Synchronising Energy for "Girl Child" activities

I was very keen to get together agencies / Non-Governmental Organisations that I'd encountered that are active in "Girl-Child" activities in West Mamprusi District. There is a real need for NGOs and the Ghana Education Service (GES)  to work together more closely. Today we held the workshop  to co-ordinate these activities, and the four blog entries below show some pictures from the event.

Synchronising Energy - preparation for the NGO workshop

On my knees! Preparing the master plan.

These are the NGOs/projects that we were targetting.

Here is Diana, our nextdoor neighbour arriving with a special ghanaian meal of TZ and dried fish soup for us to try.

Fati in her pinny. ( The one I wore for Anna's 1950s funfair 21st birthday party)

Damien is the Regional Gender Support Officer with VSO. He is based with us in Walewale about 40% of his time. He and I were co- facilitating the workshop. Note the puddle from the recent rains.

So, off we set on our bikes.

Here we are passing the house opposite inhabited by about 20 Cote d'Ivoire blokes who are digging the trenches for the vodafone cable which will go all the way from Accra to Bolgatnga. They are always very noisy loading up thier trucks with huge reels of cable at 5.30 am.

At Zasilari, a nearby Agricultural NGO which has a nice building. All prepared and awaiting the participants.

Ready for action!

Synchronising Energy - morning of the workshop

After Damien had led the Introductions and Expectations section, I explained the relevance of the Synergy poster and the importance of working together to achieve more.

The District Director  of Education "Cambodia" officially opened the workshop and gave it his full support.

The hopes and expectations for the day were captured.

The groups worked together to write their activiies on post it notes and place them on the timeline.

Damien talks something through with Sirina the Pre-school Advisor at the GES.

Particiants were keen to get involved and see what other NGOs were working on.

Synchronising Energy - afternoon of the workshop

Miftaw from RAINS(Regional Advisory Information and Network Systems)  was the first to talk us through his plan for the next six months.

Mohammed Jabah from CAMFED ( Campaign for Female Education) explained their priorities. He had been part of the team who came with me, GES and World Vision to train SMC/ PTAs last month.

Edward from the CFRHP (Catholic Family Reproductive Health Programme) was next to speak. Participants were learning lots of new information from each speaker.

Michael from World Vision was standing in for the Programme Director Andy who had to meet US delegates about the Bawku conflict in the North of Ghana. Andy had given me the Synergy title and was enormously enthusiastic about planning and working together with other organisations.

Jonathan from ISODEC (Integrated Social Development Centre) is one of the lead implementers in the Comic Relief funded TENI project.

Eric, VSO TENI ( Tackling Educational Needs Inclusively) coordinator encourages participants to find a way forward.

Synchronising Energy - conclusion

We were pretty much on time as the day drew to a close. One amazing thing had been that all nine of the GES staff had arrived before the 10am start time! Many of the other folk were late but, due to the new agreed Values at the GES, our guys set a really good example. 

It was left to me to do the review of Hopes and Expectations after Eric had finished the Next Steps section.

Then of course the final Evaluation, which I am glad to say was very positive. I do hope that people get together again regularly to share good practice and ideas after I am gone.

All in all a good and inclusive day with masses of SYNERGY! 

OVERSEAS 1 - "Voluntary Service - Overseas at last"

I have just got back from a fascinating and eye opening trip to a remote area of West Mamprusi District called "Overseas.” It is so named because it is cut off during the rainy season (May to September) due to the numerous rivers crossing the land. There have recently been a couple of bridges constructed, but it is basically a very isolated area and teachers do not want to go there because life is hard.

I have blogged 13 (mostly short) entries about the trip - you may have to use the 'Older posts' link bottom right to see them all.

Many children had never seen a white person before and I caused a real stir everywhere we stopped. I began to perfect my royal wave.

Our trip lasted a whole week and was a joint venture between WorldVision and the Ghana Education Service. Our mission was to educate the School Management Committees (Governors) and Parent Teacher Associations as to their roles and responsibilities. Radically, I suggested we include some group work and each afternoon we split the attendees into school groups and got them to make a draft SPIP - School Performance Improvement Plan. This was a huge step forward as most of the committees had just been formed for the purpose of attending the training and had absolutely no idea what they were there for.

Group work.

Here I am trying to be helpful. There was always at least one english speaker in each group and he then translated for the rest.

OVERSEAS 2 - The Team

There were six of us in the team which was quite cosy in the car with four of us in the back. However the roads were so bad that sometimes it was an advantage to be wedged in a bit to stop one from flying off the seat.

Augustine, Ramatu, Kwame,Charlotte, Mohammed

Ramatu, Kwame,Sammy(our driver), Charlotte and Mohammed

Preparing for the workshop.

OVERSEAS 3 - The Environment

The villages are quite isolated with cattle herders roaming between the settlements. These are the Fulani people who live in round houses made of reeds and corral their cattle in pens made of sticks. The main language spoken is Mampruli but also Bulli ,so on the first day I had to have two interpreters which was an interesting experience.

Some ladies at the market.

The roads are in a terrible state. View through car windscreen.

The school field.

Ghanaians are terrible about dropping litter and there is rubbish and plastic bags thrown everywhere.

A herd of cattle crossing the football pitch.