Turning Dreams Into Reality In Dambai

Two years ago Brando Akoto and I visited Dambai Demonstration School in the Volta Region and heard about how the school had become so popular that they were expanding to include another three grades--a junior high school.

But where would the classrooms come from? A big NGO had built them a classroom some years ago that had not met their needs, but they hoped that Yo Ghana! might come to their assistance. Mr. Brando, who had worked in community development for many years before coming to the U.S., said, "why don't you you start something, create a building that will meet your needs, and Yo Ghana! will help." Not only that, but "twenty years from now, Yo Ghana! will still be visiting with and working with you."

So last year the school had laid the foundations for a new block of three large classrooms.  When we visited this June, three months ago, the block had a concrete floor and a sound roof, and the walls were creeping up. So at our last board meeting, remembering Brando's promise, Yo Ghana! awarded the school enough money to just about finish the walls. The school and community will provide doors, windows, and interior finishing. When done, the community will have donated thousands of dollars of money and untold hours of labor to create three large classrooms that meet and express their own priorities. Yo Ghana!'s role will be significant, but secondary.

Brando passed away about fourteen months after visiting Dambai. But not before teaching all of us a lot about how to promote development in a way that respects and encourages local initiative.

One of my life goals is to visit Dambai regularly until at least 2034, twenty years after Brando visited. Each time I'll be fondly remembering a dear friend and mentor.