Words from Akatsi

We’ve been here a little over a week, and we have a handful of days left in Akatsi, Ghana. Time in Africa is strange. This is our fourth trip, and we are beginning to get used to the shift in pace. Time moves forward, but periodically pauses and holds still for a second longer than what we are accustomed to half a world away. It can be refreshing on a Sunday morning when our housemates are doing laundry on the lawn and hanging the perfectly scrubbed and wrung articles of clothing to dry on the line. And then it can be frustrating when we are trying to work out particulars of a program, chase down a map of the district, and plan the day. This is Africa for you, and we love it. We wish we could take all of you here to see what we have fallen so hard for, whom we have fallen so hard for.

The Kekeli women continue to impress us with their hard work. Mawusi’s husband was burned badly due to explosives across his face, arms, and chest, and she was the one who cleaned and dressed his wounds when the nurses at the hospital were too scared. Veronica, with the help of Rosemond, wrangled 180 school children into a group to teach about hand washing, and they were all listening attentively. Many of the women have made it a habit to set up camp with the Community Health Nurses when it is “weighing day” for the babies. They teach the mothers a variety of things including, how to perform back slaps and chest thrusts (the baby Heimlich) in case of a choking incident.

We met with them twice this week. On Thursday we discussed the progress of the program with them and learned about struggles they are facing in their communities. We also taught on the importance of breastfeeding, which continued on to teaching about a baby’s diet through the age of two. On Friday we gave our “new” group of Kekeli women their bicycles with the hopes that these will make it easier for them to reach neighboring villages that make up the whole of their communities. Community health nurses from the district were present, along with representatives from the Mayor’s office. We feel blessed to have the support of the local government and health providers. They make it possible to continue to educate the women and provide them with refresher programs throughout the year.