Copyright 2008 Argus LLP All rights reserved.
Natalie Sinclair,
Glasgow Univeristy Teacher
"My visit to Kpandai in June was amazing."
In Summer 2010, I spent 1 month as a volunteer teacher at the Let Us Shine Girls Academy in Kpandai, Northern Region, Ghana. This turned out to be one of the most challenging, inspiring and life affirming adventures of my life.
Arriving in the capital Accra I immediately knew this was going to be a truly alternative summer. Spending one night in Accra, 2 other volunteers and I then boarded our 4X4 jeep at 5am to tackle the immense 9 hour drive to Kpandai village. My first task the day after arriving in Kpandai was to accompany Jerry, the charity's Ghanaian manager, to the outlying rural villages and help recruit girls for the class 1 intake in Sept 2010. This experience really brought it home to me how difficult life is for girls and their families in these communities. With no electricity or mains water, life is tough in the extreme.
Some were able to tell us their name and knew the English alphabet, some however could not and many did not know what age they were. Many of the children I encountered had very little clothing on, no shoes and had swollen abdomens due to malnourishment. To witness first hand extreme poverty and lack of resources was quite shocking for me. It really made me think about my own circumstances and just how fortunate I have been. That day alone we managed to recruit enough girls for the 20 places in class 1.
I also worked with the teachers and helped them develop as educators. We worked on areas such as professional development, personal experience of education as well and the practical areas such as reading, phonics, alternative classroom management. The teachers were very receptive to my ideas and tried very hard to incorporate them into their teaching.
"I find myself thinking about the girls in Kpandai all the time, wondering what they are doing.
I hope in some way I contributed to the development of the girls and the progress of the school, however, fundamentally it has been them who have changed me."
If anyone would like more information about coming to visit please contact us on volunteer@letusshine.org
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Ashley Whelan,
Medical Student,
Edinburgh University
Hannah Currie,
Student,
Glasgow University.
Dr Mary Higgins, Retired GP, Stirling
Chloe Smith, Sociology and politics student.
Paul Manley,
Darnley Primary School,
Glasgow
At the weekends myself and the other volunteers would play games with the girls, read with them and generally spend time in their company. If I wanted to go into Kpandai village the girls loved to accompany me and carry my handbag and wear my sunglasses. That's the thing about the Let Us Shine School, you never got more than 2 feet if you were carrying something, be it a chair, books or a handbag. The girls would appear from nowhere and insist they carried it for you. One Saturday we went into the village and had a 'mineral' (soft drink) with a few of the girls. This was a real treat for them and they were so tickled to be sitting in the 'spot' (makeshift shack selling alcohol/minerals) having a drink.
We managed to rig up and projector to Jerry's laptop a few evenings and had 'movie night'. The girls booed and cheered their way through The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. We also managed to set up 2 disco evenings with my iPod and speakers. The girls boogied on down to all my cheesy music, even Girls Aloud! I even taught the girls the 'Gay Gordons' which they thought was hilarious! Who knew Jimmy Shand's accordion music would be so popular in Africa?
The girls also loved to put on plays for us to watch. They performed Cinderella and Snow White (both with an African twist). It was great to see the girls developing their confidence and their own sense of drama. Myself and the other volunteers relished these times and we clapped for them until our hands were sore.
Copyright 2009 Let Us Shine (Registered Charitable Trust In UK Nos: SCO37489)
Phone: +44 (0) 845 638 3225 Fax: +44 (0) 845 638 3228 Email: info@letusshine.org