Who are you impacting? Who are the stakeholders?

Channels (CH):

How are you going to do it? What means?  Brochures?  Presentations?

Customer Relations (CR):

How are you going to appeal to, or influence your customers?

Revenue Streams (R$):

Where are funds coming in from? Most projects need cash.

Key Activities (KA):

What are the key get-rights of your initiatives? What are the meat-and-potato actions?

Key Resources (KR):
What do you need to do it? This can be in the form of people, paper-products, whatever.

Key Partnerships (KP):

Who do you need that is not directly involved? This usually falls along the lines of sponsorship, or permission from authority figures.

Cost Structure (C$):

What is going to burn a hole in your pocket book? Where is the money going?

Okay, so this is a crazy simple breakdown. But I hope I conveyed the basic set-up and what goes into an impact model. If you're feeling really ambitious, try using it for a problem you are working on, or create a hypothetical business or development situation!

The reasons I am attracted to impact models is: one, they give structure to an initiative and ensure you touch upon all bases. Having an outline can be extremely helpful, as it gives you a place to start. It forces you to ask yourself certain questions. Two, since it has an outline, it can be shared among partners and they can easily see what you are trying to achieve.

Sure, there are cautions when using such models. Sometimes, it is easy to get caught up in the whole structure thing and you stress yourself out trying to fit your ideas into generic categories. However, I believe that if you keep in mind it is simply a guideline, this problem can totally be avoided. The pros of impact models far outweigh the challenges of a framework. 

If you have any questions about impact models, just holler!

Later days,

Daniela