Cape Coast & Takoradi, Ghana

The nuclear family is a foreign concept in Ghana. Instead, families typically live 20-25 to a home. Walking into one, you might not be able to tell who are the parents of the children running around—it’s the family who will raise them. And together in villages, families can run upwards of 500-600 members. Each community will specialize into some trade or craft. The one we visited focused on food production, primarily fishing and processing of the fish. But with no refrigeration, and temperatures in the mid nineties, the result is wholly unfamiliar to us.

Much of our experience in Ghana challenged us. We found it quite difficult to not judge, to not blame, to accept what was the normal day-to-day. But with no infrastructure, no light from behind the eyes of children, no resources benefiting the people, and no hope of building a better future, we did judge. We did feel. This was the legacy of colonialism.Read more