#BananaOrPlantain? | week 2: beach & field research | GHCC program, Accra, Ghana
After the first challenging working week at our NGOs offices and first research in the field, we all craved for a day off at the beach a few miles west of the Accra Gold Coast. Easy thing to align on that, simple data point, simple decision making process this time !
Thanks Chrissy for this collage, it tells the beautiful Saturday story without any further comments:
The next Saturday morning we started the HFFG team for the field research trip towards the Brong-Ahafo region direction Kumasi, Sunyani and further on northwest to Berekum visiting the HFFG office there.
Some more impressions on the way up northwest:
In these regions HFFG currently runs projects in the field of Malaria and HIV/ STI (sexually transferred infections) prevention & treatment that are both working in direct contact with the key target individuals in the families of communities. There data is collected concerning theme specific indicators via interviews to determine the behavior and prevention pattern of the respective deceases. Furthermore the HFFG peer educators and malaria ambassadors on-site are also referring infected individuals to tests and/or treatments if required. That is done in co-operation with the various Ghana Health Services (GHS) clinical services and nurses partially also operating within the HFFG offices. We could gain deep insight into these processes of data collection, aggregation and transfer.
During our first day in Sunyani we also had the chance to meet with the municipal assembly, a local governmental institution also responsible to carry on and continue the projects that have been started by HFFG. Even these more formal meetings do begin and are closed with a prayer expressing the best wishes for our common goal to improve peoples lives. Often I do feel the presence of a strong spiritual sense here in Ghana, received from very grateful and cordial people.
Basically for all health related themes be it malaria, HIV/STI or family planning it is essential, that there is sustainable continuation of these activities. From a cultural community perspective there are the Queen Mothers as respected elderly authorities besides the tribes chiefs that do still strongly influence the behavior within the communities. For us it was a special experience to talk to the Queen Mother and to sense her quiet and accurate attitude when explaining her role and responsibility. She left a deep and very respectful impression with me.
Another very interesting initiative is the Ghana Strengthening Accountability Mechanisms (GSAM) project. It was designed with the overall goal of strengthening the citizens’ oversight on Capital Development Projects in order to improve local government transparency, accountability and performance. Specifically, it works to enable the active monitoring and participation of citizens in capital projects within each district it is implemented. The philosophy here follows the equation: Information + Social Accountability = Improved Local Governance.
To me the GSAM motive seems to be of overall, even global importance and actuality. We might learn a lot from that approach as well for our western societies that currently do face a crisis with regards to transparency and information as well. Together with my HFFG team, all the projects of the GHCC fellows and the involved NGOs we all try hard to learn as much as possible from each other. This is due to our motivation to achieve a sufficient degree of transparency and insight in order to improve organisational processes. This again can only work if we understand each other as part of a global citizenship following common goals not individual interests. Credibility, transparency and shared objective information amongst us is key. And it is key for each peaceful and respective society, nation and our global community as well.
So, don’t take a banana for a fake pantain ! Always try figure it out - even if you start absolutely clueless. And: take your time :-) !
