Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Taking it to the Streets

SAID goes to the streets with a
mobile library program
Street Girls Aid goes into the streets with a new mobile library program. The van, books, supplies and staffing are part of an Empowerment of Young Girls and Mothers Living in the Streets project funded in partnership with International Child Solidarity (ICS). Books were purchased from the Ghana Book Trust and also sponsored by a recent Rotary delegation from the United States.

Margie's passion for libraries is
only surpassed by her passion
for people and building relationships
As part of the recent Rotary Foundation District Grant, a team of our volunteers brought resources and tools related to mobile libraries to help build capacity within the Street Girls Aid staff at the earlier request of the Executive Director, Vida. Several of the volunteers spent time building relationships with the SAID staff and then sharing resources. The capacity building related to not only mobile libraries, but library management and our volunteers were passionate about the resources that they shared. Their passion caught fire and the staff were pretty fired up and ready to tackle this new initiative.
This is what capacity building
looks like - Holly sharing resources

Another component of the grant allowed the team and Vida to make some critical connections with both the Ghana Book Trust and the Osu Children's Library Fund about library management resources for NGOs in Ghana as well as access to some fabulous books written by local Ghanaians - the connections were powerful and it will be exciting to see them flourish. Already, two weeks after we are gone - the mobile library is out on the streets, and while we only had a small part of that - it is exciting to see the impact of capacity building, and the power of connections.

One of the hundreds of books purchased locally
by authors from Ghana as part of this project
For more information about supporting literacy and empowerment of girls, children and moms living in the streets contact Vida Amoako, Executive Director at streetgirlsaid@yahoo.com or send a message to our site from the contact us box in the sidebar. Look for an announcement soon about the 20th Year Legacy Celebration festivities! 20 years of Serving Street Children - Impacting Generations


Enjoy these photos from the first day on the streets with the mobile library:






Saturday, February 8, 2014

Libraries, Literacy and Lots and Lots of Learning

Checking out the final product of our workshop on
how to tie fabrics - head scarfs, baby carriers and
using fabric to help balance the load on our heads

The new street savings and loan program at Street Girls Aid
This is one of the 8 circles currently in operation

Learning about the slave trade at
Cape Coast Castle

The bustling fishing villiage of Elmina - a town named by
European explorers after the riches found in the mines

The vibrant and colorful streets of Elmina

Mameya and Bless play with some of the new toys
brought by the team and funded by our donors

More interactive and interested toy action

The girls couldn't get enough of the books

Capacity development at its finest - the girls painted this
library...we've come a long way in two weeks

Break time and play time

Although the boats look so peaceful, fishing is hard work here

Watching the fishermen fix their nets is fascinating

A ladder to??? team building in Kakum National Park

After demonstrating and practicing how to carry everything on
top of our heads, often not successfully, the girls show us
how it is done

The student and teacher and teacher and student

Kathy Lillis working her biceps during a cooking class at
Street Girls Aid

The girls demonstrate pounding fufu


The children at Kimbu creche are wondering what we are up to?


A restful night

A colony of birds circle the crocodile pond

We had several birthday celebrations while in Ghana - Barb is
enjoying one of the celebrations at the jazz club +233. Cathy Smith
actually celebrated her birthday while in Ghana.

Holly Callen looks through books at the Ghana Book Trust

Esther was so patient with us as we learn about
new cooking techniques

Power tools are fun in any country

Rose gets in on the power tool action


Unloading books into the Kimbu creche library

The Kimbu Street Library in the 5 year and up classroom

Comfort and Phidelia have fun sorting the books