Africa – Page 8 – GW Blogs from Abroad

Volunteering in Ghana

AdminFebruary 4, 2013December 14, 2018

February 4th: What challenges are you facing and how are you/planning
to overcome them? What are the benefits and do you feel like you are already making a difference, if so how?

There are numerous opportunities to serve in the Greater Accra area and beyond. Fortunately I have been offered the opportunity to work with an organization dedicated to sustainable development called Community Directed Development Foundation(CDDF). CDDF is a non governmental organization determined to improve the health, education, environment, agriculture and socio-economic well-being of communities. The organization works with other NGO's and community organizations to devise positive sustainable futures for many struggling communities. The organization facilitates an endless number of outreach programs, those currently in the works include: Women For Africa(CDDF-wFa) and Brempong-Twum Initiative for Good Health. ...continue reading "Volunteering in Ghana"

and so it begins… GHANA!

AdminJanuary 8, 2013December 14, 2018

By jamfanous

Discuss what study abroad program you are attending and why, what type of volunteer work/research you plan to do abroad.

My interests have constantly evolved but with the same underlining theme being sustainability. I began college wanting to study environmental law but soon transitioned to topics such as international food justice, and urban health research and policy. After studying the major flaws to America’s food production, I grew intrigued by food health specifically global health concerns with a concentration on food quality.

While searching for a study abroad program for the spring semester, I stumbled upon the CIEE: Business, Development, and Social Entrepreneurship program. This program based in Legon, Ghana (only 10 miles from the capitol city Accra), is entirely new, the program combines entrepreneurship studies and cultural full immersion. The program provides a diversity of education and the freedom to follow your passion.

During my time in Ghana, I am planning to study urban nutrition in relation to food and agriculture policy. I intend on either spending time working with individuals in the food and agriculture industry, with a local NGO assisting in urban nutrition projects and promoting urban health, or assist a small business related to health food systems or agriculture.

Reflections on Cape Town

AdminDecember 17, 2012December 14, 2018

By hfirlein

My semester in Cape Town has been truly transformative. I will take so many lessons from it, about myself, my goals, and the world around me. My time volunteering with the people of South Africa has shown me that poverty is one of, if not the most, important issue facing South Africa in particular and the Global South in general. Impoverished environments breed a lack of education, unemployment, and ill health. These, in turn, perpetuate poverty, and the cycle continues. It’s a big problem, one that no one person can tackle, and as I spent time volunteering in Cape Town, it was all too clear to me that the influence of one person is fairly small, and that even though one person can make a difference, it is often not as big an impact as that person would like. At times this realization was disheartening; I felt that because my contributions were small, they somehow weren’t all that worthwhile. But as I reflect on my time in Cape Town, I realize that the small contributions I made mattered to the people we helped; the men, women and children we provided with a meal, a listening ear, and a smile. These offerings are indeed small, but they are nothing to be scoffed at. The smallest acts of kindness are still kind, and they can provide hope to those who need it most. They can also profoundly change the actor. Showing compassion and finding the value in volunteer work, no matter how seemingly insignificant, can influence the way one views oneself and the world. ...continue reading "Reflections on Cape Town"

Every Little Bit

AdminDecember 4, 2012December 14, 2018

By hfirlein

A few weekends ago, my housemates and I went back to the township of Strandfontein to visit the informal settlement that we had made food for previously. This time, instead of making the curry, we delivered and served it to the residents of Klapteinsklip. We stopped at Auntie C’s to pick up curry and fat cook, and then drove about ten minutes away to a small, one-room community hall. Children had gathered outside, and while a few people went inside to set up the food and chairs, my housemates and I sang a few American summer camp songs with the kids. They were pretty shy at first, and we looked a little crazy, jumping around and singing, but eventually they warmed up to us and joined in. The Macarena was especially popular! ...continue reading "Every Little Bit"

A Lesson in Curry and Compassion

AdminNovember 3, 2012December 14, 2018

By hfirlein

Last Saturday all 11 members of York House traveled to Strandfontein, a township just up the coast from Muizenberg, our favorite beach, about 30 minutes south of Cape Town.

As volunteers, our job for the day was to prepare food for around 150 residents of the informal settlements of Klapteinsklip. The CIEE volunteer coordinator, Earl, dropped us off at the home of Auntie Charlene, or Auntie C, a retired mother of two (and very proud grandmother!) who donates her time every day to help the people of her community. Her house was warm and inviting and it was clear that she is one of the most well-loved women in her community. She runs a convenience store on her porch to supply the people in her neighborhood with basic pantry goods, and the few who stopped by that morning stayed to chat with her for a bit. ...continue reading "A Lesson in Curry and Compassion"

Smiling for Madiba: Mandela Day in Cape Town

AdminOctober 1, 2012December 14, 2018

By hfirlein

"Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing." -Mother Teresa

In South Africa, Nelson Mandela is more than just a politician- he is a national hero. And every year his birthday is celebrated through service; people take time to honor Madiba by helping others. For Mandela Day, CIEE, along with a local organization, took us to a township about 20 minutes outside of Cape Town. This was my first trip to a township, and while I understood poverty in theory, I don’t think I was entirely prepared for the state in which people lived. There is very limited access to electricity and water, none have indoor plumbing. Unemployment in the townships surrounding Cape Town is an average of 50%, schools are overcrowded, and residents have little hope for a brighter future. Faced with such daunting conditions, I wasn’t sure how a group of fairly privileged American students could possibly empathize with and in some way help these people.

...continue reading "Smiling for Madiba: Mandela Day in Cape Town"

Hello from Cape Town!!

AdminSeptember 4, 2012December 14, 2018

By hfirlein

Hi blog readers! I am a senior at GW, spending the fall semester in Cape Town, South Africa with the Council for International Educational Exchange (CIEE). I knew I wanted to come to Africa, and when I started looking for programs, CIEE immediately jumped out because of their curriculum flexibility (no specific class requirements) and their commitment to engagement in local communities. I narrowed down my options to Legon, Ghana, and Cape Town. The classes offered at the University of Cape Town fit better with my academic plans, and the social and economic problems associated with the aftermath of apartheid really intrigued me, so I decided on Cape Town!

...continue reading "Hello from Cape Town!!"