summer in Ghana

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFZywRZU1D4

We are off to Ghana for our summer program.
Pretty soon this yard will be full of awesome kids. They compete with each other to see who can be more creative. In September we will share their creative writing with you.
If you're thinking ahead, consider volunteering to work with them in Ghana.
http://www.culturalcollaborative.org

awesome kids

The Aba House kids make paper from sugar cane leaves and then bind journals using the handmade paper. We wanted to make the books "Ghanaian", so we decided to stamp the covers with adinkra symbols. The resulting books are unique and beautiful. We started this project because kids would come and beg for things. We don't give, but they now know that if you work by making paper and books it's a win-win situation. We sell the books and all of the proceeds are used to buy school supplies for the kids.
If you'd like to volunteer to work with us in Ghana and make a difference in the life of an awesome kid,
let us know. We work with whatever skills volunteers have to offer.

service learning

We offer a summer learning program in Ghana. We have a cultural center where authors, story makers and teachers, as well as Ghanaian artisans and local children, can converse through art and language, and create things together. SERVICE LEARNING programs can last from 2- 8  weeks during July and August.
Our programs explore the cultural,artistic and historical connections in Ghana through experimental learning and reflection.

Don't want to bring a group of students? Then come by yourself. You'll meet interesting people from all over the world. You can volunteer to work with local kids or artists or just sit on our deck and watch the fishermen.
http://www.culturalcollaborative.org

CREATIVE WRITING

The Aba House kids are awesome. They have been making paper and journals and now, next summer, will write original, culturally relevant stories ( and of course, illustrate them) and we will self publish.
Schools in Ghana don't have story books.
Some of our books will be donated to schools.

We are looking for someone to facilitate this workshop. Can you teach CREATIVE WRITING? Want to come to Ghana this summer?

Let's talk. contact aba@culturalcollaborative.org

We are looking for a bookbinder

Would you like to volunteer to teach our kids how to do coptic binding?

We are looking for a bookbinder to come to Ghana in July or August.

"Our kids" make paper from sugarcane leaves and then blank journals which we sell to raise money for their school expenses.

Stay at our cultural center across the street from the ocean, teach, and have many opportunities to interact with local artists.

If interested please contact me at aba@culturalcollaborative.org

Summer newsletter 2008

As I write this President Kufour is receiving a 21 gun salute in Washington, DC. Last Feb. his friend George Bush visited Ghana. I was in Ghana then and am in the States now. I wonder if they're timing thier visits with mine.

Aba House is quiet now. In July we had a full house of tourists, teachers, artists and assorted visitors. One of our visitors was a BBC reporter who was impressed with our program. Another visitor, a teacher, wrote a blog: surdnaghana.blogspot.com

In August our volunteer from Australia returned and we got down to some serious book and papermaking. We also had a volunteer from Swarthmore College help for a few weeks.
The Aba House kids came everyday, a few very early to sweep the yard. Dividing into groups, more or less by age, they made tons of paper, blank books, calendars, diaries and greeting cards.
The kids are always enthusiastic, but the incentive this time was preparing for their first NYC show. They are very proud of themselves and rightly so.
The show will be at the Phoenix Gallery in November, 2008. We are working on an invitation and will be sending it soon. If you're in the NY area, please come and say hello.

One of our volunteers will be selling our books in Hawaii next month at the Friends of Dard Hunter Conference.

We have been invited to participate in a world wide paper map to be assembled in Taiwan. There are 30 countries represented. Guess which one we represent....I'll write more about this project in a followup post.

We had a very generous donation of 3 computers, so in our next session we'll do some creative writing and illustrating.

There are times when I scratch my mind, as a Ghanaian once said to me, about customs in Ghana. There really is no rhyme or reason to some of them. Now a Ghanaian has writen a book that doesn't necessarily explain them, but it makes for amusing reading. The book is "The Imported Ghanaian" and her blog is http://tigb.blogspot.com

We are working on our plans for 2009, so be in touch if you want to come to Ghana. We are also considering a trip to FESPAC, a film festival in Burkina Faso at the end of Feb. Interested?

We like to hear from people and are always open to collaborations.

I'll close for now with my favorite quote: Trust in God, but tie your camel well.

Aba