I remember this day at Centennial CVI when I taught an African dance workshop for a donation of books for the Kyebi school library. Here are the students who exchanged books for a dance class. Centennial was my son's high school.
Friday, October 23, 2009
DANCING FOR BOOKS
I remember this day at Centennial CVI when I taught an African dance workshop for a donation of books for the Kyebi school library. Here are the students who exchanged books for a dance class. Centennial was my son's high school.
Thursday, October 08, 2009
The Story of the Books
My dad, Professor K. Twum-Barima died in November 1998. He was a thoughtful man, an avid reader and a supporter of education for all. During his career, he developed to a large extent the undergrad. program of the KNUST Faculty of Agriculture, when the university first opened. He also assisted in developing educational programs in other West African countries. He was a member of the board of UNESCO for several years. He also donated substantially to the building of a dormitory for the Abuakwa State College with his friend, the late, Mr. Duah-Sakyi.
Giving his love for learning and his great interest and passion for Kyebi, Akyem-Abuakwa, Ghana, I wondered in what small way to remember him. I knew he wasn't one for funerals and sit-downs and great laments and so I thought a modest project like this one would just about do it. The problem was that while I have raised money for projects at home and overseas before, I hadn't done a hands-on project across seas. This was to be my first try.
The first part of the challenge was in Guelph, organizing myself and the project. Finding and selecting books and shipping the books. The second part of the project was in Kibi, involving my family and people I didn't know and hundreds of school kids. Well it was not a breeze but many people helped and the project is well on its way. You can read the various posts to see what happened.
Support for the Kibi Book Project....
Many people contributed to the Kyebi/Kibi school library project by donating in books, cash and time. To name a few: my Afroculture students, a highschool class, friends and friends of friends, Naresh Thevathasan, River of Life International Church and the staff at the Guelph Public Library. My friend Maureen Madill was chief supporter from the beginning, and to her, I owe much thanks, particularly because she believes in me.
Fule and the Books
I get all these ideas, and the Kyebi school library is one of them. But hardly anything happens unless I have Fule's support. Here he is, taping boxes shut and preparing to drive them to Toronto, to the shipper.
Adwoa and the Books...
This is the back of our trusty blue Dodge Grandcaravan packed with books for Kyebi or Kibi, Ghana, a project began earlier in the spring of 2008. On this day the books are travelling to Toronto to be sent by sea to Ghana.
Is there life beyond Coca Cola?
At the end of the afternoon celebrating the students, the birth of a library and my Dad, my sister Ama and my nephew Duke sit side by side preparing to eat a late lunch pushed down with a bottle of coke.
The top half of our next generation...
The grandchildren of the Prof, my nieces who worked hard to serve almost 400 students.Going Home
God be with you till we meet again....
"Nyame ne wo nantew kosi se ye be hyia bio."
"Kwaheri, kwaheri mpenzi kwaheri."
Never Possible without my big Sistah, Ama!
My sister Ama is in a light blue shirt. She's laid back and unassuming but very capable, very strong and very supportive of the good in us.
Many Handshakes
It is always about the present and the future. Sankofa says, it doesn't hurt to reach into the past to impact the future.
Family and community
All in a day's work! Mr Sintim replies graciously to our speech and pre-donation.
The Handshake seals the deal
Delivering a speech in honour of the late K. Twum-Barima, and on behalf of his wife and children and grandchildren, the Guelph friends of Adwoa Badoe and the staff of the Guelph Public Library, all on one handshake.
Have a look at Jazlyn J!
So I opened the suitcases and showed him the books. The one in my hand is a Jazlyn J book, donated by the author, Renna Bruce, no less!
The Pre-Donation
The thirty or so boxes of books were still on the high seas but I had travelled with two suitcases chock-packed with books, This was the pre-donation until the ship came in to dock.
Then there was a song
The sound of the voices of several hundred children, giving thanks to the Father.
The District Board of Education sent a representative!
Mr. W.O. Sintim is the Public Relations Officer for the District Board of Education who came with a speech of well wishes and thanks from the chairman. It turns out he is related to my bro Ken Asafo Adjei of Montreal and if one looks into the serpentine twists and turns of relationships in Kyebi, we may end up related by marriage.
The Table is Set
We donated plastic chairs for the library and also for the headteacher's office. Since the library space is small, reading will be done in classrooms and also beneath the shade trees....and plastic chairs are light and easy to carry.
The Headteacher is host!
Mr Adu Poku prepared to host the visiting party, the family of the late Professor Twum-Barima with project 'School Library assisted by friends of Adwoa Badoe, the good citizens of Guelph and the Guelph Public Library staff.
Grade six boy!
Dark and handsome and undoubtedly smart. He kept a blue handkerchief in his pocket and said 'Grace' for his class. Something tells me he will amount to much. Blessings on his head.
The Littlest Ones
These little ones opted to take their food home to share. A treat goes a long way, as do surprises!
What a fuss about food!
Food neatly packed in styrofoam-ware,
Cameramen snapping rapid photos,
While we wait to eat.
Serving is such a pleasure!
My big sister, Ama Gaisie, serves the nation as the Solicitor-General . Here she is with her daughter Asabea, serving the school children of Kibi Elementary School.
There is no feast without food...
Sitting in pairs behind those wooden desks, the food was set before them. Such manners, such patience! These aren't hungry children, huh!
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
A Happy Cook
A happy cook makes the difference between a tasty meal and a bland one. This cook was in good spirits!The Cooks and Helpers
This is where hundreds of meals that we had ordered, were getting packaged for the children and their teachers. Rice and chicken stew-a sure delicacy!
The Outdoor Kitchen
From this unassuming spot on the school compound, meals are made to feed sudents in a nationwide pilot that has seen many children return to school.
The DJs Set up on the verandah...
Honestly, I was surprised to see the DJs- that was my Mom's idea. But what a blast. It was before the elections and they were playing Nana Addo's song which all the students could sing quite well.
Painting the Library
The painter was very cool. He made the painting an activity for all. The kids and the rest of us were happy for the chance to spread green paint left and right. And of course, the photo-op!
Shelves for Books!
There were some shelves in the old store-room, our library to be, and there were some few books-school texts, mainly, piled in some cubbies for the entire school. But we were happy, here at least was space, a beginning.
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
Kibi Photos-JSS
Meanwhile on the other side, a stone throw away, the Junior Secondary Students were in exam mode, while we blasted hip-life in celebration. Not fair at all. So we shall have to make amends.Sneaking into Photos
My nieces Gyasiwa, Kesewa and Kosi sneaking into a photo. They worked so hard to make the day a success.
Hardworking Girls of Kibi Elementary School
Broken chairs, once very comfy and nice are brought out of the store as the children prepare to sweep the age old dust. These are capable children, fun, playful, hardworking and smart. You should have seen them work. In no time at all, they were done, and still in good spirits.
The second Kibi trip: December library.
The second time we went to Kibi, it was to celebrate my late dad, and mark his passing with the birth of a school library in his honour. Those gathering were mymy mother, Felicia, my sister Ama, my brother Kofi, my nieces Kesewa, Gyasiwa, Kosi and Asabea and Felicia and my nephews Duke and Jimmy and a bunch of cousins. On arrival, we noticed the DJs that my mother had hired, in position, blasting highlife songs to create the atmosphere of festivity. The students were agog with excitement. The first thing we did with the headmaster's permission, was to clean out the storehouse which was scheduled to become our library.
Monday, October 05, 2009
Pretty Teacher of Kibi Elementary School
These are the people the children depend on for their future. With little resources and little encouragement, they keep at it from day to day, some with more ability and dedication than others. Let us support these teachers in tangible ways.
Kibi School kids.
Kibi Elementary School:A group of school kids (in mufti) probably because they had a class of physical education. That's my mother coming up behind them.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Kibi in November
My sister Ama, and I travelled the Accra Kibi road in perhaps two hours, chauffered by Mr. Bernard. We went to speak to the headteacher about the library project. I explained about the idea of celebrating my Dad with the library project to benefit the kids of the school. I told him about the books which were then on the high seas, making their way to the shores of Ghana. I had taken almost two suitcases full of books with me, as my personal luggage, only managing to squeeze in a few clothes. Mr. Adu Poku was enthusiastic. He left the planning to us.
On that first day we went around with my mom to meet and greet the teachers and the students. I was happy to see the students were well dressed, well mannered, healthy, confident and quite well spoken. There were about sixty of them in each class and yet the classes were disciplined and not rowdy. The future generations are coming up and they are looking good!
On that first day we went around with my mom to meet and greet the teachers and the students. I was happy to see the students were well dressed, well mannered, healthy, confident and quite well spoken. There were about sixty of them in each class and yet the classes were disciplined and not rowdy. The future generations are coming up and they are looking good!
Friday, October 02, 2009
Mr Adu Poku and Kibi District Authority Elementary School
Mr Adu Poku and Adwoa Badoe at the Kibi Elementary School, Nov 2008Mr. Adu Poku, headteacher of the Kibi Elementary school wrote to me and called me. I was so thrilled. He said at last he was entering the donated books into a library ledger so he could make the books available to the children. I have to get around to posting the photos of the library clean-up and the eager kids with whom we celebrated the arrival of books, a project we embarked on with the help of the Guelph Library staff in honour of the 10 anniversary of the passing of my father. I have since followed the books up lat Kibi, this past August, only to find school closed for the "summer." I met Mr. Adu Poku who was then on his way to his farm. He was grateful for the books on behalf of the children and has followed up with a phone call and a letter, just this week. This is grand!
I promise to post the photos of the kids and the school soon. This is why have written this blog, to hasten me. I tend to slow down conspicuously around tech matters.
I promise to post the photos of the kids and the school soon. This is why have written this blog, to hasten me. I tend to slow down conspicuously around tech matters.
Hogbetsotso 2009
Adwoa at Hogbetsotsosoza 2008., doing agbadza highlife..I can't believe I went there without my bubu or kaba-slit.
Next Saturday, October 10th is the annual Hogbetsotso festival. I must make plans to go to Toronto to see our own Guelphite, Atsu Amegashie , professor of Economics, who will be a chief this year. Atsu is the best dancer of all, lithe, rhythmic and indefatiguable. I always anticipate the mass Atsiagbekor dance performed by the entire troupe and the good food, particularly kenkey, fresh hot pepper and keta school boys that my sistah Evelyn Quist serves. This year I will miss Mr. Fugar a true elder of the Southern Volta Ewes. He was the one who first connected me with Hogbetsotso. Almost every year I danced agbadza with him. May he rest in peace. Hopefully this year, I will set off on time and will catch the dances which so thrill me.
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