Destination: Accra, Ghana

September 2-9, 2007

Map of Accra
In less than four weeks, I was on the road again. This time, my destination is Accra, Ghana. I was there primarily to attend a two-day conference on Africa Regional Consultation on Migration, Remittances and Development organized by UNDP, the Government of Ghana, and UN office of least developed countries and island countries.

Modern Ghana takes its name from the ancient kingdom of Ghana that flourished, north of the present day state, between the 4th and 11th centuries AD. However, the history of Ghana dates back even further to the great Sudanic empires of West Africa which controlled the trade in gold and salt to and from the trans-Saharan trade routes.

According to Wikipedia

Accra has been Ghana’s capital since 1877, and is today one of the most populated and fast growing Metropolis of Africa with a population of about 1,695,136 million people and an annual growth rate of 3.36%. The capital was transferred from Cape Coast 125 years ago. Accra is derived from the Akan “nkran” meaning “an army of ants”. It is apparent that the name “nkran” or “nkranfo” is attributed to the thousands of anthills, which dotted the Accra plains.

Later history brought European traders, and a period when many nations left their mark on what became known as the 'Gold Coast'. Great empires remained in Ghana, and the traditions of the Asante and the Fante continue even to the modern state of Ghana that emerged in 1957.

An excellent historical background on Ghana can viewed here.

The Ghana Center for National Culture is an enormous craft market where you can find all kinds of products made in Ghana from wooden figurines, djembe, kenta cloth, leather bags, trinkets, and many more. I have been there twice and all the time it became a sport for me to haggle with the price. The principle is to try to bid as lows as 1/3 of the offered price and that from there, you negotiate. I once offered a figurine for 30 cedis. I said I will pay 10 cedis. The eyes of the vendor propped up and then I turned to go away. More negotiation and we finally settled for 12 cedis! I bought a handmade leather shoulder bag which was finally offered to me for 5 cedis. Well, just calculating for the materials alone, I did not have the heart anymore to reduce the price.

It was real fun and Blessing, my Ghanian friend who accompanied me to the market was so surprised how I dealt with the peddlers.



We visited Sunday's small bag-making business. Sunday, a soft-spoken man who ventured into leather bag-making with the assistance of Sankofa Foundation, a Ghanian diaspora organisation based in the Netherlands.

Mohmoud of Hirda Foundation jotting notes. According to Sunday, at least 5 people are employed in his small business. His problem is lack of capital. He has to buy the leather from Northern Ghana and can only pay when he sold the bags. For this reason, he cannot really make so many bags that he wants to meet even to meet the local market. The bags which Sankofa is selling are of better quality. He said he cannot sell those bags in the local market. He tried to apply for a loan from a bank but his application was disapproved for lack of collateral. He needs at least Euro 20.000 to be able to have a decent shop and buy the materials.


Sunday does not have a store so his bags are displayed in this nearby store.

We visited ENOWID and talked to the exectuive director, Mrs. Magdalena Abrokwa. She shared with us how small loans have helped poor women in Accra starting small livelihood activities. It started in 1985 when thousands of women started to feel the brunt as a result of the Structural Adjustment Program of the World Bank and IMF. It was difficult times in Ghana she said. ENOWID was formally organised in 1990 and by 1998, it is formally registered as a credit union and loan associations. About 8,000 women have already availed of the services. ENOWID has a loan protfolio of US% 500,000 and with 98 - 100% portfolio at risk. Its dream is to be able to establish a a women's bank.
Awil, me, Mrs. Abrokwa and Anthony of Sankofa Ghana.

Our next field trip is in Manet Housing project. Here you can find the service car of Dutch Construction Ltd. Ghana-Holland reveals that this company has some links with the Netherlands. The company is run by George Duncan's brother who after some years of stay in the Netherlands and Spain decided to go back to Ghana and started his company. "Brain gain"?


This is more interesting. A lot of housing units were bought by Ghanian migrants. Remittances to Ghana amounted to over $4.5 billion in 2005, making it the largest foreign exchange earner.

The value of migrants’ remittances increased from $201.9million in 1990 to 1.55 billion in 2005. Remittances have increased and have become more stable than Official Development Assistance (ODA), and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Further, remittances as a percentage of GDP rose from 3.2 percent in 1990 to 13.3 percent in 2003. Also, as a percentage of export, remittances rose from 22.5 percent to 40 percent within the same period. Private remittances to Ghana are much more than foreign aid or the export value of the cocoa and gold. The impact of remittance to many households in Ghana is now being recognised by policy makers. Accurate stimates of financial flows is now possible due to improved data information and more and more Ghanian diasporas are using the formal remittance channels.

This is the Sankofa Poultry Farm project in Atsusuare about a 1 1/2 hour drive from Accra Center.


It is so amusing to see the layers. Every family poultry farm has 50 layers. The women who also tend a small farm said that the poultry farm really helps them augment family income. It is a productive activity while waiting for the rice harvest. All women said that due to the poultry farm, they can already send their children to school.

A hearty welcome of Sankofa women leaders.
A group picture with the members of Sankofa Poultry Farm

The role of diasporas in the development of their countries origin must be recognised and supported by multi-stakeholders.
A unique picture with the Chief and Queen Mother of the village.



The school desks were donated by ASDA Foundation, a migrant organisation based in the Netherlands.

The many faces of children

The many ways to earn a living

Ussher Fort has a long history and changed hands by colonial powers. It was built as Fort Crêvecoeur by the Dutch in 1649. It is enlarged and named Fort Crevecoeur, in 1652. It was temporarily in British hands, in 1782 and returned to the Dutch in 1785. In 1816 it was abandoned and later damaged by earthquake, in 1862. It was transferred again to British, rebuilt and finally renamed Ussher Fort, in 1868.

Jamestown (or James Town) is a district in the city of Accra, Ghana. It originated as a community that emerged around the 17th century British James Fort on the Gulf of Guinea coast, and became a part of Accra as the city grew. A lighthouse, the Jamesfort Light, was built by the British at James Fort in 1871. Jamestown is now a fishing port populated primarily by the Ga, an indigenous people of coastal Ghana. It is also a tourist destination for those wishing to see the remnants of Accra's colonial past. The original lighthouse was replaced in the 1930s by the current Accra Light, which is 93 ft tall with a visibility of 16 nautical miles.

"Jamestown is located directly to the east of Korle Lagoon, and borders on Accra's CBD to the West. Over three hundred years ago, the British were headquartered here at Fort James, and the area was a trade center for many years. Now however, James Town is a shanty town. Jamestown is one of the older
areas of Accra and was heavily developed by the end of the 19th century.

"During the rapid growth of the city during the 20th century, Jamestown has become an area of a dense mixture of commercial and residential use. Since World War II, a
succession of plans to enhance the capital city have come with changes in government — some seeing improvements in Jamestown as a necessary part of the overall plan, and some treating such improvements as competing with the efforts
to develop the central business district of Accra."


This is the haven of fisherfolks where livelihood depends mainly on fishing. Women sell smoked fish in somewhat improvised oven. The place is bubbling with small entrepreneurial activities: women and children selling anything they can sell to the public. Nearby is a maze of market stalls. How I wish I had a chance to walk around but there was simply no time to do this.

August 1- 6, 2007, Destination: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

OUT OF AFRICA

I am a privileged person to have opportunities to visit so many countries. Okay for well-traveled people the list might not be impressive enough but for a hometown girl like me who did not even dream of reaching as far as Manila; I take it as an achievement just the same. Not counting the Netherlands and the Philippines which I consider my home countries, let me mention the countries I already visited: Belgium, France, Spain, Sweden, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Austria, Czech Republic, Portugal, the small republic of San Marino, Turkey, and USA (New York City several times, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Florida, Los Angeles, Utah, Colorado). In Asia, I have been to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong. I also had a chance to visit Mexico (3 times!) and Ecuador. Although I've been to Tunis (North Africa) too, I still consider I've never been to Africa, the Cradle of Civilization, second largest continent, and the home of the world’s poorest countries.

Last August 1-6, I had a chance to visit Ougadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso formerly known as Upper Volta. Ouagadougou has a population of around 360,000 (in 1985). Founded in the 15th century, Burkina Faso was the capital of the Mossi kingdom of Wagadugu (in 1441). About 250 years later, it became the permanent residence of the Morho naba (great king), the Mossi king. In fact, even today, the Morho naba lives in the city, though with much-depleted powers. The country came under French control in the late 19th century and ultimately gained independence in 1960. However, it was only in 1984 that the borders of the country were finally defined. The name Burkina Faso literally means the "land of upright people."

What amazed me are the wide variety of souvenirs such as wooden statuettes, bronze models, masks, jewelries, fabrics, hand woven blankets and leather goods and crafts ranging from chessboards to ashtrays are available in the markets of Ouagadougou. Burkina Faso is one of the poorest countries in the world. The UN Development Programme in its Human Development Report places it 174th out of the 177 countries listed, with an estimated 80 per cent of its population living on less than $2 a day. And yet, you will find so many banks concentrated in the city. You bet, there is Western Union office in almost every block or better say several offices on every street. It goes to show that Burkina Faso is receiving huge remittances from Burkinabe living and working abroad. I was told most of the Burkinabe migrants tried their luck in Italy.

According to Index of Economic Freedom

Burkina Faso's economy is 55 percent free, according to our 2007
assessment, which makes it the world's 113th freest economy. Its overall score is 0.7 percentage point lower than last year, partially reflecting new
methodological detail. Burkina Faso is ranked 19th out of 40 countries in the sub-Saharan Africa region, and its overall score is slightly higher than the regional average

Burkina Faso scores well in fiscal freedom, freedom from government, and monetary freedom. The top income and corporate tax rates are comparable to those in the United States, but overall tax revenue is quite low. Government expenditure is moderate, and state-owned businesses are not a primary source of revenue.

This is probably the reason why there are so many banks in Burkina Faso.

I am grateful that I was able to participate in the Experts Meeting on Microfinance and Remittances which was organized by the International Alternative Financial Institutions (INAFI International). I flew from Schipol (Amsterdam) Airport on August 1 for Paris to catch up the connecting flight for Ouagadougou. I saw Manuel Orozco, a remittance expert who was also invited for the conference in Lounge 33 at the departure area. Vince Rapisura from Manila was also on the same flight. It was a re-assuring flight to Africa with Manuel and Vince around.

We had a smooth flight which took about six hours to reach Ouagadougou International airport. It was raining when we arrived in Ouagadougou which was a big disappointment for me since it has been raining almost the whole month of July in the Netherlands. I was truly looking forward to a sultry African weather. I only took light summer clothes with me and a sweater in case it gets cold on the plane. It proved to be the most useful thing I brought with me.

We had to apply for a visa upon arrival. It was not easy to communicate with the immigration officers since French is the official language in Burkina Faso. The officer seemed to be ignoring me the whole time so Manuel told me to wave my passport but this was of little help until Vince gave my passport to the officer. Maybe because I am small that the officer could not see me??? After filling the forms, Manuel, Vince and I were told to leave our passports with the immigration. We hesitated but there is nothing we can about it. It was a real relief to see Maaisata, the executive secretary of INAFI, and she assured us that our passports are in good hands. We need not to worry she said. Visa fee is US$ 20. We checked out after claiming my luggage - happily it arrived with me - and went inside the waiting car. Maaisata said that all other participants were already waiting for us at the nearby restaurant for the welcome dinner. I thought I was too tired to eat my dinner but seeing the rest of the participants was so tempting. I met familiar faces and it was really great to be with friends whom you rarely see.

The two-day meeting went well and the discussion bordered on how MFIs could link with migrant organisations and leverage their remittances for sustainable development. I met the two representatives of the Benin Ministry of Foreign Affairs. INAFI is organising a Global Conference on Microfinance, Remittances and Development which will be hosted by the government of the Republic of Benin and we were asked to comment on the content of the programme as well as the three-year strategic plan of INAFI.

I stayed in Azalai Hotel along Av. du Président Aboubacar Sangoulé LAMIZANA just about 5 minutes drive from the airport. It is a beautiful hotel and according to Soukeyna, Azalai means caravan referring to the camel caravan routes - bringing salt, jewelry, etc - began to be established through West Africa and the Sahara Desert linking West African cities with Europe and the Middle East in 300 A.D. It is a nice hotel and Soukeyna, the executive director of INAFI was very kind enough to assign to me a very nice and comfortable room with a giant bed!

A group picture of the participants of the expert meeting













Burkina Faso is world renown as the site of the Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) is the largest African film festival. Every two years, the friendly Burkinabe capital, Ouagadougou hosts the film industry and film-fans, to this festival of pan-African film and television.

August 4, 2007: A visit to a typical village

Beside the huts you can also see small grain stores. Since it has been raining the last few days - and cool that I have to wear my sweater -, the fields are green and there were a lot of activities. The women and young girls were busy ploughing the field. Where are the men? It was an unusual time of the year because normally I was told it is hot and humid in Burkina Faso.

Cooking starts by chopping firewood.
Watching the women dancing I said to myself: I know that dance! "Let's do the bump" which reminded me of the dance craze in the '70s. Anyway, I enjoyed dancing in the open air.






This is all what people have inside the mud brick hut with a grass roof: several clay jars and a few clothes. Four women sleep inside the hut. I asked what they do with those large clay jars. They said, they store their food there. Vegetables remain fresh for a couple of days. And we worry about when our fridge is broken!
Imagine living inside this hut throughout your life! The daughter whose name I cannot recall anymore said that only women sleep in this hut. We asked Soukeyna on our way back why the wife and the daughters sleep in one hut and the father in the other hut. Soukeyna explained that the men have usually more than one wife, sometimes up to 5! So he usually sleeps in his own hut with one of the wives whoever is convenient.
The woman was kind enough to show me her hut She was proud to tell that they sleep there which made me think these people need so little to live. By Western and even by West African tandrd, sthis is poverty. I wonder if they know what life is - read what people have in Western countries - outside their community. But life is laidback out there. You can breath a fresh air and people are not enslaved by time and the hustle and bustle of city life.

The Street Scene

Selling anything under the sun . The peddler asked me to pay after taking the picture. Is he kidding?

The Market Place

Who cares? Customers can wait.


The amazing artesans

Djembe and me. A djembe (pronounced jem bay) also known as djimbe, jenbe, jembe, yembe or sanbanyi in Susu; is a skin covered hand drum, shaped like a large goblet, and meant to be played with bare hands. The djembe is also known as the magical drum, and the mushroom-shaped drum
Bought two beautiful blouses for Euro 10!
Batik-making in Ouagadougou? A batik is made by selecting areas of the cloth to be blocked out by brushing or drawing hot wax over them afterwards the cloth is dyed. The parts of cloth covered by the wax resist the dye and remain the original colour.


August 6, 2007

Efrain Jimenez of Mexico still have plenty of time before we leave for Paris so we decided to do another sight-seeing. After haggling the price for the taxi, off we went to see crocodiles which are considered by the locals as sacred.



Not impressive huh? Wait until you see my picture gallantly sitting on the back of the crocodile but my Mexican friend, Efrain Jimenez has to send it first to me!
At last here it is! Whoever dares to say that I am chicken, just stand up!


This young boy is polishing a bronze sculpture.

Visit to a shea butter processing project run and managed by women


Soap made of shea oil.

And the great company!

Vince Rapisura, Mai Anonuevo and Marlon Palomo
Mai can't make up her mind. Which one Marlon?


Efrain, the African man! I called him Barney.

Burkina Faso is poor but it is one of the safer countries in Africa, probably in the world. The people are very friendly. Efrain introduced me to two young men. Before I left, one gave me a necklace and a pair of earrings and the other one, a jewelry leather box with my name embossed on the cover. Aren't they nice? I had a good introduction to Africa but I still dream of visiting Timbuktu in Mali. Why Timbuktu? My father mentioned the place Timbuktu when I was still a child. I thought Timbuktu was just my father's creation: it is a mysterious place, a myth, an enigma. Much later I learned that Timbuktu indeed exists and it is a place for place of learning, wisdom and spirituality. Soukeyna promised that we will travel together to Timbuktu one day. It is a dream that I hope it comes to reality.

More information about Burkina aso