Goodbye for now Ghana!

We are “far small” from heading home after an amazing six week global health experience. We will be sure to take a few charming Ghanaian catch phrases home with us:

“Far small” – This may mean 5 minutes or an hour, 5km or 100km

“Selfies with Safu” – A laboratory technician from the Enchi clinic who takes the best selfies ever (see below)

Selfies with Safu
10 of us in the van to Kumasi

"Ayeeeee" - said as an exclamation after something interesting or surprising, which in our case was everything. 

“Nahhhhh” – this is said after almost anything; the definition remains unknown. 

“No please” – this means no, politely

“Oburini” – this means white person and was often used in place of our names

“Wow” – used frequently to acknowledge our names, a picture taken, any interesting or unusual statement

“Shake me” – meaning the desire to shake your hand

“I’m fine” – the response to all greetings, whether “how are you?” was asked or not

“You are mostly welcome” – every person we encountered would warmly welcome us to their community with this phrase, charmingly mistaking ‘mostly’ for ‘most’

We will miss all the amazing people and the incredible sense of community. We will also miss their strength, utter selflessness, and devotion to the well-being of their community. We have gained insight and knowledge in regards to global health and another culture’s way of living. We've appreciated the opportunity to witness another health care system and have a new appreciation for our own. We have a new awareness of our privilege in Canada, including our education system and a healthcare system abundant in resources. We have met some amazing people, doing amazing work to better healthcare in Ghana, and we will never forget them. We are grateful for this experience and all that we have learned. We look forward to sharing our stories and experiences upon our return to Canada.

Thank you for following our journey,

Kyla, Samaya, Christina, Nicole, Jeanette

Project GROW - What's Next

Back in September, the Global Nursing Citizens (GNC) began conversations with Vida to determine what the greatest need was in the community so that they could begin some targeted fundraising,   We discussed several possibilities, and thought that power for the Okanagan Community Clinic might be the priority.  Through all of these discussions, Vida kept reminding us that it would depend upon the priorities identified by the community.  I arrived in Nyobok with funds from the GNC and waited to see where we would target these funds.  

On our first day at the village, Vida toured me around the community and we talked about the needs that had been identified by the community.  Over the past 3 years, Hanna, a community member and active volunteer in Project GROW has been going to school to become certified to teach seamstress classes.  She is ready to start teaching, and there are many women ready to learn.  The problem is the Vocational Centre has not been completed.  It needs to be wired for power, furniture needs to be built and windows installed.  

Vida also showed me the building that houses the grinding mills.  This building is complete but has not yet been wired for power.  The women are manually powering the mills and bringing in electricity would markedly improve their productivity.  

We talked about how these 2 projects would have an immediate impact upon the well-being (and health) of the community.  We also talked about the need for the clinic to be wired for electricity so that it could reach full Health Centre status.

Then, I witnessed Vida in action.  She began a tireless process of conversations with the community and the Project GROW team.  We talked about the pros and cons of both projects.  We could either wire the clinic for electricity, or complete the Vocational Centre and Grinding Mill.  She was patient, thorough, and ensured that every voice was heard.  We got estimates on the work and brought these to the team.  

After many lengthy discussions with community members, the Ghana Health Service Team, and with input from the GROW team it was decided that the GNC funds would be used to complete the Vocational Centre and Grinding Mill.  The Project GROW team felt these projects would have an immediate impact on the community.  

We turned the funds over to the team and work has already begun! They anticipate classes starting within a month.   What a powerful demonstration of community development.  

The midwife is coming in 3 months, and we're going to do our best to raise the $1500 (Canadian) to complete the wiring of the clinic.  I believe we can do it!

Jeanette

Update on the Okanagan Community Clinic - Never Underestimate the Impact of our Students

I wanted to add an update to the Okanagan Community Clinic blog.  When we first arrived at the Okanagan Community Clinic in Nyobok, Vida shared that it had been officially turned over to the Ghana Health Service in November.  They had 1 Community Health Nurse, and were not anticipating any more recruits for several months.

Then....the power of our students kicked in....

They set-up, organized, collaborated with Philemon (the 1 nurse at the clinic) to provide screening for 339 community members.  Right in the middle of it, Mary, the District Nursing Supervisor for Ghana Health Service arrived with her team to witness this incredible demonstration of community engagement.  Within a day, I was down in their office discussing the relationship and long-term commitment our UBCO community has to this community and clinic.  Mary and her team were very impressed with the work that has been done and the commitment of the community.

And....guess what???

On Monday, the second Community Health Nurse arrived, and on Wednesday, Philemon was joined by a third staff member.   In less than a week the staff at the clinic tripled.   They are anticipating a midwife to be there within 3 months.  Vida's vision of a fully functioning Health Centre is several steps closer.   What an incredible outcome!

All from 4 nursing students and one very committed Community Health Nurse willing to spend 3 long, hot, dusty days seeing every community member that came to be seen.

Remarkable!

Project GROW Day!!!!

From the Project GROW Website:
http://www.projectgrow.ca/

The Fearless Leaders of Project GROW
Vida is on the left - Philomena on the right

Ghana Rural Opportunities for Women (Project GROW) is a community development project which aims to facilitate women's economic empowerment and community capacity building agenda in rural Ghana.   Project GROW began as a result of the research of international graduate student Vida Yakong, who is from the region and was researching the barriers that prevented women in Northern Rural Ghana from accessing rural health clinics. The primary reason identified was poverty.

Initially UBC students and staff became interested in Dr. Yakong's research, followed by members of the community, and now with independent sponsors, who all saw an opportunity to connect this research with global citizenship objectives.  Building on the success of their years with the University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus, Project GROW is now a Non-Profit Society. The connections and working relationships with UBC academic programs and student learning opportunities remain as strong as ever.  Project GROW still has close ties with UBCO students as well and is a unique combination of research, international engagement and community involvement, inspired by a student who was driven to make a difference in her country.  It is also a model that we hope can inspire other, similar initiatives.

Josbeth - Project Grow Volunteer and Vida and Philomena's Nephew
The Project GROW motorbike was donated a few years ago

Our GROW Day:
On Saturday we had the incredible opportunity attend the Project GROW celebration in both Logre and Nyobok.   The organization is non-profit, and was founded by our dear friends Vida (an Alumni and Adjunct Professor from UBCO) and Philomena Yakong, The mission of the organization is to empower women to be self-sufficient and improve their livelihoods using the skills and resources which are provided through GROW (for example goats, donkeys, micro-loans, and the teaching of vocational skills).

Logre Goats!!!

This day was special because it was the day in which the women were presented with their goats, mosquito nets, dry soup mix and dried fruit (made in our very own Okanagan valley) and a donkey. This presentation day only happens once a year- we were so thankful we were able to attend and be a part of the celebration. The day started with a small celebration at the Catholic Health Centre in Logre, which has a small group of women living with HIV/AIDS who are members of Project GROW.  Vida shared that each year this small presentation gets larger and there is more community involvement.  She believes next year it will be a full celebration like the one at Nyobok.  The most beautiful piece of this is that the original intent in holding a small celebration here was that these women face incredible stigma and discrimination.  What we see now, is that these women are actually pulling the community together.  What a wonderful example of community development. Our hearts were full and we weren't even to Nyobok yet!

Nyobok Community

When we arrived in Nyobok, it was interesting as the majority of the individuals that attended Project GROW day we had screened at the Okanagan Community Clinic the week prior! It was nice to see these familiar faces and reconnect with them on this special day. Over five hundred women are now registered with Project GROW and on Saturday we were able to present thirty three goats and one
donkey to the women.  Vida shared that the women determine who is next in line for a goat.  Each woman who receives a goat agrees that the first female baby goat will be donated back to Project GROW.  There were another 10 goats being donated back, and a few of these goats had already had babies. One had twins.  The total number of goats being donated back was an additional 13.
When we asked who determines who receives the goats, Vida shared that the women decide and priority is given to those who are most in need, and after this, it is determined by when they registered.  The donkey is shared by several families, again identified by the women,

When we first arrived in Nyobok, we were greeted by the women of the community through

traditional song and dance. We were also greeted by the Chief, who was surprisingly young (only 31 years of age as he inherited the role in his 20s upon his father’s passing). Jeanette had a chance to meet the Chief prior to the celebration and shared with us that he has been extremely supportive of Project GROW right from it's initial steps. This young man, who does not speak English and has no education deeply understands the role of women in community and Vida feels he has been instrumental in the success of the program.  One of his Elders shared some words from the Chief and emphasized the need for education, and the need to support women in education.  Vida has a deep respect for his leadership and we could clearly see why.

Jeanette with the Chief

We were the guests of honor at the celebration and we were very touched by all of the warm welcomes that we received. They ensured to translate the presentation for us so that we felt included, and were very thorough in acknowledging the various roles that individuals held that made the presentation possible.

We were humbled by their gratitude for our work within their clinic and organization, many women bowed before us as they walked by and thanked us for our work. It was nice to witness the sense of community throughout the entire presentation. The children were also involved through the presentation of the livestock. The actual presentation of the goats was very touching as we each had an opportunity to present the women with their goats. Kyla’s friend contacted her wanting to purchase a goat and donate it to a woman in need. Vida once again displayed her tenacity by finding Kyla’s friend a goat last minute. It was touching for Kyla on the day of the presentation to witness and present her friend’s goat, Mona, to a deserving woman.

The Presentation of Mona

There is no doubt in our minds that every dollar that is donated to this amazing project is put to very good use and is changing lives.  WOW!!  What a day!!

We will never forget it, and are very thankful to have taken part in.

Update on Mmabil

A Beautiful Smile

While we attended the project GROW presentation in Nyobok, we had the opportunity to see Mmabil
, the young woman that Kyla and Samaya performed the dressing change for. The first thing that we noticed was her smile, and she denied pain when we asked her. This was a big change from the first day we cared for her.  
Additionally, we noticed that she was able to walk without her walking stick, and her gait appeared much steadier. Philemon,  the nurse at the clinic, stated that when he performed the dressing change in the morning it appeared much better, and looked like it was healing well. We were so excited to hear this news, as we were very concerned with the possible outcome. The wound was fairly substantial, and if left for much longer we were concerned that she may have lost her leg. Mmabil doesn't have health insurance, therefore is unable to get further intervention (such as debridement) at a larger healthcare facility. We understood her predicament, and were doing the best we could with the supplies available to assist in her healing process. It was nice to witness the improvement in a few short days, and we are looking forward to hearing updates from Philemon in the future in regards to her progress. We know that she is in good hands!

Mmabil

Okanagan Community Clinic

The View Driving up to the Clinic

For the past 3 days, we have had the privilege of working at the Okanagan Community Clinic which was handed over to Ghana Health Services in November, 2014.  This clinic has been a vision of Vida and Philomena Yakong and has been a work in progress for several years.  It is situated in a beautiful and peaceful village called Nyobok, and was a nice change of scenery from the Tamale Teaching Hospital. Nyobok is the village where Vida and Philomena were born and grew up.  

We were informed that people had been lining up over the weekend as they heard that we were coming to perform health screening. Over the course of three days we were able to see over 300 villagers! They were long, tiring days, but the satisfaction that we felt at the end of each day more than made up for it. We each felt that we had made a valuable contribution and impact on the health and well being of those individuals that we were able to see.  

Okanagan Community Clinic, Nyobok

Ogopogo Maternity Ward

We set up a station where we each had a specific job- one person took vital signs, one person documented the necessary information, and the last person dispensed the required medication. Although it took a bit of time on our first day to work out an efficient system, we managed to eventually! While we were busy at the clinic on the first day, Jeanette heard of a young woman (Mmabil) requiring medication and medical attention for a wound on her lower leg. She visited her in her home, and with Vida's help encouraged her to come to the clinic for treatment (she had just been using traditional medicine).  On the second day imagine our joy when we saw Mmabil using a cane and walking to the clinic just as we pulled in for the day!  

Waiting Patiently

Samaya and Kyla organized what supplies they could in order to perform a dressing change. They had to improvise (Samaya used a pair of scissors as tweezers), but together they made it work! They took the opportunity to teach Philemon, the Community Health Nurse how to change the dressing, so he could perform it independently. Mmabil agreed to return daily for dressing changes, and on the second day her leg already looked much better!  

Philemon is the only staff at the clinic right now and his role is immense. He is expected to independently assess, diagnose, and treat clients as well as fill out their insurance paperwork. We have a lot of respect for his role! He was so kind and patient amidst the chaos, he does beautiful work! Overall, our experience at the Okanagan Community Clinic is something that we will never forget, and we hope to return again in the future!

Visit by the District Director and her Team.

Our Time at Chanshegu

We had the privilege to visit and overnight in the small village of Chanshegu. This village is about 20 minutes outside of Tamale, and is the same village where Muriel was given the honour of being named a King.  Previous years of students have done a lot of fundraising to provide access to clean water, and development of a health clinic.  We were taken to the village by Kassim, who is Sinbad's younger brother, and he ensured we were well taken care of.

Outside the Clinic.  Kassim is in the Centre,
Josef the Chief's son on the left, and on the right is the young man who works with the orphans

 Upon our arrival to the village, we were warmly greeted by the people and children. We were promptly introduced to the Chief, who greeted us into his village. We then walked to the clinic that is secured but not yet ready to be opened.  We were able to see the new windows that we had arranged to be installed the day prior to our visit! The clinic is nearly finished, but further funding is required for plumbing (septic tank, sinks, toilets etc) and then furniture and supplies.  

The Chief in his Traditional Hut

We handed out toys, nail polish, stickers, pencils, crayons, colouring books, tee shirts, and toiletries to the 38 orphan children of the village. They were so excited to receive our gifts. When we first arrived we thought the village had an orphanage. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that the 38 orphan children have actually been adopted into the care of the community and it's families. An amazing sense of unity and love in this village!

They Loved the Colouring Books

 We also had stickers, pencils, and other small goodies for the other children of Chanshegu.

The River
Their source of water

  

We walked down to the "river" which is actually a large, murky watered pond with many of the children. There were children and women at the pond fetching water that they carry in large buckets on their heads back to their homes. They walk on dirt trails through a forest, many bare foot. This water is their drinking, cooking, and bathing supply. Sadly, the village does not have a reliable supply of fresh drinking water brought to them, even  though there are black water  tanks in the village. They are only filled every 3-4 months, which results in the village not having clean drinking water  for months on end. The water from the pond is boiled and filtered using a special stone, though it is still not properly treated or entirely safe to drink. It is all they have.

A local family prepared our lunch and dinner for us. Boiled yam for lunch and TZ and groundnut soup for dinner, a typical Ghanaian dish. We said thank you for their kindness and each took a few bites to show our appreciation, though we are not fond of the local cuisine.

After dinner, we watched drumming and dancing as performed by the villagers. We each took turns entering  the circle to dance as well. The locals were laughing at our lack of rhythm and ability to dance to their dances.  Chanshegu only has power for a few hours at night, so the village is most often without power. This makes it hard to find reprieve from the extreme heat!

Our Home for the Night

We spent the night in the Chief's son Josef's  mudhut, all four of us side by each. We were lucky to have had a thin mattress, though it was not big enough for our whole selves. We found out how difficult it is to get comfortable and sleep in such heat without electricity to power a fan! We all enjoyed our experience of living like the locals of Chanshegu and were happy to have spent time in the village we have all heard so much about.

The Chief has a Canadian flag in his traditional hut, and he shared with us that we too are his family.

Playing by the River

What a wonderful community.