GHANA TOGETHER UPDATE
Thanks to the ever-faithful Evans Arloo, Western Heritage
Home’s on-the-ground guy in Axim, we have good current info on what’s happening
with our students and the library project.
In general, yes, Covid-19 is affecting everything they do
although, as we reported in our annual end-of-the-year update letter, they are
coping. Some think their ongoing experience with HIV-AIDS, ebola, malaria, and
tropical diseases in general has helped them adapt preventively. There have
been reports that their experience has been less severe than northern
countries, such as Europe, Canada, US, etc., perhaps in part because their
climate allows people to spend most of their time outdoors rather than in crowded
indoor spaces. We are sure science research on the variations world-wide of the
coronavirus experience will continue for a long time!
Ghana was the first nation to receive the World Health
Organization’s COVAX vaccines---some 600,000 doses. They are reporting more are
on the way, and their goal is to have everyone vaccinated who wants to be by
end of October, 2021.
But meanwhile, Western Heritage Home persists and we are
grateful.
As of Arloo’s report from March 9, 2021, our university-level WHH scholars are attending classes, divided between online and in-person sessions, thanks to Covid-19.
We were able to provide good-quality android-type
phones for each of them. Some of their work at the university can be done in
computer labs, and sometimes they have wifi access with their laptops in their
living quarters. But they don’t always have wifi access, or it’s intermittent
because of “dumsor”, as they call it---electricity going on and off pretty much
randomly which screws up the servers, etc. So, with good-quality phones, they
can do their assignments pretty much no matter what! We have to admire their
persistence!
--Emmanuella is in her 2nd year in Special
Education at Winneba University. Gifty is in her 2nd year of her BA
in Social Studies Education, also at Winneba, preparing for a teaching career.
--Ernestina and Peter are in their 2nd year in
Computer Technology. George and Larmin are in 2nd year of Welding
and Fabrication Engineering. All four at Takoradi University.
--Fredrick has finished his electrical engineering training
at CDVTI and doing an apprenticeship at a hotel in Ankobra. He is waiting for
his exam results to actually graduate. Godwin is learning plumbing at
CDVTI---such a needed skill in Ghana!
--Ben is in JHS 2 at Manye Academy and Gladys is in JHS 1.
--Our graduate nurses---Dorothy, Charlotte, and
Philomena---are making the transition to self-sufficiency (we are PROUD!).
Dorothy is working for the Ghana Health Service as a “permanent nurse.” Charlotte
and Philo are working for an American “NGO” (non-profit), together with the
Ghana Health Service, on a program to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.
--And, finally (!), our twenty-two scholarship students at
Apewosika Village School and eight at rural Maako Future Leaders Primary are
all attending in-person. Whew!
And, we are so happy to report that work on the NEW LIBRARY is going well!
Talk about persistence!!! Arloo reports that so far so good. The work in progress at the library project is ongoing. The project has reached a stage for which the following has been done after the roofing was completed:
--Electrical and Internet networking conduit PVC wall
pipes laying complete.
--Inside and outside plastering completed.
The remaining work includes:
--New water service to be constructed by the Ghana Water
Company Limited which has been paid for and for the completion by the company;
--Electrical cable laying and ECG power;
--Internet Data cable laying for internet access and E
library;
--Ceiling work;
--Floor and Washrooms Tiling;
--Basement block, staircase for disabled persons, wall
block work and plastering;
--Library compound work;
--Finally painting and stuffing of furniture, computers
and books (I think his use of the word “stuffing” is a little different from
ours---probably means “setting up” or something similar! J )
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| Photos of new Axim Public Library building, as of March 9, 2021 |
Oh, we give so much thanks to so many, starting with our Ghanaian associates who never seem to lose heart no matter what! And the hearts of our American friends are in the right place, too. Thank you to all who have been supportive in one way or another---from the energy of the WHH Scholars to persist in their studies, the dedication of James Kainyiah and Evans Arloo in their leadership/management roles, the support of the 40 or so "elders" in Axim who belong to the informal "CodeLibrary" whatsapp group and do their best to support efforts, to the Methodist Church which donated land and continues to be supportive, and to so many American friends who have stayed faithful, and to the Ghana Cedi/US dollar exchange rate which has been in our favor! Thank you for large and small things!
Take care of yourselves and each other, all of you!
