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ADMPRTR · 09-11-2011, 04:53

Hi Folks,

This is really off topic and is probably bending the CF rules a bit

but I am hoping to get (hopefully positive) stories and pictures of Ghana and I wondered if anyone has visited there could share their impressions, please?

Why do I ask? Well, as winter project when the boat is on the hard I have agreed to raise funds to help build a school through a Canadian charity but I have to admit that aside from a kick-ass/soccer football team, I don't know very much about Ghana except what I have read in UNICEF reports (that will put you to sleep ).

I am running this as a facebook campaign so I thought if there was ground level, or at least, shoreline view of the country that it would make it more real. In particular, I am interested in stories about the people, the children and the services that exist or do not exist for that population. If you have experience working there with a charity that is even better.

My thinking is that I would link facebook back to this thread to provide that human side of the discussion. Just to be clear, I am not profiting from this in any way except for the satisfaction of helping out.

My apologies if this is too off base in which case it is okay to remove the thread...

Thanks,

Andrew

Jimbo2010 · 09-11-2011, 05:31

Very corrupt country, black market on their currency.

As soon as you get off the plane they ask for your dollars

**boatman61** · 09-11-2011, 05:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimbo2010

Very corrupt country, black market on their currency.

As soon as you get off the plane they ask for your dollars

Find there's a black market for foriegn currency in a lot of third world countries... sometimes get near treble the exchange rate for your $, £'s.... doubles more the norm..

stevensc · 09-11-2011, 06:16

In some of these countries breaking the currency exchange laws can get you into serious trouble. There are scams where you might be offered a great exchange rate and swap some currency, then are "arrested" by bogus (or even actual) officials who demand a bribe of more cash to keep quiet.
I haven't been there in years, but in the 80's it was not a bad place, compared to some of the others.
Steve W.

**nigel1** · 09-11-2011, 06:52

I¨ve worked offshore Ghana, and of all the counties I have worked on the West African coast, Ghana was by far the most pleasent place to work.
The difference between Ghana and Nigeria is huge, for the first few days in Ghana I was waiting for the hassle to start, but it never did.
No problems getting into and out of the place either.
Just hope that recent oil and gas discoveries do not send it along the same path as it neighbours

ADMPRTR · 09-11-2011, 16:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by nigel1

I¨ve worked offshore Ghana, and of all the counties I have worked on the West African coast, Ghana was by far the most pleasent place to work.

Thanks Nigel. I think a certain level of corruption is something that one may need to expect in third world countries but the key point is if that corruption is tolerated and how high up in the government does it go.

In your visits to Ghana, did you have a sense of what type of government it is and are they responsive to the needs of the people?

From what I have read, the government has initiated programs to improve access to education, such as getting rid of school fees, but that in turn has caused overcrowding and poor services. Too many children, too few schools, teachers and supplies.

Do you have any pictures from your time their?

Andrew

**nigel1** · 10-11-2011, 02:14

Sorry, no pictures, most of my time was in the port of Tema.
However, talking to various locals, they seemed happy enough, and the town of Tema was very clean, nothing like some of the places in neighbouring countries.
From what I have read, and seen on various documentories, there are, or were issues with the cocoa industry. This I have heard is being cleaned up with a lot of importing companies now using fair trade policies.
Cannot help you with childrens education needs in Ghana, but the kids I saw there were all smartly turned out in school uniforms.
Company I work for does have a program of assisting education in WA countries that it operates in.

ADMPRTR · 10-11-2011, 05:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by nigel1

Company I work for does have a program of assisting education in WA countries that it operates in.

Thanks for sharing, Nigel. It is good to hear of companies like yours that try to take wider view of things. I am sure it works well for both parties, the host country and the company both benefit in different ways and if more companies did that, the problems would not be as great.

In regards to schools, from what I have read, a large problem of access to education is in rural areas and small communities where services are too spread out to be effective. This is probably true in any country including Canada and the US.

jasonvin · 19-11-2011, 02:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by nigel1

Sorry, no pictures, most of my time was in the port of Tema.
However, talking to various locals, they seemed happy enough, and the town of Tema was very clean, nothing like some of the places in neighbouring countries.
From what I have read, and seen on various documentories, there are, or were issues with the cocoa industry. This I have heard is being cleaned up with a lot of importing companies now using fair trade policies.
Cannot help you with childrens education needs in Ghana, but the kids I saw there were all smartly turned out in school uniforms.
Company I work for does have a program of assisting education in WA countries that it operates in.

The difference between Ghana and Nigeria is huge, for the first few days in Ghana I was waiting for the hassle to start, but it never did.