For the past two months, as I worked on some of the other updates I shared already, I’ve also been undergoing a series of exams and training to become a Fellow at Lead for Ghana(LFG), a non-profit with a mission to provide an excellent education to all children in Ghana regardless of their socio-economic status. Basically, they recruit Ghana’s top graduates, put them through leadership and professional teaching training, and deploy them into Senior High Schools.
I’ve enjoyed every part of the Fellowship-qualifying and training process. In these last two months specifically, I’ve travelled more than I ever have in all my 22 years, thanks to this experience. I’ve been to about 4 regions (Volta, Ashanti, Eastern, Greater Accra) just in the two weeks span of our residential institute, and passed through about 2 other Regions (Brong Ahafo and Volta) on the journey.
Our training sessions first started out with an online institute which were a series of virtual meetings where we were taken through Pedagogy and some basic Teaching principles. This lasted about 3 weeks. After the online institute, we had an in-person institute which like the name sounds, happened in person.
All Fellows who made it through the hectic exams, interviews and online lessons, were invited to meet in person at Hill View Guest Center in Accra for final training, socializing and fun stuff before deployment. In fact, I tried to put this post up during our first week at Hill View, but couldn’t because of the busy schedule and some minor stuff. We were almost always either engaged in some form of discussion, conference, eating, or sleeping.
I wanted to say Lead for Ghana was being insensitive, but after doing the math of how much they were spending daily just for us to stay there, I understood their plight. Each of our rooms cost a little over 800cedis (around $70) a day and only fellows occupied 100 rooms. We were 200 fellows for this cohort, paired two in a room. So for all our rooms, Lead for Ghana was paying over $7000 daily with meals, trips and miscellaneous stuff aside!
The view and facilities at Hill View were amazing though, so I’d say totally worth it. Although, we hardly had the time to be able to enjoy them. Hill View got it’s name from the location of the Hotel. You get what I’d like to describe as one of the most beautiful Hill Views I’ve ever seen over there. Then again, I can’t say that because this is literally the closest I’ve ever lived near a hill that high (or any hill for that matter). You don’t really find mountainous landscape where I come from in the North. Without embarrassing myself much, I think it suffices to say that the two weeks at institute were one of the best two weeks of this year so far.
I did somethings here that I’ve never done before in my life - I didn’t just dance, but I performed a cultural dance, one that is not native to my own culture. A cultural day was organized as part of fun activities where we we showed off the rich culture of different groups in Ghana to promote cultural diversity in the fellowship.
What better way to have a pro-cultural diversity event than to encourage people to learn about and demonstrate cultures of other groups.
Unfortunately, I was placed in a group to perform a cultural dance of Volta Region (which is not my region). No one from my group knew anything about the region we were assigned and had to go online, read about the region, rehearse and perform the Gahu Dance, a cultural dance of the volta people an eve to the occasion! If I don’t cringe later, I’ll share videos of our dance one of these days.
You know I definitely did some low-budget photography, so I’ll definitely be showing you a few things I shot there too😂
That being said, I didn’t really get to shoot much, because like I said, there was very little time afforded Dora to explore. I shot just two things.
This aesthetic light here was on the third floor of the building we were in and I shot this a day after we arrived. It’s more colorful in person than in this picture, I promise.
A little gist about this photo, I took it on the night of our cultural performance rehearsal. We were rehearsing at a bar in the guest house and when I saw this, it caught my attention, so I went closer to click, and this came out.
This shot is from below the lightbulb
There’s so much to talk about looking back at the events of the last month, but everything sums up to exciting and memorable.
We reviewed and signed our 2-year contracts on our last day at Hill View after the training was complete and we took our Licensure Exam to become certified teachers. Oh I didn’t mention that part? Whoooo! Long story. Maybe I’ll talk about it in another post.
The final thing to top it all off was an excursion to Kwame Nkrumah Musuem where the history of Ghana lies. There are soo mamy untold stories at this place and I wish I took enough photos to narrate some of them to you.
I should be relocating to the school Tatale Ep Agric Senior High School somewhere this week. Don’t bother looking the school up. There’s a good chance you won’t find it, or if you do, there’ll be very little information on it. That goes to demonstrate how rural the school.
I went there on Wednesday this week to report and secure accomodation, but I’m back in Tamale now planning to go relocate permanently somewhere in the course of this week.
Maybe in subsequent weeks, I’ll be sharing my journey as a teacher at the senior high school level there. I see some mountains in the area too and I’m already getting some ideas. Anyways, this is all from this dude for today:)
When I read the name of the school, the first thing on my mind was to look it up😂. Which region is it in?
I know someone who is part of you guys so I sometimes saw you in her pictures. I was just looking forward to your post about it to know what it’s really about. I thought it was some youth leadership thing
It’s in Northern Region, but more closer to Togo. From what I hear, it’s only a few minutes away from the Togo border. I knew people like you would go exploring, that’s why I put that disclaimer there.😂😂😂
I know who you’re talking about. I don’t remember having any pictures with her though so I’m a bit surprised.
Yeah the fellowship extends a little beyond teaching. There’s a lot of leadership development in it, cos aside simply teaching, we’ll need to instill leadership qualities in our students. The fellowship is designed to give you exposure to problems in the rural communities so that in case you’re ever in a policy-making position, you’ll know exactly what types of policies will create equitable lives for all. We’ll be attending a lot of leadership development conferences in the course of the 2 years. We have two slated for just this month.
I don’t think we are talking about the same person cause I’ve seen different pictures of you guys in groups both in Tamale and in Accra. Sometimes you are just in the background
I guess you have a lot more traveling coming your way. Please make sure to take enough pictures to share with us
I’m almost certain you’re talking about Hamdia. She’s the only person that fits the description. Lol you guys know each other?
For the traveling, I don’t know about that. If I do travel though, I’ll share as much as I can:)
We went to the same high school
Oh that makes sense.
Genuinely inspiring fella. I'm so proud of you and can't wait to keep up with your progress.
Going for a lie down now. Being nice saps all the old man's energy ;-)
I’m looking forward to your next postcard, old man:)
Looks like you had a really awesome time!
Sure did:)
excelent!
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Well well well, look who we have here.😅 One thing I liked most about this your LFG initiative is that in as much as you guys were there for the training and all of that they also gave you the opportunity to have fun while learning. I mean I couldn’t get you to dance but guess who was made you dance, LFG.🤣😂
I wish you all the best in the new chapter of your life. Go do your thing!
Yeah I definitely wouldn’t have danced if it was optional. It wasn’t too bad though. Tbh, it was fun. I haven’t danced since about 7 years ago when my sister was recruiting me to her dance club by force. Lol
Thanks for the well wishes. You’ll be the first to hear about my adventures:)
Dance club? I don’t think I’ve heard of this one.😂