Category: Ghana

Daytime session at Sherigu Community Library

Reading AMOAKO AND THE FOREST, Author: Deborah Cowley, Photos: Kathy Knowles. The book is about a Ghanaian forester named Amoako. He tells us about his job with a legal logging company. He explains how trees are chosen, how they are felled, the dangers of the work, and how logs are taken to the timber yard to make furniture. He says they never cut trees on Friday because it is a taboo in their culture. He also shows that they plant new trees to replace the ones they cut, and they use leftover wood so nothing is wasted.

Nyariga community library, daytime activities

From the Nyariga librarian: Today students were busy with their lessons in class but a student nurse came for his personal studies. We read Ungrateful Heart by Yaw Adom together after his studies and the book gave us a lot of knowledge and understanding. The story teaches that education, hard work, friendship, family support and humility are important for success. It also warns people not to become ungrateful after receiving help or achieving success. We should always appreciate and remember the people who helped us when we were growing up, remain humble when we become successful, and use our success to help others.

Reading The Amazing Adventures of Auntie Ashanti in Sherigu library

From library coordinator Amii Clement: Please find the attached photos from Sherigu community library where myself and the librarian read together with the patrons of a story book entitled The Amazing Adventures of Auntie Ashanti. The book is a children’s adventure story about discovering Ghana and learning about its place, people and cultures, written by Melissa Kreek. The story of Auntie Ashanti talks about when she travels and discovers the beautiful and interesting things that Ghana has. It all started with her disappearance back in the month of May, when searching for food she spied a promising buffet. It was a basket filled with donuts, fresh and fried, and like any hungry ant, she’d rushed to get inside. And was swept up off her feet and whisked away from home. When she climbed up to the basket top she had found human zoo. She felt exposed and frightened. She hadn’t made this choice. But as the started moving, came a loud and friendly voice. “Akwaaba, which in Twi means you’re welcome! I’m your tour guide Flo. In the next two weeks we will tour Ghana far and wide.” Auntie was surprised to know what she was in for. She had  finally get a chance to see the world beyond her front door.  Auntie Ashanti Adventures give readers the opportunity to learn more about Ghana following her journey. Ghana is presented as a country with many interesting places, different communities, and rich cultural heritage. Some of the places she travels were West to Elmina then to Cape Coast, Paga Crocodile pond, crashing waves upon the beach, Kakum Canopy walk, Kumasi where she’d long heard stories told of great Ashanti King, kente cloth and stool of gold, Mole National Park in the North. She also travel to Bolgatanga Basket weavers in the Upper East, then back in Accra, one final stop through the gates of Black Star Square. She was filled with pride to see her flag wave everywhere. One important part of the book is the way it introduces Ghanaian culture. Her journey helps patrons to  understand that traveling is not only about seeing new places but also about meeting people and learning from them. Her encounters with new friends show the importance of friendship, communication, kindness and being open to people who may have different experiences from our own. The book encourage children to travel to different places to be able to discover what is around them. 

Reading at Nyariga Community Library

From Clement: We read a story book entitled Bolga by bus, author of Dr. G.A. Agambila, with adults at the Nyariga community library together with the Librarian. The story book talks about how enthusiastic the little boy was desperately wants to know his father’s hometown and he sets on a long journey to find his father who abandoned his mother many years ago. His journey takes him through the cultural and physical landscape of Ghana. He finally meets his uncle and grandmother. He became familiar with the towns in Ghana from Accra to Bolga and experiences especially the 780 kilometre journey. We also learned a Glossary of Non – English and special terms in Africa such as Akpeteshie, Akpeleh, Amani, Dansika, Saagibor, Tanya, and Tuo Zaafi and many more. Chiefs names in Bolga from 1843 to current Chiefs.

Recent activities of Ghana library coordinator in Upper East

Due to the heavy rains we have been experiencing almost daily, I distributed six raincoats to staff: one for myself, two for the librarians and one for the security guard at Sumbrungu Community Library, and two for the librarian and security guard at Nyariga Community Library. Today, Mr. Evans and I visited Nyariga Community Library, where we joined the newly acting librarian to clean the library. We also mounted educational and learning materials on the walls to make the library more attractive and welcoming to patrons. 

From Clement, Ghana library coordinator:

Dear Michael, Please  today patronage  successful with massive number who were able to read individually with their own books they brought from the house such as mathematics books and copybooks from school. In the afternoon I engaged them read a story which entitled “Why monkeys looks like men”. The story is that, long ago there was a great famine on the whole world because there was rain, so the King asked each and every one to gather their food stuff to the palace so every morning everyone will go for their share till a time that the famine will be over meanwhile the King kept some strong men to guard the food stuff for supply but one day the guards decided to stole some of the food stuff without the King’s notice.The next day King find out that some of the food stuff have missed and inspect the barns and caught the guards the put in charge of the food stuff, they suggested the should kill them but they King said he will teach them a lesson that they will never forget, then he went inside his room and brought out substance and sprinkle it on them and  behold, all the men turned into monkeys.when this happen ,they felt shy to go home and they decided to go and live on trees in the forest. Moral lesson:We should not take advantage of opportunity given to you to misbehave.

Daytime session at Sumbrungu Community Library

Photos from Sumbrungu community library where had group reading and discusion based on a story we read Hanatu, a seamstress learns to read. Patrons discussed who a seamstress is, what was her aim was, and how she was able to achieve her aim through English literacy classes.