Meet the Team! (Laahbaltirba!)

By Daisy Lea Perry, Charlotte Price, and Issaka Amadu Atusi

Many people around the world want to see a change, and a fairer world. It's a wonderful thing when a group of these people come together. NFED echoes these values and we all feel so privileged to be partnered with them through our International Citizen Service programme in Tolon, Northern Ghana. The Non-Formal Education Division (NFED) based here in Tolon focuses on providing functional literacy and skills development programmes for the rural communities for a period between 18 and 21months. Our cohort seeks to support our seven Income Generating Groups (IGG’s) across six communities; Kangbagu, Dimabi Yepala, Yoggu, Wayamba, Dundo and Tolon to form cooperatives. The aim is to provide sustainable income generating source to these communities and ensure they have a more regular and stable supply of income.

Congratulations on finding yourself visiting our ICS blog, we'll continue to keep you updated bi-weekly on our team and project and how it's all going so be sure to pop in regularly! We are cohort 4 within our team, we have had a variety of people travel from across the UK and Ghana willing to work together to help these income generating groups have a sustainable income source with our diverse expertise in various fields.


“Siliminga (foreigner), what is your name?”

Siliminga is the most common phrase one will hear in the communities especially among children.

 We'd like to introduce you to our first team leader Katie Connan; Katie has come from Cambridge where she was completing her Masters in Human rights law, and working in an outdoors shop. She hopes ICS can help her to develop dual management and leadership skills and is looking forward to working cross culturally.



Our other valued team leader is Francis Bacon Vuuri. Francis is from Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana who had his degree in Integrated Business Studies (Accounting) and was working with a Ghanaian NGO (Center of Posterity Interest Organisation - COPIO) with special interest in research and community development, and worked in diverse fields such as health, education, water and sanitation and governance before coming to join International Service. Francis hopes that ICS can help him to gain leadership and project management skills and is very excited to work with a diverse group of young people coming from diverse backgrounds/cultures.


Our team leaders are here for 6 months and we are already singing their praises, you’ll have a smashing time Cohort 4! Now onto the rest of the team;

Harry Stephenson has come from Kingswinford in the midlands of England. Back home Harry worked for his local council carrying out administrative work. Harry hopes that taking part in such a project like ICS will help him to develop his confidence and looks forward to his future career options broadening.  Harry has a strong interest in helping others, and believes that such a sustainable project like NFED really suits his values. Very admirable Harry!


Daisylea Perry is from a little further south in the UK, from the quiet town of Taunton in Somerset. Before ICS she worked as a Health care assistant in her local hospital and regularly volunteered in her local community. Daisy loves travelling and hopes that living in Ghana will enable her to see and learn more about Africa and the way of life. After ICS she is interested in attending university to do a Paramedic science or journalism course, hopefully ICS can help her to make up her mind!


Abdul Rahman Abu, one of our team members, he has come across from the Upper West Region of Ghana where he was looking to further his education and looking for a job, Rahman is hoping ICS will help him to develop his presentation skills and is excited for his CV to be enriched with the achievement to help him in his search for a new job.

Yakubu Hadija, has come a little more locally, from the nearby city of Tamale. Before ICS Hadija was progressing with her schooling in automobile engineering and was interested in finding a job. She is looking to add to her experience in team work and is looking to make connections that will be helpful for her job search whilst building her character along the way. I'm sure you'll succeed in your goal of a career in automobile engineering, and that hopefully this experience can help you to develop the necessary transferable skills.

Agartha Sambile comes from Tatale in the Northern part of Ghana, but has been working in Tamale for the past 3 years teaching class 5 in primary school. Agartha is keen to gain cultural experience from ICS and various skills to help her to enrich her teaching. After ICS Agartha will be attending teacher training college, she is already set with her place in October, good luck Agartha!


Charlotte Price (Charley) comes from the historic city of  Chester in the North West of England. Before embarking on the ICS journey she had just completed the second year of an economics and geography degree at the University of Birmingham. Charley is interested in developing her transferable professional skills in order to increase her job prospects, along with taking the opportunity of working cross culturally to develop personally. After ICS she intends on completing her degree and hopes to pursue a finance related career with a focus on emerging markets. She hopes to inspire others to take part in such a life changing experience and the benefits of pushing personal boundaries. 


Amadu Issaka Atusi comes from Bawku in the Upper East of Ghana. He is a graduate from the University of Development studies (UDS), and wishes to follow a career in International Development. He is an extremely motivated and organised individual who we are all really excited to work with. Amadu is hoping to gain experience in project management from ICS, increase his confidence and challenge himself to develop the skills to enable him to change the world after the ICS programme. Amazing stuff Amadu, we’ll support you all the way!




Eloghene Otobo (Elo) is a wonderfully committed woman from London, back in London Elo was completing an internship in global health development. Elo is hoping ICS will open her up to career opportunities whilst developing her skills in project management and working within a cross cultural collaboration. She's ready to embrace any challenges along the way.



Jianvario Sabbatella-Chudley (Eo) is an extremely charismatic individual coming all the way from Bedfordshire. Eo was motivated to apply for ICS after completing the NCS program in the UK. Back in Bedfordshire Eo took part in various agency work and was searching for a more permanent job. He hopes that ICS will help him to develop professionally and bring him career opportunities. Eo also has a goal a little closer to his heart and is expecting the journey will help him to develop personally and find himself. We wish you all the best in succeeding with your goals Eo, you really do brighten any room you walk into!


Jaabir Issah is from Kintampo in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana. Jaabir completed tertiary education in 2014 with a degree in social science, he then went on to do national service as a geography teacher in 2014/15 academic year. More recently Jaabir has been teaching and learning Arabic. Throughout ICS Jaabir intends on developing his communication and professional relationships. He is very optimistic with securing a job and hopes to return to teaching after ICS.



Our volunteer Rafia Iddrisu, has travelled a short distance from Tamale to be with us. Back in Tamale Rafia was completing her national service and has proved to be quite business savvy. The experience she has from helping with her brother’s business really relates to the project here at NFED. Rafia believes that ICS can benefit her professionally through the absorption of knowledge and experience from working with the IGGs in the communities.  She is very excited to receive the certificate of completion, which will be a massive achievement personally to her and a bonus for her CV.

Madina Fusheini  is an enthusiastic and extremely capable team member who has a passion for gaining experience and knowledge through the course of this placement. She hails from the Upper East Region of Ghana and before ICS she completed  her national service. After ICS Madina intends on using the skills she hopes to gain from this placement to help her to find a job and secure her career path. We have great expectations for Madina and believe she will go far in life, keep up the good work!



Unfortunately our wonderful team is 2 down, Katie Barnett and Chloe Hulme are a pair of very dedicated and cherished team members who have sadly had to leave us this week due to medical reasons. Their time with us has been short but sweet and the work that they have contributed to the project is highly valued. Good luck in the future guys, you will be missed!




Successes of the last 3 weeks

During our first few weeks in the office our team has developed a strong commitment to one another and the project, we pay particular attention to regular team building activities to ensure our team cross culture dynamic is flourishing. Our recent guided learning sessions have included; a environmental awareness presentation, which included an active team mind-mapping discussion on how the community can recycle and develop its environmental sustainability and the lives of the indigenes as a whole, we have also taken part in several group reflection exercises which helped the group become more aware of one another's personality and strengths/skills.  We also had our community entry where the team was introduced to our various IGGs in our operational communities, meeting the community chiefs as well as some elders and opinion leaders of the communities. It was a really memorable experience meeting various people on that day. We have also been preparing for next week's needs assessment, in which we will be going into our various communities to check up on their progress towards becoming cooperatives, so definitely pop in soon to hear about our results!