One month from today, I’ll already by in Accra with the rest of the Journey for Change team. After many months of anticipation, it’s actually hard to believe it’s so close!
I seem to keep stumbling across articles, information, and news pertaining to Ghana. This may perhaps be just a coincidence, but more likely, it is a product of the fact that Future of Africa seems to be always on my mind. Either way, I’m not complaining. The knowledge I am gaining is continually making me more intrigued by the country, eager to learn first hand, and increasingly excited for the whole experience.
It’s also refreshing that much of the news I’ve been perusing is quite positive. It’s encouraging and motivational to realize that many groups and organizations are identifying the issues at hand and working toward creating innovative solutions.
One article, courtesy of Journalists for Human Rights, details the employment of autistic adults in an Accra biscuit factory, which is an exciting development. Stigmas associated with mental health present a challenge in Canadian society, but such problems are even more pronounced in Ghana.
Even in the comfort of our own Canadian communities, we often hear of mental illness when wrapped up in discussions of homelessness (which may or may not even be relevant) and society at large tends to forget or disregard the fact that countless individuals dealing with such mental health issues are successfully integrated into our schools and work places.
In Ghana, individuals coping with mental health issues and other disabilities are often completely ostracized from Ghanaian society and assumed to have no career prospects. This story about the Accra biscuit factory indicates that such stereotypes are increasingly being confronted, challenged, and overcome, indicating hopeful potential for progress and continuing eradication of these stigmas.
Another interesting find is actually a Cadbury initiative. As a way of giving back to Ghana, its primary source of cocoa, Cadbury builds bicycles to be distributed in rural Ghana. Since the inauguration of the program in 2009, “The Bicycle Factory” has delivered over 9000 bicycles to Ghanaians.
Accompanied by discourses of freedom, mobility, and change, Cadbury’s initiative is, in my opinion, an exemplary case of corporate philanthropy. Cadbury isn’t just throwing money at a problem, it is taking action to provide tangible resources and a source of empowerment to Ghanaian citizens. The future looks promising when such corporate giants (Cadbury is owned by Kraft Foods) are positively engaged as global citizens.
An interesting fact: following its neighbour Ivory Coast, Ghana is the second largest producer of cocoa in the world.
Needless to say, I definitely have Ghana on my mind lately, and learning about the positive developments and humanitarian initiatives of other parties only serves to continue to inspire me and make me look forward to experiencing life in Accra and Volta Region even more.
And so the Countdown continues! Now less than one month away, it’s time to really start getting prepared, mentally and physically. Now about that immunization…
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