distings update

Sankpala Primary & JHS Library
As many of you are aware (or not), the PTA at my brother Michael’s school, PS 32, collected over 20 boxes of books for my community (!!). As a teacher who cares deeply about the future of her students, literacy has been a priority for me. We continue to have reading classes weekly with the few books we have. The primary and junior high school students are insanely excited about these books. My father is working tirelessly to find the funds to ship these books to Ghana. If you are interested in helping with his endeavor, shoot me an email.

While home, I was able to see the pile of boxes stacked at our home. I was overwhelmed by the generosity of families in my home community. I also realized that there is no room at my school to fit all these books. Actually, there isn’t enough room for the students. The Sankpala Youth Association and I had a meeting my first week back and decided to take on the building of a school library. I am in the process of getting funds from USAID, and my community is committed to all labor required. This is a project I have had in the back of my mind for a year now, so…here we go!

Sankpala Youth Association
SAYA and the PTA built pavilions at the school so that the students without a classroom have some shade (which are most). The initiative they took with this project was quite impressive, and the reason why I ultimately decided that building a library is something they will seriously commit to. We are simultaneously planning an inauguration, which I think will take place in May.

Literacy Classes
I continue to have 60-80 students every week for literacy classes. Some teachers are (finally) helping me this year, which is great because it is really hard to handle that many tired and hungry students alone, and more so because hopefully they will continue these classes when I’m finito.

Health Club
Sanitation. This is my goal for the year, and coincidentally is the same goal for the Sankpala Clinic, the health sector of SAYA, and the Central Gonja Ministry of Health. How nice. Yesterday the district dropped off hand washing stations at the school and I I was a little over-excited. My health club will continue to have clean-up days, and we are trying to find ways to get the community involved. I am hoping to have some hooplah for environment day: parade, drums and all. Furthermore, we are hoping to get incinerators/ rubbish bins around town and build more soak-away pits.

Girls Club
After Sahada took over my kitchen to make mini meat pies for us girls, they expressed an interest in selling them at the market and roadside. I gave them a small loan to get started, and already they are on a roll and making a profit. So when we aren’t stuffing our faces with popcorn and watching chick flicks, we will be making meat pies.

Moringa
Dead. I don’t know what else to say. Some communities they grow like weeds and some they just don’t. We tried-oh.

Other distings
Ghana lost the Africa Cup to Egypt. But that’s okay suckahs, you can shine your trophy real nice while we are on the way to the World Cup.

My village is bracing themselves for a little visit form Ciana and Krista the Barista the end of March and April. That’s happening.

And Musah Naa continues to drive me crazy. Every. Day. (while being the best thing to ever happen to me.)