08 Jul Maragoli Madness
We will begin with a moment of mourning for Africa’s chances in the world cup. We cheered, we cried, we hugged, we gasped, we got in the fetal position and we cried a bit more. It was a good run for Ghana and it was byfar the craziest last 20 seconds of a football match I have ever seen.
We arrived in Maragoli with a set of wicker chairs and loveseat to present to our wonderful host Ahuga for his legendary veranda. He lives up to his wonderful reputation with a cheerful smile, generous hospitality, and general awesomeness. The team arrived and we were greated by a drumming procession who escorted us to our new home. We walked and danced through the town and our posse grew as people began to join our procession. Finally we ended with an adorable choir preformance by a local primary school and a warm welcome from our host as well as some village elders and the assisant chief. Everyone on the team was struck by the warmth of our welcome.
Our first few days were spent getting aquianted in the town. All of us OGer’s met with our mentors who we stayed with for 1 or 2 night homestays. We also got to meet our two local participants, Emmanuel and Luke’s, families and see where they live and work.
On Monday the team atended the weekly barrazza or town meeting and that we we went into over drive. The town elders proposed a numbers of projects that are currently ongoing that we could help support. The team was itching to get wroking and so support we did. As I speak the team is in the process of:
1. Digging and building a double long drop toilet to satisfy the requirements for registering a new polytechnic.
2. Contructing a protection system that allows for a small stream to be used as a source of water for the community.
3. Painting and refurbishing the Resource Center, and working with them on a businiess plan to be sustainable. Also Registering local schools so that the students have free use of the resource center library and stocking that library with books from the primary and secondary syllubus.
4. digging the foundation for a set of dorms for a speacial needs school that Luke and Emanual volunteer their time bringing into reality. Also Plastering 2 of the already built classrooms.
Think that sounds like a lot to do in a week? Wait till you hear how we plan to finish it off. 700 people in the community have been invited to a huge Community Appreciation Party to celebrate our collective efforts in development in North Maragoli. We bought a Cow and several motorbikes worth of veggies for the event. we plan to head off in style with a DJ preformances by ocal schools and tons of good grub. The day is all about getting people together and looking forward towards the Millenium Development Goals that this community has set for itself by 2015. We know they can do it and we are having a great time learning and loving life as we do what we can to help.
Highlights: Getting Down and Dirty with Concrete Paint and FOOD. Skinning a goat. Ariel and MJ’s Birthday Bash. Ahuga Going Camping in the Yard. Making a difference.
Cheers Marafiki.
