As visitors to other countries with the aim to observe, listen and learn, we have an obligation to always remain open and non-judgmental. The tendency to compare and judge by our personal and sometimes limited frame of reference generally results in biased outcomes. We find ourselves recoiling from the very thing we came to learn more about: the people and their culture.
Oftentimes it is a culture shock for most African-Americans and others from the Diaspora when they encounter their African relatives on the continent. Many will complain about the poverty or the improvised lifestyle. The pain of such reminders is overwhelming. In that it is only necessary to step back slightly in time and remember the conditions of slavery or the poverty and human degradation of life in the so-called ghettoes where many African-Americans live today in some of our major cities in the U.S. Also, by focusing only on the external, the tendency is to miss the caring, nurturance, support, and camaraderie in the interaction between Ghanaian children and their families. There is a life rhythm, here, that is not obviously evident. What many do not realize is that the perceived differences exist primarily in the context. It is, therefore, from this perspective that we share our experiences of our first study tour of Ghana.
Despite the initial and sometimes lingering dissonance between the Ghana of some of our imagination and the Ghana of our experience, members of the group were realizing a long held dream of returning to the continent. We spent 14 exciting, adventure packed days learning about ourselves and about the rich Ghanaian culture.
Our group consisted of two junior high school students, two family members, one master of social work student, four professors, one from Women Studies and English, three, including the course director, from social work. In organizing the tour, the intent was to create a diverse, interdisciplinary experience within the group as well as within our one day symposium: Families and Children in Sub-Sahara Africa and the Diaspora: Expanding Paradigms for Practice, Policy and Research.
Ghana was chosen as the site of our study tour for several reasons. Many think of Ghana as being the true heart of Africa. It has a reputation for a sincere and welcoming hospitality. For many African-Americans, it offers a warm and familiar akwaaba or welcome. This familiar akwaaba made us feel that we were at home. Ghana is a country rich in cultural heritage and natural resources. In 1957 it became the first African nation to win its independence from colonial rule. It is as a young democracy in the midst of an amazing transformation as it moves into a new government after more than 20 years under military rule. The lessons are extraordinary as one observes Ghana’s process in working to stabilize its economy, to strengthen its educational system, to embrace technology and to build a strong infrastructure.
In addition to exploring Ghana’s social, cultural, and educational sites, the half-day symposium, organized by the course director, was an extraordinary event. A rich exchange took place between members of the study group and the Ghanaian and other presenters: The Honorable Mrs. Mary Amadu, Director of Ghana’s Ministry of Social Welfare, Mrs. Comfort Aryee a retired social worker, Ms. Anna Antwi from Women Vision International and the University of Cape Coast, and two Ghanian social workers: Gershon Gamor who is employed in the U.S. and Alice Amook-Ansah-Koii, a second year MSW student in the U.S., Professor Rose Wells, an African-American social work professor and a lawyer, who lives in Accra with her family, also presented at the symposium. The youngest presenter at the symposium was Adya Beasley, a junior high school student . Adya shared her perspective about why she came on the study tour (Click here to read her story)
We experienced the symposium as the beginning of an ongoing dialogue and partnership as well as an extraordinary opportunity for learning, exchanging and sharing, with the hope of ultimately making a difference in our home states and together in partnership on the continent. The symposium reaffirmed that in the states we experience many of the same systemic problems and concerns as Ghana. The social, spiritual and cultural context is what makes these systematic problems appear to be different. This is evident in the issues impacting women and children: staggering illiteracy, violence, overwhelming poverty and at least 28% of Ghana school age children are living on the streets, with many other children involved in child labor or some other forms of abuse.
As a part of the group’s learning process, we came together to debrief, without censure, after our visit with different groups, agencies or to a particular site. These exchanges were occasionally emotional, but at all times mind and heat expanding. Our process was also informed by holding the following questions in our awareness throughout the study tour:
Whose responsibility is it to know what poverty has done to people?
Why is the international debt crisis worst in Africa than any other place in the world?
Why are the majority of the least developed countries in the world in Africa?
What unique issues do Africa present for global development goals?
What can be done to bring about more effective development in Africa?
It was not surprising that the poverty, the hustle and bustle of life in the streets, noisy, jam-packed, but friendly market places and the general lifestyle created a dissonance for some on the tour. This too, was a part of the groups learning process. No one expected to return to the United States the same way that we left.
The tour bus became our classroom on wheels as we traveled from one site to the next. Our tour guides and bus driver were very patient, very helpful and provided a very personal perspective as we went along. We practiced the language, stopped along the way to visit with local residents and merchants, learned about local customs, myths and legends. We asked many questions and were occasionally, simply irreverent. On the whole, our study tour was fun as well as educational; and at times both bittersweet and restorative.
 |
Maintained
by Chris Monsma |
http://www.cosw.sc.edu/intl/ghana2001/index.htm