Our first blog post of Summer 2015 comes to us courtesy of Nancy B Sutter!
Oh what a week it has been! The Kaeme 2015 summer interns have arrived in Ghana! By Monday, June 29th we were all united in Accra for our official first day of what I call our ‘internship adventure’ together. Right away we spent time exploring the Accra art market, the Makola market and getting to know one another over card games. Soon after, we arrived at Stephen Abu’s office (which was also where we stayed/slumbered the first night). It was a surprise (and pretty funny) waking up in the office in our pajamas only to see people in professional attire starting their workday! We all quickly got dressed! Later that day, we met Pat and Rita who would be accompanying us on the entirety of the trip and working with us at the orphanages. We began to discuss details of the trip as well as the customs, the orphanages – including the “profiling process.” The excitement and energy about being in Ghana and getting out in the field was evident in each of us.
There are six orphanages that we will be focusing on over the next seven weeks. We will be working in the Ashanti region of Ghana and staying in Kumasi while doing so. On Tuesday, June 30th, we were bussed out to Kumasi where we got the true “VIP bus experience”. This six-hour bus ride flew by due to our luxurious bus seats. Who knew we would be traveling so well in Ghana?! But you did have to pay to use the bathroom… Upon arriving in Kumasi, our hotel plans hit a speed bump. Our reservations had been given away! Our newly formed team was patient and open-minded as we set out for another new destination. After being initiated to Ghana by sleeping in Stephen Abu’s office the first night, we all adjusted quickly to creative accommodations.
The Senator Hotel (our new hotel) has turned out to be all right! We have “wifi and AC” and that is what we, as a team, determined were the basic requirements! Those requirements may change with time but for now, we are all good. Granted the power comes on and off and the wifi is at best spotty, but we just acclimate, accept and go with the flow!
In our first week here, we were very fortunate to be able to celebrate a Ghanaian holiday! July 1,1960 was when the British no longer signed any laws for Ghana and it is celebrated as “Republic Day”. That historical milestone is now a holiday and Ghanaians take the day off from work. Our team (11 of us) went to Bosomtwi Lake to participate in the celebration. This lake is gorgeous – very green and lushness all around! The lake spot was filled with a huge party – music, food, dancing and swimming. We eventually took a boat ride and it was even more beautiful on the water. Some of us even went swimming (but only if we had the proper swim attire). Ghanaians are a very modest culture so no two-piece bathing suits were allowed! We all had great fun!!
On Thursday, July 2 we headed to the Department of Social Welfare in Kumasi. Benjamin Otoo, Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare in Kumasi of the Ashanti region, was the person we went to meet. He was to provide us with legal documents (in the form of letters which we needed to show the orphanages where we would be working) as well as provide us with someone to escort us. Sadly, something came up and Benjamin Otoo was not able to meet with us Thursday. So for the rest of Thursday, we explored the maze of the Kumasi market (where it was easy to get lost) and on Friday we went back out to meet with Benjamin Otoo.
We are all curious and excited to get to work. Our meeting today, Friday, July 3 (which is when I am writing this) at the Department of Social Welfare solidified the importance and purpose of our trip. Ghana has more challenging work than they can keep up with. And the work of the Kaeme Foundation is (what they refer to as) their “angel”. The Kaeme mission is about giving from the heart with the hope that every child can be a member of a loving home. The Ghanaians we are working with appreciate this mission immensely as do all of us on the trip.
What strikes me is how much everyone on this summer journey wants to give back. I personally have never been with a group of people want to so work hard and give back so much. Our team looks forward to the workweek even more than the weekends – at least so far.
I am the only intern on the team who has not stepped foot on the continent of Africa before. It is a thrill for me and is already full of huge learning and very new experiences every step of the way. I am grateful to be traveling, working and getting to know this great group of people who will soon be some of my closest friends with memories that will impact our lives in all sorts of ways I think!
Thank you to everyone who enabled me to get here! We miss you all but are having a great trip so far! The adventure continues! Onto week #2!
With gratitude, Nancy B Sutter