Schools and ADDRO

Today after a delightful breakfast we headed out the door to visit The Anglican Diocese Development Organization (ADDRO) and learn about their organization which has 5areas of focus: water sanitation, micro loans/savings, disaster preparedness, health, and agriculture. We met Bishop Jakob who oversees the agency and the diocese of Tamale.

After visiting the offices we headed out to St. John's Anglican School, an hour drive on paved and unpacked roads with a rain shower! We were greeted by the Head of School who told us about the school, established in 1981 with only 45students, that has nearly 400total students now in kindergarten to 12th grade. We greeted each class and traded information about the school process for youth. Afterwards we were treated to a traditional dance by the high school students.

After our visit to the school, which ADDRO supports (and ERD supports ADDRO) we went to the Durbar- a community meeting of the leaders in the surrounding area. There was more dancing (I might have jumped in and danced too) and then we heard from the community the effects of the loans given to families.

We ate a picnic lunch and got into the cars to head home... it was a bouncy road and we definitely had plenty of things to ponder bouncing around in our heads.

Yesterday, we learned people were bought and sold for a goat. Today we learned about new life given to families through giving a family 2 goats and teaching them how to raise them to produce other goats and in turn generate income.

Yesterday, we heard the songs of the enslaved waiting to be sold and today we heard the songs of school children learning their numbers and dancing out of thanksgiving.

How do we use what we have? 

What makes us dance and sing?