The real Ghana…does anybody want to see it? Often visitors to Ghana will be zipped past roadside villages, past large urban areas, travelling the appointed routes to the well publicized attractions, hotels, and restaurants. But is this the real Ghana?
Anyways, Madinghana is not immune to travelling the road more travelled…over time I too have taken the well beaten track to my usual stops and haunts, following my usual routine. Until recently that is, when ironically visitors from the U.K. introduced me to a street children project.
In follow-up, Four Villages Inn tour guide Comfort and I went to the Catholic Cathedral on Roman Hill to meet Sr. Josephine, director of Street Children Project. There we proposed the idea that Comfort lead Four Villages Inn guests to Racecourse and the two creches for the children of the street children. Sr. Josephine gave her blessing, so next stop Racecourse.
Now if you are trying to picture an idyllic Degas-like scene in the heart of Kumasi, think again. If nearby Kejetia Lorry Park and Kumasi Central Market are the pulsating heart of Ashanti, then Racecourse is the cancerous cyst.
Racecourse is home to the displaced, the disadvantaged, the dispossessed. I was shocked. I have lived here for more than ten years and I had never been there. Pictures only can describe RACECOURSE. You have to see it to believe it.
Racecourse, home to thousands of homeless
corner of a shack next to dump
And yet, during the day, there is a sense of industry, activity in the midst of the garbage and windowless shacks.
A goat slaughtering operation
This operation is right in front of one of the creches…fascinating….
And out of this, come the toddlers to two creches that you can discover and support in any way you wish….One creche is owned by the Catholic Church and the other is on rented space. You’ll discover the difference.
safe for the day
secure for the day
fed for the day
It’s the feeding that is the big challenge…for each child, and there is about 50 at each creche…it costs GH C 1.00 that’s about 70 cents for two meals, breakfast of porridge and then a substantial lunch. When possible, the mother pays half, 50 p or 35 cents and the project the other.
if a picture is a thousand words, this one is a million
More to come on the visit…..give me your feedback
Dela Fumador
April 27, 2010
If the authorities will take the publications seriouse then our comments will worth making for a better Ghana. Its about time we realise as a nation that, making Ghana a tourist destination is not an easy journey. And will not happen by itself. I hope we will learn to keep our own surrouding clean to creat the interest among others to visit Ghana without taking home sad memories. Something must be done to help the situation at the racecours just like Sodom and Gomora in Accra. The difficulty is, once the people get settled it become very difficult to relocate them. So why dont we stop it from happening than waiting to see it happen. However lets keep making the noice, some good day the voices wailing for the change for a better Ghana will be heard.