Week 5

This week has been very busy for us, with three straight 10+-hour days out in the hot, Ghanaian heat! Aside from teaching our classes, we have gone out to visit both past recipients and then potential loan recipients from our current classes.

We did double duty in Akokom with both collections and business visits. In Akokom, David and Rachel visited Akosua Owusuaa. She receved her first loan about six months ago to start a business selling banku and kenkey at a road-side table in her home village. Not only has she consistently made all of her payments on time and in full, but also she has used the profits from this small and simple business to begin building a kiosk. During the time that we were in Akokom, I watched a large number of customers come through—she always had a line of people waiting to buy from her. Akosua is hoping to get a second loan in the near future to help finish the funding of her kiosk and business expansion so that she can have a small restaurant. Even without a second loan, though, Akosua could potentially build her restaurant over time. She is continuing to make profits that she is reinvesting into her business every single month.

Pictured below is Akosua standing between her current table and the kiosk that she is building.

With out large first-time loan class in Asamama now down to about fifty, we have started to visit their businesses to get a better feel of which students from the class we may want to fund. We visited a dozen businesses on Tuesday, and the diversity of them is pretty large.

Ghana Week 4

This week, our work has definitely picked up. Since we finished our second-time loan classes in Wekpeti and Ekorso, we completed business plans for each of the eligible recipients for a second loan. After those were approved, we worked on writing up the loan agreements. On Wednesday, we were able to issue loans to all the pods in the two villages.

Our first loan class in Asamama is getting better and better. We’ve gone from 100 students down to about 60. In the beginning, it was difficult to get to know the students because of the large class size, but as the class shrinks, it’s becoming better. There are also fewer distractions, and the students who attend are genuinely interested in the material that we are teaching. They are also turning in better homework with each lesson. We are beginning to look into their businesses now to see which of the students would be best for loans.

Finally, on Thursday, we traveled to Asunafo to provide rebates to two pods who completed all of their payments early and in full. They are under the best loan collector we currently have, Benjamin. Next week, we are planning to go and talk with the past loan recipients of Asunafo to see if there is potential for a second-loan class there.

All is well in Abomosu, especially after we got the ledger and database all figured out and aligned. We had some confusion with the cashbook, but it was great to get it all worked out. It was neat for us interns to have the opportunity to look at the ledger and to problem solve for information that was imputed before we were here. There are no differences now!

Week Three

It’s Week Three here in Ghana for us. This week, we are finishing up second-time loan classes in Wekpeti and Ekorso. Spencer and Liza’s class in Wekpeti consists of four farmers and a goods marketer. In Ekorso, David and I have been able to visit extensively with all of our six class members about their businesses, all of which are unique. We have been going through their financials this week and getting the details of their businesses.

We are excited to be issuing second loans to all of the class members, both in Wekpeti and Ekorso for a total of eleven loan recipients. All members asked for significant sized loans. We have decided that, because all of the attendees of these two classes are eligible and worthwhile to invest in, that we will grant them all second loans. To do so, the four of us have really enjoyed talking with each business owner about how they can leverage their savings and a second loan in order to accomplish their same goals by bringing together what they have in savings in addition to the loan they will receive.

The four of us have also enjoyed teaching in the Kwabeng High School with Douglas, making Ghanaian chocolate cake with Sister Dalton (the local senior missionary sister in Abomosu), playing soccer with the local kids, getting our hair braided (the girls), and receiving life advice from Stephen Sr. over meals. We are beginning to get into more of a routine and becoming more affective teachers in our SEED classes. We are excited to continue our work here!

Week Two In Abomosu

We got to start teaching this week, and it’s been a really great experience for all of us! Sorry that we don’t have any pictures up yet, but the internet is barely even allowing us to connect. We will be sure to post photos when we visit Accra.

This week, Rachel and David taught a second-loan class in Ekorso. We have five students who are all very passionate and fun in class. They answer questions, talk about their businesses, and keep things lively. Liza and Spencer are also teaching a second-loan class. Theirs is in Wekpeti, and it is a short walk to get there from Ekorso.

On Wednesday, the four of us headed out to the high school where Douglas teaches in Kwabeng. We set up a schedule to volunteer there each week in various classes including math, physical education, and social studies. Douglas then treated us to lunch at his home in Akwadum before we taught a second-loan class there. We were privileged to meet his wife, Gladys, and their two children, Sylvester and Annette.

The Akwadum class is the largest of those we are teaching for second loans. It has twelve students because we have combined several past loan recipients into one class for convenience. Douglas informed us that all members of these classes have had smooth businesses since receiving first loans, so we are excited to get to know them and to help them further develop and expand their businesses.

Our first loan class in Asamama was quite large. We taught there twice this week, and more people came to the second class than to the first. With them, we introduced the SEED Program and talked about expectations and requirements. It was very interesting: they were all pretty nervous about having to form pods in which they can receive loans, but we were able to answer their questions and calm their nerves.

We got to meet Margaret Abu this week when she came into town for the dedication of a World Joy school. She cooked for us, so we had the privilege of trying out fufu. I don’t know what everyone is ranting about, because that is definitely my LEAST favorite Ghanaian meal that I have tried so far!

Akwaabe! (“Welcome,” in Twi)

We have made it to Abomosu, Ghana, our home for the next three months. The past few days have been dedicated mostly to getting acclimated. During this time, we have explored the village and the areas surrounding it, met many wonderful Ghanaians, and spent time getting to know Stephen and Douglas.

We’ve had a couple of meetings with Douglas to prepare for the classes we are going to teach, which will begin this coming Monday. From the looks of it, we will teach five different classes—two are new, and three are for second-time loans. We traveled to one of the villages today to congratulate one of the loan groups who just repaid their first loans in full. We were able to give them their rebate and to set a schedule for their second-loan classes that will begin next Monday.

The people here are all so friendly. Whenever we walk around outside, people stop us to talk or to teach us a couple of phrases in Twi. One man, Alexander, informed us about the snakes and scorpions that we should watch out for! We have learned that, especially during Dry Season, the water is turned off for the majority of the time. We have learned that it is normal for Ghanaians to go to sleep at 8 pm and to wake up at 4 am. We have learned how to tell the difference between a plantain tree and a banana tree, all thanks to Stephen Sr.

The four of us are very excited to be here, and we can’t wait to start teaching. We are excited to use the things that we have learned in school to help these people in Ghana to both begin and continue to develop their own business plans. These next twelve weeks are going to be great!

Just to keep him accountable, we would like to publicly announce that David will become a more well-rounded individual by the end of our time here in Africa. He will accomplish this by reading many books and by developing the ability to communicate on a basic level in Twi.

Some Pictures

Daniel #1 showing David and Rachel the animal pen he built with his first loan. Daniel is a member of the Ekorso second-time loan class.

Spencer teaching our second-time loan class in Akwadum

Obibini David with Daniel, the photographer, in Ekorso.