Archive for December, 2009

Shifra’s Journal – December 15, 2009

Friday, December 18th, 2009


There are no signs leading to Airfield Community. From the main road you would not know that anyone live in the bush. An airport was planned for the area, but will probably never be built. Land was available and 400 people settled in the area. They came from the coast, from the north or escaped Togo, in search for farming land. They have small farms, mostly for the family consumption.

 

 

Last Sunday we went to visit the homes of the people of the Airfield Community. I got on the back of Eric’s motorcycle, riding in the "bush", following narrow paths through cassava and corn fields. We stopped at ten family compounds. Each compound had about seven mud homes with straw roofs.

I walked into the “homes”: Clutter of wood, boxes, baskets, dry corn and cassava, and not much inside. Adults were separating the corn kernels from the cob, removing the stem from the chili peppers, removing the beans from the pods. It was special to meet the kids at their homes with their families. They were shy. They call me “Madam Benny”. I found out that Eric, 11, the brightest child in school, live with his grandparents. His parents and the rest of the family are in another village. Lizzy, 12, in torn clothes live with her mother and younger sister. Lizzy asked me for a school bag. With Judy’s donation we are getting seven school bags. Beautiful babies and toddlers, future students at the new school.

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From Benny’s journal December 15, 2009

Friday, December 18th, 2009


Here came Monday and the saga continued. It looks like nothing can change the poor-man mentality that cannot see farther than the edge of their noses and only a few showed up to work at 8:00AM. My “Contractor" surprised me again with alterations to the building plan and changes to the duration of some of the processes that extended my schedule by a few weeks.

OK, if this is the case and we need to catch up, why can’t the community work on Saturdays? So, I received another lesson in Ghana‘s culture. “On Saturdays we go to funerals “.

I am trying to accept the reality and l leave to the higher powers the fate of this school. We all understand that as soon as the rain starts, usually in mid-January, the construction will slow down as the farmers return to their fields.

If work continues at this pace we will start the floor concrete casting in mid January and hopefully will start the roof sometime in the first half of February. We just extended our visas to three more months, they expire March 14th.

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Happy Hanukkah to Our Friends and Family Around the World.

Friday, December 18th, 2009


Happy Hanukkah to Our Friends and Family Around the World.

The Maccabees did it with strong will, courage and a miracle. We have the will and the courage but we need a miracle too, so that the construction will be completed by the end of March.

Building the Airfield School – update from Shifra Raz 12/5/09

Sunday, December 6th, 2009

Friday was a national holiday, "Farmer’s Day". Farmers compete for the best crops, livestock, fishery, and can win tractor, bike or farming equipment. In 1997 Bishop Forson won first place in his district for his Timber (teak wood) and Palm Oil Farms.

Due to the holiday, work was not scheduled for Airfield Community, but they all decided to work anyway. I counted 40 community workers. Foundation blocks were already cemented in the trenches. Women running back and forth, large cement blocks on their heads. "blocks", "mortar", shouting form the site and the women ran to deliver the goods.

75 years old Kofi Gamo does not have kids in school and his grandkids graduated years ago, but he is the first one in the morning and the last to leave. He does not walk, he runs. He does not stop to rest and is a great inspiration for all of us. He is also the leader of his church.

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About Pagus:Africa

Our mission is to strengthen poor rural communities through targeted projects in education, health and poverty reduction. We believe the most effective ways to facilitate long term sustainable change is through education of children and through working with adults to build self reliance and sources for sustainable income. We seek to empower communities to improve their schools, water sources and health conditions.

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