Many blogs were written during our 4 weeks in Denu, Ghana about the location and projects on which we worked, along with pieces about the culture, the people and places visited. Now that our project has come to close, it’s time to reflect a little on what was accomplished during our time and provide some context to the work completed. Read more
I get asked this question a lot from family and friends trying to understand why this inaugural group is in Denu, Ghana. The location of our work is not as important as the tasks we have been assigned. We have two teams working on important projects designed to improve the quality of life for the people of Denu. They center on Tourism and Clean Water. The team I get to work with (Deepali, Kannan, Monica, and myself) is focused on the latter. Read more
I had quite a few people send congratulatory notes upon hearing the announcement on July 28th from the PepsiCorps Group. One of the questions centered around what type of lodging would be available. Comments ranged from tents, mud huts, and a few mentioned luxury hotels. What I can tell you is, that no, we are not sleeping in tents, thrashed roof huts, mud huts, or as one person asked…the beach. I am happy to say that we are staying at the Hotel Vilcabamba. Read more
Almost every instance, I am finding myself extracting a skill or a past learning to help our team understand our project and deliver a sustainable result for the Ketu South Water District. Today, my colleagues and I met with the Nogokpo Water Board Members and a few individuals from the Ketu South Water District to gain a better understanding of issues that each organization has that inhibits progress in delivering clean water to the community. Had we only relied on the spoken word in this meeting, we would have missed out on some additional nuggets that may have an impact on the outcome of the conversation and, ultimately, the project. Read more
Ghana is almost 5,000 miles from my home north of Atlanta, GA, and undoubtedly has a much different culture that that of my community. Yet, as I meet people here, it is becoming evident that it is still the personal relationships that help to accomplish tasks and goals on a daily basis. We may not speak the same language at times, but the friendships, warm smiles, and willingness to help has bridged many gaps. Read more
It has truly been an honor to be selected as a part of the inaugural PepsiCorps project and I am really looking forward to what the next couple of weeks has in store. As I prepared to leave for our trip to Ghana, I am reminded of the support from my loved ones and from those who I work with on my team that make this trip possible. While the project will be challenging and rewarding for our team, our families, managers, and team member’s will be stepping up to cover for us while we are gone. The work and sacrifice they will endure, while we are away, will not go unnoticed. Read more
