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Ghana

February 2023
Our trip around Ghana that we want to share with you
Kamila, Yasmin, Marilyn and Kevin Read more
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  • Ghana
    Day 1

    We are in Accra!

    February 5, 2023 in Ghana ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    We arrived to Accra, finally! After getting up at 5 am to catch a flight from Zurich to Amsterdam and than a 4hr wait, we finally boarded pur flight to Accra. Now we are checking in our hotel and can‘t wait to see the city by daylight 👀🛫

    (K.)    Read more

  • Ghana
    Day 2

    Transfer from Accra to Kumasi

    February 6, 2023 in Ghana ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    We did not get the full Ghana experience yesterday, but boy did we today!
    It all started with us realizing (thanks to M. for noting that) that we booked a flight from Accra to Kumasi not on Feb 6th, but March 6th!
    We have told the hotel staff to get us a taxi at 7 so that we can get the flight rebooked and check in in time. While we have waited for the taxi for 20 mins, the staff brought us a powder coffee from Nestle (in Ghana, the country of coffee!) and listened to the military exercising just behind the walls.
    When the „taxi“ came, we quickly realized that the mini Toyota that barely fits one luggage in its back, should take us all. The staff had ordered another car, but that one never came…
    So, to make it to the airport in time, we decided to load all of the luggage on us in the and front seat as you can see in one of the pictures. The car was… well, overloaded would be an understatement. :)
    When we finally made our way to the airport, we hit every bump there was.
    Wait, did I mention the driver was a rasta and did blast Bob Marley songs like there was no tomorrow? 😎
    On our way, a policemen stopped us, probably wanting to make some quick cash, and went on to argue with the poor driver about how this would not happen in America or wherever we come from. Eventually resolved, the conflict made us feeling sorry for the driver as we came up with the idea to go all at once to catch the flight.
    When in Accra national airport, we headed straight for the ticketing office. Usually, airports are busy - not this one. We have explained our issue to the lady behind the desk, and she explained there are only 3 seats left on the next flight, and a few more on the flight at 14:00. As we are quite a flexible group, everyone started offering to take the later flight so that the other 3 can already go ahead. After approx. 30 mins of waiting and asking, the lady finally agreed that we can have two seats and two would wait on standby, if some passengers wouldn‘t show up. What an emotional journey that has been! Then we went to weigh our luggage, went through security and just 10 mins before the flight departure, we made it to the gate and got a bus just for us and some other passengers to take us to an airplane and still depart on time.
    The flight only took 30 mins and the Kumasi Airport is so tiny that you have only one belt to offload your luggage.
    Today morning has been the perfect entry to Ghana. We love it! 🤩

    (K.)    Read more

  • Ghana
    Day 2

    First footprints in Kumasi

    February 6, 2023 in Ghana ⋅ 🌩️ 24 °C

    We have arrived to Kumasi!
    Amazing Flo (friend from Marilyn from her time in Ghana) picked us up at the airport and we have arrived at the beautiful new home of Sunshine Volunteering Organization.
    We have spent the day exploring Kumasi and started our journey at the local orphanage. Lots of the kids are either left behind as the parents can’t or do not want to keep them for different reasons (poverty, disabeled child…) or the kids truly become orphans. The youngest baby was two weeks old and oh my we all did our best to hug as many as we could and not cry.
    Afterwards we continued our journey to the Kumasi market, one of the biggest markets in the country to explore, buy some textiles to make some clothes from later and also buy some school supplies for the schools that Sunshine volunteering org. works with.
    As busy as the place was, it is a place where so many people meet to sell everything you can imagine and we quickly learned the most important lesson: DO NOT STOP. 😁
    Even tho we are in a city, we spent half of the day in cars commuting or being stuck in traffic. Our driver is a passionate dj so the rides were always very loud and funky. (To Yasmins pleasure)
    We finished the day at the semastres to put down our orders for some clothes we wozld like to have made, just when a tropical storm hit. Usually, the rain season here stars in around March, but with the climate change, nothing is certain. Therefore we got to experience our first blackout - the wind was so strong the power was cut to prevent fires. We got to have dinner with Flashlights and have quite the memorable first day!

    (K.)    Read more

  • Ghana
    Day 3

    Kumasi children

    February 7, 2023 in Ghana

    Today we finally got a good night's sleep - we are so lucky to be staying with Flo, Marilyn's friend from the Sunshine Volunteers organisation. She also made us better French toast than they have in France, leaving us ready for many school visits where we dropped off school supplies such as books and pencils. The kids were absolutely precious - their energy, smiles and curiosity are so contagious (despite the +30°C heat). They did also always call us "obruni" meaning white people which took some getting used to at first. As it would be impossible to be mad at these adorable little creatures we decided to just go with it and call them "bibini" (dark person) as well, which gets them all shy and laughing. They also asked if our blue eyes were real, and the ones who weren't actually already called Kevin suddenly decided they were now gonna have the same name, too. However, too much text if images speak louder than words would be a shame so this is where we tell you to just look at our photos :)

    (Y.)    Read more

  • Ghana
    Day 3

    A taste of Ghana 🍛🧋🎶

    February 7, 2023 in Ghana ⋅ 🌩️ 33 °C

    After experiencing all the welcoming laughters from the school children in the various public and privat schools, we received an amazing refreshment drink called “Sobolo” from Flo’s godmother.

    With new strength from the ginger in the Sobolo, we made our way back to the house, after stopping quickly at the market again to buy essential medical supplies for the local hospitals.

    Once we were back home, it was time for a cooking lesson from Flo: We prepared the local dish “Redred”. It is a spicy (🥵🌶️) dish with ginger, garlic, onion, red pepper, black eyed peas and most importantly fried plantane. It is served with rice from the north of Ghana. For dessert we had amazing local papaya.

    We finished the day with listening and dancing to popular songs, such as “it’s plenty” from Burna Boy and “45” from Black Sherif. We had a blast! 🇬🇭🤩🙌🏾

    (Kev.)    Read more

  • Ghana
    Day 4

    Village school visit

    February 8, 2023 in Ghana ⋅ 🌩️ 34 °C

    We started our Wednesday really early and got up at 6am to travel to a school in the outskirts. The jorney consisted of a taxi to the “Barrier”, from there by public transport to the big Kumasi market, from there again by public transport (2 hours) to a town in the outskirts, then by taxi to a village and then with a “YellowYellow” (version of a Tuk Tuk) to the senior high school.

    There we were greeted in the usual Ghanian welcoming manner by the principal of the senior high school. We distributed books and pencils to the students and shared a few words on the importance of education, as advocated by Flo and her inspiring organisation Guide Educational Foundation (find out more here: https://www.guide-educational-foundation.com).

    The students were obviously curious and had many questions. Nevertheless, they were also really shy which prevented them from interacting with us. Afterwards, we had some interesting conversations with the teachers and their requirements to teach the students effectively.

    After visiting the senior high school, we walked to the neighbouring primary school to distirbute some more school supplies. The teachers were overwhelmed and really excited. The children were shy at first, but after the first high five, everyone wanted to participate and touch the “obroni”.

    After playing a bit with the school children, we started our way back to Kumasi. Exhausted from the long journey, the many interactions and impressions, a nap on the bus was inevitable.

    (M. & Kev.)    Read more

  • Ghana
    Day 4

    Visit to lake Bosumtwi

    February 8, 2023 in Ghana ⋅ 🌩️ 34 °C

    We needed a break from the buzz of Kumasi an decided to pay a visit to the nearby (2hr ride) lake Bosumtwi, where Marilyn has already been while volunteering here in 2021.
    The lake is a 2hr ride with the taxi away from Kumasi and is in the middle of Ghanian jungle. Altho the ride has been very bumpy, we have finally made it (with way too many flights over speed-bumbs) to the serene nature around lake Bosumtwi. The lake with its hills reminded all of us of Switzerland, altho the fauna and flora was obviously very different!
    We spent our time playing board games and reading books at the terasse, while enjoying the sounds of the jungle.
    At night, Yasmin and Kamila even had some jungle visitors including a mouse, a spider and a lizzard. Altho Kamila has been a bit nervous about the fauna, Yasmin slept through. 👀
    The next day, we have borrowed a kayak to explore the lake, but the water and all the warnings we got before our departure have left us leaving the lake pretty soon after we got in. Also: our paddling skills definitely could use some training… 😅
    All in all, we were very happy to get a break from the city and enjoy the nature.

    (K.)    Read more

  • Ghana
    Day 6

    Visit at Kids Masters Comunity School

    February 10, 2023 in Ghana ⋅ 🌩️ 35 °C

    Today was a busy day!
    We have visited the Kids Masters Community School near to where we live and have spent some time there talking to the kids, giving out our donations and playing sports with the kids. Because we have done much more afterward, we will separate the day into 4 parts - this is part nr. 1.

    The private school in a poor neighborhood has been kind to welcome us and let us spend some time with the kids. We have started off the day with a dancing session with some of the younger pupils and have loved the joy that everyone carries. Later we have visited all of the classes to donate some supplies and books to. The students particularly enjoyed the darts that will help them practice calculus in a fun way.
    We have never been so blessed as every kid told us “thank you and god bless you” after reaching the books and supplies to them.

    (K.)    Read more

  • Ghana
    Day 6

    Footbal match

    February 10, 2023 in Ghana ⋅ 🌩️ 32 °C

    Shortly before 12, the teachers organized a football game for us with some of the students. We do not know why but we always get to do the most intensive activities right at noon here! As you will see in the pictures and videos, we all suffered as you can imagine. 😁
    The youngest students were all shouting “obruni” eventho we were playing against each other. We loved the support, because we all visibly struggled with the heat. Yasmin and Kevin did strike and Marilyn and Kamila were holding the base. We had lots of fun but were fully soaked when the game was over. Little did we know that the day will be still very long, but somehow, by now we got used to being sweaty ALL THE TIME. 🫣😂
    Enjoy 😎

    (K.)    Read more

  • Ghana
    Day 6

    Visit to one of Kumasi Hospitals

    February 10, 2023 in Ghana ⋅ 🌩️ 35 °C

    In the afternoon, we visited the Suntreso Government Hospital in Kumasi. We wanted to hear how the healthcare works in Ghana and to donate some medical supplies that the hospital desparately needs. We were lucky to be welcomed by the director of the hospital, mr. Agyarko-Poku, who has so many titels that they barely fit on one page (of which he is - of course - very proud, just like he is about the 7 books he wrote and the many countries he has visited).

    The hospital is state-funded but as we understood, the hospitals operate on their own and are only getting funds if they can prove some of the patients cannot afford the bill. Not only is the hospital lacking funds, but it was also not built for the number of patients it is currently handling (1000 patients per day). The biggest problems are sexually transmitted and respiratory diseases (malaria, HIV, dengue, covid).

    When it comes to doctors, the profession is liked and well paid but there are not enough doctors. Nevertheless, the gender gap is picking up as now up to 57% of medical students are female. Out of the 27 doctors at the hospital, 13 are female. Nurses are still majorly females as the profession is done by 91% females. We also learned that being a doctor is helpful when stopped by the police as this is the only way the police will treat you with respect.

    All in all, it was a really interesting conversation and we learned a lot about the healthcare system and mr. Agyarko-Poku. Let‘s put it this way: we all hope we won‘t need it while we are here and appreciate the swiss healthcare more now. 🙃

    (K.)    Read more

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