Thank you so much everyone for your feedback. Its keeping us going!! Here is a follow-up:
We are hoping to collect over 1000 letters here in Ghana and hopefully get a few hundred letters to the White House. We will be hosting a march in Tamale (main city in the North) on July 1st. We have teamed up with the Sister City of Tamale, Louisville Kentucky, to see how they can support the campaign. In the coming week we will reach out to the New York Times and the local media to see if they can pick up the story.
So what can you do:
-watch our video on youtube and send the link to friends and family http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r72tsUC9_zQ (you could also view as many times as possible a day! we trying to get it high on the view list! lol)
- urge any American friends or even Canadians to get in touch with the White House
White House - http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/
List of Representatives and Contact Info - https://writerep.house.gov/htbin/wrep_findreptative
List of Senators and Contact Info - http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
-Advertise for the campaign / video via your Facebook or Twitter account until July 1st
If you have any ideas on how we can get our message heard by the White House please let us know!
Thank you all SO MUCH and lots of love from Ghana!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
The Need for Inspiration to Combat Poverty
Hey everyone!! How you all doing? Hope life is treating you well, and as usual, im thinking about you all and missing you a lot........
so one HUGE thing that is happening in Ghana, is that Barack Obama is visiting on July 10th and 11th. But unfortunately he is not coming to the Northern Region and is only scheduled to stay in Accra and Cape Coast (the south). So we have made it our mission (we are calling it "Mission Obama") to get him coming to the North. This involves creating a Barack Obama Day in some communities, trying to hold a march in the city, doing huge letter writing campaigns in schools, and contacting the White House and State Department or whoever else to invite them to come!
Yeah our dream would for him to speak in the Northern Region (the reasoning is below).....but more importantly, our goal is that this mission helps inspire people to keep taking initiative and strive for goals and dreams. To know that we can come together to share knowledge, ideas, and support for one another to go for something that some may say is impossible. To reflect on what it means to be a leader and who are some of those people we admire and why.
Hopefully, this goal will be accomplished because we could never have enough of that attitude anywhere in the world!
Here's a letter/article talking a little bit about our reasoning for having Obama come to the North.
P.S - for some bros out there who remember the times during the election (one person in particular lol)....i tried spreading the idea of getting Hilary Clinton up here as well.....but nobody knows her :P
Thank you all so much for reading and all the best.
Love from Ghana
Another amazing quote from an amazing friend.....
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. -- Gandhi
ARTICLE:
This piece has been written hopefully as justification, reason and encouragement for President Barack Obama to visit the Northern Region of Ghana. His trip to Ghana is currently scheduled for the south, namely in the capital of Accra.
We are volunteers who work with local governments (District Assemblies) in the Northern Region. Firstly, to ensure that all biases are out in the open, we see President Obama as a great and inspirational leader and are doing everything we possibly to have him come here. However, as much as he means to us, it does not compare to how much he means for so many here and the potential great impact his visit could have for them and for so many more.
Very few world leaders visit the Northern Region of Ghana. The North is among the poorest where subsistence farming is the livelihood for the majority and widespread disease, malnutrition, illiteracy and corruption are harsh realities thousands face. The economic potential here is low especially when compared to the South. However, people persevere. They manage each day through tough obstacles. They work tirelessly to feed their families, put their children in school, and support those who are sick. Yes, the economic potential may be low but the human spirit is off-the-charts.
There is courage here like no other. But often people here in the North, they almost feel like they are forgotten people. If Barack Obama were to visit them, send a video-taped message, even acknowledge them, it would be a dream come true, and they would cherish this memory and pass on to for generations to come. For them, Obama is an inspiration, a hero and a savior to their daily existence. He will uplift them and give them a hope that it is possible for them and their children to dream again. He will do what he has done throughout the United States for Barack Obama is not only America’s leader, but he is a leader to them as well.
In the various solutions to poverty out there, few detail inspiration, community leadership and teamwork as answers. They are not on the grand scale of millions of dollars, large contracts, or news publicity but they can create great impacts. Small-scale farmer groups coming together to market a new crop and support each other, an informal school by village elders to teach underprivileged children in the night, volunteers in a village learning basic first aid and nursing so they can provide basic health care at no costs – these are some of the initiatives that can change the world for so many and who knows, could give a chance to a future Barack Obama. These are the projects that spring up and need to be scaled up all over. However, these all need a little faith – a little faith that stepping beyond the routine work and life activities can lead to great things.
A leader, who is able to inspire teamwork, compassion, hope and initiative, would have an impact like no other. Barack Obama is a perfect example of this type of leader – he not only speaks the words loud but he has acted on them throughout his career and life.
The Northern Region of Ghana sincerely hopes that we have the privilege and honour seeing or hearing President Barack Obama.
so one HUGE thing that is happening in Ghana, is that Barack Obama is visiting on July 10th and 11th. But unfortunately he is not coming to the Northern Region and is only scheduled to stay in Accra and Cape Coast (the south). So we have made it our mission (we are calling it "Mission Obama") to get him coming to the North. This involves creating a Barack Obama Day in some communities, trying to hold a march in the city, doing huge letter writing campaigns in schools, and contacting the White House and State Department or whoever else to invite them to come!
Yeah our dream would for him to speak in the Northern Region (the reasoning is below).....but more importantly, our goal is that this mission helps inspire people to keep taking initiative and strive for goals and dreams. To know that we can come together to share knowledge, ideas, and support for one another to go for something that some may say is impossible. To reflect on what it means to be a leader and who are some of those people we admire and why.
Hopefully, this goal will be accomplished because we could never have enough of that attitude anywhere in the world!
Here's a letter/article talking a little bit about our reasoning for having Obama come to the North.
P.S - for some bros out there who remember the times during the election (one person in particular lol)....i tried spreading the idea of getting Hilary Clinton up here as well.....but nobody knows her :P
Thank you all so much for reading and all the best.
Love from Ghana
Another amazing quote from an amazing friend.....
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. -- Gandhi
ARTICLE:
This piece has been written hopefully as justification, reason and encouragement for President Barack Obama to visit the Northern Region of Ghana. His trip to Ghana is currently scheduled for the south, namely in the capital of Accra.
We are volunteers who work with local governments (District Assemblies) in the Northern Region. Firstly, to ensure that all biases are out in the open, we see President Obama as a great and inspirational leader and are doing everything we possibly to have him come here. However, as much as he means to us, it does not compare to how much he means for so many here and the potential great impact his visit could have for them and for so many more.
Very few world leaders visit the Northern Region of Ghana. The North is among the poorest where subsistence farming is the livelihood for the majority and widespread disease, malnutrition, illiteracy and corruption are harsh realities thousands face. The economic potential here is low especially when compared to the South. However, people persevere. They manage each day through tough obstacles. They work tirelessly to feed their families, put their children in school, and support those who are sick. Yes, the economic potential may be low but the human spirit is off-the-charts.
There is courage here like no other. But often people here in the North, they almost feel like they are forgotten people. If Barack Obama were to visit them, send a video-taped message, even acknowledge them, it would be a dream come true, and they would cherish this memory and pass on to for generations to come. For them, Obama is an inspiration, a hero and a savior to their daily existence. He will uplift them and give them a hope that it is possible for them and their children to dream again. He will do what he has done throughout the United States for Barack Obama is not only America’s leader, but he is a leader to them as well.
In the various solutions to poverty out there, few detail inspiration, community leadership and teamwork as answers. They are not on the grand scale of millions of dollars, large contracts, or news publicity but they can create great impacts. Small-scale farmer groups coming together to market a new crop and support each other, an informal school by village elders to teach underprivileged children in the night, volunteers in a village learning basic first aid and nursing so they can provide basic health care at no costs – these are some of the initiatives that can change the world for so many and who knows, could give a chance to a future Barack Obama. These are the projects that spring up and need to be scaled up all over. However, these all need a little faith – a little faith that stepping beyond the routine work and life activities can lead to great things.
A leader, who is able to inspire teamwork, compassion, hope and initiative, would have an impact like no other. Barack Obama is a perfect example of this type of leader – he not only speaks the words loud but he has acted on them throughout his career and life.
The Northern Region of Ghana sincerely hopes that we have the privilege and honour seeing or hearing President Barack Obama.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Blog 2
Malaria and Katra
Sorry for the delay in posts. I have wanted to write about this for a long time!
Malaria is a scary word. Before I came here, when I heard about it, I associated it with tens of thousands of deaths a year. But when I arrived, it was weird that people would talk about it in passing as though it was like it common cold or sickness in Canada. And essentially, that is what it is (if treated early and properly). Don’t get me wrong, when I got malaria, it sucked. I was out of commission for a day or two (and pretty scared I have to admit!) but I took the $3-4 dollar medicine and I eventually got better.
So why is malaria a huge global killer?
From speaking with people, here a couple of the main reasons:
1) Many of the deaths are from babies, children under 5, and pregnant mothers who get hit with malaria and don’t have the immune system to fight it
2) Simply, people can’t buy the $3-4 medicine needed to stave off malaria. I was lucky – I live near in a town with a health centre and was able to diagnose my symptoms ($3 for a lab test) and get medicine the day I was affected. Others in more remote areas are not as lucky. They may be forced to wait too long before they get tested (malaria becomes severe and dangerous as time passes), not have access to drugs or $3-4 is often more than people can spend so they take their chances and fight it.
I guess the reason why I wanted to write this post was to say that malaria is not AIDS. It is most often curable (I can’t say 100%). But by a Canadian’s standards, it can be most often cured easily if diagnosed and treated early. So what are some possible things we could do to stop malaria from killing so many:
1) Get bed nets (approximately $5) to as many people as possible and have them using it! Mosquitoes (who carry malaria) come out strongest at night so sleeping under a bed net is a huge help in preventing one from getting bitten by mosquitos and getting malaria. Bed nets would be particularly important and helpful for babies and pregnant mothers.
2) Get medicine to as many people as possible. I know this sounds obvious and unrealistic but there must be a way to mass-produce these drugs so they are readily available to those who need it and can’t access them because of costs or distance from health centre.
These are just a couple of thoughts on possible solutions. The situation is definitely harder and more complex than what I made it out to be (and I definitely don’t have extensive knowledge), I just wanted to share a realization I made here that malaria, which is one of the top three killers in the world, is not a death sentence if early, simple, and low-cost treatment is done. I would love to hear your comments, thoughts, feedback, on what you think.
Part 2: Katra
A few people asked why I named the blog “Katra in Ghana”. And the reason originates from an amazing Seinfeld episode (I am trying to think of any that aren’t amazing!). It is the one where Kramer is doing karate and tells the story where he was initially scared but found his “katra”, the “I can” feeling inside of him to face the face fear and tough circumstances (the summary of the rest of the episode is below **). Basically, the reason why I named the blog this way is that “I can” feeling is so prevalent here. It is incredible to see the courage of men, women, mothers, fathers, children to keep going, try and fight every day facing hunger, sickness, poverty, corruption, etc. One shining example is in the morning is to ask someone how they are doing. No matter what has happened or how tough the night was, they will say smile and say “Thank God”…thank God for being alive. Life can be incredibly unfair for many here but very seldom will you ever hear a complaint. I hope one day to carry one tiny portion of their wisdom, resolve and bravery.
Love and best wishes from Ghana,
Shamir
P.S – thank you all for the great feedback. I will do my best to write well about what you would like to know (and will include some pictures / stories from life down here next time). Definitely keep the comments/suggestions/feedback coming. And thank you all so greatly as well for your amazing support. I can’t thank you enough or say it enough so I will be writing (as many times as possible) about how much your support means to me, and how much it boosts me up when times are low. You all are inspirations.
** Continuation of episode: So with this “katra”, Kramer becomes the best in his dojo and is “dominating the class”. It is only later that it is found that he is fighting little kids in his class and he got the “katra” talk from Star Trek: Search for Spock. Haha.
Please tell me they are still showing Seinfeld like 5 times a day on TV!
Oh and a last quote (props to a special friend for this one…)
“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” – Mother Teresa
Sorry for the delay in posts. I have wanted to write about this for a long time!
Malaria is a scary word. Before I came here, when I heard about it, I associated it with tens of thousands of deaths a year. But when I arrived, it was weird that people would talk about it in passing as though it was like it common cold or sickness in Canada. And essentially, that is what it is (if treated early and properly). Don’t get me wrong, when I got malaria, it sucked. I was out of commission for a day or two (and pretty scared I have to admit!) but I took the $3-4 dollar medicine and I eventually got better.
So why is malaria a huge global killer?
From speaking with people, here a couple of the main reasons:
1) Many of the deaths are from babies, children under 5, and pregnant mothers who get hit with malaria and don’t have the immune system to fight it
2) Simply, people can’t buy the $3-4 medicine needed to stave off malaria. I was lucky – I live near in a town with a health centre and was able to diagnose my symptoms ($3 for a lab test) and get medicine the day I was affected. Others in more remote areas are not as lucky. They may be forced to wait too long before they get tested (malaria becomes severe and dangerous as time passes), not have access to drugs or $3-4 is often more than people can spend so they take their chances and fight it.
I guess the reason why I wanted to write this post was to say that malaria is not AIDS. It is most often curable (I can’t say 100%). But by a Canadian’s standards, it can be most often cured easily if diagnosed and treated early. So what are some possible things we could do to stop malaria from killing so many:
1) Get bed nets (approximately $5) to as many people as possible and have them using it! Mosquitoes (who carry malaria) come out strongest at night so sleeping under a bed net is a huge help in preventing one from getting bitten by mosquitos and getting malaria. Bed nets would be particularly important and helpful for babies and pregnant mothers.
2) Get medicine to as many people as possible. I know this sounds obvious and unrealistic but there must be a way to mass-produce these drugs so they are readily available to those who need it and can’t access them because of costs or distance from health centre.
These are just a couple of thoughts on possible solutions. The situation is definitely harder and more complex than what I made it out to be (and I definitely don’t have extensive knowledge), I just wanted to share a realization I made here that malaria, which is one of the top three killers in the world, is not a death sentence if early, simple, and low-cost treatment is done. I would love to hear your comments, thoughts, feedback, on what you think.
Part 2: Katra
A few people asked why I named the blog “Katra in Ghana”. And the reason originates from an amazing Seinfeld episode (I am trying to think of any that aren’t amazing!). It is the one where Kramer is doing karate and tells the story where he was initially scared but found his “katra”, the “I can” feeling inside of him to face the face fear and tough circumstances (the summary of the rest of the episode is below **). Basically, the reason why I named the blog this way is that “I can” feeling is so prevalent here. It is incredible to see the courage of men, women, mothers, fathers, children to keep going, try and fight every day facing hunger, sickness, poverty, corruption, etc. One shining example is in the morning is to ask someone how they are doing. No matter what has happened or how tough the night was, they will say smile and say “Thank God”…thank God for being alive. Life can be incredibly unfair for many here but very seldom will you ever hear a complaint. I hope one day to carry one tiny portion of their wisdom, resolve and bravery.
Love and best wishes from Ghana,
Shamir
P.S – thank you all for the great feedback. I will do my best to write well about what you would like to know (and will include some pictures / stories from life down here next time). Definitely keep the comments/suggestions/feedback coming. And thank you all so greatly as well for your amazing support. I can’t thank you enough or say it enough so I will be writing (as many times as possible) about how much your support means to me, and how much it boosts me up when times are low. You all are inspirations.
** Continuation of episode: So with this “katra”, Kramer becomes the best in his dojo and is “dominating the class”. It is only later that it is found that he is fighting little kids in his class and he got the “katra” talk from Star Trek: Search for Spock. Haha.
Please tell me they are still showing Seinfeld like 5 times a day on TV!
Oh and a last quote (props to a special friend for this one…)
“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” – Mother Teresa
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Blog 1
Well, this is my first post from
So for this first one, I thought I would write a bit about what I am doing here. I am working with the District Assembly (like district government) to encourage evidence-based decision making. What does that term mean? That’s what I am trying to find out still! J But basically what it boils down to is that the District Assembly is in charge of choosing where boreholes (water sources), schools, health centres, latrines (toilet holes), essentially any infrastructure are built. What we are trying to promote and help with is the planning process in all of these – ensuring that the appropriate amount of data collection, analysis, and strategic thinking goes into making the decisions on what infrastructure is built and where it goes. The planning process is vital because:
a) Funds are limited (only few communities can be assisted at a certain time)
b) There are communities out there that are in dire need: some communities which get all their water (drinking/bathing/cooking) from a river/pond, or those which have 0 children going to school because it is too far or they are blocked by water, or those communities which have to travel 3-4 hours by foot to reach a health facility which may be too expensive.
Our goal (the organization I am with – Engineers Without Borders) is that with an effective planning process, the communities that are in most urgent need will be helped first with the right interventions when there the opportunity exists (funds are available). Now, as you can imagine, it is not as simple as finding out what the communities need and providing them with it. There are many other factors which come into play (let me know if you want me to go in more detail about this). But we figure that if we help the District Assembly provide as much clear evidence and useful analysis on where infrastructure should be placed, then it will give the best chance that people who are in greatest need will be most effectively helped.
Now a little more about my role. What we are trying to do here is build capacity to plan. Essentially, whenever something is being done, we are encouraging the government to go through a planning process! There are two parts to this – building the capacity and skills to collect data, organize, analyze (using the computer), and perhaps more importantly, encouraging the mindset and behaviour to plan, strategize and make decisions based on detailed evidence.
So for me, this involves trying to be a part of any process, however big or small – (whether its being part of the financial budget team for the district, monitoring current projects, preparing strategic plans and community needs to the national & regional governments/donors, typing annual reports, even organizing shelves of old data or collecting and entering data for a district-wide needs survey). And then trying to build the desire and capacity with everyone to consult different officers and departments, collect data, analyze it (primarily using the computer and best friend, Microsoft Excel!), and utilize it to make conclusions or decisions. The eventual dream is that this type of rigorous work will not be included only in planning, but it will become common-place in monitoring & evaluation, or testing out and justifying any initiative that is done by the government, etc.
Ok, I do not want to ramble too much….I am sorry for this long post! And really if it sounds complicated, it’s not! In one line – using data as evidence for decisions! The complicated part is getting this done! Haha.
Anyways, I promise that the next post will be shorter and hopefully I will get a little more interesting everytime or my writing will improve.
Lastly, I also just wanted to say how much I miss you all back home. There isn’t a day I don’t think about you all, and hope that you are all doing really great! Probably the thing that has hit me the hardest is how absolutely grateful I am to have incredible family and friends.
Much love!
P.S – my e-mail is shamir.tanna@gmail.com if you get a chance, shoot me an e-mail on how you are doing – would love to hear about anything. I can’t get on Facebook from here (yeah…it hurts bad! And I am trying every which way to connect somehow.. lol…….So if there are updates on FB, its from my sister)..… And again if there is anything you would want to hear about or you want to talk more about my work above or things happening here in general, that would be really great – let me know by email. Thanks so much.
PPS – I thought every post I would try to include an inspirational quote. These babies get me by a lot of the time (in addition to a little Akon music)! J
“You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this think we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down” – Mary Pickford
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