Ghana: Building Relationships and Breaking Stereotypes
Ghana. A third world country. I am currently through to my eighth week of my International Citizens Service placement in Tolon, Ghana. I have already been able to see through the stereotypes
that have often been created for people back in the UK of developing countries.
The opinions from the Western World, certainly the one in the UK of Africa is
often one of severe poverty, and is often related to asking for donations to
charities. Our view is often warped and misinformed, which I believe is largely
influenced through our media.
When is Africa ever featured in western media? Well, usually
through TV advertisements. We are familiar with the Issues of; malaria, lack of
water and severe poverty. I am not denying that these things happen and they are
a huge problem, but I feel like the UK needs to also be aware of so much more
than those limited issues. The main aim of our project is to help Income
Generation Groups register as co-operatives. Through visiting my community in
Yoggu, a fairly short distance from Tolon, I have seen such a strong sense of
unity and spirit between them. Although they need our help, they were so happy and
ready to listen us.
During my placement, I am also required to stay with a host
family with my Ghanaian Counterpart Amadu Atusi. Just from my experience so far
here I have learned they are incredibly supportive, communicative, and try to
help you in any way they can, along with having a brilliant work ethic which I
genuinely feel inspired by. The children of my host home always try to help me whenever
they feel like they can, and are always assisting their families. They even try
and carry my work bag to my room when I’ve finished for the day! I feel like
I’ve built such as positive relationship with my host family.
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| Me and my host family |
Tolon almost
feels like a family and
such a tight community as a whole.
It’s clear they may not have as much as the people from the UK, but they just get on with everything and have a brilliant attitude.
Before I came here I was required to visit York in England
for my training day. While getting a bit lost on the way to the training, I was
stopped by one of the locals who helped me along the way. After striking
conversation he asked me what brought me to the area. When I told him I was
here for training before I go to Africa, his first response was confusion on
why I would want to go and explained to me about all the risks present over
there! Although I do not deny risks are
present, Ghana to me is such a different place to anything I have ever
experienced before and we need to get stereotypical views, such as this man’s, out
of our minds.
I’d like the UK to change its perception as a whole. I
strongly recommend those who haven’t seen it to check out a talk delivered by
Nigerian Author, Feminist and Women rights activist, Chimanda Adichie. In this
talk she discusses the danger of a single story and discusses the misguided views
often created through the media and popular images. She discusses how there is
never a single story of any place in the world, and when you have this single
story you take away people’s dignity and forget about those thriving, running
their own businesses and making a good life for themselves and their families. I believe this is an important precedent we
can all follow wherever we are in the world.
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| Me and my Host dad, Hasan |
I know I haven’t been here in
Tolon for an extremely long period of time and there are a lot of difficulties
I am yet to experience. Coming from the UK, I feel very grateful for modern day
things and for my family. However, we also need to recognise that despite the
lack of access to these modern conveniences, Ghana is still a thriving nation
with a strong identity and determined population. Mpahaya! J (Thankyou)
By Harry Stephenson, ICS Volunteer
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