1. How it all started
A miracle! We have been offered a piece of land by Chief Afulang of Siniensi; the sub-chief of the Siniensi Community Naasa, Aba Dombiik Ajunab; and the owner of the land, Baba Amoak. It's huge. For now, we have had 6 plots recorded at Town and Country Planning. But we can expand it as much as we want.
The entire Naasa community is very enthusiastic: everyone helps or offers their help. But before we could start building the security room on February 4, 2021, we first had to ask the permission of the ancestors. That went in 2 parts: after digging the foundation for the security room, we bought apatashi (home-made liquor). This is sprinkled into the foundation and the rest is drunk, and then we went to Baba's house, along with the sub-chief and old man, a man who also works for us. His real name is unknown to me, but we always call him 'old man'. For the ancestors we brought 2 hows (a kind of upside-down scoop on a stem, with which the soil is worked by chopping in), tobacco, apatashi (home-made drink) and 3 chickens.
We all had to drink the apatashi.... brrrr.... The actual sacrifice was done by the three men early in the morning the next day, and so on February 4, construction of the security room began.
Now, on May 25, 2021, there will be 2 classrooms. The electricians put down 2 poles that will give us power. Now they are working on the electricity on the inside. The masons are busy plastering the walls. The roofing people finished the rafters, but the rafters are still not on the walls!
People promise to come and just don't show up. It took 3 weeks for the people to come to finish the electricity. We have been waiting on the roof for more than a week now.... And I'm just worried about the rainy season that starts.
A second challenge is the money.
The money we got sponsored when I left has been used a long time ago. My own savings have shrunk quite a bit and there is still a lot to be done. Fortunately, the roof has already been paid for and the bricklayers have also received the money. (They did come at the promised time, by the way.) For the rest, I'm going to set up an action on Facebook. For example, people can buy a toilet, or a shower head, or windows or .... I'm now going to cross my fingers that this will work!
But above all, I am very happy with the help and support we receive from the Naasa community! And of course, I am very happy with the support of Kojo, Chief and Richard.
They teach me a lot about Ghanaian culture: what can/may I say and what not.... This is quite a challenge for me, but we are going to get there!!!! In addition, they are present on the site 6 days of the week (and sometimes even 7 days!!!!
Wow!!!
