Second Book Shipment Arrives in Ghana

We are all pleased!!!

Thanks to everyone who donated to make this shipment a reality. After a change in shippers, we are very pleased to share with you, Brother Yeboah and his wife, Anita were able to get the things there in one month, two weeks time!!! Praises up for the blessing. I can't forget, a graduate student, Patience (of Liberia) and her Mom gave me his name and also told me where to purchase barrels. Little did I know that I was going to be in this venture for some time to come.

Majesty Shipping, LLC

Ewing, NJ

609-835-1035

609-721-0152 - Yeboah

609-456-2734 - Anita 

The company shipping agent Febiri, along with Charity make the retrieval process very smooth at the port. Call Yeboah for more details and pricing estimates/quotes. You will not be disappointed.

The barrels even look great, no damage and everything was in tact. Mr. Christian Djokotoe, our host teacher, and Mr. Samuel Bentum, his good friend and colleague, gave me an accurate account of each item and the number of books that arrived. 

In the photos - Mr. Nash Abu who resides in Accra, Ghana. Mr. Nash meets with Bentum to assist in transporting items to Takoradi. For those unfamiliar with the geography of Ghana. The city of Tema is where the shipyard is located. It is about 1 to 2 hours from Accra, the capital of Ghana. Takoradi is Northwest of Accra and is 3 to 4 hours drive depending upon traffic - located in the Western Region of Ghana.

We've added more books to benefit the girls at Archbishop Porter Girls' Senior High School!!! Check back soon for more information of my return.

The Lord's Prayer in Honor of Headmistress Louisa Aggrey's Birthday

Happy birthday, may God Bless you and keep you...

Lovingly,
All your Friends in Pennsylvania

US Classrooms Gain International Perspectives through Globalized Teaching | IREX - Civil Society, Education and Media Development

US Classrooms Gain International Perspectives through Globalized Teaching | IREX - Civil Society, Education and Media Development

Shipment Success

Computers, Books, Shipping - too

Click the link above this icon to view new photos from APGSS. The barrels have arrived on the campus.

Patiently Waiting

The American shipper has promised that in fact this week, the barrels should arrive. We all wait... APGSS new school year begins on the 16th. I look forward to linking with all the girls again.

More later folks...

Having returned to Takoradi, Ghana

Headmistress Louisa C. Aggrey is a visionary and passionate leader of APGSS. Aggrey is also an APGSS alum. Headmistress has had installed fire extinguishers in every building on every floor, a new and fresh approach to care at a more modern secondary boarding facility. I was on hand for the extinguisher usage demonstration. 

I was joined by my Ghanaian girl child, Adriana Mensah, Accra and APGSS grad 2013. In the photo with current students, I found American students Vanessa and Imam. They are hanging in there with the changes that an American students must make to be successful in the Ghanaian Education System. 

So now, we wait for the arrival of the barrels! Headmistress also announced the first-ever summer camp to be held on campus at the end of the month. Students were told prior to the dismissal of school, if they serve as cadets for the camp, they will be the ones on hand at the presentation ceremonies! 

My host teacher, Christian Djokotoe and Mama Albs were there to greet me upon my return, as was Mr. Sulaiman, Mr. Bentum, the entire English department and the dining hall staff and cooks!

Keep watch of the blog for more to come... Blessings to you all and thanks to everyone for all you have done to make this journey possible.

Let's Dance to the Drummer's Beat!

Dancing the West African Way

Archbishop Porter Girls in morning meeting, Photo by me

Break it on Down


Electric Slide - Ghana Nyi Style

Want to see me dance?? This is prior to my arrival to APGSS. I was already in the spirit of Ghana!



The Drummers       The Dancer - Alhassan Alidu

Click on any of the links above, enjoy a great performance. Thanks for the photography by Teacher Laura Hofbrinclus of Pennsylvania

Blessed be those...

Less than 30 days to touch my feet on the Motherland! I will soon have more photos, more videos, more commentary from Takoradi, Ghana. Let it be known that 10 barrels are making their way to shipyard of Accra. Oh what a quick turn-around - soliciting, gathering, packing books and other items for our Archbishop Porter Girls' Secondary School.

More than 90- days ago, I was there. In less than 30 days, I will return. God has made a way... I am following the path. Blessed

Azonto

Barrels get sealed

Barrel Packing

I will meet the barrels, travel the country; visit  my friend the banker, Emeke in Lagos, Nigeria. Even more importantly, I will travel under the supervision of Samuel Bentum, mathematics teacher, great friend, and companion.

Blessed be we!

Books and other items to Takoradi

Hey Everybody!!!

All things are moving forward toward my return to Ghana.

Yesterday, I went to several locations where folks donated books, videos, teaching tools and other miscellaneous school tools. It was  great day, so much so, that I had to purchase additional barrels to hold all the items.

First, I made a stop to Saints Neumann and Goretti High School in South Philly, teacher - Catherine Smith, Director of Technology, hosted a book collection; in less than 2 weeks there were at least 1000 books for us to send to Archbishop Porter Girls' Secondary School. Talk about God working... the Catholic to Catholic connection via my involvement with TGC/IREX and a being Baptist. Then next, going to Helen Sherman's (my Anna Crusis Women's Choir gal pal) home. Sherman, now has the duty of allocating her son's belongings after his passing from brain cancer. Keith Sherman lived 35 years beyond the diagnosis and death toll of 2 years! He read a great deal and his liking cover the gamut. The angels have found it fitting for his life's memory to carry on -- to Ghana! Finally, Kym Thompson, West Chester High School teacher, asked her friends and family to join in to donate. She collected more than 50 books specifically catered to girls. Furthermore, some of Thompson's friends want to give money but I told her only through the website  Click here to give  for tax-deductible status.

What a day, what a day!!! Then to top it all off, my little teen girl Friday, Aliyah and her friend Nashene came to the rescue in helping to pack the more than 1500 books into the barrels. God knew it was more than I could ever handle alone. Like I always knew -- I am never alone. Thank you God and all the blessings from the various people, schools, institutions, and organizations.

Oh, let me not forget -- Connie Grier and The RESPECT Alliance, for picking up the tax-deductible contributions through their global educational supports strand. God is too too good. I cannot wait to see the faces of the Archbishop Porter team upon the barrels arrival. I will meet the shipment in Takoradi in August. I will take pictures and I will blog, so that all of you will be in the know of it all.

While here in the USA, fundraising continues, the barrels will cost $180 each to ship - HELP. Go to the indiegogo site, look for Computers, Books and Shipping. However, the link is above.

 my SUV was loaded, no room for another (person)

Dr. Kalinger, Social Studies Department Chair at Neumann-Goretti, greeted me when I arrived to Neumann-Goretti.

Helen Sherman, of the Anna Crusis Womens' Choir and my girl Friday assistants, Nasheen and Aliyah

Kym Thompson, West Chester High School physical education teacher.

President John Murawski, of Neumann-Goretti, he was instrumental in getting more donations than we could imagine. He wants to stay connected to Archbishop Porter Girls' Secondary School, enhancing his school's mission in global education.

Ms. Catherine Smith, Director of Technology & Steve, Neumann-Goretti engineering staff.

 South Philadelphia, PA

 Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti

 willing workers

more than the call - girls working for girls...

Glory, glory!!!

Giving to someone who needs our help more

Let's get busy giving


I heard it today, sung by Anna Crusis Women's Choir, "Help Somebody"! We have so much to offer the world, here is a simple way to give just a little of your extra. Please.

We are in need of the cost of shipping - $180 per barrel and also the cost to purchase at least 10 to 20 refurbished fully loaded computers for only $175 each. Yes, this is really real, we need you to assist in the efforts though. The girls at Archbishop Porter will graciously appreciate anything that is done to help them in Ghana. Remember, the woman nurtures and builds families! Let us help to build...

We are still in need of funds

Archbishop Porter needs our help

Computers Books and Shipping

Funding for our Porter Girls

We are fundraising with The RESPECT Alliance in Philadelphia, PA to generate tax-deductible donations for books and computers at Archbishop Porter Girls'. Any amount large or small will help us help the girls.
Click the link above for fundraising information, and as always -- in the Fante language, Me ade ase papapapa!! (Thank you very much)!!

Issues of Drinking Water

APGSS vs. OHS school communities

Let the truth be told, at Overbrook we can't drink from water fountains because of longtime issues with the plumbing system. At Archbishop Porter Girls' thy too cannot drink water from the spigots, although a new water plant was opened the day I arrived to Takoradi. The water plant will generate enough drinking water for the 1600 girls and will someday supply other nearby schools at a cost.

At OHS, we can't even bring water bottles into the building because students throw water at one another. Our school was built in 1924, students have no drinking water.

At APGSS, which opened only 48 years ago, girls are now privileged in having drinking water in sachets, a small plastic pouch containing processed water.

Thinking about your prior thoughts of who had it the best, now what do you think?

Tell me what u think about the differences as similarities. Notice the Atlantic Ocean in the horizon from a skyline view in Takoradi.

So Much to Share

However, in the beginning there was...

While in Ghana

I am sharing the experiences with my classes since returning to Overbrook High School. The girls of Archbishop Porter in Takoradi remain in my thinking, my sleeping, my spirit. I am thinking of our three American girls, all of Ghanaian decent, Claudia, Imam, and Vanessa. Each of these girls have been sent from the USA to Takoradi for varied reasons by Ghanaian families -- all are succeeding within the rules and regulations of such a drastic change in school rules and climate, both academically and socially. 

I am more than pleased to have met all of these girls. Now to support the school's library and to build upon their defunct computer lab. I must say, the best Internet connection I had in Ghana was on the Archbishop Porter campus.