School Supplies and Some Guinea Fowl

"Over the last two weeks I have been travelling throughout the country, visiting credit unions, visiting schools, and spreading CUA’s message of youth savings. I took advantage of our travels and stopped in to two schools in order to drop off school supplies as a donation from the Steel Centre Credit Union. The members of Steel Centre were generous enough to raise $800, which was given to me to buy school supplies, which I bought in Accra before we left on our trip.

 

I told my colleague, Ernest, about the credit union’s donation and he gladly offered to help me. Ernest contacted two schools for me that he thought could use some help with purchasing supplies. Ernest then took me to a part of Accra that I had never been before. This part of the city was the busiest that I had ever seen and there were no vehicles on the streets. Honestly, they would not have been able to get through the crowds. There were thousands of people on the streets selling everything you could imagine and then stores in which even more was being sold. We went to a school supplies store and talked with the store operator for a few minutes before deciding to buy exercise books, pens, pencils, erasers, and sharpeners. After we purchased all of the school supplies I still had some money left and I decided that we should also give the students something fun so we purchased a few soccer balls.

 

School Supplies purchased through SCCU donations and booksale

 

The first day that we were on the road to the north to visit schools in February we visited Ekimfi Otuam T.I. Ahamadiya Primary and Junior High School in the Central Region. The students were gathered out in front of the school when we arrived. I introduced myself to the teachers and the school staff who were present. The headmaster introduced me to the students and gave Ernest and myself a few minutes to explain who this donation was from. We then distributed the exercise books and the pens and pencils to the students individually to make sure that they all received enough to do their work. After the presentation, I spoke to one of the teachers who had mentioned that he particularly appreciated the soccer balls as he is an avid soccer fan and is trying to teach the sport to the kids. The students were also quite appreciative and excited.

 

Joel with students and teachers from the first school the supplies went to

About one week later we arrived in the Upper West Region and made a stop at Yalugu T.I. Ahammadiya Primary School. The Upper West is a beautiful region and starkly different from the southern area in that it’s much more dry and desert-like. The school was a beautiful little group of buildings miles away from the middle of nowhere. Several of the school staff were gathered when we arrived. We greeted them and explained to them personally who the donation was from and how the supplies should be distributed. We then made a stop in to one of the classrooms to tell them a bit about the credit union donation and to encourage them to do their best. One of the school staff members mentioned to me that the region is relatively poor and that often students come to school with no school supplies because their parents simply cannot afford them and that this will be a big help for those students.

 

Joel with teachers and students at the second school

Students again

 

Before we left the school the headmaster wanted to thank us one more time and presented us with two live guinea fowls (chicken-like birds) to take with us. He told me that the custom in his region is that if a stranger visits you should present him or her with a gift. Ernest told me that he would take the guinea fowls to his house. Already at his house are approximately twelve chickens and maybe eight cats. I’m sure the guinea fowls will be a welcome addition."

 

Teacher packing up the guinea fowls for their ride home

-Joel