John Wade:
Every visit to Ghana includes new team members who have a great deal to give to Ghana. “Making a Difference” takes different forms and everyone brings a special gift. Historically, one of our key members, John Wade, brought his expertise in environmental issues to Ghana. John is responsible for bringing our wellsite to Medie.
Matthew Brady:
Matthew Brady, a member of New Medicine, contacted Joy2theWorld last summer inquiring about our work in Ghana. Matthew spent a month in Ghana (University of Ghana) while in college and he missed the wonderful people there. Could he join us on our next trip? But how would Matthew “make a difference”?
As it turned out, Matthew (aka Matt-chew) became fast friends with everyone he met. He picked up the local language quickly and enjoyed greeting everyone in Twi or Ga. He also helped taking pictures and videos (see below) and jumped in to help wherever he was needed. Turned out, Matthew was our diplomat! He returned to the University of Ghana where he assisted in writing a grant proposal for a project planned in the Northern Region.
Matthew may return this summer to work with our intern program. Check out Matthew and New Medicine
http://www.myspace.com/newmedicine.
Nancy Barrera:
Nancy Barrera, a good friend of Joy2theWorld, and a member of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, joined the team to introduce a simple version of a compost toilet. Sanitation is a huge concern for our women. We take so much for granted here. In rural Ghana, families are LUCKY to share an outhouse, using chemicals that are dangerous to the surrounding land. Today, thanks to Nancy, the women are building compost toilets, using only natural products, such as sawdust, to cure the odor and dissolve waste.
But little did we know or suspect that Nancy’s passion is recycling! Nancy created a recycling plant in California. We visited a recycling plant approximately 50 miles away (in Tema, near Accra) and we learned that the women could recycle the plastic bags that hold drinking water for the locals, often tossed aside as litter along the roads. Yes, a group of women formed a business collecting these littered bags for recycling. Today, collecting the litter has become a source of income and helped to clean the roadside at the same time. Thanks, Nancy!
