Tasha's Page
Ghana was amazing
because of all its natural beauty and friendly people that live
there. Meeting the Ghanaians there really was what made my trip an
indescribable experience that changed my life for the better. Our
tour guide Kofi and his student Henry were wonderful for sharing their
culture with our group, by teaching and showing us different places in
Ghana. There were times where I was homesick or felt like I was
exploiting the Ghanaian people we visited, but in the bigger picture
the trip really made me think about my life and how there are so many
things that we hold for granted. Things like easy access to the
internet in your rooms, all the books in libraries and in the U.S.,
roads, bathrooms, schooling, health, etc. The smaller things that we
don't really think about in our society, you will learn to appreciate
when you go and visit a developing country. This trip also helped me
WANT to make a difference to help the Ghanaian people on the street.
We as a country have so much extra to give, but we only give out a
little help to starving countries that want to learn in schools but
can't afford it, or receive medical treatment but cannot afford to,
etc. When Ghanaian children touch your arm and beg for gifts, money
or food. how could you turn them away? When you say, I don't have
anything to give to you? doesn't your eyes melt with tears and your
heart break in two? Of course it does, but this kind of experience is
indescribable. What I can say is that going to Africa was the best
gift that anyone can do for someone because it MAKES YOU want to help
these people, it MAKES YOU care for others, it MAKES YOU feel like you
can make a different, or want to make a difference for the better of
mankind. What other experience could be so touching that it changes
or questions your life, your country, or your morals?
My favorite experience on this trip
was when I went to Ho in the Volta region and did a home stay with a
Ghanaian family. My family gave my friend and me the opportunity to
go to a pre-school. We learned that this school is named Divine
Academy, that was built within a pastor's house that he himself opened
it up, for the sake of the children in this village. The pastor said
that it costs $8 American dollars to send one of these children to one
term of school. We saw a house with a classroom for the older
children to attend outside, one main room for gatherings and a water
storage thing in the front of the house for kids to play on. The
school in general has very few toys, pencils, pens, books, etc to
study with when our kids in America throw crayons and paper away just
because they made a mistake or the crayon broke. One time at a fast
food joint, could pay one Ghanaian child's school term that many
Ghanaian families can't even afford for their own children. This is
how my friend and I are going to START and make a difference. The
kind pastor and his wife said they would like six classrooms to be
built and some extra money for pencils, pens, books, paper and toys.
They came up with the number of 30 million Cedis, which in dollars it
would be around $300 dollars a classroom and about 3,000 dollars for
everything. Three hundred dollars is not very much money especially
when we are talking about it coming from one of the wealthiest nations
in the world. Imagine a world where the children want to learn but
don't have the money for it. How can they be a doctor, lawyer,
politician, etc? All this potential in these children are being lost
and we are sitting here doing nothing about it. Here is your chance.
Please help my friend and I save some money up for Divine Academy.
Whether it is a dollar or 50 cents, you would be contributing to
Ghanaian children being able to go to a school where they are not
playing on water pipes, or fighting for pencils. Help us to make a
difference for these children, for the better. Remember, one American
dollar is about 1000 Cedis.
Tasha O'Brien
201 College Avenue
Ashland, Va 23005
tobrien@rmc.edu
David Gilmore
dgilmore@rmc.edu