Small-small victories

At this point of my service, small victories are still very important. If you picture me building an entire school for a community with my bear hands, or digging wells with just a shovel, think again. Because my main purpose here is to build people's capacity instead of deciding what they need and then do it all by myself (which is a common mistake of a lot of development workers). As our program director once said during our training: "You are here not to bring things. You are here to bring knowledge."

So, the most important success story (or a small-small victory) so far is that I continue to live in my village, get to know local people, live like them and at the same time, explore Western Region and Ghana on a shoe-string budget and rely on self-sufficiency, kindness of strangers, divine providence and good weather.

So, some highlights of my current life in Ghana include:

Carrying plywood on my head through the jungle for 1.5km one way for a church’s roof.

Visiting local women and learn how to make groundnut paste, toffie (candy) and sobolo.

Planting pepe (pepper), plantains and rice with fellow farmers. And running through the bush to take cover from unexpected downpour!

Managing to change tros at Kejetia Station without getting lost (Kejetia is perhaps the most vast and confusing market and bus terminal in Kumasi and probably in Ghana).

Walking from my village to the junction (instead of taking a bush taxi). This simple routine of mine often prompts many conversations about why I do that. Sometimes I refer to exercise, saving money for ice-cream, enjoying the outdoors, and saving time by walking instead waiting for a taxi to fill to the brim (a common practice here).

Foraging in the forest for palm oil mushrooms, pears (avocados) and oranges. Instead of going to giant grocery stores, I simply take a walk outside my cottage and see what I can find (for free!).