Day 16 11pm

A new outlook...

‘A sun shining brightly over lush green trees, blue waters glistening and happy children playing in the sand’, it gives the image of a holiday scene in the South of France; yet it actually depicts what I am seeing, an orphanage in central Ghana. The sun is scorching hot, the green trees possess tonight’s dinner of plantain and the water is situated in a large blue barrel used for washing and drinking. The children have very few personal belongings yet they are elated to have just have each other. As well as them learning from me, over the next few weeks I am eager to learn from them.

Now into my third week in Ghana I am more confident being here, I know a few of the locals, the children respect me and Finnley is enormously happy. Despite a minor health scare over the weekend, I am in no doubt that I will be able to slowly relax and enjoy my time here at LOVE KIDS ORPHANAGE. I have also spent some time at HAND IN HAND COMMUNITY, where the children (there are mentally handicapped adults here too which are referred to as children also), all want to pick Finnley up and touch him, Finnley adores the attention and their disabilities are not noticed by him, I find it hugely refreshing. Here I met some volunteers from the University of Central London, they are only staying for a couple of weeks but it has been nice to talk to other people in a similar position.

I helped to make Francis’ (the orphanage director) dream of starting up a football academy real this week by offering kits and balls from the UK. He sent out a few messages to people that were interested and the response was huge. Many youths from the local area came along to collect kits and have their team photo. He wants even more people to come and ‘justify’ (trial for a place) so tomorrow I, along with the coach will announce about the opening of LOVE KIDS FOOTBALL ACADEMY on the Ghanaian radio. We will also be heading to local senior schools to scout the players. Now I know nothing much about football, but have a vast knowledge of fitness and nutrition and have already been offered to write an article for the towns newspaper regarding the new team, so fingers crossed I can help Francis make it a success.

Finnley has really taken to a little boy called Ebonenza this week, he is a similar size to Finnley but about seven years old. He is incredibly clever, just very small. Finnley always drags him along to play on the little plastic slide and to jump on the foam mattresses, Ebonenza seems happy to join in. Francis told me that when he first arrived at the orphanage he used to cut toys and balls with a blade, but since his time here all that behaviour has stopped. Confirming that this orphanage really does make good changes for its children. The only incident that has upset me is when Finnley was hurt by one of the children, but they all apologised hugely and I think (hope) they learnt from it. I keep having to remind myself that these children all have dramatic pasts, and probably still have issues due to their histories; I am trying to get some one to one time with them all.

I sat with a couple of the older girls tonight to make a doughy ball that Comfort fries in oil and sells at their school the next day. It is made from cassava flour, ground onion, oil and salt – they gave me one to try and it wasn’t dissimilar to hard bread. Comfort sells them for 2.5 pesiaries – about one penny. Whilst we were rolling these little balls, Ama explained to me that she had got beaten at school today across her buttocks because she got less than 75% in a class test. She spoke very openly about it and was not upset by the issue at all, although when I asked her whether it will make her try harder next time she laughed and said ‘no way’.

The African culture is vastly different to the British culture, but I like it a lot. Morals are high and although I do not necessarily agree on  physical punishment, the children are always polite and respectful. Both the men and women work extraordinarily hard to keep their children clothed and fed...and the women that carry their babies on their backs whilst carrying litres of water on their head are simply remarkable. Just being here for two weeks has opened my eyes to so very much, hopefully my remaining time here will make me learn much more.