An Irishman in Ghana: Photo blog from Edwenase Rehabilitation Centre, Kumasi

Old sign at the staff compound in Edwenase Rehabilitation Centre, next to the vocational school

Our room is in the centre of the photo, with the curtain
(traditional cloth we bought at the market) drawn. One the right is the wash room (no running water) which is opposite the toilet (no running water). The yard is usually a hive of activity with the kids of the staff doing their homework and playing from early till late, maize being pulled asunder for packing in bags and cooking purposes, dogs and their puppies battling with cocks, chickens and guinea fowl for territory.

Apart from ants and geccos in our room this part of the layout. It's about 7 by 4 metres in size, consists of a desk, bed, mosquito net, a socket and some shelves. I got this guitar from a German volunteer for 25 Euro so at least I won't get too rusty over the coming months. I hope I can start doing lessons for some of the trainees soon.

Our route to the school and centre which is next to the living quarters for staff. We are usually tempted to decapitate this cock as he has a tendency to drive us mad from about 5 in the morning.

Guinea fowl lazing around, looking for old corn cobs, getting ready to fill their bellies before annoying us in the evening as their headquarters are 5 metres from our bedroom.

Mr. Modesto, Director of the Centre, pumping up the wheels on some of the new wheelchairs presented by the Mormons in early November. 750 wheelchairs were granted to the Social Welfare Department this year, 250 for the Ashanti region where we are based. 8 of them were put aside for residents of the Centre, but the trainees are still using ones they received last year. Why? Well, some families have a tendency to sell new wheelchairs during school breaks and send their kids back to school without wheels and a chair.

Some of the recipients of new wheelchairs, including David Nkrumah, resident at Edwenase. David recently made me beautiful leather sandals at the school workshop. He has been trained at Edwenase for the past 3 years and hopes top set up his own business from next year. Grants are hard come by in Ghana despite the fact that disabled persons have the statutory right to receive start up funds.

Trainees waiting for the ceremony to commence. In the foreground is Gifty; the student looking towards the camera is Naomi. All photos of this ceremony were taking by Judith, one of the trainees with my digital camera.