Good Governance Project

Just a bit of information about the project I'm working on.

Up until a couple of weeks ago I was part of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture(MoFA) team, I was going to be working directly with Farmers, teaching them basic business skills, finding out what techniques they used and looking to improve both EWB's knowledge of their methods and at the same time 'when possible' try to get them to incorporate different techniques to diversify their crops and hopefully improve the stability/sustenance provided by those crops.

I received a phone call from Ghana, with the option of choosing between the MoFA placement and one with the Good Governance(GG) team. It was partially a choice given to me, but mostly a request made of me. I switched teams, and will now be working in the Kpandai district of Northern Ghana (little purple bit on the map above).

With the GG team, I will be gathering information on the needs of communities within the district, specifically focusing on the presence of bore holes, schools, hospitals and other related information. This information is to be analyzed and then presented to the Ghanaian government and NGO's looking to do work in the district. The hope is that with an accurate mapping/database, the efforts put into development will have a greater effect. I will be working directly with the District Planning and Coordinating Unit (DPCU); partnering with a District Planning Officer.

The switch from MoFA to GG has lessened the amount of time I will have working with farmers, switching me over to office based work with a few excursions into communities. I feel some loss, I am concerned that I may walk away with less understanding of what happens on the ground in Ghana. At the same time I am more suited to the GG sector, as a returning JF Ryan Brideau told me, he was expecting me to be placed with GG the entire time. I'm not a farmer, I am an analytical person studying electrical engineering. I'll probably be able to provide more to EWB and the people I'm working with through data interpretation. We shall see.

Part of my job is to teach some of the computer skills I've gained at school. I can remember back when I was learning how to type using mavis beacon. My father would bribe us, whoever could get over 30wpm would get a buck, it was effective. I only wish he used it himself, it's odd seeing someone with as much technical expertise typing with a single finger. I'm hoping to use a freeware typing tutor provided by Ryan. Any ideas of how to go about teaching adults some of the computer skills we have here in Canada without coming off as demeaning would be appreciated. I'm sure it will all work out, these things always do.