Creating Opportunity for Families in the Eastern Region of Ghana

So as I first entered Akaa I was taken aback by the living conditions and overall standards of the village. After I have spent a mere two weeks living with the happiest people in the world, I am almost ashamed to think that people feel “bad”  for the individuals that live this type of lifestyle. I have never been around such a loving, happy, and comfortable group in my entire life. Even the smallest items mean 

the world to every individual in the village. For example, I brought ten hackey sacks on the trip with me and every child cherished the with there lives. What is such a small item to an American meant the world to these children. I learned more from this village than they could ever learn from me. Even though I am positive they were making fun of my soccer skills the entire two weeks, I had the most fun playing soccer in Akaa than I have ever had playing a sport in America. Everyone was so welcoming; even when we would leave for two days and came back all I heard as I walked to our compound was “welcome, welcome.” This is partially because of their lack of the English language, but mostly because they were so excited for the volunteers to return. All children in Akaa had the greatest impact on my life and the way I look at the world today. We do not need new cars, new cell phones, and new computers to make us happy; all we need is a close-knit group of friends and family that we know we will be able to count on. I will leave you with one thing that was the most outstanding part of the village: People of all ages, all races, and all religions must have a sense of pride. Not only who they are and where they came from, but everyone must be proud to be with the people they have around them and thankful for the opportunities that are given every single day. After spending a small amount of time in Africa, I have learned to cherish everything I have and that materials literally mean nothing. I sit here and type on this thousand-dollar computer as a child is waking up at 5 AM to get water so they can bathe and drink during the day. I am extremely lucky to have had such an amazing opportunity and I cannot wait to visit my new family not only this upcoming summer, but for the rest of my life.