Ashley Peterson -- Spring 2013

The work here in Ghana has been moving along nicely. After meeting and interviewing with all of our potential loan candidates, we took on the difficult task of selecting our final loan recipients. It was hard to disqualify applicants that could obviously use the money, but their business plans are not quite up to par. Even though working within the budget was difficult, we ended up being grateful for some boundaries when selecting our recipients.

After selecting the loan recipients we started working hard on submitting loan applications that show how the recipient will use the loan and how the loan will profit them. These reports were very interesting to put together.  It is amazing to me how much a little can help change and improve these individuals’ lives.

Our loan recipients this semester are involved in a number of different businesses. We are funding cocoa farmers, provision stores, a hair dresser, and a number of food vendors. Funding the cocoa farmers during the spring is the only time to fund them, as the spring is where the majority of their expenses are incurred. It has been fun to learn about the cocoa industry and work with the farmers in our classes.

Meeting with some of our cocoa farmers. 

We are planning on funding our loan recipients this next week. The time here in Ghana has flown by, it does not seem like we have been here for over two months now. The things that we have learned during our time here will stay with us forever. 

Dustin Evans - Spring 2013

Greetings from Ghana!

The past week has been a busy one. Since our classes have ended we have been performing due diligence on requested loans and speaking with Douglas about what his thoughts are on our students. Wednesday afternoon all of the students from Ekorso, Akwadum, and Wekpeti came to have an interview with Stephen Sr. and Douglas. Stephen took the lead in the interviews and helped us to understand whether the individual was a serious applicant or not. His experience in interviews, knowledge of various businesses, and honesty with each applicant he interviewed was a huge help and his contribution cannot be overstated.

All of the interns agree that narrowing down our classes and deciding which people to fund has been the most difficult part of our time in Abomosu thus far. Between classes, helping with homework, and interviewing each candidate we have grown to appreciate each individual we work with and how much effort they put into the SEED program. Some have lost businesses due to life events. Others pay creditors obscenely high interest rates so they can purchase items to run their business. All have a hope that being educated in sound business practices will help them improve the way they do business and thus the quality of their lives.

Reviewing business plans with students in Ekorso

Rachel Drollinger - Spring 2013

This past week we wrapped up classes in Akwadum, Wekpeti, and Ekorso!  Due to a large number of applicants and small amount of funds, we wanted to ensure that we had time to spend with each student one on one prior to the character interviews we will be completing this week.  This was very helpful in realizing each students needs individually and clarifying their ability to contribute funds and the assistance they needed from SEED.

Akwadum Class (Karson and Chelsea)

Wekpeti Class (Dustin, Ashley, and Rachel)

Ekorso Class (Dustin, Ashley, Rachel, and Douglas)

 I am teaching with Dustin and Ashley in Wekpeti and Ekorso.  In Wekpeti, there are primarily cocoa farmers but also about four women that have various businesses.  As next month is the time that all of the cocoa farmers use fertilizer for the year we are finding it especially important to fund these farmers in the Spring opposed to any other time of the year. In Ekorso, this is all of the students second time in the class.  These students have a wide variety of businesses ranging from fish selling to salons to school supplies.  We are now ready for a week of due diligence and character interviews starting tomorrow before making the final decisions of who to fund. 

While we have been here in Abomosu we have had the opportunity to do a lot of service whether it be at the primary school, high school in Kwabene, health clinic, or others.  At the primary school we are each assigned to a level (grade) to assist the teacher or help teach.  The teachers have begged us to come often because having a white man at the school encourages the children to all come.  I teach in level 4 and it is always fun to see the children smiling when we come and to see them outside of school as well.  Being that most parents do not speak English, read or write any language, the English the children are speaking at school is only at school.  It makes it hard for the students to actually progress in learning.  However, it is my hope that with each generation the literacy and especially that of English will improve little by little even “out in the bush”.

We are looking forward to another week here in Ghana, as well as the water and power coming back!

Coco Farmers

Did you know?

Ghana is the second largest producer of cocoa world wide.

In Ghana all cocoa produced is required to be sold to the government.  The government buys the coco at a fixed rate which is adjusted yearly, currently the rate is roughly $100 per bag.  Each acre costs around $150 to farm and yields 8 to 10 bags of Cocoa.

Below are a few coco farmers who have maintained a successful farm and were approved additional credit for further business expansion.

Doe Richard

Doe is married with four children and owns 10 acres of land that he uses for coco farming.

Stephan Asiedu

Stephan is married with eight children and owns 12 acres of land that he uses for coco farming.

Isaac Osei Owusu

Isaac is married with five children and owns 12 acres of land that he uses for coco farming.

Charles Boafo

Charles is married with seven children and owns 12 acres of land that he uses for coco farming.

Cosmos Oduro

Cosmo is married with four children and owns four acres of land that he uses for coco farming.

George Obeng

George owns two acres of land that he uses for coco farming.

Solomon Kesse

Solomon is married with two children and owns four acres of land that he uses for coco farming.