Projects Abroad volunteers in a tro tro in Ghana

Last week volunteers in Ghana ran workshops to educate tro tro drivers on their rights.

N.B. A Tro Tro is a crowded, but efficient and inexpensive minibus used for short distance travel in Ghana.

The commercial drivers workshop was looking at ways trotro drivers have had encounters with the Police and to inform them of their rights and what the Police can and cannot do.

In order to get the message across volunteers acted out scenarios of when Police have pulled over drivers, charged on the spot fines, taken away documents and even arrested individuals. Many drivers who attended were apprehensive and scared by the Police and unaware of what the Police can and cannot do. Everyone was aware that things like bribes should not be paid, although when being threatened with an arrest almost all would give in.

Nana Oye Lithur Human Rights Co-ordinator and the Police Chief and Trade Union representatives were among the officials in attendance, they followed the scenarios with a presentations which went through the laws and legislation.

In order to make sure the message was clear volunteers designed leaflets to be handed out on the day which outlined commercial driver’s rights and what they should do if they should find themselves in trouble.

The workshop ended with informal chats between the volunteers and the drivers, this was great as volunteers could hear first hand stories of the type of treatment tro tro drivers get from the authorities.

Thanks to the volunteers initiative the event was a great success and there are already plans in the pipeline for the next workshop.

Learn more about our Law and Human Rights internships in Ghana HERE

I visited this placement and several others when I visited South Africa in 2007 and I had as much fun as Katharina and Erica did in the video. Check it out!

More information on the Care program in South Africa can be found here

By Alejandra Estrada,

It is not a cake, per se, but it is called that in our very own Andalucía from the south: Tarija.

But, first things first: The Jueves de Comadres (Female Comrade’s Thursday) is a traditional celebration that takes place the Thursday before carnival, mostly in the valleys of Tarija.

In Tarija, the comadres (women) exchange this typical ‘cake’ as a sign of their friendship.
Tradition says that if you want to be a comadre with another woman, you prepare a cake with all the things you know she likes (and you like), and take it to her house at noon. You accompany this with 2 beers and lots of fire crackers; just to make some noise.

The next year, on comadres day as well, if the woman you gave the cake to wants to be your comadre, she’ll prepare another cake, following the tradition.
A lovely and loud tradition this is, but a great excuse to party with your female friends, warming up for the carnival days.

Now, this cake is actually a sweet bread or biscuit. Round shaped and garnished with anise, which gives it a peculiar flavour.

This bread lies on a hand made willow basket. On top of it you can add any season fruits like grapes, plums, peaches and pears.

Vegetables are also a good idea to include on this delicious cake. Carrots, cucumber, corn, etc. Of course, all of this has to be raw.

Sweets must be part of this healthy package as well. There are many typical carnival sweets like confites, suspiros, etc. (a sugar boost, indeed) that will add some more colour.

To decorate, you can add some basil branches, flowers, many little colorful flags, balloons and serpentine surrounding the entire cake, so that you can see nothing but colors, the top of the flags and the balloons. This is one of my favorite celebrations.

This year, since I couldn’t fly to Tarija, I ordered a couple of these cakes so I could do some comadres celebration as well. (These tradition and cakes you can only find there). So, on Thursday morning I prepared a big cake for the lovely comadres at the office. No fire crackers and beer, this time, but we did have a nice gathering on our kitchen eating delicious fruits, sweets and, of course, the ‘cake’.

Next year, they’ll have to return a cake to me, or better yet… 5 cakes! This, of course, if they want to be my comadres
(Just kidding, girls).

So, happy second month of the year! And, if you ever come on carnival season, remember to celebrate the Jueves de Comadres!

The Water and Sanitation Project team

By Bridgette Barrett, Country Director - Jamaica

Ever wondered the impact on the health of a child at a school with a capacity for 400 students but have 960 enrolled? With limited space at times most schools in Jamaica are overcrowded. At McIntosh Memorial Primary a child on average uses the bathroom 3 times per day. With 6 toilets for boys and 6 for girls the strain on the bathroom facilities was enormous. With limited or at times no water to wash hands and properly flush the toilets the children’s health was at risk. The Water and Sanitation Project changed all this and now they have adequate water supply and proper functioning bathroom facilities. This is the story behind the Water and Sanitation Project in Jamaica.

The Water and Sanitation Project was launched on January 5th, 2009, at the McIntosh Memorial Primary School. Representatives from Prime Pump Australia, the School Board, and Ministry of Education, Parent Teachers’ Association, National Youth Service, Police and general school population attended the function. The head boy and Wendy broke ground for the project.

According to Wendy, “When I first visited Jamaica as a volunteer with Projects Abroad in April, 2008, I really did not know what to expect.  After spending only a few days at my placement talking with community members and observing general conditions, my own background as a Director of a water and sewerage infrastructure company brought me to the realisation that I had a lot more to offer than simply a pair of hands and my time.  My business partner and I decided that our vast experience and expertise could be put to use by refurbishing or providing new water supply projects within education and health related areas in Jamaica.  My company has undertaken to sponsor and fund these projects in conjunction with Projects Abroad volunteers”. Country Director for Jamaica, Bridgette Barrett explains that “Volunteering with Projects Abroad can impact your life so deeply that it moves you to continue in a worthwhile way to affect the lives of people in developing countries. This project is a clear example of this. Wendy spent three weeks in Jamaica in April, 2008, and now she is determined to continue working with us.  It also clearly supports the vision of Projects Abroad to impact the lives of people in a meaningful way.”

The team at work

The volunteers who worked on the water project were Wendy, Mark (Wendy’s husband) and their four children; Haarlen, Christian, Ben and Stephanie (Australian), Kieran (Australia), Peter (England), Kirsten (Germany) and Jeovonne (Jamaica). Some parents, other community members and even the children assisted at times. Wendy was the conceptualizer and worked closely with Projects Abroad to see the project come to fruition. Mark would be up at 5am heading to the school to kick start activities before the other volunteers got there. He was the mastermind behind the project and was the technical expert. Haarlen was keen on getting the work done; he was focused on the task at hand and never lost sight of the goal. Ben worked tirelessly on the project and gave it his all while he was here. While working, Christian did not like to be disturbed. He ensured that any assigned tasks were done properly. Stephanie was a hard worker; she pushed the barrow full of stones, cleared the trenches, painted, and did everything imaginable. Kieran just kept on going, he was always there to get something sorted out and worked with waning. Peter was hardworking and meticulous in getting the job done. Kirsten showed good team spirit by providing well needed help when hands were short. She chipped in whenever needed and did a lot of work. Jeovonne “CJ”: in Jamaica we would say “likkle but tallawah”, which means small of great strength. There is no limit to his contribution, from the water project to assisting teachers in the classes to the extent where the form teacher has noticed a change in the behaviour of the boys in the class. Country Director, Bridgette was able to come and volunteer for a few hours on the January 13th.

The project lasted for a month. Although there were hiccups here and there, the team managed to pull through and at McIntosh Memorial Primary Project built a storage tank, erected storage tanks on top of each bathroom, installed piping and electrical systems, changed all the toilets, painted the bathroom and tank and rebuilt the urinal. This included digging trenches, putting in piping, mixing marl and cement by hand, painting bathrooms, reinstalling toilets, installing electrical systems and refurbishing gutters. This the volunteers worked on assiduously. The New Hope Project included cleaning the tank, getting rid of the concrete cancers and building a covering for the roof.

On January 28th the volunteers toured each class at the school where some of the students read letters, sang Jamaican folk songs and read poems. All 960 students wrote letters which the volunteers took home with them. On January 29th the teachers had a “Thank You and Nyam (eat) Up” for the volunteers in which they all expressed gratitude.

The Water Project attracted lots of media attention. It was featured on the evening news on CVM Television, one of Jamaica’s leading television station on January 14th. The Manchester Clarion (local newspaper) also had a detailed article about the project. The next step as discussed with Wendy is to seek further sponsorship to implement more projects in the future.

Volunteers at the Model Farm in India preparing organic fertilizer

By Thomas Pastorius, Director of Marketing - Pacific

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do
not reflect the views of Projects Abroad Inc, its staff, partners or
affiliates.

One of the themes in President Obama’s inaugural address, which goes back to
his 2004 DNC address, was the need to set aside sclerotic divisions in our
society and focus on pragmatic issues of effectiveness. I think Big ‘Bama
hit on something important here.

That’s why I was excited to see The Economist publish a small article in its
January 29, 2009 issue on “for profit activism.” You can view the story
here until they make the link available only to subscribers:
http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13031214
(Projects Abroad staff can email me to borrow my hardcopy.) The article
highlights several companies which, like Projects Abroad, are for-profits
working in a field traditionally filled by non-profits. One was Bono’s
(RED) campaign, another was the Facebook Causes application. I would add
Google.org and Banco Compartamos, a for-profit microfinance firm in Mexico,
to this list.

I sometimes forget how strange this corporate gender-bending sounds to most
people. What are the social advantages of being a for-profit in a field of
traditional non-profits? Well, as the article points out:

1. COMPANIES CAN RAISE CAPITAL
Companies can raise funds by selling ownership in themselves. Since no one
owns non-profits, they can only get donations. Thus, it’s easier to find
money to start and grow a company than a non-profit.
Take Projects Abroad as an example. We got our start when a private
investor took a stake in the company that gave us the cash to make capital
investments. As money meant for his retirement, it only could have found
its way into our pockets as an investment - not as a gift.

2. COMPANIES CAN PAY THEIR STAFF MORE
Given the laughter rising from our office, I am skeptical about this point.
However, if true, it’s probably another benefit of a companies’ ability to
take on investors. Since investors demand a constant return on their
investment, for-profits might put a higher premium on growth and efficiency
improvements, which usually means paying for higher quality staff and
equipment.

I would add to this list:

3.COMPANIES ARE NOT BOUND TO A MISSION STATEMENT
Each non-profits has, or should have, a clear explanation of what it does,
for whom, and where. The list of “acceptable” goals are controlled by
governments and, once registered only the stated goals can be pursued. In
contrast, a company has the freedom to change its shape as often as it
likes. Probably the best example of this is India’s Wipro, which started as
a vegetable oil producer but now works in IT, consumer service and
healthcare.

Taking Projects Abroad as an example again, consider that it started as a
program called “Teaching Abroad,” which only sent English teachers to
Eastern Europe. This past is only tangentially related to the work we do
with, say, medical volunteers in Latin America, or Journalism interns in
China. We had the flexibility to follow the interests of our volunteers
because we are a for-profit company.

BUT…..?
Some people may object that for-profits can misuse resources for individual
gain. That is certainly a valid concern, but make no mistake, so could a
non-profit. The non-profit designation can protect against certain abuses,
but no law could possibly ensure a completely efficient allocation of
resources. In the end, the issue boils down to the individual integrity of
the members in that organization.

I’ve had the privilege to engage with a number of other international
volunteer organizations, both for-profit and non-profit, during my time at
Projects Abroad. It’s been my experience that there is no correlation
between the for-/non- profit issue and the quality of the program on the
ground.

If we really care about effectiveness, more consideration should be given to
the for-profit models ability to effect positive change. There is no doubt
that plenty of wonderful non-profits exist, and the next decade will see
many more join this list. However, we do the world an injustice to ignore
the huge positive impact that for-profits can make.

Harry Kent and Andrew Fryer, our intrepid scholars, with their diplomas

By Harry Kent, Programme Advisor - UK

Projects Abroad were recently approached by the British Safety Council who are offering all of our volunteers an all expense paid safety course.

The British Safety Council’s aim is to spread the message of safety to over 3000 children in the developing world, and to do so they require the help of volunteers.

Myself and Andrew Fryer (International development officer) attended the fist training day earlier this month.

The day began with a bombardment of useful safety information in order to complete a short but sweet examination. The results proved either that we are incredibly intelligent or the paper was extremely easy, I’ll let you guys decide.

After a great buffet lunch we moved on to a more discussion based workshop, here we split into groups and brainstormed the different ways we could get the message of safety across in the developing world.

There were great ideas of comic like posters, educational games. One main point that everyone agreed upon was that the BSC would need to adapt their course content to make it more relevant to issues overseas, for example Malaria, Cleanliness and drinking water.
International Development officer, Andrew Fryer, was pleased to see the potential in the project aims:

“This project fits in nicely with Project Abroads current worthwhile plan. Volunteers who take part in teaching and care placements can use the ideas discussed during the workshop and can apply it to lesson plans or include it in their roles as part of one of our care programmes. It will be great if we can use the excellent resource of volunteers and get them to channel their energy and enthusiasm to help improve the health and safety of children at our placements. Our first volunteer Madeline Wright was at the workshop and if was pleasing to see that she seemed confident she could make a positive a start on this project. Obviously health and safety concerns are completely different in the Developing world and indeed vary from country to country. But we look forward to starting this initiative and staying in contact with our volunteers to see how best to develop this programme.”  

The BSC are very committed to the cause and are willing to give time and money to any feasible suggestions and are hoping to use the drive and enthusiasm of the volunteers to help with their quest. This initiative has the potential to help many people around the world so if you can I strongly recommend getting yourself down to London for the next training day.

The course is available to all UK volunteers joining Teaching and Care placements overseas. The British Safety Council will pay for all transport costs of volunteers, accommodation (where necessary) as well as providing lunch. If you want to join one of these programmes have a look at the attached document and email examinations@britsafe.org. The next course is on Friday 20th February 2009.

Kids in Ghana

1. Ghana

After spending the summer in Ghana and seeing the sheer amount of volunteers and great work they were doing I can honestly say I would be shocked it was not top of the pile.

But why was Ghana so popular? Here’s what one volunteer thought….

“Ghana is the perfect gateway for first-time volunteers in West Africa. The welcoming people, lush jungle, and extensive travel circuit provide an ideal environment for any placement.” Alex Oberholzer, Medical volunteer

2. India
“India is an assault on the senses.  However many guidebooks or Michael Palin shows you watch you cannot prepare yourself for India.  It is an amazing place to volunteer.” Ian Birbeck, Recruitment Director

3. Peru
“Peru is an incredible place to visit and explore. The Andes provide a magnificent backdrop to a country full of history, tradition, and a way of life unseen in the West. It is a must-see for those going to Latin America!” Kelsy Nelson , Program Advisor USA

4. Nepal
“I loved the welcoming attitude, the local community feel, it was truly was a remarkable experience.” Andrew Fryer, International Development Officer 

5. South Africa
“South Africa is the land of many faces. Not only for the beautiful and friendly people but also in the beauty and variety of the land. Anyone can definitely have the time of their life in South Africa. I know I did.” Laurens Vos, Country Director, Holland

6. Mexico
“Mexico inspires thoughts of food, dancing, and many fiestas! From the chocolate induced mole, spicy tacos, and fresh bakeries to the dance halls filled with Salsa moves and lively bands, it has something for everybody. Whether you’d like to explore beaches on the weekend, visit ancient Mayan ruins, or simply relax with an afternoon siesta, Mexico will feed your needs.” Kelsy Nelson , Program Advisor USA
 
7. Argentina
“The Argentinean city of Cordoba, where a number of Projects Abroad placements are based, really is mix of old and new and deserves it’s hefty title of ‘Cultural Capital of the Americas’.  Where else do you find crowded student bars blaring out electro-tango next to old Jesuit ruins?  It really is a fascinating city.  For anyone looking to explore Argentina, be prepared for it to exceed your expectations in many ways (and that includes the melt-in-the-mouth steak; it’s worth a return trip just for that!).” Faye Stickings, Head of Social Management   

8. Costa Rica
“Costa Rica is a wonderful destination to visit as an introduction to Latin America. The biodiversity and array of opportunities for people interested in the outdoors is unparalleled, and the people are kind, friendly and relaxed.” Jessye Crowe-Rothstein , Program Advisor USA

9. Senegal
“Senegal is a fantastic Francophone destination. Not only are there some
great programs at our base in St. Louis, but the combination of
interesting architecture, smiling faces and a proximity to the ocean
give it a vibe that is hard to replicate anywhere.” Will Harper, Deputy Director USA

10. China
“There’s been no better time to visit China than now. Shanghai is one of the fastest growing business centres in the world and is a perfect place to gain work experience in fields as diverse as marketing, law, HR, finance and property development. After you have finished your work placement you can then explore this fascinating country, visiting the Terracotta Warriors, climbing the Great Wall or exploring the Forbidden City.” Greg Thomson, Operations Director

Who knows what 2009 will have in store, there is likely to be heavy competition with new destinations Tanzania and Fiji in the mix.

By Elise Beacom, Projects Abroad Journalism volunteer

It’s 7am on election day in Ghana and my rickety trotro (small minibus) passes snaky queues of eager Ghanaians, awaiting their chance to prove that democracy can work in Africa. I pass 35 pesewa to the trotro mate and utter something in the local tongue, Twi. The locals always get a kick out of the ‘Obroni’ (white) girl speaking their language.

Peeling myself off the seat, I dismount the bus and wish its passengers good luck – it’s finally the big day! In the lead up to the elections, there had been endless worry among Ghanaians that voting could erupt into violence, like the turmoil seen in Kenya just a year earlier.

Equipped with my own media pass, I weave in between the anxious crowd to take a closer look at the proceedings. Reuters and BBC correspondents stand to my left and European Union observers loiter to my right. It’s an international stage and I’m lucky enough to be in the audience.

I’ve been attached to national newspaper The Daily Graphic for two months now. Based in the effervescent capital, Accra, I began penning stories from day one. Covering anything from road accident statistics to environmental sustainability projects, working as a journalist is such a great way to learn about a country and its people. I bound out of bed at 6am each morning pondering what adventures the day will bring, a far cry from indulgent sleep-ins in Australia. The News Editor also gives me scope to chase my own stories, allowing me to investigate anything from doctor shortages to corruption.

But all my reportage pales in comparison to witnessing the excitement of the elections. Asking my Editor to send me where the action is, I was assigned to the Odododiodio constituency. The densely populated area is considered a ‘flashpoint’ and is therefore under the vigilant supervision of international observers. If the actual place is even half as treacherous as trying to pronounce it, I’m in trouble. After practicing my enunciation and copping taunts from my Ghanaian friends, ‘Odododiodio’ rolls off my tongue like butter!

With a flash of my laminate media pass, I watch as voters enter the booths, press their inky thumbs to the ballot paper and slot their vote into the designated box. Market women waltz past me, grinning from ear to ear and a few young men kick around a dusty football to pass the time. Politics and passion overlap here and Ghanaians young and old relish the opportunity to decide their country’s future.

I dash to the newsroom around midday to file a report of the occurrences so far. The newsroom is surging with journalists maniacally typing stories and receiving updates from regional correspondents. I finish my story and trudge alongside the river back into the thick of the constituency.

As the sun creeps from the sky, the booths close without seeing any of the forecast catastrophes. Ballot boxes are delivered to the collation centre in taxis tailed by police convoys. As the results roll in, impatient locals surround the compound to watch the manual count.

It’s a long, tiring process and the count continues into the early hours of the morning. Battling hunger and pesky mosquitoes, weary journalists scrawl details and radio reporters give live updates to sleepy listeners. When the parliamentary result is finally announced, the remaining hardcore revelers erupt in a cheer, while the opposition slinks home despondently.

Running on adrenalin, I’m caught up in the celebratory buzz. Flags are unfurled and waved wildly while young men dust white powder over their faces to signal victory. As the energy in the air slowly whittles away, members of the Odododiodio constituency dissipate into the night, just as peacefully as they had arrived.

The voters’ poise and perfect conduct will be glorified in tomorrow’s newspaper…