Lessons Learned (Day 7)

Bri Anna
Bri Anna
Aug 25, 2017 · 5 min read

My morning started off a tad bit late because apparently, I knocked my phone in between the net and bed so I did not hear the alarm…but lucky for me Ghanaians are always late and despite my lateness the office was still not open yet…Instead of waiting for clients at the agency (this in a way reminds me of Community Mental Health) we went to visit a Village.

The village reminded me of an assisted living or nursing home. It serviced the elderly who are disabled. There was a playground for their grandchildren because often their children lived with them to also assist with their needs. The playground is much different than America’s, there was no swings, no slides, no monkey bars…just a small little house that was made for little people to climb through the squares. Each family had their own house, there was a work station where women sewed bags such as, purses, duffle bags, and traveling bags (all products are exported out of the country), and there was a health clinic. I was surprised at how huge the village was; everyone was very friendly and greeted us with hugs.

After we had lunch…back at it again with the gross shit…Simone wanted Fu Fu so bad and that shit was gross! We had another dough like substance to eat with it and it was yuck.

Patricia, a school teacher, visited us today to provide information about Ghana’s education system. There is an extremely high unemployment rate even for the individuals who have went to the University and obtained a degree. Apparently, their President is a liar like the orange person that is in office in the United States. He promised to create factories in each district in Ghana in order to provide more job opportunities but there is not one factory in sight (not even a blue print). There are 216 Districts in Ghana, TWO-HUNDRED AND SIXTEEN, I am trying to figure out how he made this promise and the people believed him. What would these factories produce? Who would they sale their product to? Would labor conditions be feasible in the hot ass summers? Patricia stated the summers are unbearable and that no one can save you, not even a fan #QTNA (Questions that need answers if you didn’t know the abbreviation).

Education first begins in the home, it is the responsibility of the parents to informally train their children in the form of storytelling, symbolic representations, words, and proverbs greetings, etc. In 1940, the Accelerated Development Plan for Education in Ghana was created in order to provide education to all children in the country. Many primary, middle, secondary, and technical schools were built along with teacher trainings colleges and universities. During this time, basic education consisted of six years of primary (P1-P6) education and four years middle leading to Middle School Leaving Certificate (MLSC). Typically, people would get certified in cooking, hairstyling, sewing, and other things of this nature.

In 1974, a new system was introduced consisting of six years of primary, three years of junior secondary education (J1-J-3) (equivalent to middle school), where they were trained in technical skills (vocational training). The system failed due to the lack of infrastructure, inadequate textbooks, lack of tools and equipment and lack of human resources for the program. In result, the Consultative Assembly developed Ghana’s Fourth Republican Constitution (1992), which provided Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE). All students in public schools were given free education with textbooks, lunch, school uniforms, and in certain communities’ free shoes.

Many children walk to school depending on the distance or caught the school bus. If the children are walking to school, they are taught to greet everyone that they pass and answer all questions that they may have about their day. People who are close to age are called sista, slightly older: auntie/uncle, and the elderly: grandma/grandpa. They curtsy and salute during their greetings; greeting everyone is very important because they want to be careful of how they treat people because you never know when you may need their help in the future. If there is a strange person that they have never seen before or does not look like them they are taught to greet them and run away.

Our conversation was really all over the place so bear with me. Obtaining a degree at the University requires three years. Before each university specialized in a specific subject like technology, engineering, nursing, etc. but now the universities have many different studies. Many churches and private entrepreneurs have established universities and training schools because the government alone does not take responsibility. It costs approximately 4,000 Cedi per year to attend nursing school and 12,000 Cedi per year to attend medical school. Remember, 1 Cedi equals $4.43. Nursing school is $902.93 and medical school is $2,708.80 per year!

The conversation diverted from the topic of education and we began talking about the prison system in Ghana. There are 500+ inmates in the local prison. Majority of inmates were convicted of murder, so they will be spending the remainder of their lives rotting in a cell. Previously, the law was an eye for an eye. If you murdered someone, they would take you to the edge of the dock, shoot you, and leave your body to decompose in the ocean. There is a high rate of burglary rate, typically a criminal is in the process of robbing a home and the victims either do not give them what they want or their identity is compromised, leaving them no choice but to kill them (well they actually have choice, they could be civilized citizens but that ship clearly sailed!). Rapists are sentenced are to fifteen years and then released back to society. Criminals’ families typically take care of them or send them away where they can have a fresh start (no one will know their history or previous charges). But there’s a special gift for those people who think they can have sex with individuals without permission, the family of the victim is definitely coming for your ass! Literally. The family will seek avenges and slaughter you leaving no evidence behind (my type of crime, just kidding, or am I?). The law does not condone this but if there is no evidence then there is no conviction. Even if the rapist decides to relocate, the victim’s family will hunt them down and finish him off.

There is also, a Mafia here; they’re more so underground at the time but they still are active. If you need assistance with murdering the rapist you just give them a call and it’s done (They’re really gang, gang)! Rape in Ghana is a very serious matter unlike America. Americans victim blame way too often but I will not get into our screwed-up society!

The topic changed again and Patricia said we all want to come to America, it’s so great, it’s the land of honey and milk (meaning all good things and God’s blessings). Little do they know, as an American, I am still wondering exactly what the “American Dream” consists of…is it the bigotry, racism, discrimination, ignorance…or the poverty, debt, police brutality or enslaved prison systems that only target people of color?

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