update

I hope you are all doing fine. I am spending my last few weeks here in Accra doing my first PRA session with a group of girls from Lifeline:

Some results concerning the girls' perceptions about gender in Ghana:

We took plenty photo's together...

I went to talk to some girls on the market again, about a girl migrant's life in Accra:

Put a child on my lap and I am happy...

I enjoyed a nice sandwhich in town, oh how I miss baguettes...

And I enjoyed Labadi Beach:

Especially whilst drinking Alvaro:

Baby Hope is growing, and she is leaving with her mother to the North tomorrow, so this was the last time I'll see her. How I wish she was mine to keep....

I love spending time with the girls and joining their classes:

Coming Saturday, if all goes well, I'll be going to Sunyani and from there to Bawku. Finally back to my roots. I hope to be back in Accra in one week though, I still have some data gathering to do before I'll come back to Holland on the 26th. Though who knows, I might stay in Ghana forever....? Or not?

another photo journal

It has been over two weeks already since I posted on this blog, so it's time for an update.

Time is flying here. I've been here for 7 weeks already and halfway through week 8, one month to go!

Besides focussing on my research and gathering my data, I spent my time here teaching, celebrating and enjoying the company of many small friends. Let me present you some photoos that will give you a more interesting insight into my daily life here:

Last Sunday and Monday was Salah here, the celebration after the muslim fasting. I went to Independence Square here in Accra on Sunday with my muslim friend and 'key informant' Issahaku. There were thousands of muslims present and it took some time before we found eachother...

Me and Issahaku:

Some of his friends:

Some small friends from Lifeline were also present:

On Monday 'grandma' organised a party for the 19 muslim girls at Lifeline who had been fasting. She arranged for al kinds of nice foods and sweets. I helped setting the table:

The girls enjoyed the evening very much. They were each given a chicken leg, some other nice food, sodas and a biljet of 10 Ghana Cedis (not even 5 euro). The girls went hysterical when they received the money (from a Chinese donor):

After eating comes dancing, of course. And while the girls danced, the small child of one of the girls was sleeping on a small matras in the wharehouse:

After the Salah party, I started spending time in one of the classes here, Creche 2, for the 3-4 years olds. I try to teach them a bit, they are learning 0-1-2 now, but I have a hard time getting them to listen to me. Somehow they find it very funny when I command them to 'Sit down!', 'Tenasi!', 'Stop it, stop fighting!', 'Get off the table!', 'Get inside!' etcetera...

I think I'm being to nice for them, overall. These children need some discipline and I'm not able to provide it for them, I have a lack of authority, I rather cuddle with children.... The children only listen to the other teacher when she threatens to beat them, and that's just not my style..... (Although sometimes I'm getting there....)

But they are overall very lovely (when they are not fighting eachother or disturbing me) especially when they go to sleep at noon.

The children walking, or rather dancing, back from the washroom:

Fighting for attention: 

Or just simply fighting eachother.... : 

One of the girls with a 'doll' in her hands. The state of the toys they are playing with is unbearable for me... :

My baby girl Comfort, she's too small for this class and she often seems lost in the middle of all the fighting, singing, dancing etcetera... : 

I love the children all very much, but I love them very very much when they are asleep... : 

The children need to be picked up by their parents or siblings between 2 and 4 pm, but sometimes they fail to do so (which makes me angry) and the child is left with us. This boy had to wait till eveningtime before his mother came to pick him up. We entertained ourselves drawing, playing with the balloon and with the small mouse (thanx dad!) :

Most of the afternoons I spend some time with my bff Blessing, and some of her friends:

That's it for now. I hope by the next time I write I will have continued with my research (PRA sessions!!) and I hope I will have mastered to dance the Azonto!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTUIlOudlHI

Bye now! X emma 

life here in images

Today is the funeral of the President so I'm having a day off. Traffic will be terrible in town, and I'm afraid there might be some violent incidents, that's why I'm staying in my room today.

My research is slowly but continuously progressing. I'm doing interviews with the girls here at Lifeline and with young women and girls who work at the market areas. I hear a lot of stories and some are pretty heavy to deal with. Still, I'm glad I'm able to gather my data.

My internet is not working properly lately plus I'm very tired, I haven't had a day off since a few weeks. So I'll entertain you know with some photo's that capture the daily life and surroundings of my fieldwork.

These are the gate and part of the compound of Lifeline:

Terrible traffick going on outside the gate: I'm spending the biggest part of my mornings in a tro tro stuck in traffick...

My new best friend Blessing, 7 years, she's going to school here and when school finishes she comes to look for me. I've walked her home yesterday, so I could see where she lives. Got lost on the way back though...

An impression of the hairdressing class:

Practising braids on these dolls:

The two youngest girls here, 12 years old, they come and get a hug from me every day. The girl on the  right has lived her whole life on the streets of Accra, she doesn't know her family or where she comes from... 

The sewing class:

Women on the CMB market whom I've interviewed:

So far for now, till next time!