The Dreamer in Me — Discovering the unknown
As told by Clement Matorwmasen
My story starts with a dream — to build a space where the wisdom of the old meets the energy of the young. In Ghana, we don’t really have aged homes, so I wondered: what’s the closest thing? That’s when orphanages came to mind. There’s a certain similarity — both the elderly and children rely on others for care.
To gain experience, I worked at Redemption Children’s Home in Damongo, eventually managing the place while also running my ICT company, CleTek Services. During that time, the idea of Dream Village took root. The saying “It takes a village to raise a child” deeply resonated with me. I wanted to create a space where people could dream, find their purpose, and thrive.
The Early Struggles and First Attempts
My first attempt at Dream Village was a mural — an artistic representation of my vision — painted at New Life College in Tamale. Turning the dream into reality was another challenge. I tried in Dagburbogle but lacked experience and support. In 2006/07, I made another attempt in Bongo Bing, then again in 2009 in Damongo, where I was working at the orphanage.
With my friend Bugri, we built some huts, attracting volunteers from Hong Kong, the USA, and Canada. I remember Jeanine Scheffert helping me hammer nails through the roof tiles — one of those small yet memorable moments.
Life, however, had other plans. In Damongo, I met my wife, Femke — something I never saw coming. At the time, I was skeptical of “Obronies” (foreigners). I felt NGOs were pushing too much influence, sometimes erasing our own culture. Marrying one wasn’t part of my plan, but life has a way of surprising us.
Building Drive Aid Ghana
In 2009, Femke and I started Drive Aid Ghana, an organization focused on education. We taught reading, writing, and computer skills, especially in villages around Tamale, providing books and learning materials.
Then, around 2012, while Drive Aid was thriving, I began exploring Moringa’s potential. I saw it as more than just a plant — it was a nutritional powerhouse. We started incorporating it into our outreach, providing Moringa-based nutritional support to malnourished children. I even made a bold promise: if a child on our Moringa program didn’t improve, we would cover all medical costs. It was a risk, but one worth taking.
Expanding and Taking Risks
Between Nantong, Chakori, and Bimbari, we kept expanding. By 2016, I was constantly traveling between communities, running Drive Aid programs. Around that time, I got a government contract to build public toilets — an unexpected turn. I built four 10-seater pour-flush toilets in Dambai and Nkwanta in just three months. The engineer joked that I was constructing hotels, not toilets!
On my way home, I stopped in Zongo Machiri, where my cousin is chief. That stop changed everything. The community desperately needed water. I posted about it on Facebook, and support came, especially from the New Life Church in Rotterdam. That led to our first borehole.
Many had tried to drill in Zongo Machiri before and failed, so when we succeeded, it was a big deal. But soon, a new problem arose — young people were too afraid to pump water at night due to superstitions. I started driving six hours weekly from Tamale, sleeping in the bush, just to pump water myself.
As I spent more time there, young people gathered around the bonfires I made. They came for the food, the stories, and sometimes the music or movies from my laptop. I saw their potential, their hidden talents, and realized they needed opportunities. That’s when Dream Village truly started taking shape.
The Birth of Dream Village
We built a garden, then a hut, then a food forest. I even introduced Nubian Vault architecture, a sustainable building method I had admired for years. At first, experts told me it wouldn’t work in Ghana. But years later, Thomas Dietrich came, and together, we built our first classroom using the technique.
With the classroom in place, we started training young people — most of whom had been pushed out of the formal school system. We taught ICT, farming, and entrepreneurship. Eventually, we expanded to include reading and writing. By 2019, we held our first graduation, a proud milestone.
Dream Village became a hub of activity. We launched the MEAKumla Festival, bringing together local chiefs, politicians, international business mentors, and thousands of children. Seeing people from different backgrounds gathered to celebrate was incredible.
Then, COVID hit.
The Setbacks and a New Beginning in Dambai
The pandemic forced my family to leave. Dream Village came to a halt. I was even attacked, making it difficult to continue. I spent some time in Europe, and when I returned, seeing everything stand still was heartbreaking.
But even in the hardest moments, I found highlights. I still loved what I was doing. I still believed in Dream Village. I still wanted to make a difference.
With support from partners like Blue Gold Works and the Grundfos Foundation, we built water systems in Nantong Zuo, Anyinamae, and Boafori. We developed an innovative water purification system, using organic materials to meet WHO standards. When my friend Liesbeth van Vemden (whom I call Mama Dream Village) drank the purified water and approved, the community embraced it, too.
Amid everything, I started a training center in Tamale for weaving and fashion design. We began with six girls. Now, the center runs independently, with 27 students and eight graduates from the three-year program. Seeing it thrive is a highlight I deeply cherish.
Then came another farm project — this time in Dambai.
Dream Village in Dambai: A Fresh Start
Dambai offered better conditions: water access, friendlier communities, and fewer external interferences. Fires had destroyed much of our food forest in Zongo, but in Dambai, we had the chance to prove that a true syntropic farm could work.
We started small, planting trees and integrating diverse crops. Moringa, coffee, cocoa, cashew, mango, baobab, banana — our goal was a farm-to-table experience with everything grown organically. By now, Green Gold has planted over 170,000 trees.
Dream Village also evolved into a training hub. We partnered with colleges, welcoming interns and volunteers. Local children began learning ICT and agriculture, expanding their dreams beyond what they thought possible.
Looking back, I realize something — I don’t know how to give up. Maybe I should learn! But for now, I’ll keep dreaming, building, and creating spaces where people can thrive.
Because that’s what Dream Village is all about.
