Ghana - The Last Week - part 1

Again, I have to start my blog with an apology and another promise that I will keep it up. I just don't know where the time goes. It's about time that I finish off telling you about my experience in Ghana. It's been a year since I have been back from this experience. Raising Hope Foundation went out again this year and I have seen that work on the orphanage is going well and with a bit more money it will be finished and ready to become a home for many children.

I don't know why it's taken me so long to finish these blogs as I love writing them. Mostly what I have written up here before I wrote in a book but now I'm just going on memory but It's like I'm actually there on the red soil again as I write it.


GHANA - The Last Week - What I can remember.

Sunday: Day 18.

This is the day that I call the losing two pairs of shorts day. We woke up quite early, as the sun light hit our faces, looking up and seeing palm trees. I forgot to mention that although most of the boys stayed in the tent Glenn and Sean had a romantic raised bed with just a mosquito net hovering above it. Do I sound a little bitter? Maybe because this was the first time me and Glenn had not shared a bed in Ghana. We had built up quite the bromance so far and then he went and jumped in bed with another man...hussy. I wasn't really bitter but it was funny to play up to it and besides I had Joe now and he was much better at drinking beer than Glenn and would never have left me at the hands of Adolph.

That morning, we all went for a swim in the ocean before breakfast. It was absolutely beautiful, it really was. I didn't have any swim shorts so used normal shorts and left them on a bench to dry afterwards (Big mistake) as after breakfast they had been taken! And I went Liam Neeson to get those shorts back...Maybe I didn't they were only from primark, not worth killing over.

We got in taxi's and headed over to Fort Elmina. For those of you who don't know, Fort Elmina was a slave fort where African's would be held for months before they would pass through the 'Door of no return" and then on to the slave ships. We heard some disturbing stories about how they were shackled down in the boats on top of each other. Not given food or water. How people thought back then that they could trade other people and make money was disgusting and it makes you angry just being there and hearing the stories.

Elmina is now a large fishing town. Where handmade boats fill the shoreline and coast. For quite a small town I noticed that it had one of the largest amount of amateur football teams. Within seconds of arriving there, a swarm of representatives from these teams, approached us holding forms for donation. They all needed money to buy football kits. But if you sponsor them, they will kindly put your name on a shell that they found, with a felt tip pen. Isn't that nice of them. Good try boys.

In the evening we went to the bar in the hostel to grab some dinner and have a few drinks. Just before that I decided to lunge on a rock, ripping a massive hole in the crotch of my shorts! I still wore them out. RIP checkered shorts.

Big Kwame by this point had developed an addiction to the spicy sausages that were sold there and I rarely saw him without one on a stick, no matter what time of day. He will have to go to rehab any day now.

Joe and I, went to explore the beach with a couple of beers. At the end of the beach was Cape Coast Castle another slave fort. At the base of its walls were giant rocks,  The waves crashing against them and sometimes spraying over them. We climbed up them and could touch the base of the walls of the castle as we tried not to get soaked by the waves. In the introduction to the Bob Marley documentary you can see the waves crashing against these rocks.

Monday - Day 19

We walked to Cape Coast and looked around that slave fort. Again was a horrible place when you imagined who was standing in the rooms and cells many years ago.

Today we were leaving cape coast and moving inland into the forest for a change of scenery. I went with Helen and Kwame to visit Kwame's art lecturer from university. I can't remember his name but he lived in a massive house, his walls covered in art and sculptures that he had done. He asked us if we wanted a drink and all he seemed to have wine and it was a ceremonial wine that came in a huge bottle, so we cracked that open. He had exhibitions all over the world  and he told us that when he went to college Robert Mugabe was his Geography teacher - he had a bit of a change of career in the end didn't he?

While waiting for the taxi's we chilled on the beach with all our bags. Another representative from a local football team was looking for money for a...new football kit. Our usual trio of taxi drivers came to get us. They'd been taking us around for a few days now. One of the cars always had blaring music as this guy had a sound system, so I was so happy to be able to ride in that one this time. And it was as fun as it looked from the other boring taxi's as we sung to I love my life.

We got to the botel in the early evening. It was in the middle of the rain forest with a swimming pool and crocodiles (not in the swimming pool but in the lake next to it.)  There was a restaurant that was and it was like it was on a floating pontoon in the middle of the lake.

I will finish off part 2 of the last week in a couple of days.

Johnny in Ghana Day 17 - Saturday 21st August 2011

Day 17


Woke up cramped with the other 3 brothers in a box room in Living Faith Orphanage with a ceiling fan spinning around at top speed. When it span it wobbled like it wanted to break free from the plaster. This was always in the back of my mind before I went to sleep.

The Living Faith Orphanage is run by Auntie Agnes (we're all family here). She has looked after and helped many, many children. Including our lovely bunch. She used to run it in a one bedroom house but then some Canadians built her a fancy house on the school grounds. When you walk into the house it's kind of stepping into the cupboard in Narnia. When you walk through the front door it is like a divide between Africa and the Western world.  Because of this when ever Agnes has guests they always think she is very rich, which she is sadly not - money wise.

When we went to see the children in the morning I wondered where they had gone. There was no jumping on the furniture - not even a back flip. No more Johnny the human trampoline. It was a strange feeling really as when we were with them sometimes I would pray that they would just be quiet for a moment, or without a second going by with out something being broken. Sitting there watching them sitting on the chairs, upright, was kind of like seeing an animal in a zoo, not really able to run wild or do what they want to do. I was just glad that the kids were able to run wild around us and be themselves even if at times it did drive the RHF brothers and sisters a little crazy from time to time.

Sister Kinza had planned for the next week after our hard work that we would go to cape coast and to go to the rainforest also. We were hoping to take the children with us but on this day we were told that they would not be coming with us as the Canadians who built the house wanted to spend time with them.

The children either really didn't want to say goodbye to us or they really wanted to go to the coast, as a drought ending amount of tears ran down their little faces.

So this is where we say goodbye to our children. I will write a little bit about them all.
 I feel bad as I remember lots about a few of the children as I wrote down the stories in Ghana and didn't get around to finishing writing down the other's funny stories. (Help other RHF Brothers and sisters)

I'll start with Nunana...What's his name? as we all would sing
 He was the first child I met when he was placed on my knee in the tro tro, spending six hours together. Just like me he loves his food and everyday expresses his concern about what is for dinner, for Jollof he would throw his hands in the air and do a twirl and for Bankoo he would say "I will not eat Bankoo" even though he eventually always did. He can eat and eat and I would really like to see what kind of damage he could do in an all you can eat buffet. He had the sweetest little smile to cover up the mischief he would get into. I remember one day I caught him feasting on some sweets that weren't his. His face when he was caught was a picture and I put him in the naughty corner, which I never liked to do to him as I had a soft spot for his cheeky demenour. Later in the day I saw him in the naughty corner again, looking sorry for himself so I asked him why he was there. "First I stole some toffee. Then I got a belt and started to beat sharita" (his sister). On the day that me and Glenn had to move from the house to the compound, to make staying in the comfy bed with a fan fair we carried our bags. Nunana said to me " Are you going back to England?" I told him that I was just moving across the road and then "what would you do if I was going to England" He looked at me " I'd get my bag and follow you".

Sharita - The youngest of the group and also the cutest thing I have ever seen with the voice to match. She was Nunana's sister and they were close despite the belt beating incident. Sharita hated to walk any where and because of her cuteness was never with out a piggy back. I recently heard that she was adopted although Nunana wasn't, which I think we were all pretty upset about at RHF. But in the pictures I've seen of her since she looks so happy and healthy.

Courage - A sweet boy who would bounce around the place, singing little songs and always jumping on the volunteers. His  favourite things are looking cool in sunglasses, making high pitched noises and squeezing boobies. For his Christmas box I put in some small sun glasses that would actually fit him and also a stress relief pac man.

Kwame - My favourite thing about little Kwame was when he saw a Minnie Mouse dressing gown with little ears on the hood. After he put it on he wouldn't take it off for days he even went to school in it with his little hood up.

Yau - Such a sweet boy who would always help out and wanted to be read stories. At one point I thought I had managed to teach him to read as he whizzed through the Winnie the Pooh book that I read to him earlier. I realised though that he memorised it and repeated it back which is pretty amazing.

Prosper - Always reminds me of a cartoon character with his little evil laugh and crazy moves that he would do mixed with his little run. One time he found a little stick and started doing ninja moves with it. so funny.

Believe - Was the leader of the girls, probably as naughty as the boys and always stealing the football from the boys when they played in the compound.

Angela - Was with Believe in the naughty girl crew.

Cornelius - Was the oldest of the boys and also the leader of the whole group always scheming on ways to get extra food and making sure he always got a piece of the action.

Dolce - Was also one of the oldest boys but was very shy always hanging around with Cornelius and causing trouble.

Mila - Was a mighty fine ballroom dancer.

This time the Tro Tro was half empty, well really it was full but not the same without the kids and the random bag hitting you in the back of the head every bump that the tro tro encounters. It didn't take long till we went from dirt track to actual roads in Accra. We arrived at a petrol station that sold english snacks and food and we went crazy for pringles, chocolate and other comfort foods.

We would often pass Hawkers who would sell food, drinks, and even ice cream to passing cars. They kind of just start putting things through the open window. As soon as you touch them I think it counts as a sale. This one guy took an interest in all the sisters volunteers. He looked at me "Are these all your sisters? Can I have one?" I asked him "how much you got?" But before negotiations could be taken further the Tro tro continued on it's journey.

We eventually arrived at Cape Coast which is the closest I've ever been to a tropical paradise. The landscape went from mud and wooden huts to palm trees to a sea of hand made wooden fishing boats. I can't remember the name of the hostel we got too but it was just on the beach. It was beautiful and felt like a world apart from the village of Santrokofi.

There was a problem when we arrived because they gave away our rooms. In Ghana even if you book the room for a date you have to call them on the day to tell them that you're still coming, otherwise they will give it away. But luckily Kinza managed to get a room which belonged to the manager and they put loads of beds in for the girls. And for the boys it would be a tent outside which kind of looked like a giant mosquito net next to a wall. But on the other side of the wall was the beach so it actually was pretty amazing.

For the first time in two weeks there was Western food on the menu and all those late night talks about getting a burger or what food we couldn't wait to get our hands on came true. And we went to town on that restaurant with a couple of beers and then danced at the club that was there.

I crammed into the Tent with Joe, Kwame and Saviour staring up at the sky. All that could be heard was the crashing of the waves as they hit the beach then.....zzzzzzzzz.

Volunteering in Ghana - Day 16

Day 16


As seems to be my style, I have totally forgotten about my wonderful blog about Ghana. If anybody asks I was trying to build suspense from the last blog until this one.

So, we move on to day 16.

Started the day with a group effort spring clean as today is our last day in Santrokofi and the last day of summer school for the children. We had bags and bags of donated clothes and football shirts that we sorted out for the different classes.

At the start of our class, Sister Zoe had brought a 2 litre bottle of coke to demonstrate how a volcano works with the build up of pressure. We took the whole class outside and got into a circle where everyone  shook the bottle and passed it around. A bit like playing that game pass the parcel where everyone tries to get that extra second longer holding the parcel incase the music stops. After everyone shook it up. Zoe took the top off the coke and a stream of Cola shot into the air. The kids ran towards it trying to catch any stray droplets that they could just before the fight for the bottle.

Back in the class, we began handing out the clothes. It was like a pack of vultures fighting over a dead carcass to get the last scraps of meat. Or like a zombie movie. After a while they moved closer and closer and went slightly crazy. Even though we were giving them clothes for free it felt like we were being robbed. I remember to this day, this one little boy who must have been as tall as my shins was pulling on my shorts. I looked down to see this little face showing hatred and anger, the kind of look that I imagine would come from a coffee addict that had to wait too long for his next hit of jumbo latte, before the caffiene shakes take control. Anyways, I noticed that this kid was wearing a brand new illuminous chelsea kit with shorts. Without any changing of expression he said "Hey, I got no socks!" Cheeky so and so. I just told him to be happy that he got anything at all.

Eventually we managed to give out everything hoping that everyone got something. Then got a few class pictures and said our goodbyes to them. There was a few really intelligent children in our class and a few of them have been sponsored to go to school this year in other villages with the help of the charity.

When we got back to the compound the tro tro was ready for us. And it was time for a bit of tro tro tetris with all of our baggage, the 12 children and their baggage and all the volunteers. I think I was lucky to get one butt cheek onto a seat while the other searched for greener pastures. Just managing to shut the door with out ripping old righty off was a blessing.

Before we knew it Santrokofi became a spec in the rearview mirror. Passing by mountainous landscapes and the red African soil and occasionally the odd vodafone sponsored hut we made our way to Sogakope. Soon the sun set and we travelled in the dark. And to be honest when you're driving around bumpy dirt tracks in pitch black it's quite scary thinking about what could be lurking around. Which is about the time that a few of the children decided they needed a wee. Of course. So we pulled over and they went off to do their business. Suddenly the driver seemed a bit anxious and he then said there's some headlights coming up the track behind us and he didn't know who it was suspecting it could be armed robbers as this area was renowned for it. Now he tells us.  People started getting on as the lights were getting nearer. But the children took there time wanting to be outside not knowing what was happening. Seeing as I was near to the door and the last to get back on and probably the first to get a cap in my ass I was like "Everybody on. Get on the bus". I picked up a couple of the children and passed them over the seats into the tro tro as they take too long to climb up the seats and make there own way. Eventually we were all in but then bags that were stuffed in under the seats decided to make a break for freedom by jamming the door. Eventually we were all in and on our way. We never did know what it was behind us, probably another tro tro of yavoos wondering why there was a car stopped up front, thinking we were armed robbers.

In all it took us about 6 or 7 hours to get to Sogakope and when we got there sister agnes had dinner ready for us. And we had a little look around Sogakope where we saw where Agnes used to live in a small one bed house with all the children and as luck would have it we also found a bar. Phew