H2O Canada

Kevin's sister and her family are the other half of our 'team'.  Matt (15) and Kara (16) started an organization called H2O Canada (Hope to Others).  You can see more pictures at their blog:  http://h2o-canada.blogspot.com/

Biosand Filter by the Volta River

This is John from YCC (Youth Creating Change).

Germs

Melissa, Emma and Levi enjoyed teaching with their cousins.  They had germ demonstrations, made germ crafts, and performed germ skits.

Coffins

You can get buried in a coffin that's made to represent something that means a lot to you.  The sign on the door of the hearse says, "Last Respect funeral service"

Aglorkpovia

In this village where Emma gave out pencils and exercise books, there are not many kids who go to school. The adults believe that education is not important, so they force their children to work instead.

Pencils

Emma was really happy to be able to distribute pencils and exercise books to students at the schools in Aglorkpovia and Kpodzeadki, as well as the Sogakope reading club and to kids in the neighbourhood.

Thanks to all who donated for pencils!

Levi dancing Ewe style

Torve water filter workshop participants

Adrakpo drumming, dancing and singing

After our workshops in Adrakpo, we were treated with a traditional presentation of some incredible music and dancing. Levi danced for a couple hours, getting the local moves down. Kevin was in heaven when he sat in with the drummers. While everyone was having fun, nurse Becky was helping people with their wounds. That's what she loves to do.

Adrakpo health teaching

We did a village health workshop in Adrakp0, not far from the Togo border. The kids are helping with a hand hygiene demonstration and making germs for a craft.

Torve photos

Kara and Matt are giving balls to the students with the best attendance.

Torve

Today was a very busy day and it was great fun. Kevin spent the day teaching a workshop on water, sanitation, and hygiene in the village of Torve. There were twelve adult participants. Tomorrow they will be installing three biosand water filters. Becky visited a lot of classrooms in a primary school and a junior secondary school. She taught hygiene as well, including a great handwashing demonstration where the students can see the 'bugs' on their hands. Melissa, Emma and Levi were a great help, as well as their cousins. We have a ton of pictures, but are unable to get them uploaded here. John, who had the car accident, is recovering well and energetically involved.

Sogakope

We're just about to leave for Sogakope in the Volta Region. We will be working with a local youth organization called Youth Creating Change of Ghana. Their director, named John, has organized all the villages we will be going to for water filter training and installation as well as other health and sanitation education. John was just in a car accident and is recovering from head injuries. Please pray for him.

If you would like to phone us, we'd be happy to hear from you. Here is the number for calling from US or Canada:

011 233 541 063 476

School

These are kids at the primary school in the village of Koforidua, near Nkoranza (our old hometown).

Melissa and Levi, the school teachers

African sunset

Mary

Old friends, Emma and Mary were very happy to see each other again.

Look at the germs on your hands!

Emma, Levi and their cousin Michael teaching some school children the importance of hand-washing.

Nkoranza

It's wonderful to be back in Ghana. Our family is happy, healthy and hot. We're in the town we used to live in, Nkoranza, in the centre of the country. We just returned from Grumakrom village to visit the school and see the latrine that Melissa wanted to build there. It's still standing and not full! I can't get pictures on this computer, but will try in another town.