We returned to our home base in Akatsi after a relaxing weekend in Seva. Upon our arrival at the Sefe compound we had a gigantic basin of watermelon waiting for us, just one of the many ways we have been spoiled by this generous family. The next day we spent some time in the Sefe Clinic learning about how they run it and how the health care system is as a whole in Ghana. We participated by giving injections, taking temperatures, weights, and blood pressures, and sitting in on physician assessments.
The next day we began the start of week number two of teaching for the Kekeli program. We began by having the women make posters so they could practice teaching us in order to make them more familiar with the material. This mode of teaching proved difficult as most of the women stated that they could not draw. Most of the diagrams they made came straight from their manuals, but nonetheless, they were still able to practice getting up in front of the class to explain the material. Following this exercise we started in on the big subjects of
sexual and maternal health, and this teaching continued into the next two days. Thankfully we have had the opportunity to teach with a public health nurse named Gloria and a nurse midwife named Phyllis (who is part of the Sefe family). They have made the education process more productive by providing insight into the health issues in Ghana.
We had a little time for ourselves last night and walked to the local cold drink spot, the Peace Pot. We were joined by Clemence, another member of the Sefe family. We sat outside, took some cold drinks (as they say here), and listened to a mingling of American, Jamaican, and African tunes. We were having a great time and then all of a sudden the huge speaker that was directly beside us, sitting on a three foot stool, crashed to the ground. The response from our friend Clemence was priceless, he exclaimed, “This is Africa, FOR YOOOOU!”
Today we had a bit of down time and then we visited some typical villages around the Akatsi area. We have been trying to reach all the villages of the women in the Kekeli program to inform the leaders of the villages about what the women are learning. We hope that the chiefs, assembly and opinion leaders, and people of the villages will be receptive to what the women have to say related to health education and prevention.