the down side.

after a month living in ghana, i have come to see some of the down sides. its as if i've passed this point, when i'm no longer a tourist, and am shown the other side of africa; a side that i don't love, and makes me sad, frustrated, and angry.

i don't love the crime, the constant threat of pick-pocket-ers and out-right forceful theft. i don't love the attitude about africa's future; the sad hopeless opinion that change is un-obtainable. i don't love the pollution, thrown out on the streets, the neighborhoods, the villages, and left to stain the beautiful landscape of africa. i don't love the corruption; the police perpetuated corruption that robs you only to feed their pockets. a system so far-gone that even i'm not sure it is fixable. and i don't love the health system, or lack of one. the concept of nutrition is absent, and the mis-information surrounding disease and illnesses breed a stigma so strong, i don't know if education could equally combat.

i'm frustrated after a month, because each of these hidden truths have crept out from the cracks, and been blatantly brought to light. and maybe thats good, and in some way i'm glad, because i'm getting to know the real ghana, the real africa. but its still so difficult to see all the room for improvement, and feeling so helpless to create it. and i know that change starts slowly, and starts from small ideas. i know that even one person can help. i do know that. but its difficult seeing how much help is needed; it makes me feel so insignificant and so very helpless.

at the orphanage there are so many projects that are being discussed, with us. a list of priority improvements that need to happen soon for the childrens future. within the year they will buy new land and build a new orphanage, equipped with a school, that they own instead of rent. this will enable the owners, cherubs foundation, to design a new orphanage that has everything they need to be sanitary, safe, and a positive environment for the children to grow. the foundation will also buy 60 acres of farm land, a couple of hours south of kumasi, from which they'll harvest food for the orphanage, as well as to export and sell to generate a profit. the farm is a necessary step for the sustainability of the orphanage. it will ensure that they never run out of food, and to always have an income to help support the orphanage. i am so impressed with the plan, because it shows insight, progress, and real hope for the children's future.

still, i feel so overwhelmed by all the work that needs to be done. the owners of cherubs orphanage, nicholas and felicia (who are my host parents), are asking us (the 6 volunteers) to help. we want to help, i want to help, but i'm not sure how much i can actually do. i get the impression that they expect us to all have an excess of money that we don't know what to do with. we all have magic wands that we can just wave and produce a new orphanage, complete with running water, electricity, and toilets. but we don't. there is so much need, and so much desire to help, but i don't know where to start.

i have two more months here in kumasi, and in that time i plan to take on a project, and help get it off the ground. the problem is that the list of projects is so long, and they are all important. however, the first project is abundantly clear, and takes immediate precedence over the rest: hepatitis b vaccinations.

richmond, who is 11 years old, was diagnosed with hepatitis b. i was with him when he got tested, and when the doctor read him the results, and explained in twi what that meant. afterwards, i delivered the news to nicholas and felicia, and to the orphanage mother, atta. i told them that it is so important to screen all of the children for hep b, because some of the others may be infected too. they all share food, water, and toothbrushes and the chances of other children having it is very high. i explained that vaccinations are also important, for the children that don't have it, because they can prevent it from spreading any further. they looked at me with profound sadness and hopelessness. felicia asked me "how will we pay?" i told her i didn't know.

the other volunteers and i have told felicia and nicholas that we want to help with this project, first and foremost. the screenings and vaccinations are pertinent for the children's health and safety. we have started brainstorming ways to get donations, from doctors or organizations or anyone, to help... but it's difficult to access information from here. if anyone has any ideas, or contact information that could aide us in this project, i would very much appreciate it.

ghana is an amazing place, and i am so honored to be here, living in it's ups and downs. i just hope that my time here can help, with some of the downs, even if in a small way.