Fusion Ghana
March 2008 A bunch of Aussie builders went out and built a water tank so that women of the village no longer have to walk miles carry water. Matt Garvin, there to teach for a week wrote “ I wish I had the words to adequately describe what it was like when the leaders of the local community came to thank Mal for all that Fusion had done for the village by providing the water. They presented him with 4 guinea fowl and the village leader said words could not express how grateful they were for the water - so that the village does not have a water crisis anymore.”
A few weeks ago thirty five Ghanians and Nigerians along with five Aussie trainers, gathered to do Foundations, Fusion’s basic week long course in Christianity. . The course ended with a festival for the whole community. Matt Garvin wrote about it. “At first we wondered if anyone would come. We weren't expecting it, but the village leaders turned up with a group of tribal drummers and a bunch of dancers in a procession you could hear miles away. comments were: "This is wonderful, Whenever you want to do something like this, as often as you wish, we will come".
African Cup festivals
From the 17th – 25th of Jan 2008 Fusion ran a Short School of Mission in Ghana’s predominantly Muslim Northern Region in connection with the African Cup of Nations Soccer tournament.
This was the inaugural gathering of Fusion West Africa as a team of 21 from Nigeria traveled overland 3 days to join with the local Ghanaian team for the school of mission; it was an exciting moment in the story of Fusion International marked by daily connections with the bi annual foundations course run in Australia where 400 were gathered from across the globe and followed the progress of the school of mission with daily prayers. Meanwhile on the mission we ran 3 festivals over 3 days each lasting 3 hours and in both places Yendi and Barri (near Bolgatanna) something new was birthed as local people joined the team and saw the potential of an alternative future for their community. A seventh festival was run at a village, Sunson, where festivals have taken place on prior visits. The real work now begins as the team in Ghana work with each community to explore and lead next steps that will grow what has been started.
We ran 3 festivals in Yendi town centre and in a large village called Barri in Bolga (near Bawku). In both places local team were trained in many aspects of festival skills and there was a very warm reception from the local leaders and young people wanting to see what they had experienced continue in different forms in their communities. One leader in Yendi said, after watching us for the 3 afternoons, that he would like to see a school started in Yendi that was run in the same way – I think he was responding to the values and culture he had seen expressed. A group of young men (in 20’s – 30’s) in Barri said that they were ready to be part of making this stuff happen in their place. Others said it was so good to see all ages coming together in a positive and happy way, ‘we need more of this’.
We also ran a festival in Sunson a small village where we were in June and where the CDE program was started. This time the Chief, a Muslim, was present and stayed for the entire festival, he asked us to pray before we started and was very positive saying that our prayers and what we were teaching was the answer to lasting peace in the Yendi area (which has been subject to tension and street wars for the past 5 years since the assassination of a chief).
For more information contact: claire.bankole@fusion.org.au
Foundations
In June last year a team of 3 travelled from Australia to run the first Foundations course in West Africa, it was held in Yendi, a town in the Northern Region of Ghana. 27 leaders and members from a range of local churches attended the course which ended with a simple but profound open crowd festival in a local village.
Two of the course participants are now in Tasmania, Australia along with a 3rd colleague, embarking on Fusion's Certificate IV and Diploma in Youth and Community Work. They are each looking forward to returning to their homeland to be part of the answer to the challenges faced by the communities of the Northern Region of Ghana.
In addition, since the course in June, friends of Fusion have made it possible to purchase a property in Yendi which will be used as a training centre, motel and radio station. Our first motel guests have already been received there. The property also has its own water pump which supplies much sought after clean water to the local community.
Coming Up: A team from Australia will be returning in June this year to run a second Foundations Course and to officially launch Fusion Ghana. In true African style this promises to be colourful event with community leaders and dignitaries present. We are also exploring starting a Community Health Education program, training local people to care for their communities. As part of this and other program developments we will be commissioning some research to take place over the second half of the year. Claire Bankole is relocating from Australia to the UK following the West Africa Trip and from there she will be able to provide some more direct support for the teams in Ghana and Nigeria.
Recently 27 Ghanaians joined together with others to participate in a Foundations Course in Yendi, Ghana. Emmanuel Mustapha is oversighting the program and has been joined by an Aussie team including Dave Hammond, Claire Bankole, Sarah Peel, Dave & Jo Ireson and Michael Cleary.
Two Fusion tradesmen from Sydney West, Ron Rademaker and Michael Blakelock have been in Ghana for several weeks helping the community there build a new water supply system and helping with many other building improvements. Their help has been invaluable in setting up a water system that will serve many people around the area, something they have been in great need for.
Michael and Ron share their thoughts on the opening day for the water tank:
"We knew this day was going to be special day, but nobody could've prepared us for the unfolding events around the opening and commissioning of the water tank. There was such a fan fare from the villagers, drums, children and then there were more children, women dancing with their colourful clothes and then there were the local chiefs and many other religous leaders and the Australian High Commissioner. We cannot begin to describe the emotion as the people gathered around us as we moved to the cutting of the ribbon on the tank. The people pressed close to us while the drums were all around us and drowned almost all other noise out; what a moment- there was great jubilation and celebration especially after the ribbon was cut, the noise and activity increased a number of decibels!"
Fusion Ghana launched with support of Australian High Commissioner
Fusion International, a leading Australian-based youth and community development organisation, has opened a new branch in Ghana, with the support of the Australian High Commission.
Fusion Ghana was officially launched by Mr Mal Garvin, the Founding Chairman of Fusion International, and H.E Jonathan Richardson, Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, at Fusion’s new community centre at Yendi in the Northern Region on 12th June.
Fusion’s centre in Yendi will provide training and capacity building to local volunteers so they can contribute to the well being of the whole community. It also aims to serve the community by providing lodgings at low cost to tourists and travellers.
Fusion Ghana’s stated commitment is to bring practical responses to local needs, such as community health education. Personnel trained at the centre will be able visit local villages to do research and then engage with villagers so as to promote awareness of basic health issues and bring ongoing support to this end. Fusion has already trained a number of local personnel in Australia to work as trainers in Ghana.
The Australian High Commission is supporting the creation of the centre by funding water supply through provision of a 10,000 litre tank and submersible pump connected to a bore hole. This will make clean water available at the Fusion centre as well as to the local community in the Balogu area of Yendi.
High Commissioner Richardson said that his office was delighted to be able to support this project along with Fusion’s launch in Ghana. “Fusion is well regarded in Australia for its contribution to community development and youth training” he said. “I welcome its arrival in Ghana and have every confidence that it will make a positive contribution to local communities here.”
As well as the Fusion centre, H.E. Richardson is commissioning three other projects funded by the Australian High Commission’s Direct Aid Program during a visit to Northern and Upper East Regions:
* The completion of a community school at Datalung-Zuo in Tamale South
* Mechanising the water supply at Jana near Tamale via a solar-powered pump
* Solar lamps provided to craft/resource centres run by women’s associations in five communities near Sumbrungu in the Upper East.