First Post

and so we begin...

WHO AM I?

My name is Erin and I am a fourth year Mechatronics Engineering Student at the University of Waterloo. Engineering is a co-op program, and I have taken advantage of this opportunity to experience as much of the world as I possibly can. I spent my second work term teaching English and working for a motorcycle company in Chongqing, China. I spent another work term doing research in Karlsruhe, Germany, where I also had the chance to travel and see much of Europe. Living in other parts of the globe has made me realize just how much we are all connected.

WHERE AM I GOING?


I am going to Ghana this summer on a 3 month placement with the Students Without Borders program of the World University Services of Canada (WUSC). My placement will be in Jirapa in the Upper West Region of Ghana, near the borders of both Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso. The Upper West is one of the most remote regions in Ghana and also one of the poorest, making it a challenging area to work in.

WHAT WILL I BE DOING?

My partner organization is the Regional Education Directorate of the Ghana Education Service, the branch of the Ghanaian government responsible for administering education throughout the country. I will be part of a much larger WUSC project working on Gender Advocacy in Education. This involves both WUSC initiatives (mainly capacity-building activities) and GES projects (community mobilization and outreach activities). My role will be to support all of these activities and find where I can add specific value to the organization.

WHY AM I GOING?

Since 2006, I have been extensively involved in the University of Waterloo chapter of Engineers Without Borders. Through my involvement with this group I have learned about a multitude of international development issues through workshops, discussion groups and presentations. I have met many people who have worked in the development sector, primarily in Africa, and learned as much as I can from them. I have spoken to hundreds of members of the public and high school students about how they can help those living in poverty overseas.

However, despite all of this involvement, I still feel there is a disconnect between myself, here in Canada, and those living in extreme poverty. (Extreme poverty is defined as living on less than $1 per day.) My role in the world is to work for human development until every person has an equal opportunity to succeed. This includes working in Africa, where the highest percentage of the world’s poor happen to live. It also includes working in Canada, encouraging Canadians to make decisions that have a positive impact on the world’s poor (such as buying Fair Trade products). And in order to do the best job I possibly can in Canada, I need to experience Africa.

MORE ABOUT EDUCATION

Access to free primary education is one of the fundamental human rights recognized by the UN. In addition, the achievement of universal primary education and gender equality are two of the eight Millennium Development Goals set by the UN in 2000. Education is one of the most powerful tools for poverty alleviation. It has been shown that the children of women who have at least 5 years of primary education are 40% more likely to live beyond age 5 (http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/gender-equality.pdf). In addition, women who have a primary education are more likely to be self-sufficient, finding innovative ways to expand and improve their livelihoods to feed their families.

Improving access to education in rural Ghana is important for the country’s future success. Furthermore, gender equity in education is of paramount importance to a well-balanced society. My goal is to contribute to these aims in the hope that I may be able to add some small value.

MONEY

"Volunteering" means "no paycheck", so I will be living for the next 12 months without any income (4 months volunteering this summer, then 2 school terms next year - no more co-op!). I will be receiving a travel bursary from CIDA (the Canadian International Development Agency) for my flight, but unfortunately WUSC does not give stipends to their volunteers. This means that while the cost of living in Ghana is only about $11 per day, it will be coming out of my own pocket. Overall, the cost of my placement will be about $5000, $2000 of which is my flight. That leaves $3000 that I must pay for on my own. $1500 of that is program fees to WUSC, and the other $1500 will cover my travel preparations, food, lodging, local travel and any other costs associated with going to Ghana.

I have been working to fundraise for my placement through scholarships and university grants, but it will not be enough to cover the full cost. While I am hesitant to ask friends and family for money, I admit that I would be grateful for your support. Please email me and let me know if you are interested in making a donation toward my placement this summer. I am also looking for opportunities to do presentations when I return. If you know of a group (or are part of one) that would like a presentation, let me know!

NOW THAT THAT'S OUT OF THE WAY...

The words written above describe what led me here, and now here I am: off to Ghana. I am terrified, overwhelmed, worried; but I am also excited, eager, and hopeful. Terrified that I will screw up and have a negative impact on those around me, but excited that I may have a positive one. Overwhelmed at the amount of preparation ahead of me in the next month, but eager to dive in and get started. Worried that I am not ready for the experience that is ahead of me, but hopeful that all the things I’ve learned over the past few years will help me on the way.

I would like to use this blog to share my experiences with you. That includes my day-to-day adventures as well as my deeper thoughts on development. I want you to see, smell and hear what I am seeing, smelling and hearing!

If you have any requests for things you'd like me to write about, let me know! It's always nice to know that someone is reading. And of course, if you have any questions, send them my way!