AFRUS GIRLS-soap making women group in Afrasu, Sunyani Ghana-

 Afrasu Women Group has evolved new stage this month. We have done the 5^th production of Moringa soap and packaged with water sachets. Then, we repaired the tools in Chiraa and purchased chemicals in Sunyani.

   We produced Moringa soap on 8^th Mon and packaged with water sachets on 10^th Wed. But this time I just observed part of production and packaging, because they managed by themselves almost all the processes. When I reached to Afrasu, they almost finished all the work of producing soap because they prefered to do it early in the morning. But packaging is most difficult but eager work for them, so they used to work it with me and I gave some advices for good appearance. 

   This time, when we produced soap, I told them that they collect pure water sachets in Chiraa, nearest town, because they did not have enough stock and they did not consume in their community. On the other day to package, it was rather amazing that they had already wrapped soap with the rest of water sachets they had! And I added some sachets and we continued. Then one boy, a son of a group member, came back from school in Chiraa with plenty of water sachets. I was deeply impressed their initiative and challenging mind.

   The next day, I took wooden box (frames to set soap) to carpenter in Chiraa to copy some so that we can produce plenty soap at one time. There was a choice to let them go and do by themselves, but I undertook their request because they had always accepted my requests and thought seriously how they expand production in many ways.

   On 30^th Tuesday Nov, two women of the group came dawn to Chiraa to buy sundry goods in Chiraa Tuesday Market and chemicals for soap in Sunyani Old Market. When I reached in Chiraa, they were sitting in small boutique, which my host sister Juliet manages, sells moringa soap they produce, and provides purewater sachets for them in reasonable price. I found there was wooden cutting board beside them!, which they complained for a long time that the strings have been spoiled so that they couldn’t cut soap properly. 

   We ordered carpenters in Chiraa to repair, which is introduced by Juliet and went ahead to Sunyani.

    First, we went to Eusbett Hotel to see how the soap is sold in the shop. We greeted shop manager and he told us to stock more, which seemed to encourage them. Next, we met NGO man, Mr.Akurugu who transports the soap to JICA craft shop every month. And he took us another carpenter in Sunyani, which made the cutting board, which we left in carpenter of Chiraa, in Project days and the owner gave us the strings we needed. I appreciated Ghanaian hospitality. 

   Then we went his office.He explained about his environmental NGO and how it will collaborate with community. Finally, we went to Sunyani Old Market and bought some chemicals. One woman bought them personally for the individual soap making. We came back to Chiraa and they prepared almost all the sundry goods such as seasonings, foods, cigarettes, clothes, and so on. Finally we visited the carpenter and they repaired the cutting board with the strings we got.

   5^th production and a sequence of soap making activity proved that they practiced the work with much initiative and resource they have, and also showed their ownership for expansion of production. 

they process moringa leaves into powder in Afrasu

AJARA, a leader of Afrasu soap making group
with her last son BABA KETWUA
she is from Upper East, the same age with my MAMY in Japan
she is such a kind and affectionate person...
why can she understand my everything I want to tell them?
though she never understand English...its a miracle

with her husband NANA
first settler, a chief of Afrasu
generous and respectable person 

FOR SMILES IN THE WORLD...

  October 2010, I started to distribute the balls and equipment to the recipient schools, which were donated by Japanese supporters through JICA’s program, called SEKAI NO EGAO NO TAMENI, means for smiles in the world in Japanese language. In this month, I had reception ceremonies in each place, namely Yaohima, Kobedi, Kwatire schools in Sunyani District and Buoku schools in Wench District in Btong Ahafo region. I am going to provide them in Adantia and Ahyiaem schools as well in next month.

   Purpose to apply this program and provide sports equipments is to help promote Physical Education in schools of Ghana and to link together people in developing countries who need assistance and Japanese who are willing to join international cooperation. Initial prompt was my mother in Japan. She is a chairman of Mothers’ Volleyball Association of the local district. Volleyball is her lifework and she plays twice a week and judges games every Sunday. I have thought of that volleyball would be potential to unit people between Ghana and Japan if volleyball were popular in Ghana. I started to go round school in order to introduce school environment to my family since they would come to Ghana, actually they came in October 2010. 

   One day, teachers in Ahyiaem invited me to sports event in Ntoromeso, at Wench District. I went there and finally found that they played volleyball as well as football, netball, handball and field athletic. Rather I encountered wonderful teacher who demonstrated and taught volleyball very well! He worked in Buoku. Then, it convinced me that he would definitely utilize the donation from Japan. I applied and they came. I would like to express my deep appreciation to my family, mothers who donated twenty volleyballs and a net, and CANON CUP JUNIOR SUCCER OFFICE, who donated us fifteen footballs.

   I provided volleyballs in six communities’ schools, including Buoku JHS though it was not my area but because of the reason I mentioned above, and footballs in five communities’ schools in my assigned area. In every schools, I consulted with headmasters and headmistresses and we held a ceremony involved whole the stakeholders in the community. I agreed that all the head teachers insisted the gifts to school were the benefits for the community, so that it should be appealed to everybody. Headmaster in Kwatire rather called media people from FM radio to share the joy and let people in the community known. He also invited Assembly Man, a politician in the community, to the ceremony.

Assembly Man in Kwatire
Young and passionate

Headmaster in Kwatire School

our buddy, Mr.Boama
a leader in our Green Belt Activity
a chairman of PTA, SMC, and UC (Unit Committee)
key person there and very kind papa

   The unexpected outcome was brought through the process to realize the ceremonies. As I mentioned above in what we had in Zion Week, I wanted to invite parents to the school so as to promote their involvement into school management and their interests in formal education for children. School issue is not my core objective, but again, children are our future generation. 

   Protection of forest resource?...my Green Belt Activity, including plantation of fruit trees on the boundary of the forest reserve and establishment of nursery for the fruit seedlings… 

   Alternative livelihood?... my Income Generation Activity for soap making groups, Moringa soap in Afrasu and Amonkye soap in Adantia… 

   To preserve environment is to inherit our property for next generation. And to develop higher living standard and get larger income for house-economics is to give our children good nutrition, health care, education and hygiene. All my activities is going ahead one-direction, linking together at one point… for community development. I believe all the grass roots projects in community development program are to be mutually functioned. (That is called synergetic effect or somethingm, though most of the development program fail in the field unfortunately) This was happened in front of me. The balls led the chance to put everything together in one place. It was a chemical. All the stakeholders who I have built relationship with in this one and half years worked together for community wealth. The distribution has not finished yet, so I still observe what we have and occur in my next communities.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

   The day before Zion Week in Kobedi schools, I had a class for environmental education. Teachers consulted me about the program. Mr.Oppong gave me a call and said. ‘We have a Zion Week in next week, one of the program is about plantation. Please come to the program! You are invited, Madam Yaa Shoko. And it will be good if you can provide us some tree seedlings.’ I was very glad to be invited to the school event, and replied. ‘I don have seedlings but some seeds there. Why do not we make nursery in schoolyard? And what about have a class about environment before the practice?’ We discussed and decided to give a lecture for Upper Primary pupils.

   What the most distinctive thing was that Mr.Oppong and some teachers also attended my class as a listener! I have not had such a many teachers’ participants in my class of schools in Ghana. This time, I was entirely a guest speaker. I thanked the respect they showed me. Of course they spontaneously translated into local language and rather explained ten times effectively than my one word!

   Introduction of Japanese greetings and song appealed both pupils and teachers! We practiced few greetings in Japanese and sang a song ‘If you are happy and know, clap your hands’ in Twi, English and Japanese.

   In my class, pupils are expected to have their own opinion and think by themselves without other’s help. It usually takes an participatory approach. But this time, I had about a hundred attendees inside and outside of the classroom. So I did not let them do group activity, just gave them a lecture and make them say opinion with raising hands. I was afraid it would be one-way class, but thanks to teacher’s help, they thrown many explanation and question to pupils so it was rather many-sided.

   I could explain so many things with limited one class time, which I ordinarily concerned but had no chance to speak out. Normally I do not explain about a food chain, generation of oxygen, photosynthesis, though I believed these were rather the root which sustained our life and environment supposed to be explained even lower class. This time, teachers illustrated all those things to send my messages to pupils more clearly. I was just listening to their explanation in Twi language. The day was for preparation of Zion Week, they did not any specific class, so I could have a class time freely without any regulation. I appreciate Mr.Oppong and other teachers who always help me and children in Kobedi who always scream at me ‘Yaa Shoko! Yaa Shoko!’

A.M.E. ZION WEEK in Kobedi Schools

A.M.E. Zion Schools in Kobedi had a special week to celebrate Christianity on 20^th to 23^rd Oct 2010. Mr.Oppong, a teacher in Kobedi Primary School, gave me a call in advance and invited me to the program. Who can believe this chance that all the programs are related to my activity? Teachers and I discussed and readied for the program.

   We gave a class of environmental education to pupils in Upper Primary in the previous day in order that the program of the first day 20^th was for environmental issue. I would like to state the details in the following. It was most successful and wonderful class I have ever had in Ghana!

   The first day was for exercises of environmental program. Unfortunately it was rainy so hard in the morning so that the program had delayed and we could not make the town cleaning efficiently. We just swept the schoolyard of Primary School and Kindergarten. Mr.Oppong chose some students and we moved to the field in J.H.S to make nursery. We made nursery bed, sowed seeds in soil, and covered top with leaves of palm tree. Before sowing, I gathered pupils together and reviewed what we learnt yesterday. Mr.Oppong who invited me and got started, helped me and translated and explained in local language very well.

   The second day, we had health program. All the pupils from KG to JHS carried the sets of desk and chairs from classrooms to a schoolyard of PS (Primary). One lady, a kindergarten teacher, gave a lecture to all the pupils. She mainly talked about personal hygiene. ‘Did you bath in this morning? Put your hand to your pit! And smell it! Raise your hand if it smells something bad!’ she explained and gestured to let even kindergarten kids understand it. ‘Wash your body everyday! Especially your private part after urinate or toilet! Like this!’ Pupils were laughing all the time and seemed to enjoy listening. ‘Wash your clothes and underwear with OMO (a cleaner), ok? And dry them in the sun like this. You can buy OMO in 20psw in a shop. Ask your mother! Tell her that teacher told you to do so in the school!’ I was very impressed. She taught wisdom of life, and sent messages to their parents. Education in school was structured to home, a place of informal education. After her lecture, I btought the soap, which made in community by mothers who also have children like them. I donated some soap and Mr.Oppong helped to translate and explain. We told them to wash hands before and after eating. Then, we practiced at once after the meal, with the bowls filled by water, and brought soap… but suddenly a schoolyard was turned into chaos. Everybody wanted to wash his hands. But materials were not sufficient; they did not know how to make a line to wait… but here again, I was moved because JHS pupils took KG pupils’ hands and let them wash hands, though chaos never stopped.

   The third day, we had sports program. I represented the donation of volleyballs and footballs in reception ceremony. We invited chives, PTA (Parents and Teachers Association), SMC (School Management Committee) and other parents in Kobedi. Most of the Kobedi GB members have some roles in community management. After opening prayer, I gave a presentation. ‘I work together with your parents to protect the forest near Kobedi. That is why I am here. I hope you remember what we learnt yesterday. To protect forest is to keep our life!’ I wanted to introduce pupils what their parents contribute to environmental preservation. I wanted to share their achievements with children. They are our future generation. To involve all the stakeholders is most practical and sustainable way to develop community. ‘So if you are glad to have these balls from Japan, lets say thank you to your parents as well as Japanese supporters!’ Needless to say, family bond is stronger than Japan. But I wanted to invite parents to school and get them interested in education in school and school management. I wanted to express appreciation for parents to come to the school. I hope I could fill a role of it somewhat. Finally they went into main event. Pupils, teachers, everybody played balls! Kobedi schools had won in the last sports competition in the area, so they were awarded jerseys. Some wore them, some enjoyed with school uniforms, some played with sandals, some with bare foots. But those did not matter at all. They had just enjoyed what they had and what they were at that moment.