Most people spend their summers partying in Ibiza, backpacking around Europe or sunbathing in Spain, but not our latest Campus Celebrity Rachel Billings. She spent five weeks on a RAG trip in Ghana acting as one of the four group leaders for the project.
So Rachel what is the society RAG?
It stands for Leeds raising and giving – last year they raised £325,743.31 for various charities through projects, hitches, raids and other events.
What made you want to get involved with the project in Ghana?
My housemate volunteered in Uganda last year and decided to act as a leader for the Ghana project. They were searching for two new leaders to run the project so I thought why not apply? I wanted to spend the summer doing something worthwhile and it was a great opportunity to be a part of.
Why does Ghana in particular need help from societies and charities like RAG?
I think a lot of countries are in need of help; RAG already run projects in African countries like Uganda and this year decided to branch out to Ghana too. We worked alongside the charity TEACH – Time to Educate Africa’s Children – and the Baobab Children’s foundation in Ghana.
How long did it take you to the place where you were staying?
The flights took fourteen hours (excluding stopovers) to reach Accra, the capital of Ghana. We then travelled down to Cape Coast where we were situated in a small village called Kissi. It was a lot of travelling!
Where did you stay and what was your accommodation like?
For the first two nights we stayed in Accra University. I’m sure you imagine a place like out University accommodation but it was nothing like it! On the project site we slept in tents for five weeks and then travelled around Ghana on the weekends. We even slept in a tree house in the forest one night!
What was the food like? And was it a bit of a culture shock?
Ghanaian food is completely different to ours – they use a lot of root vegetables and carbohydrates to act as stodgy foods that fill you up. Gari was a common food which involved ground up cassava vegetable that was then turned to powder and mixed with water to make a gooey substance, which was then added to a sauce (not the group’s favourite!). On the occasion that we ate in a Ghanaian “restaurant” the food took, on average, 3 hours to come!
Did you have a goal when you first got there?
When we reached the Baobab children’s foundation we were shown the main differences that we needed to make. The volunteers raised around £8,000 that was used to pay for tools and new equipment over there such as spades, farming equipment and mosquito nets. A hut had burnt down in a recent fire and the boys of the group immediately began rebuilding that from scratch, while the rest of the volunteers were involved in expanding an allotment, gardening, farming, painting the dorm rooms of the children and repairing mosquito nets around the site.
What was your schedule like on a day to day basis?
We’d wake up at 6am, have breakfast before the children and then start work. Each day the volunteers were told the possible activities they could get involved with. Lunch was at 12.30 and then volunteer work again/activities and games with the children. Every other day the cook, Evelyn, would teach us drumming, dancing and singing lessons for an hour, which led up to a final performance before we left. The evening meal was at 6pm and it soon got dark afterwards. There was no electricity while we were there and little access to running water, so when it got dark we’d set up a campfire and play with the children who stayed there.
Did you meet anyone in particular that made an impression on you?
All the children made a real impression. Myself, alongside a selection of the volunteers taught a small group of a children English each morning. We were in pairs and I worked with a volunteer called Joe, teaching three children called Lydia, Vida and Francis. It was a challenging task but so worthwhile, we made a real bond with the children and it was a very emotional goodbye when we left. There was also a little girl there called Jessica who many of the volunteers connected with; she was one of the youngest children to be brought on the project who had been abused by her previous family.
What is your favourite memory from your trip?
I have so many amazing memories! It wouldn’t have been the same without the group of volunteers we took over, everyone got on like a family and we all still keep in touch. The weekends were incredible as we visited the rainforest, a huge waterfall, monkey sanctuary, crocodile ponds and more! But it was the project that made the biggest impact. To work with such an inspirational group of children was the real highlight.
Were there any downsides to the trip?
If you asked the volunteers I guess the consensus would be that they wanted to stay longer! Really the only issue people faced was occasionally not enjoying the food due to spices and textures, but as a whole everyone managed to cope, even with bucket showers!
What have you brought away from the experience/trip?
I realised that I could be responsible for a group of people and I never knew that I could be so organised. It was shocking how easy it was to settle into a routine that didn’t involve putting makeup on or doing your hair, and it’s such a simple, laid back way of life in Ghana that I miss.
Is there any trips like this planned for 2013 and how can people get involved with something like this is?
Everyone can get involved! RAG has hundreds of opportunities available and you should take them while you’re at Uni. Have a look on the website about the possibility for 2012/13.
For anyone who wants to get involved just follow this link http://www.leedsrag.org.uk