Camp- Part II

Day 3 was our chickens and trees day.  In the morning we talked about housing for animals and the the design of the coop that was actually built was introduced.  We got off to a late start this particular morning and then once we arrived at the farm we had to wait for a long while for the carpenter to come with the saw.  I mostly sat around chatting with other volunteers, snapping photos, and holding babies while the students did the work.  The coop wasn’t finished before it was time for us to return to the school for lunch so Sonia will be working with the farmer to complete it later.  The vehicle taking us back to the school wouldn’t start so it had to be given a push to start so most of the students and volunteers pitched in to run and push.  It was quite a sight to see…

After lunch, Sonia did a soap making demonstration with the students which I think they really enjoyed.  During the time we spent outside during this, we noticed some storm clouds approaching.  But thankfully they went to the tree nursery near the school that the NGO Sonia works with has started before the rain came.  During the debrief of the tree nursery visit, they talked about record keeping and then the rain started.  It’s getting toward the end of the rainy season so each time it rains now I keep wondering if it’ll be the last until dry season is over in May.  Six months without rain and you start to miss it big time.  We took a little break because of the rain while the students watched the beginning of Monsters Inc.  Then we did our last session on HIV/AIDS where we showed a few films written by young Africans and announced an upcoming story writing contest to create more films.  The real fun began when Liv started the condom demonstration which in retrospect wasn’t the best to do at the end of the day.  But we made it through and answered some good and some silly questions but it’s always important to give correct information.  We ended with a condom game where the students played hot potato with an inflated condom and popped it once the music stopped to answer a question inside.  I plan to use the game again next month for a program I’m planning with some of my students. 

Our night activity the third day was a talent show and we were really surprised how many kids signed up when we posted the sheet the night before.  Usually only a few people sign up but then at the last minute everyone wants to perform.  We had so many acts that we couldn’t allow additions because of time constraints.  All the volunteers opened the talent show by singing our national anthem.  We achieved goal #2 of Peace Corps: Educate host country nationals (Ghanaians) for us about America.  The acts included singing, storytelling, puzzles (riddles), preaching and dancing. 

Last day!  The camp flew by.  On the last day in the morning, there were sessions on climate change, desertification, and adaption including a cool experiment.  Then we held final sessions on sustainable agriculture and organic maize farming, which included a compost demonstration.  During the morning, farmers from groups that Sonia works with began trickling in for the afternoon session.   Using the three groups, each group was assigned a topic to present to the farmers as the capstone of the camp.  Before and during lunch, the volunteers helped the students prep for their presentations.  The food utilization group taught about nutrition and moringa which is one of the sessions I did so I helped them along with two other volunteers.  During their presentation, Sonia had a student translate from Fra-fra for us so we could hear what the students were telling the farmers.  They did a great job and it was rewarding to see them pass along the information I taught them.  The food availability group was assigned sustainable agriculture as their topic and the food access group talked about animal rearing.  Once we wrapped up with the farmers, we took a group photo of the students and then the students and volunteers.  And then more photos of each volunteer with the students they brought.  My students Linda and Michael did such a great a job during the camp- I’m so proud of them!  During the day, two volunteers Vince and Lauren worked on compiling a slideshow of photos from the camp to show to the students during our closing ceremony.  After our last dinner together of delicious TZ again, we held the closing ceremony where each volunteer gave their students a certificate, candy and a t-shirt (random Dutch shirts not camp shirts).  Then we watched the wonderful slideshow before leaving the students to go hang out back at SWOPA on our last night.  Back at school this week, Michael talked to the form 3s about what he learned at camp and Linda to the form 2s.  Our next step will be to start an agriculture club and begin meeting at least monthly.

I’ll end with two new experiences I had during camp.  On the first night when some volunteers arrived they brought ‘street meat’ as we call it with them….of the dog variety.  Yes Ghanaians eat dog and though I hadn’t tried eating dog and had pretty vowed I wouldn’t I decided why not give it a shot.  And I must say it was better than I thought it would be but I don’t plan on eating a lot of dog mostly on principal.  At the guesthouse, I made friends with two of the women working there who loved saying my name ‘Steph---a-nieee’ (broken up just like that).  On second morning at breakfast one of them had a baby boy Edwin (good name) on her back and I proceeded to make him smile at me instead of cry as babies normally do when they see me.  She handed him to me and the other volunteers decided it was my opportunity to ‘back’ a baby.  With help I strapped him on my back and got the coveted ‘baby on my back’ photo which I will try to post soon.  So in summary I ate dog and backed a baby.