The M3PP

 The Peace Corps assigns every volunteer a member of his or her community as a “counterpart.” During our two years of service, our counterpart functions as our business partner, adviser, volunteer-to-community liaison, and friend. Although we are assigned this counterpart initially, we may choose to change or add counterparts. The counterpart I was assigned is my high school's ICT teacher, a man named James Kwadwo Tannor.

James is the best counterpart ever!

Why? He is very aware that Ghana is a developing nation, and wants to do everything he can to help... which includes being incredibly supportive of me in my work with the Peace Corps. He is a forward thinker. He has both passion and work ethic. He is efficient. He is intelligent. He is resourceful. Basically, if you need anything done or reasonable advice, ask James. He advocates women's rights and gender equality. He truly listens to, respects, and values my opinions. This doesn't sounds like a big deal, but here in Ghana it is, especially for a young female working with an adult male.

And James isn't the best counterpart in terms of only work, but also on a person-to-person level. He is so kind and hospitable. Right now, until I can obtain my own, I am using his spare mattress, refrigerator, cooking pots, and several other items. Until yesterday, I was even cooking with his stove and gas tank. He invested his personal funds so that the school could provide me with toilet facilities, a Peace Corps requirement. Furthermore, he is helpful on a level I can't even begin to describe... He's helped me travel, meet the elders of Menji, hang my mosquito net, buy food, cook food, communicate (I'm not exactly fluent yet!), set up my oven, buy electronics, hang my curtains, put up a laundry line, … and you know, just be a person living in Ghana. Also, he has an absolutely adorable family. His wife's name is Millicent, his son is Edmond (3 yrs), and his daughter is Grace (2 weeks). Yes, Grace is brand new :)! Her naming ceremony was just last week.

I am introducing you to James now for several reasons. He is my counterpart, so I will be working closely with him for the next two years, and thus mentioning him frequently. And also, I want you to know something about him before I tell you the product of our conversation a few days ago.  I haven't really done much with this idea yet, but I wanted to share the roughest draft with you guys, so you can see how the project progresses.

Anyway, now that you know James, here is what we came up with...

MENJI THREE PART PLAN (M3PP)

Peace Corps Ghana

Volunteer Betsy Conway

Counterpart James Kwadwo Tannor

Location Menji, Brong Ahafo

GOALS

Keep Menji Agricultural Senior High School (MASS) students in Menji and occupied during academic holidays.

Provide financial and social opportunities for students. Educate students on farming techniques. Educate students on sexual health and HIV/AIDS. Reduce teenage pregnancy rate. Reduce AIDS transmission rates.

BACKGROUND

MASS operates on a trimester-based academic calendar. The students are in session for three months, then are allowed a one month break. During the breaks, many of the students move to larger cities, namely Kumasi, to work menial jobs. They do so to earn money, although very little, and also because living in a small rural community is not “fun” or “cool”.

TARGET GROUP

MASS students, particularly those who move to the cities during academic holidays. The M3PP will benefit both males and females by providing increased economic, social, and educational opportunities.

A specific target group of the M3PP is the “kayayei.”  Kayayei is the local term given to the group of girls, as young as six years old, who throughout Ghana move from their homes in rural communities to the larger cities to engage in menial work. These girls usually work as market porters, selling food or other goods on the the streets. As they are often homeless for extended periods of time, they are subject to theft, rape, and coercion into sex work.

METHODS

Part 1. The PEPFARM. The “PEPFARM” will be a student owned and maintained farming operation. MASS is in possession of uncultivated, unused land southeast of the school's campus. Using funding from PEPFAR, a fence will be installed around the land to protect against grazing animals such as goats. The remainder of the funds will be used to purchase seeds, tubers, etc for planting. Students interested in participating will be gathered, and individual plots within the PEPFARM will be allocated among students. The farm work will be the sole responsibility of the students: clearing, tilling, planting, maintaining, and harvesting. Throughout the process, other Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) will visit Menji to give agriculture lectures and demonstrations as well as HIV/AIDS seminars. The produce harvested from the PEPFARM can be used for both consumption and selling in the market. The PEPFARM would provide students with three essentials: food, work, and money.

Part 2. The Mooney Volleyball Club. Because Menji is a small rural community, life is a little less “exciting” than life in a city. The Mooney Volleyball Club would provide a much needed fun, social aspect to life in Menji. Tantrum Volleyball is an American volleyball clothing company owned and operated by Scott Mooney, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Scott has agreed on behalf of Tantrum to sponsor a volleyball club in Menji. Students could form teams, hold practices, and host tournaments. Eventually, neighboring high schools could be incorporated to form a league.

Part 3. The Girls' Girls. As a personal project, I want to establish a chicken coop. I will provide the funds for the coop, chickens, food, and upkeep, while the female dormitory students will provide the labor necessary to maintain the coop. I will keeps some eggs and the students may use or sell the remainder.

SUMMARY

The M3PP is designed to keep MASS students in Menji during academic holidays and away from potentially dangerous menial work in the cities. Part 1. Plots of land within the PEPFARM, a PEPFAR-funded farming operation, will be given to students to cultivate produce crops for sale and/or consumption. Part 2. The Mooney Volleyball Club will give a fun, positive, social aspect to students' lives. Part 3. The Girls' Girls chicken coop will provide work, food, and money for the female dormitory.

CONCLUSION

The most difficult part of implementation will be applying and waiting for the PEPFAR grant. All other parts of the plan are already in motion. The school currently owns land for the PEPFARM, which the students can begin to clear in the meantime. Several PCVs have shown interest in giving agriculture lectures, demonstrating farming techniques, and/or conducting HIV/AIDS seminars. Tantrum Volleyball has already agreed to sponsor the volleyball club. Finally, other PCVs have volunteered to help in construction of the coop, which will be built as soon as possible.