When it rains it pours: Coping with floods in Ghana

Image1: The Kpalwega Community attempts to block a burst dam
 
Air whistles in the screens as it starts to ‘wind‘, signaling the imminent rain. The power in my office goes out and I watch as the drapes blow into the dark room. Cool air streams in the windows and water starts to pound the tin roof. [...]

My home in Tongo. The Tikaha House

When my hosts use the term stranger to refer to me it means I am an honoured guest. Patrick Tikaha and his family have made me feel extremely welcome here, so when they say I am a stranger, I know that it is with great pride.

Image1: Patrick Tikaha (53 years old )
Patrick is a local [...]

Atarah Family – Kongo Photos

I stayed with the Atarah family for almost 2 weeks near the beginning of my stay in Ghana. I remember the visit fondly, because I met my very good friend Justa during that time. She lives in the same village as I do, Tongo, and we have become great friends since this time.

The Atarah Family; [...]

The Decision to Adopt is with the Farmer

International Governance has its roots in the district office of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in Tongo, a small community in the Upper East Region of Ghana. This small office is where I work with government extension agents, bringing improved technologies and development programs to farmers and their families.
 
They say that the health of [...]

Picture update: early millet & sarah with a wall full of sticky notes in ghana.

These are my neighbours’ sons, Jon and Assibi roasting the early millet crop in Tongo. The early maturing millet is planted alongside the longer maturing variety so that the family can harvest something and eat during the lean season (which is upon us). This year the early millet harvest is meagre. Because of persistent drought [...]

Comments after a Phone Call with Canadian University Students

 I took a phone call with the University of Waterloo Chapter of Engineers Without Borders last week.  Here are some of the follow up questions they sent me and my responses.
Q- You mentioned that some NGOs do not have very effective or sustainable programs …
Effective and Sustainable Programs
The trouble with these ‘ill-fated programs’ usually comes [...]

Shea Butter Processing Group Pictures

I know I haven’t been posting very much – so here is a little photo gallery of a few visits to a group of Shea Butter Processors in the District.

The Group farm together on family land as well as for commercial farmers in the area. Here they are sowing rice in the field of one [...]

A day of fieldwork in Tongo

I couldn’t be happier. It rained last night. I woke up because the wind was blowing so hard the shutters were rattling the window frame. My ears perked, searching for the sound of pounding water approaching from the hills. Nothing yet. Finally the creaking and banging of my door in the increasingly intense wind roused [...]

Update Time

I’m here in Bawku, the upper east corner of ghana, visiting short term volunteer, Ryan Case, a University of Waterloo student who is working with me for four months. We have been busy so far, meeting his host family (a compound house with a total of 27 residents and four women… it’s complicated.
It’s been really [...]

“It seems that the sun wants our millet to die”

The sun absolutely burned across the sky today. It has been more than two weeks since the last rain. I am settled here in Tongo, the capital of Talensi-Nabdam District, in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The millet is wilting a little more severely every day. When I wake at 5:30am I can hear [...]