ICT Lab and Library commissioning



Celebrating success is a key component in Peace Corps and community development as in any difficult activity.  This week we had the long awaited commissioning of the ICT Lab and Library in the Junior High School.

It was a big deal.  District education officials came to the event.  This is only the second time I’ve seen them in the community – the first time being the handover of the new school to the community.  Of course at that time they gave the new school the primary – despite the original plan for a new Junior High and desperate need of the Junior High students and the relative comfort of the primary in their (relatively new) existing facility.  One of the things I will remember of Ghana and development is the quote that they “wanted the Junior High students to continue to suffer greatly so someone would come and build them a new school” when that was exactly what the government had just done.

ICT Lab ready for the celebration

Ribbon to be cut on the library

Two teachers, Mary and Chris, in front of the ICT lab ready for the ribbon cutting

Not to plow old ground, but the effort to transfer the school to the Junior High was difficult and involved.  The most effective thing I did was simply announce that the Peace Corps accepted the community and district decision to give the school to the Primary and that would impact the planned work of the Peace Corps.  All of which I would need to report to Accra.   The decision was changed shortly afterwards and just in time to get the grant money before funding ran out.

I also did not point out the obvious poor quality of the new building – a problem that the locals have told is most likely due to the district taking a cut of the funds.  I’m told the practice is common in most developing countries.  I think that the United States have risen above such gross corruption into a more nuanced approach of campaign contributions and the like.  I remember that a corporation in O’fallon flew the local officials to Ireland for a “good will and fact finding” trip after they agreed to tax concessions on a new building the company wanted.

Anyway, the local officials were grateful for my work and it was nice to hear the positive feedback.  The challenges of getting the project off the ground and their lack of support early on was all forgotten – which is fine and I suppose typically of politicians across the world.
Parents attending the meeting

Local officials commenting on the occasion

Ready to go cut the ribbon and my last picture as I held the ribbon as they cut it.
One thing that the district supervisor seemed particularly proud of was the recent transfer of the new ICT teacher.  The fact that we already had an ICT teacher, me, who was put out of work, was ignored.  I so wanted to mention that PC almost decided not to send a third volunteer as unnecessary because of the transfer (that our headmaster did not want).  As I’m now working on the world map and other murals and teaching introduction to computer programming I think I’ve made the case that a third volunteer should be placed as originally planned.  It is very likely that some of the local teachers (recent high school graduates) will leave and go on to university and one of our teachers is at the forced retirement age so the school might have a very pressing need for teachers next year.

Making progress on coloring the countries on the map


 Sorry, this post should be more positive.  The computer lab and library are very good resources for the school and the community.  I have a few more months to develop the strawman tools and procedures to better leverage the computer lab and library to serve the students and the community.  I hope the third volunteer is posted and can continue the work.

Customary gift to visiting officials.  Two goats in this case.

Customary meeting after a long meeting.  And yes beer comes in 625 ml bottles

ICT projects


As part of this effort I have put Rachel (offline web content from worldpossible.org) on our computers so the students can have access to web content without an internet connection.   While in Accra I was contacted by IBM and a Ghana based NGO called TechAide.  They are working on a “competing” project to Rachel that will eventually have a good bit of Ghana specific content.  It is a good idea.  I think they may be doing more to “reinvent the wheel” than they should, but I don’t understand the whole situation so I’m not sure that impression is true.  I’m also not sure about their business model which I think revolves around selling a wifi solution and twice yearly content updates.

They said that they wanted me to be a beta tester for their new device which would be nice.  Time will tell.

Independence Day for Ghana – March 6


The schools will be marching as part of the celebrations of Independence Day (March 6th).  The students in the area have been practicing for the competition for at least two weeks.  Nandom will hold the celebration today – Sunday March 6th – so that has adjusted how I will attend church – which is to be in the community @ 10 am.  The competition is to start in town @ 6 am African time – which I’m told should allow me to show up at 7.  We have Monday off for the holiday – but we did not shift the activities to my knowledge at this time.

Practice marching

The school is ready for the Independence day celebration 

The joys of dry season gardening


The good news with my kudzu trial is that fence kept out the goats and sheep and the vines were vigorous enough to overcome the grasshoppers and lizards.

The bad news is that the vines were doing so well that they attracted the attention of the roaming cattle and my fence was not much of a deterrent.  

My kudzu was the last thing that was working on my dry season garden project.  The idea was to build up the vines during the dry season so they could get established during the rainy season.  This might have increased nitrogen in the soil, reduced erosion, and used as an animal fodder.  I had high hopes for the vines, but I guess I should have kept them trimmed and under the cow’s radar.  Oh well, another lesson about agricultural change in the Upper West – with a single rainy season and a long hot dry season.

Health


The ENT said that my ears were fine – but I’m still not sure.  I’m going to have the PC doctor check again during the All Volunteer meeting next month.  Nothing else has changed much – my shoulders are better, but not perfect – sinuses are still annoyed with the dust – I’m drinking oral rehydration salt solution to deal with the heat.


Love always,
John

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