Building a Community Center in Ghana

Today was our first time back in Abrafo-Odumasi since the welcome ceremony. Rather than jumping right into the build we took the morning to revisit the site and reevaluate the different design ideas. The “principle” of the school was not present to review the designs, so J and the students discussed their ideas with Samuel, who is the Ghanaian construction manager for the project. Samuel has worked with Miami on its previous projects and takes charge of hiring local workers, finding us supplies and looking after the building while we are gone (that is the buildings constructed by Miami, while Miami is not physically in country).

On our first visit to the site all the schoolchildren shouted at us from their classrooms. Waving franticly, they shouted (what else) “’brunie, ‘brunie tell me your name.”

During this visit the children again shouted and waved. To the general alarm or surprise to some of the students the children had remembered them and yelled their names. I wonder if the teachers completely hate us for disturbing their lessons.

As we sat on the steps of the school looking at the designs we were suddenly surrounded by children, most wearing the green uniforms of the school (all schoolchildren, whether attending public or private school must wear uniforms). They kept about a 5 foot radius from the little clusters of students and watched in silence; a very different atmosphere to the screaming and waving a few minutes earlier. Apparently we were the best recess entertainment.

After reviewing the design ideas and the children reducing their radius to about 3 feet we went to visit the other Miami build sites. These sites include: a market place, a bus or “tro-tro” stop, a library, reading room, a guest house, and of course the Professor Gail Community Center.

Tomorrow we will begin to build!