Lynne and Paul Brameld met their sponsored child Gloria for the first time and returned to visit Eunice during an emotional trip to Ghana. Lynne tells the story.
"Paul and I joined our driver Peter and together we tackled Accra’s early morning rush hour – crawl hour would be more accurate. We stopped along the way at a supermarket to pick up Ideal milk, tinned fish, rice and other provisions for Gloria’s family as well as water to help us all cope with the shimmering heat.
After about an hour, a bumpy orange dust track took us into a more remote area until we arrived at a small community where we stopped to meet the Plan team at their Area Office. There it was explained to us that Plan had only been supporting Obontser for a couple of years so development was in its early stages. They told us about future plans for health clinics and children’s clubs.
Refreshed, we drove deeper into the remote hillside to reach Gloria’s community. As we twisted and turned in our seats with the bumps, Sarah explained that we were the first sponsors to visit so it was difficult for her to predict what may happen next.
Eventually, the 4x4 pulled up in a small village beside an open building made of pillars and a corrugated roof. Inside were about 200 people sitting on rows of plastic chairs, chattering excitedly. Several men in robes stood up in front of them and greeted us warmly with fierce handshakes. Even Sarah was taken aback by the numbers awaiting us and the formality of the occasion.
We were introduced by English speaking members of the community to the Chief, the sub-Chief and the Head of the Clan before being invited to take our seats at the front, beside theirs. Sarah explained the purpose of our visit to everyone assembled there, and introduced us in local Fante language, then helped with translations as I contributed to a question and answer session. They wanted to know all about where we lived, our families and our jobs.
The Chief extended his welcome to us again and made us honorary Chief and Queen Mother to show their gratitude for our support of their community through Plan Ghana. It was very moving to feel we had become a part of the community itself.
Meeting Gloria
Gloria is only 18 months old and when we met she was very shy. We were the first white people she had seen and she was daunted by all the attention. Her mother, herself in her finest robes, had dressed Gloria in a beautiful new pink dress; she tried her best to persuade Gloria to sit on my lap but it was all a bit much for her. She was a sweet, beautiful child who relaxed a little when given the teddy bear we had brought for her.
After giving the extended family our gifts, they presented us with coconut milk to drink and freshly grown pineapples and oranges to take away. Their humility and gentleness suggested this was a very important moment for them; their appreciation of Plan and of our sponsorship commitment made for a relationship built on mutual respect.
The Plan team, accompanied by the Chief and the Head of the Clan, then took us to the nearest school which served three communities. It was a pre-school and primary school dressed in Plan’s cream and blue colours to indicate their sponsorship. It had no fresh water or furniture until Plan provided both – a new water butt gave the children reasonable latrines and hand washing facilities, and each room contained tiny wooden chairs and tables with Plan’s logo prominently displayed: a very gratifying start to Plan’s support for local needs.
After lunch at the office we said farewell to the local team. They constantly told us of their appreciation of our sponsorship; in truth we give so little. Yet, that small amount of money contributes to the journey of so many women and children towards a future that is, hopefully, independent, healthy and rewarding. We prayed for just such a future for Gloria; exchanging letters and hearing of Gloria’s progress will be so much more fulfilling from now on.
A second visit
Two days later, Peter picked us up from the hotel and we drove again through Accra, absorbed in the sights of markets, schoolyards, goats and shop-huts.
Approaching the village of Asesewa was very exciting because we recognised both landscape and buildings from our visit four years ago; extra houses and a garage suggested new developments. The cream and blue of the Plan Area Office was a pleasing sight after two and half hours travel; the team welcomed us as if we were old friends and refreshed us with drinks and crackers. Revived, we climbed back into the 4x4 and left to collect Eunice from school.
We entered the open-plan school tentatively, aware that dozens of bright eyes and beaming smiles were competing for our attention. Eunice was seated in the front row of her classroom dressed in a tribal robe of pastel blue, dozens of beads round her neck and each wrist, painted patterns on each shoulder. Understandably shy of the attention, she sat still and upright on her tiny chair. Paul spoke to her teacher to ask about lessons and Eunice’s progress while I tried to give some of the other children a word or a smile. Meekly, Eunice rose to leave the school for the morning with us.
Before we reached the family home Grandma rushed up to meet us - making clear in her handshake and grin that she remembered us well – and lead us into the house. As is the custom, we all shook hands in greeting before Josephine, from Plan, made the introductions and spoke of the purpose of our visit. Eunice’s father spoke very good English so our questions about her family life, schooling, health and interests were answered fully.
Eunice danced for Paul with the help of her family and recited a poem in English that she had learnt for him. We gave the family their provisions, as well as the bubbles, drawing paper and crayons we had brought from home for Eunice. We were rewarded with more enthusiastic hand shaking by way of thanks. The family blessed us with lots of local fruit, and specially made bead bracelets.
Growing in confidence, Eunice drew Paul a picture of a computer and mobile phone to take home while he drew a picture of his house for her to keep. As we made our farewells, we promised to stay in touch and visit again sometime in the future.
Seeing the projects
The Plan team then took us to see some of their projects. The differences from four years ago were impressive. In that time a CHIP Compound (health clinic) for the area had been built, staffed and equipped by Plan Canada and had gained the trust of the local people to such an extent that the majority of mothers now happily go there to give birth and child inoculations have become routine.
A Plan funded Sanimart, under construction nearby, intends to support those families who choose to build their own sanitised latrine. Very few families had their own latrine when we visited four years ago – Plan’s innovation will enable many to choose one they can afford and allow trained artisans to help them with the construction.
An enthusiastic Plan worker then showed us one of the projects at the Children’s Club: youngsters rear goats and grass cutters to sell at market for meat so they can use the funds to buy their own school equipment. An ICT Centre further along the main road, built and maintained by Plan, allows children from local schools to visit on a rota basis and learn basic computer skills. An internet café is under construction next door, which will provide a drop-in centre for local children.
None of these were in existence four years ago. All these projects demonstrated to both of us the value of our sponsorship contributions for the community’s children and their families. It was so exciting to see everything Plan was achieving for the area in which Eunice is growing up.
Driving back, we reflected on the value of our small contribution to Plan’s work: what an improvement to these children’s lives in only four years. The dedication of the Area team and everything that they are achieving is indeed humbling."