Friday was Graduation Day. Most of the students dressed up for the occasion. Two wore western-style suits and looked ready for their first shareholders meeting. Many more wore traditional clothing: flowing, colorful shirts, dresses and ’suits.’ They were effusive in their thanks, acknowledging they really didn’t know what to expect when they arrived on Monday, but they were especially impressed by our faith that they can make a change — by themselves — for Ghana.
Saturday was the long drive from Sunyani to Accra, with a stop in the ancient Ashante capital of Kumasi. We had hoped to see some history, but were running behind and only had time to check out a craft shop. The drive was something of an adventure… watching extremely top-heavy trucks navigate the two-lane, no guardrail road… we saw a few that didn’t make the turn and toppled over… can’t imagine the lost revenue for that business. At one construction stoppage, we were swarmed by more than two dozen women, wares on their heads, nearly pressed against the window trying to get us to buy fruits or sweets. We could tell that this ad hoc marketplace had sprung up due to the construction…30 some-odd had just moved their operation to the construction zone, knowing they would have a captive audience. We bought a few oranges, but otherwise disappointed them.
More on our Friday trip to a truly heroic pair of schools in our next blog… as well as a stop in what might soon pass for a college town in Ghana.
Fuzz
February 24, 2008 at 4:37 pm
What a spectacular opportunity to help out business men and women in Ghana “to fish”. I’ll take a can of the cashew ale, please… We look forward to hearing about your travels when you return.