Hi from 'Teacher Nina'!

I have finally decided to write a blog to let you all know about my work placement. But before I start with that I just want to say how much of an amazing time I am having. Ghana has a great culture with possibly the most friendly and welcoming people I have ever met. Everything I see here is a new experience and I am learning so much about Ghana, the world and myself. Despite having a tough first week I have no regrets about coming out here.

I have been placed with Maltiti Child Foundation (MCF) which is an organisation that works to improve the development of local children in Tamale and the nearby villages. They have a variety of projects, such as sponsoring local schools, running afterschool classes and providing support to needy children. Last week they presented (curtesy of Tzedek funding) 25 needy school children with school bags, uniform, exercise books and pencils. This could make all the difference to these children's education as they face stigma if they come to school without these bsic necessities. This is a prime example of MCF's good work.

I have been helping out at the afterschool classes everyday in the nursery class. There are 40 children in the class and they seem to love the extra attention I can give them. I have made some friends there, and a few of them even wait for me on the path to the school and fight over who gets to hold my hand as we walk together to the school! They also follow me back to the office after the class has finished! I have helped them learn to write numbers and the alphabet and we even made origami hats last week which they loved! I am slowly falling in love with all these kids - they are just so cute!

But my main work is helping out at a school in a nearby village called Jana. I have already mentioned this school, it was built by MCF a year ago to prevent the pupils walking long distances to school in the city where they were prone to danger. So far it has only two classes, which are called kindergarten here, but the ages of the pupils range from 4 to 8. The poverty of this school is so shocking - the classrooms are empty rooms with no paint or posters on the wall, just one blackboard, they have no chairs or desks (the children bring stools from home), most children come without books or pencils and the condition of the children's clothes is likewise appalling. To give you an idea of the poverty - it costs the equivalent of 50p a month to send a child to this school, but some of the families can't even afford this and some children have had to withdraw from the school. But the children are lovely and full of smiles, and have such respect for the teachers and all their elders. (It sometimes makes me wonder whether our attitudes to poverty in the developing world are correct as the people here seem so happy.)

The work MCF has given me is to try and raise the level of teaching in the school, as it is currently not so great. I was taken aback by this at first, as I have never had formal teacher training, but then I realised that with my small experience of teaching and even my own education is enough to give me the basic tools to contribute something to the school. My initial plans are to brighten up the school with posters and to introduce more toys and games to their learning. It is quite a challenge as the children don't understand me, they speak the local Dagbani dialect. But with the help of the current teachers, who are eager to learn knew ways as they have never had any teacher training, I hope to have an impact. It will be a challenge, but everything worthwhile in life is difficult and I aim to work as hard as I can in the next 7 weeks to give as much as I can to this organisation. The work is also emotional draining, as facing poverty that I never even dreamed could exist is difficult, but once again all of this is valuable experiences.

All I hope is that I can truly have an impact here, and that my trip won't have been a waste. There is so much to be given to help develop this special country and I hope I can do my bit.

By the way - to explain the post title - I have been given a Ghanain name by my boss at MCF, 'Nina' which is apparently a local name. So I am now called Teacher Nina at the school! When I'm not being called 'Madam' which all the children here call the teachers!