The way things are: At Mangu

I am convinced that there is no way to keep an agenda in Ghana.  I call it "the agenda thing." You can have one, but your day never quite turns out as it is supposed to due to various factors.  Loosey Goosey as they say.  A person just has to get used to it. And other than my new use for clumps of bushes and the hot, humid weather, this is the aspect of Ghanaian life that I struggle with the most.

Today, we were supposed to visit some administrators to pay our respects, but they all were at last-minute meetings.  Or, were they "meetings"? Some meetings here are excuses to do other stuff. But this is a G-rated blog.

So, we began the day visiting the Mangu School, just outside Wa.


Mangu Primary School, Mangu-Wa


If you're thinking that Mangu looks a little less...decrepit...than the schools up in Lawra, you're right. 

Mangu Primary used to be run by the Catholic Mission and was called St. Cecilia's.  However, the mission abandoned this school and its name was changed to its district's name - Mangu.

In Ghana, a religious organization can "adopt" a public school, provide some basic needs for the school and name it whatever it wants. Thus, in Wa we have the Presbyterian School, the Methodist School for the Blind, and Islamic School and an Assembly of God school.  Religious doctrine is NOT part of the curriculum.

Anyway, Mangu was the pilot program for the church's child support in the Upper West with 3 students: Agnes, Joyce and Joseph.  We stopped by so I could meet them, talk to them about their dreams and what obstacles blocked their way to a better future.

First of all, these kids have grown so much that I barely recognized them from their original pictures.  Second, they are all doing well academically - Joseph, in particular.  Joyce is lagging a bit behind but you'll meet her (and her mother) up close and personal in another entry.  Agnes is just darling.  At age 10, she is the most outspoken of the three.  Joseph wants to be a doctor, as does Agnes.  Joyce wants to be a nurse.

Here are L to R, Agnes, Joyce and Joseph with me and their head teacher:

L to R back: Lucy Denbo, Mangu's head teacher (principal), me
Front: Agnes, Joyce and Joseph



It took a few minutes to round up Agnes, Joyce and Joseph so we did what is becoming my favorite part of visiting these schools: visiting the kindergarten (KGs).  The KGs love me, I'll admit it.  At Mangu, the KGs have already started learning English and can stand and greet visitors in English. They are very formal about their greetings. Except today's "Good morning Sir and Madam" was followed by "Nadala!"  Again. How embarrassing. Their teacher tried to Ssshh them but it was Nadala-this and Nadala-that. And no, I don't know what the "this" and "that" meant.

When we left the room, the some KG kids followed us out.

Some Mangu KG kids: The one in front is Rose.

The girl in front is Rose, who is NOT shy and has plenty of confidence for a 6-year old.  And beads. She twirls them around and around. Rose did not want to go back into her room.

And these P1 boys were very interested in our truck and could not stop waving to me. When I would wave back, they would get all bashful and start giggling.

There was a bit of an intervention -- Ghanaian style -- with Joyce's mother and then it was off to have a beer with the Bishop of Wa. He is a big supporter of the Upper West Science Foundation. This was supposed to be just a meet n' greet at his office, but he wanted to go out for a beer. So we did. It's the lack-of-an-agenda thing!

Me, George and the Bishop of Wa