Serious Pursuits...

In the last week, I have had some involvement in the work of a couple of other VSO volunteers.

Zulekha is based in Accra and placed with the Special Education Directorate of the Ghana Education Service. She has been working on a project aimed at drawing excluded groups into the education system. This is particularly targeted at disabled children and therefore has a link with work being undertaken by other VSO volunteers. On Tuesday, Zulekha was in Koforidua for an event to attract attention to the work that is now underway in the Eastern Region. We took part in a procession of school children around the city centre. The children had banners and posters and we were accompanied by enthusiastic drummers and brass musicians. Many had been supplied with white T shirts with the message: “We believe in Inclusion”. We arrived exhausted, particularly the band members, at the Ghana National Association of Teachers auditorium (not far from my house), for a series of speeches from GES officials and local teachers. The Municipal Chief Executive was also present and spoke enthusiastically about the project. There was the usual TV and press coverage.

On Thursday, the local Rotary Club presented the Municipal Assembly with 150 rubbish bins to be located around the town centre. Once again the media were present to witness the Chief Executive’s acceptance of the bins. This is the first large project which Koforidua Rotary Club has been involved with in some time. It is hoped that one of the next will be in partnership with Dan’s NGO. That evening, Dan and I were welcomed as guests of the club at their annual hand over meeting and given the opportunity to formerly introduce the proposal.