BooksMatter

Since I started putting my all into the Larabanga Life Project, I always said that great things would happen and so many great things have, the support from people all over the world has been really overwhelming. I have very special people to thank, those who have believed in the project and that have helped me to achieve what I set out to achieve. It has now been around 1 year and a half since I first went to Larabanga, non the wiser about how it would shape my life until now and the Larabanga Life Project is going to be a very big part of my future also. I have an amazing development to tell you about...
I'm very excited to announce that after being contacted via this blog by Keith Goddard, we have had fantastic news for Larabanga Primary School. After a couple of months of sending emails back and forth, there are now almost 1,000 books on their way to Ghana, for Ibrahim to collect and transport to Larabanga. Keith runs a non-profit organisation that donates books to schools and libraries in Ghana. They sort through every book they receive before they pack them to make sure they are suitable for the destined school. They are then scanned into a data base, each school has their own data base so that they know exactly which books they have got to use and enjoy- this is through their connection with LibraryThing. Check out BooksMatter's website here: https://www.booksmatter.org/home.html
- There is lots of information about what they do, the book situation in Ghana and their successes so far.

One classroom at Larabanga Primary School

The benefits of these books are going to be priceless. I remember the moment I received the message from Keith via the contact form. I was sat at my dining table here in China, just checking emails and then I saw it. I was absolutely over the moon. It was one of those moments when you think to yourself... "Wow, I really am doing this." When the books arrive at the school, I can't begin to imagine how excited the children will be, I only wish I could be there to see their faces.
Something I also wanted to mention was that, Nathalie has organised a fundraising event on the 1st August to be held in Reading. There will be live music from Elasea, check them out here: http://youtu.be/l2U64nO5zU8
We hope that it is going to be very successful, I will be there with Nathalie and Huw to talk and answer any questions and most importantly to inspire all of our guests to share our dreams for Larabanga.

First Aid & a Toilet

I’ve now been here for a couple of weeks, everything is in full swing. Getting to know all of the children again is lovely, each one of them has a completely different personality and they all deserve the very best out of life. 

On a completely unrelated note, I’ve never heard so much Westlife being played… It seems crazy to say that Westlife is so popular in Ghana hahaha! I wonder how it began? 

This is one story that the First Aid supplies have helped… Fatahia is 16 years old. She attends Mole Junior High School, the distance from Larabanga is verrry far and she walks there and back every day in the scorching heat. It wasn’t that she came to me with her injury like most of the others but I was walking through the village to see somebody and I caught a glimpse of her knee. Her skin had been completely ripped off and she just had some cloth to cover it. I asked what happened and she told me that whilst she was walking to school, a motorbike had hit her and the driver didn’t even stop to apologise or

help. She visited the CHPS and she found out that her health insurance had expired which meant she had to pay 10 cedis for it to be dressed each time. This is a lot of money, money she doesn’t have so I told her I would come back. Just by looking at it I knew that it was becoming infected, yellow gunk had covered it. When I went back, as I was cleaning it I could see something black embedded in the wound. I put some drawing paste on and covered it so the next day it had come further out and I was able to retrieve it. It was a piece of metal from the motorbike. I have been going to dress the wounds every day and it is getting better. I also gave her, her own first aid kit and explained to her how to use everything so she can ensure if something happens again, it will be clean and infection free! I was able to do this because of the generosity of lots of people :)

 I have also been giving out First Aid kits to families within the community and explaining how and when they should be used, I think raising awareness of how simple First Aid can prevent infections is definitely worthwile! I remember when I was packing all of the supplies, thinking of how hard it was going to be to get them all here but now I have done it, it's incredible to see the positive affects on peoples lives because of something so simple and readily available to us.

 

So now, the toilet/handwashing facility that has been built. I am so so happy about this, as I hope you all are too as this is how the donations have been spent, to improve sanitation. It is giving the children somewhere private to use the toilet and to wash their hands. Usually they just go anywhere which for one isn't good for the environment and also them, its not hygenic so this facility is fantastic! It has been  lovely to see lots of people from the community coming to help and to see what's going on. It has been painted and tomorrow, the children are going to print their hands on the walls, to put their mark on it. 

With regards to the football kits that were kindly donated, I received a gift one evening, from the football team, they had organised between them to bring me 6 yams from the farm. But of course if I could, I would bring them back and give them to the football teams that donated the kits! That just shows they really do appreciate it! I will upload the pictures of the teams in the kits when I can, it has taken hours to upload these ones haha, they're worth the wait though. 

 

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

One month countdown

I only have a month now until I take the trip back to Ghana. Manchester to Istanbul then to Ghana, that leg of the journey is going to take 27 hours... Then once I arrive in Accra, Ghana. I have to take a 15 hour bus ride up to Tamale and then another 4 hours to Damongo. Finally I will be very close to Larabanga! It's definitely a good job that I enjoy travelling because its going to be one hell of a journey. One I am more than prepared to take to be able to help the community further. They've all taken me on the most precious journey of my life so far, and for that I will be eternally grateful.

The Kickstarter project is still active for another 20 days, this isn't going as well as I hoped but I am not giving up. I am contacting as many people as possible, radio stations, online magazines... the list goes on. I intend to still create a small film of life in Larabanga, even if it doesn't get funded. I believe that to fully appreciate what life is like and to be fully aware of what we aim to achieve you need to have an insight. An insight can be anything of course, from word of mouth or pictures but what does that truly mean to you?

I mean, a video is more, it shows life, the movement and the memories that create happiness. The film is not going to be a "production"- for one that would be completely out of my capacity as I have not done anythng like this before but most importantly, that wouldn't reveal the true nature. I am literally going to speak to members of the community about their life and capture raw, spontaneous moments on camera. The outcome is completely unknown to me, I will film the footage and put it together when I am home. Then it will be ready for the world to see.

Over the past few days I have been figuring out what I have to take to Larabanga and what I still need. The top of my list is First Aid supplies, so from gauzes to sudocream (the master of burns). There was a case whilst I was in Larabanga last time... A woman came to me with her daughter who was no more than 6, she had spilt a boiling pot of water over her back. Her skin was clearly burnt, but I have limited medical experience and knowledge so I was unable to give any help, except I advised her mother to keep her skin covered as of course you can work out that Ghana is a very hot country and heat and burns do not mix very well. If I had access to something like sudocream at that moment, I could have at least saved that childs pain. This is the beautiful little girl, she didn't even have a t-shirt on to cover her back.

When I am in Larabanga, I teach the children that are unable to attend school, mainly the orphaned children that Ibrahim takes care of. Also teach a wider group of children in the evening, this is extremely tricky because of the lack of lighting and space in general. Of course, teaching resources are limited to zero, so I have come up with a few ideas to help me when I go back.

1) White boards, I don't mean huge ones that you see in a classroom in the UK, but smaller ones. This way I can show the children whilst teaching and without having to take lots of paper which is of course heavier too. This will help them to become more involved in their own learning. There is nothing worse than being in a "lecture" type of lesson, especially for the younger students who are always in large groups.
2) I have found some educational English books, for varied ages. The type of books were the learner can write or "fill in" the book. Of course these are great when you are sat at home with one child but that is obviously not practical for my mission. So, I have photocopied several pages that I think are going to be the most useful and laminated them. Using drywipe pens, the children can write on them but then it will come off so another child can also benefit from it. Bringing fun to the lessons too!!

More support!!!

The gym that I go to is helping me to raise funds to take the supplies needed over to Larabanga. The gym is called Ainsdale Health and Fitness. It is terrific to know that local people are willing to help me.

The high school I attended, Meols Cop, Southport are giving me the opportunity to go back and speak to the students in assembly time about the project, my journey and what they can do to help. I hope to also inspire the students to jump at opportunities that are brought to their attention. I wouldn't be writing this blog now if I had organised a place to stay that night in Northern Ghana... I am so glad that I didn't and took a risk!

Now... Ebola.
This is a topic I can't ignore. Telling people that I am going to West Africa, I have had mixed responses, may people telling me I am completely stupid and deluded. My response to them is that they obviously haven't done their research, Ghana has no confirmed cases of Ebola. I'm not stupid, of course I know that I am putting myself at risk if there is to be an outbreak in Ghana but I believe that Ghana are looking on the horrific situations in other West African countries and are learning from their mistakes. Prevention is the best protection, no doubt. I spend time each day searching for news articles about the outbreak, to see if anything has happened in Ghana and up to now, it has been good news. I am hoping more than anything that it stays a safe place for me to travel to. I NEED to see these faces again...