Category Archives: Youth Project

Busua Youth Club raises over ¢350

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IIn the weeks before working with the Integrated Rural Education for Change organisation the Global Youth Video Project (GYVP) was working with Black Star Development Projects in Busua, Ghana. In particular GYVP had been (and is still) working with the Busua Youth Club project to help them improve their sustainability and access to funds. The Busua Youth Club is a self-organised group of local young people who wish to improve their town and have been doing this successfully for a number of months. GYVP worked with the Busua Youth Club to help them put together two proposals for funding and organise a bucket collection at the Asabaako music festival where the whole group organised clean up activities. From the proposals and the bucket collection we have managed to raise over ¢350 and are now working to put in place a sustainable action plan to ensure that the club continues. Here’s more about the Busua Youth Club:

Busua Youth Club Mission

To improve the lives of people living in, and visiting, Busua through improving the environment, community, economic situation and health of local residents.

Objectives

  1. To improve the cleanliness of the town by removing rubbish and educating local residents on managing their waste.
  2. To train local residents to bring skills back to the community to develop tourism in Busua and promote economic growth.
  3. To support vulnerable people in the community including people who are sick, orphaned or unable to find work.
  4. To provide a voice for young people in the community.

Current Activities of BYC

  • Organizing regular clean ups of the town
  • Running keep fit session in the community for young people
  • Helping to build the Busua Tourism Center
  • Planning environmental activities for the yearly Busua festival – Asabaako
  • Regular meetings of young people to forward the aims of the BYC

If you are looking for a conscientious volunteer placement that has a focus on sustainability and eco-tourism, as well as good opportunities to socialise, this is most definitely the place for you. There are not many people in Busua that don’t extend their stay!

Integrated Rural Education for Change

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This week, in a change of programme, the Global Youth Video Project is working with Integrated Rural Education for Change in Kumasi, Ghana. We will be joining a rural HIV/AIDS project to volunteer and to continue the making of new films to answer your cultural questions. Videos from Nigeria are still being edited and will be uploaded Jan/Feb.

If you have more questions to ask click here to go to the questions page or to see some of the videos done already go to the videos section.

Nigeria to Ghana

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The flight may only take 45 minutes but I feel like I’m a world away. Lagos, Nigeria thrives on a hectic energy, everything is fast and you live fast or die. However, life expectancy in the city is substantially less than the surrounding rural areas and this reflects the toll that this lifestyle takes. Lagos is developing but it is being held back by its infrastructure. Lack of electrical power and drivable roads make starting a business hard and the few that do make it seem to give little back in the way of taxes or assistance to their communities. Whilst there are many parallels to this in Europe there are few places where you can see such poverty contrasted against such wealth. The gap between the classes of society in Nigeria is ever present especially when you can see the shantytowns from the hotels that charge a basic rate of £240 per night. Corruption also plays such a pivotal roll in society that it will take many years before the money given to the government actually gets to the communities that need it. However, most of the people I met in Nigeria are proud of their country and I heard many times that Nigeria is a land where you can make it if you try.

I’ve not been in Ghana long enough to even begin to form an idea about the infrastructure here but I can already see some stark differences. When I arrived in the city of Accra, which has a central airport, I was instantly hit by a better quality of air. When travelling along the roads I found myself relaxing as the cars followed the road markings and drove safely as appose to the highly reckless driving that is prevalent in Lagos. Whilst most of the Ghanaian’s I have met complain about the Accra traffic the roads still resemble the quieter days of Lagos driving.

From Accra the project travelled west to Busua to link with the Black Star Development Projects Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO). After sitting for hours in the Tro-Tro’s (local shared transport) Busua is a welcome relief. Busua sits in a wonderful location, it has a constant sea breeze and an open and relaxed atmosphere. Upon arrival Ebenezer the Volunteer Coordinator in training met the Global Youth Video Project. From the office we headed straight to the surf shop on the beach where I met Tabitha the Senior Volunteer Coordinator. If you plan on volunteering with Black Star you can be assured of a fantastic welcome. All of the staff here are brilliant and have a strong commitment to ensuring that responsible tourism and sustainability is central to their role. After Tabitha and Ebenezer ran through some of the volunteering induction I was taken to my accommodation so I could freshen up and return to learn more about the Black Star NGO. When I returned the power was still off so we continued to talk about the role of the NGO and the local customs and acceptable behaviours for tourists and visitors.

Paulo, Ebenezer and Tabitha

Paulo, Ebenezer and Tabitha outside the Black Star Development NGO

 

 

The Amazing Rhoda Youth Centre

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I’ve just spent 5 days at Rhoda Youth Centre (RHC) and I’m definitely inspired. The RHC is phenomenal, it’s easily on par with some of the best youth facilities in the UK. It’s a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) run by committed workers. The project is funded by Youth Builders who are local people that donate money monthly to keep it running. The RYC provides training for young people who are struggling to find jobs after leaving education. It runs sessions for around thirty young people on film and production, IT, bead/jewelry making, art, music and acting. It has a sound studio, IT suite, film facilities, art studio, rehearsal/function space and classrooms. All students attend for free and receive coaching on setting up their own business and developing their employability skills. Young people who have worked on the project have now created their own music bands, jewelry businesses and employment opportunities. This isn’t like Entry to Employment (E2E) courses in England this is a three month placement with the same thirty students in small classes. The tutors know their students and the students learn the confidence in their skill of choice. RYC works hard to link students up with local employers and the students all work hard to learn what they can in the time they have. I think that the UK Government could learn a lot from seeing how successful this person-centered project is. It is certainly better than the cattle market system of E2E courses that many young people have experienced in the UK. It’s not just the courses that provide worth; the building is immaculate and has a feeling of grandeur. As soon as you walk through the door you feel important.

The video footage from this center will be clearer than any previous footage for the Global Youth Video Project because they gave me their equipment to use. The camera alone was bigger than my hand luggage and it was a real treat to use such equipment.

I’d like to thank the young people that worked on these videos as they put a lot of their time into answering these questions honestly and truthfully and at times this lead to very heated debates. Also a special thank you goes out to Tomisi for her wonderful cooking and for hosting me for the 5 days.

To find out more go to www.rhodayouth.org

Femi and Daniel

Two weeks in….

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10th October 2011

Two weeks in and slowly but surely the project videos are being uploaded to the website. We’ve filmed a new batch today and they will be put together ready for the website over the next few days.
The Global Youth Video Project is in Sifoe Senior Secondary School again this week. They’ve planned three videos, about the way they live. The students will be filming, directing, producing and starring in these videos themselves and I’m quite excited to see what the results will be. Later this week we’re hoping to take the project out, into Gunjur and Kajabang, to meet some of the young people who might not have the opportunity to go to school to ask them some of the Global Youth Video Project questions.
This past week we’ve also done an interview with Jo about the Gunjur Project Lodge so you can see what work they do here. This project is particularly good for bringing youth groups to so if your looking for somewhere to take young people for an experience in a developing country. Jo tells you what you need to know in the Gunjur Project Interview.

One week in…

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2nd October 2011

 

Nearly a week into the project, everything is in full flow. So far we’ve made eleven videos answering your questions. The challenge now is to upload them using dial-up Internet! This can be done but needs a lot of time and a large dose of patience. Rest assured the Global Youth Video Project has both of these and you should see more videos being posted this week.

The Global Youth Video Project is now working with AFNOW an organisation that works with orphaned young people. In The Gambia the term ‘orphan’ applies to children and young people who have lost their father or both parents. These young people have started to make their own video with the Global Youth Video Project to show how they live in The Gunjur and the surrounding areas. They have named themselves the United Family Group and working with them has been fantastic so far.

The work at Sifoe Senior Secondary School is also going well. The school system here is very different to that of the UK. Young people and their families have to pay to go school, if you can’t pay you don’t go. Over the last week I have witnessed the great work that is done by The Gunjur Project and their sponsorship programme. The sponsorship programme receives donations of 90 pounds from people outside of The Gambia and ensures that all of this money is used to get young people, in need, into education. In The Gambia there is a particular problem with young girls not being sent to school. To try and challenge this trend the government has declared that education for girls is now free. As good as this may sound,unfortunately this only applies to the study fee. The uniforms, books, examination fees, transport and food costs, all costing thousands of Dalasi, still need to be funded by the family. This week I heard a case of a young girl who is severely disabled being rejected by the school because she had not yet paid the fee for her uniform and examinations. This girl had to leave her family compound to live with a guardian closer to the school only to be turned away on her first day at school. I went to the school with the Gunjur Project, where Alagi met with the young girls guardian, to sponsor the girl and see that she was allowed to continue her education. Thankfully this story had a happy ending but there are many children here that can’t afford to go to school.

Unfortunately, one event this weekhas had a devastiating impact on all of the people around me at this time. A young man of only 22 years of age died yesterday. He was well known and many people aregrieving his loss. Unlike Englandthe funeral was held the morning after. Funerals here are often held on the day of death and if not the day after. No one knows why he died. However, there is no doubt that poor healthcare played a pivotal role in his death and towards the end of his days a reliance on traditional witchcraft may have denied him any healthcare, which may have prolonged his time on earth. My thoughts lie with his family, may he rest in peace.

After that solemn note I want to try and end on a positive. We are getting more questions on the Ask a Question… page and if you are reading this blog make sure you are encouraging people 5 – 25 years old to ask their questions before we leave The Gambia and head to Nigeria.

 

I hope you are all safe and well. Thank you for reading about the Global Youth Video Project and if you want to help the young people here consider getting together with your friends and sponsoring a child’s education for a year.

 

 

 

 

Global Youth Video Project starts in Africa

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27th September 2011

The first students entered the room we were waiting in, to take part in the Global Youth Video Project. Alagi and I were met by smiles and handshakes, Alagi notably popular amongst the young students at Sifoe Senior Secondary School. As the room filled up with students we discussed the start of the Global Youth Video Project, the young people choosing two focus groups to make different videos about their culture and their lives. The young people were all polite and welcoming, no mean feat in temperatures soaring above 40°c. It was so hot that even the vultures, that circle the skies here, seemed to be sweating.

After introducing the Global Youth Video Project, and setting the next meeting time, we drove back to the Gunjur to buy a local Gamcell SIM card for 50 Dalasi  (D) including 50D of credit – texts to the UK costing 3D. From there we headed back to the fishing village to visit the Kajabang Community Nursery, in the now blistering, midday heat. When getting out of the car I was met by many tiny hands all wanting to play energetically. I gladly obliged,quickly realising just how hard it is to play in 40°c.

Leaving the Nursery we headed towards the beach, buying small bags of water to quench our thirst. I became glad that my induction was steadily paced, allowing for a period of acclimatisation.

[When volunteering in substantially hotter climates I would advise you to take your first few days steady whilst you acclimatise.]

Returning to the project, tiredness due to the heat became my main opposition and I struggled to stay awake through my lunch. I finally gave in and slept through most of the afternoon. When I woke I took an early evening walk with Omar into the fishing village and along the sands where we were joined by hundreds of crabs scuttling sideways to avoid our footsteps. The cloudy sunset then sealed the end of my second day and the first Global Youth Video Project session.

First Day in The Gambia

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26th September 2011

After an early start I landed in at Banjul airport just outside of Banjul at 3:15pm local time. I exited the plane to be greeted by a wave of heat,the temperature upon landing being 32°c, although I am sure that this was a conservative measurement. As I flew in over The Gambia I had seen, from above, the sun bleached green of the dense foliage and the corrugated roofs glistening like diamonds across the landscape.

At the airport I handed across my free visa application, a mere piece of paper you fill in on the plane then collected my luggage without a problem. I declined the numerous offers to help me with my luggage for a small fee.

I found, to my surprise, that as well as the luggage being scanned on the way out of the airport you also have to hand back the luggage sticker given to you at your luggage check-in point. After a few moments of searching I found this and they let me through the gates where Alagi, from the Gunjur Project, was waiting to take me to the project.

On the journey to the project, lasting 45minutes, I saw my first exciting glimpse of Gambian life. When we turned off the main road onto dirt tracks, through villages and past compounds, the kids shouted “two bob, two bob” the local name for white people, a throw back to when the Europeans were here and the currency at that time.

As I arrived at the project friendly staff greeted me and Jo showed me to my wonderful accommodation, basic but perfect. No sooner had I arrived, and changed in to clothes more suitable for the climate, I was invited to watch a meeting of the Village Development Committee (VDC). The meeting was held at the small Kajabang Community Nursery that was the focus of the discussion. The meeting started on GMT time, which I am informed, is Gambian Maybe Time. Sure enough, 40 minutes later than planned, the meeting started. In a mixture of languages, discussions were held about the development and management of the nursery. Visible during the meeting were the same factional divides, differences of opinion and disagreements present in any community meeting that I have ever witnessed in the UK.

After the meeting we drifted down into the fishing village to see the rows of smoke houses, smoking the days catch. Continuing further into the village the smoke gave way to a brilliant pink sunset, which we watched while shelling and eating fresh succulent peanuts.

 

 

16 days to go!

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The Global Youth Video Project is starting in 16 days. As you can see we’ve been developing the website to share as much information about travelling, volunteering and the Global Youth Video Project as we can!

The Global Youth Video Project is being set up entirely through voluntary contributions and time, kindly donated by business and friends. Michael Walmsley of Michael Walmsley Freelance Web Design is hosting and developing the site and Phil Galloway has designed our amazing logo for the project! Whilst I’ll be taking the practical side of the project around the world these guys will be the ones making it work behind the scenes!

We still need more help though! If you are a youth worker, teacher, interested parent or young person we need you to be finding out the questions young people have about other cultures, lives and places. We’ve had some brilliant questions so far the first being: Do they have lamp posts in Africa? We need more questions to take round the world, so go to our Ask a Question…. page to find out how to enter your question. For more about the project and how to deliver it with young people go to our Youth Workers page.