Each morning when I come into Trashy Bags, I spend at least a half hour greeting everyone downstairs. Last week I complimented Gladys on her earrings. This morning she surprised me with a matching pair she had gotten from the market. Compliments lead to surprising generosity—I told Mariama I liked her FC Barcelona wristbands, but that since coming to Ghana I have become an adamant Chelsea fan. Britian’s Chelsea team has a very good Ghanaian footballer, Essien, playing for it so many Ghanaians support the team—including many at Trashy Bags. She promised to get me some Chelsea bracelets next Monday. I shall wear them proudly.
The other night, Mei, Emiele, Pieter, and I stayed late, working on various projects for Trashy Bags. It is a lot of fun to have volunteers around, especially since Emiele and Pieter live at Trashy Bags and are there literally all the time. Mei was working on an impressive spreadsheet showing projected payments for the Trashy Housing Project, and Emiele and Pieter were creating an extremely detailed three-dimensional view of the plans that Jan had drawn up while he was here. I was painting the insides of water sachets to see if we could make Trashy products as works of art. Francis and Grace surprised us by cooking us yams and stew. It was festive, especially as Stuart, Lydia, Francis, and Grace were all upstairs laughing, eating and joking with us. It was well after dark when Mei and I finally departed for our homes.
Trashy Bags has been attracting impromptu volunteers like Mei, Stella, and me. All of us came into the factory without planning to become involved but the project inspired us. And everyone has found different ways of contributing to the organization. For example, Stella goes to the University of Ghana, Legon with me for this semester; she is working on adult education. She tutors some of the workers in English during their lunch break.
My line of painted sachets may work out well; we made 36 change purses as an experiment and have sold all of them quite quickly. Yesterday, I spoke with a street artist about painting on some. He was very enthusiastic. The label “starving artist” takes on a different meaning in Ghana than it does in the United States or Europe. This country abounds with talented artisans, including people who paint, cast brass figures, make drums, create wood carvings, and build furniture, and many of them sell their products for next to nothing from shacks or tables along the road. Many of them target tourists, of which there are too few to support everyone. If painting on sachets can create successful products, it would be a wonderful way to display Ghanaian painting and support struggling artists. The painted sachets may also benefit local education. Global Ghana Youth Network runs an elementary school and youth group program in Kissehman, a poor suburb of Accra. The school provides education for children who cannot afford their regular fees, as well as breakfast and lunch, since most children do not receive regular meals at home. They will be painting sachets for purses as well, to raise funds for food.
Talking with George today, he explained how he has just completed the third year of high school and had never seen a computer before meeting Stuart. “Stuart is someone who wants to teach people something they don’t know, so one day he called me in to show me something on the computer. The first time I used the mouse I was shaking. But gradually, I made it through and he gave me access to learn more on the computer. So now I’m getting somewhere.” Trashy Bags continues to teach and inspire. It especially shows through the addition of volunteers who offer a range of skills and ongoing enthusiasm for a project that, as George explains, “Is doing good. So it should keep doing it and we will keep learning.”
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プラダ 財布を持って 現 されて トレンディな
を いくつか 十年。 プラダ ハンドバッグ ですから、類似 の作るファッションの行、よく知られている
プラダ 財布。クラシック ブラック プラダ 財布素晴らしい ヒント 、ありがとう .
火星 到着 チョコレート、黒と 製品。 あなた 大幅に 多くすぎる たい チェック アウト アウトこのシープスキンの履物のうちあなた 家族?
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