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

The fears that shape a future

31/12/13

Well, what an incredible end to 2013 this is. Staying in Larabanga was the best decision I have ever made.

A short extract from my actual journal from when I was in Larabanga, I want to share as much of it as possible to make everyone fall in love the way I did and to inspire people to make a change. This kind of situation reminds me of a piece of artwork I got on a recent trip to Amsterdam, so how many humans are there on their in this world? Around 7 billion? Imagine the power behind those 7 billion minds? We need to join together to make a life changing impact on other people’s lives.

Humanity... This is humans as a collective, so why aren’t we? We were all made for a reason and whatever that reason may be, you can do something with that in order to create a brighter future.

My second visit to Larabanga became a more purposeful one, I had to find out as much as I possibly could about these precious ones. I remember walking around the village to talk to all of the orphaned children who were staying with people who could have them, basically. Everything I heard, every pair of eyes I looked into unravelled more pain and tragedy. This task was essential, it hit home, why I was there.

Here are some more extracts from my journal, they are a longer but I feel they are the most effective way of expressing my experiences.

29/12/13

It was adorable last night, before they went to sleep, me and Mohammed got them to say the alphabet and do simple sums, when they got it right their faces beamed! It’s the simple things in life.

31/12/13

Yesterday, the word had got around that I have been doing first aid for a lot of people in the community, from tiny babies to old women. When the lady came to me yesterday and shown me her breast, I was taken back. There was a hole in the side of it that had gunk coming out of it. I never thought that I would be performing medical treatments on people when I set out on my adventures for the Christmas holidays. But I am here and I feel that I am doing everything I should be doing.

I nearly cried the first time I treated the baby’s head, I could basically see her scalp and there was green puss and her hair was getting stuck in it, so you can imagine how painful it must have been for the poor little girl, she screamed so much. When I turned up at her compound, she was very surprised to see me but soon I had treated over 20 wounds, the flies get on each and every wound so imagine how much infection must be in each and every one. It is crazy to think of what I am actually doing, I have just said to Madi… “How on earth do you put an experience like this onto paper?”

The Larabanga Life Project has a touching musician writing a song for us, Mynah Marie. Having influential people supporting us gives the most important people a louder voice. This song will be a part of our Kick Starter campaign.  https://www.facebook.com/mynah.solo?fref=ts

We are working hard to make sure everything is perfect for the campaign, the opportunities this could bring to such inspiring lives is worth every minute. When I tell them that I’m not going to arrive in Larabanga as a glimmer of hope, but their future, that will be the most accomplishing moment of my life. The help of others is vital.

I came across a documentary whilst researching, called Moving On, it was created by a couple who have a passion to change the world and who are doing just that. Definitely check it out, finding out about other people around the world who are doing such things is an incredible inspiration to me. 

http://www.lightgivesheat.org/