Project Overview

Engineers Without Borders' work is capable of widespread impact in Ghana. We started off based in only a few of the nation's 107 regional districts; learning the out-in-the-field realities and building tools to address them.
We are now scaling up proven, effective approaches to infrastructure development from a small number of districts, to a national level. Specifically, we are institutionalizing evidence-based infrastructure planning at the district, regional and national levels. To ensure we have an enduring impact, EWB is building the capacity of district staff to manage and execute these evidence based decisions, teaching these skills to the Ghanains who are best able to implement them from their positions as managers and field experts.

September 1, 2010

Carol's Question

First, let me apologize for not posting more! I'm currently in a small town in northern Ghana named Walewale. The internet connectivity has left alot to be desired so, with Jason's help, I'm trying to get pictures and videos uploaded. Please be patient- they're coming!



Carol's question:

My first year university room-mate and friend Carol Wai donated to my EWB fundraising campaign and asked the first question about Ghana. First of all thank you for your donation Carol, it means the world to me to see the impact we're having able to continue. I'm sure it won't be much of a stretch for you to imagine me being in a new environment, not knowing what to wear, or even how to order a coffee.

Here is what I learned in response to her question "What does a Ghanaian think of then they hear Canada?".:

First I asked a young boy yelling "foreigner!" at me in his local language. His response: "I don't know, what is Canada? Give me Canada! Give me Canada! " (fair enough I guess, ask any young boy in Canada about Ghana....)

Then I asked my''sister'', the woman of the house in the family I am staying with. Her reply: "I think you are from Canada. Tom is also from Canada." (Tom is a previous EWB volunteer)

I thought a university student might know, so I asked one: University student: "I think it is far away." (Further probing questions got no more info. This is how far rote learning goes.)

Of course the supreme chief's primary son had an interesting response. He asked back: "Do you have machine or hand weeding of maize (corn) in Canada?"
***I had no idea - do we even weed corn fields in Canada? can anyone answer this for me?***
(He then wanted to know if we have traditional chiefs in Canada to which I said yes, and then whether my chief was a good chief, which he further defined as being a very wealthy chief like his father. He didn't really believe that I didn't know how wealthy my traditional chief was, and explaining that I was traditionally Irish didn't clarfiy matters at all.)

Last of all I was speaking to politician from Ghana's capital who was visiting Walewale (the village that I am currently in) for his sister's funeral, and this was his response:
"I think the best NGOs are from Canada. They are the most effective and the best are helping all of Africa more than any country, because they have the most and the best NGOs. I think soon Canada is the best country in the world and everyone is wanting to go to that country. What can you do for my constituents?"

(I was super-excited to ask this guy, because he would actually know a little about Canada, but I guess a politician is a politician anywhere. Its worth noting that China is providing by far the most funding, and who has the best strategy could be debated late into the night.)

2 comments:

  1. Great post Pam! Sounds like you had an interesting conversation on types of "good" NGOs, and where the best ones come from. Can't wait to hear more from your conversations and observations!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Josh, I find that in Canada I judge development by the ethical framework it works in, and in Ghana on effectiveness, which I suppose has to do with what information is available to us. I'll post more on it.

    ReplyDelete