I'm back,

Thank you for your sponsorship. I am in awe with the work and impact Afrikids have in their local community.

I chose to go on this trip as I was searching for something different, to support a lasting memory, for a pending big birthday. Afrikids Experience Challenge certainly did not disappoint

The Experience

I was matched with Justice Dagben whom was a very well respected man in the Nangobi community. He was a local councillor together with holding a senior teaching post at a senior school (ages 15 – 21).

On arrival Justice and his family helped me settle in and gave me the option of my own room. The Dagben household was a series of mud huts with tin roofs, a small central courtyard and I had access to a toilet in a neighbouring household. The courtyard was where the family thrived as all activity took place in this area: cooking, work preparation (the young girls would prepare the selling of water and crafts at a local market after school), bathing, down time and tending to the animals (guinea fowl, chickens, dogs and a goat all shared the same communal courtyard). It was great. Whilst primitive the house functioned superbly and it was a delight to stay there. The weather reached 45+ degrees and I chose to sleep outside with the family inclusive of the animals. I loved it! I was thankful of my mosquito net though!

Justice, on the first day, took me on a sightseeing tour around Nangobi on the back of his motorbike. I was introduced to many members of his community all of whom were excited to greet me. We were having such a good hoot we didn’t realise the time and got back quite late. It was dark and travelling on the Nangobi roads with the red dust from the roads soaking the visibility was interesting. I am used to motorbikes as I used to ride one myself and I could tell Justice was a good driver. We continued as I was happy to carry on. We drove past some areas where the community made charcoal. It was an amazing sight to see the orange burning embers and to smell the oaky smell.

The next day I had the grand introduction to the chief of the community whom dressed in his smart African dress for the occasion. I was truly honoured. Then on to Nangobi senior school to meet the headmaster and to spend time with the athletic team. My local running club had sponsored x 15 harrier vests and we engaged in a very fun running drill activity. It was only 10am and already too hot for me – I took the easy option and gave out the instructions. After the running we all sat under a tree where I shared experiences of the area I live together with some chatting through of photographs of my family and local scenery. After this chillaxed interlude we then had a session about muscles in the legs with diagrams and discussion around their names and function when running or playing sport. The mature students were very engaging.

Later that day Justice took me back to his home for a rest and I helped the ladies prepare dinner. Preparation and cooking for dinner can take around 3 hours as everything is made fresh and cooked on a very small charcoal fire – we all know how long it can take the BBQ at home to heat up – imagine this when you need to prepare for many people! Whilst waiting for the water to boil etc I played with the younger children. Tiddlywinks went down a treat – teaching the littlies how to say it was a laugh and a half!

Amazingly Justice had a 2 year old daughter, also called Michaela, and I spent some time reading a story to her about a crocodile (who was friendly!) together with a crocodile hand puppet. Another coincidence was that Crocodiles are highly respected in nearby Paga.

After our host stay, Raymond took us to meet some Afrikids projects: Mama Ladi whom runs a local foster home, the local health centre and maternity home, a unit for disabled children whom not only stimulate children’s disabled lives but have been extremely successful at educating communities about these conditions. This has addressed the killing of children whom were seen to be a ‘spirit child’. This project has been so successful there are now no reported deaths in the region of this nature.

Post trip

Ghana and more so Bolgatanga is an amazing place. There is severe poverty in the area, no running water and harsh lives to live. Despite this the people who live within it are happy, have great values and have enterprising minds. Out of choice I would not radically change what these people have (to some, living in a mud hut would seem idyllic). They live a lovely ‘free range’ life which I found very soothing. If only they had a ‘living wage’, running water and a funded health system! Easier said than done! I am very proud of Bolgatanga and its local communities and am humbled and blessed to have been such a welcome guest! It’s a special place in our world.

Thank you and god bless xx

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