Andrea Barlow Week 3

Another week gone by here in Ghana.  Time is flying.  This week things really got moving and we have been busy.  In the mornings we have been helping out at one of the local schools.  There are many to pick from.  I have been assisting with class 5 and 6.  They are actually very well educated and have great English.  We have been working on decimal fractions as well as English skills.  The teacher asked me to cover science that day which was all about food preparation and preservation.  He could not understand the fact that we just buy everything at the store ready to go for us.  One of their main exports is cocoa and he wanted to know all about what happens when the bags or dried cocoa get to America.  I honestly could not even fathom.  He has asked me to come back next Tuesday and preserve some kind of food for the class and show them all the steps.

            As far as the actual loaning part we have started our second class of second time loans and are finishing up our first class.  For the first class we finished all the lessons covering savings, budgeting, and other simple accounting things to find out profitability.  After the class finished on Monday we wrote loan proposals for each one.  Luckily the “Loan Master” Douglas has been assisting us to help determine the amounts for the second loans.  The native knowledge is essential. 

            As far as Africa itself it is everything anyone could expect.  We haven’t had power in days.  It’s hot!  Nothing starts on time.  Everyone is extremely happy and kids are obsessed with us.  They also are always asking us for money or candy and yelling “obroni” as we walk down the streets.  I am even more adamant now about not giving handouts.  A group of BYU nurses gave all the little kids toothbrushes and floss.  While this would seem like a good idea they were used as toys and just created terrible behavior in the children. The people are amazingly strong.  They carry everything on their heads.  It’s common to see people walking around with full trees on their heads balanced and not even using their hands.  It really is incredible.  They also work insanely hard and work from 3 am until the sun goes down and have multiple jobs.  It’s been great getting to know the locals.  They are definitely a special people.