The journey is just beginning

I am now at the AIRPORT!! Waiting for the first flight to Istanbul, I can't express how relieved I am that all the cases have gone through with no problems. This is just the beginning of an amazing couple of months making people happy! What is the best way to be happy?? It's to make others happy, there is nothing more rewarding and as you can see in this picture, the luggage has been a struggle but it will all be worth it when I see the beaming smiles on my arrival. That's when I will say it was all so worth it...

It all feels so unreal that 7 months or so ago I was in Ghana and had changed my flight to go back to Larabanga for another week with Madi but now I am going back again. I mean, were does time go?? I think I will probably arrive in Larabanga sometime on the 28th, so it's a long journey!

Now it's 01:20 am in Istanbul, I arrived safely and have come to a hotel for the night, I definitely need a good rest before tomorrow, it's going to be a long day. I feel so strange and a little nervous now as when I think that I am actually going back to Ghana, I realise that I have already spent 5 months there and I think back to how live was. I seemed to fit in quite quickly but it feels like I am going to start from the beginning although I know I'm not. If that even makes sense, sorry!!

Well I will keep you all updated with how everything goes! Thank you again everyone, I mean it :)

Just think about it

5 DAYS until I set off for Ghana, packing 4 suitcases is proving to be a difficult task and I can't even think about how challenging it is going to be to get them to Ghana! Not to mention then getting them to Larabanga. When I arrive in Larabanga it will definitely all be worth it, the looks in their eyes when they see all of the things I have for them, there is all kinds of stuff. All donated by generous individuals, of all ages too! I remember a couple of months back when I was feeling frustrated because I was trying so hard to find support and gather donations but was getting nothing back. But now, it's a completely different story, I cannot believe it, I have felt so overwhelmed these past couple of weeks. From ankle supports to football kits, the things that have been donated are going to help the people of Larabanga in so many ways. The children are going to have so much fun playing football in their new kits thanks to Camille Hayward and SB rangers, Southport. I can't wait to see their faces and take some pictures to send back to the people who have made it happen.

Yesterday I went to Meols Cop High School (my high school) and did a cake sale. I think people really underestimate how much money cake sales can make, me included! During a 15 minute break time, we made £105... How incredible is that!? The First Aid Form challenge was also a huge success! I had to have 5 students help me carry all of the supplies, I can't thank everyone enough. A special thanks goes to Nicky Williams and Clair Benson for organising the sale and the collection of First Aid essentials.

This week I also went back to my Sixth Form, KGV- Southport. I went to talk to students about my experiences and how going overseas after I finished my A-Levels has changed the way I look at life completely. The few students I spoke to were lovely and I can tell they are going to have very bright futures. I also used this as an opportunity to tell them all about the project! Two second year students have even shown an interest in coming to Larabanga to help out and fundraise for us! Right now I am feeling very optimistic about the future for the children, with all of this amazing support, I couldn't be happier.

Just yesterday, I came across a Human Development report from 2007. It is specifically about the West Gonja district of Ghana (the district that Larabanga is situated in). The report is 109 pages long so I haven't been able to read the whole thing but even the small part that I have read, has uncovered some facts. Just think about what you are actually reading because it may just grab your attention and give you the motivation to want to change something.

- The West Gonja district is the 11th poorest out of 110 distrcts in Ghana.
- Infant Mortality rate is estimated at 122. This means that out of 1,000 live births, 122 infants will die before their first birthday.
- The number of people with access to clean water rose from 25% to 90% between 2005/07 with Larabanga being the only exception within the district.

  

Click here to read the full report Full Report

Smiles can lead to laughter

15 days until my journey begins, it feels so near but yet so far. I truly feel like I am embarking on the most meaningful trip of my entire life. I'm only 19 so you probably don't think that's very hard, but there have been some challenging situations that I have had to overcome. Overcoming hardship and tragedy is something I now feel I am quite good at. This is a story, of the real reason why I really am dedicated to taking on the tragedies of these children in Larabanga. Their smiles and laughs are infectious. The looks in their eyes consume all of me.

I remember this moment vividly, I feel that this moment is always with me. Nathalie, a team member of the Larabanga Life Project, wasn't very well when we first arrived in Larabanga so I went with her along with a few guys from Larabanga to the "clinic". Whilst Nathalie was getting help, I took the opportunity to ask questions and find out more about this enchanting community. Mohammed (the guy in this picture), told me more and more about the situation at the compound with Ibrahim. He explained to me that most of the children are orphans. Orphans, being without both parents, this can be because of several reasons. This is the moment when something clicked within me. I was walking behind everyone else, over sand and rocks, and I was thinking in my own little world. My exact thoughts were that I cannot leave this place without giving them hope. I know how difficult it is to lose a parent, maybe this is why I have taken it upon myself to make them feel like they can take on the world. No child deserves to feel alone, in any circumstances.

Today, I went back to my High School. Meols Cop, I went back to do an assembly for some of the students. I told them about my journey with Ghana and I urged them to realise how incredibly lucky they are and that they have all the power in the world to change and make a difference to everything. I spoke to them about how they can help. One teacher from Meols Cop has helped me to set up a First Aid Challenge within the school. Each form has a challenge, a challenge to create a First Aid Kit within their form. As you have hopefully read in my previous posts, when I was in  Larabanga last time, there were situations I was unable to help with because of the lack of resources.
Meols Cop are also holding a cake sale on the 19th November to raise money for the project and I am going back to do another assembly later this week. 

Going back to my High School and seeing how fantastic the school is has made me feel slightly sad. I enjoyed school and I would love to be back but it made me realise how poor the support and education is in Ghana as a whole. Having taught in the North and South, I experienced a variety of different situations. I am so very grateful for the education I received and I want to be able to make the students of today realise how much they are capable of.

I have been completely overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone who has already collected supplies for me to take. It is honestly, more than I ever imagined. Donations of all different kinds of things have been coming in too. Teaching resources etc! I can't wait to finally get there and show them all of the things that I am taking. To see their smiles and feelings of relief when I can tell them that in fact I do have the necessary supplies to assist them is going to make me the happiest person on this Earth. It will all be thanks to you guys! You are all absolute stars. Also, to everyone who has donated financially, this money is going towards getting the supplies over and continuing with the building. Of course, as well as making sure that the children have enough food to go around. One more thing too, I have been thinking about how the diet the children eat is purely carbohydrates. They need fruit and vegetables but as these are hard to come across, how else can they receive nutrients? If anyone can help me or knows someone that can, I would be forever grateful! Contact me


Nathalie has come up with an idea for fundraising, she has created "alternative" gift cards that anyone can buy and give to their loved ones as a gift this Christmas. Well saying that, you don't have to have a reason to give someone a gift! They cost £10 each and some examples are, "Buying a bag of cement", "Feed 22 children for 6 months" and "Mosquito net". These are all very valuable things to the project and would make your loved one feel very good about themselves for helping. See the Facebook page for our full range of gifts LAECFgifts