Little Free Libraries and Deechas Getting Ready to Travel to Ghana...in 7 Days

The Little Free Libraries & Deechas take a stop in New Hope, Minnesota to be repackaged for their plane flight to Ghana

An initiative within the 3rd phase of the Street Girls Aid project, the volunteer team (click here to learn more about the volunteer team )will be working on a multi-dimensional project including:

• literacy,
• vocational training and,
• library stewardship.

The literacy portion of the project includes purchasing/picking-up/bringing and delivering local culturally inclusive books in Accra from the Osu Children's Library Fund and the Ghana Book Trust in partnership with Books For Africa, Little Free Library ,our many donors and sponsors and using them to fill the libraries, providing access to books and literacy initiatives to the girls and their babies who live, work and sleep on the streets of Accra;

Teamwork in action

The vocational training opportunities include building, manufacturing, decorating, assembling and installing Little Free Libraries Little Free Libraries and strategizing about additional vocational opportunities for the girls related to the construction aspect of the project;

The library stewardship part of the project includes workshops and shared learning opportunities with the Street Girls Aid Staff and the team traveling to Ghana in coordination and partnership with a number of on the ground librarians - can't wait to see what comes from these shared learning opportunities.

The birth of the traveling library - Hudson, Wisconsin USA

To successfully accomplish the build, assemble and construct part of the project, the team will be bringing 5 libraries with us as checked baggage and will seek partners on the ground to design and draw plans for libraries...and you will be able to follow this particular library which Kathy Stutzman built in Hudson, Wisconsin and the journey starts here...

The next part of the trip for this library is to shipping to get dressed and ready for the trip, pictures will be posted when it is ready to travel, until then - follow the links included in this post to learn more about the various partners we will be working with in Accra...7 days and counting.

Thank you all for your support and well-wishes!

Rotary District Grant Awarded

The team is taking pre-orders for goods
made by the girls at Street Girls Aid

Books will be purchased in Ghana
for the libraries that the
girls and volunteers
 will build

Books will be available in
libraries within the creches
for the girls and their babies

Rochester Rotarians District Governor Elect Karel Weigel and Judy O'Fallon, grant mentor, presented Austin Rotary Club President Scott Anderson with the District 5960 Grant check on October 28, 2013 for $12,000 for The Ghana Street Girls Grant Phase 3.

Kathy Stutzman from the Austin Rotary Club and PDG Cathy Smith from the Fridley/Colunbia Heights Rotary Club will be leading a team of volunteers who will be leaving for Ghana on January 24th 2014. Updates about the team and the on-the-ground work they will be doing in Accra will be posted as they prepare for the experience.

The team will have a planning meeting on November 2nd at 2:00 at Family Means in Stillwater, MN Skype options are available and need to be pre-arranged.

Opportunities for engagement will be discussed at the November 2nd Team  meeting for people and organizations who want to support this effort and yet,

During Phase 2 (the planning phase) the girls were asked
to respond to this question...how would you answer the question?

may not be able to travel to Africa to work with Street Aid and the girls. 

Opportunities include sponsoring libraries, sets of books to stock in the libraries, purchaing goods that the girls make, sponsoring the travel team...the opportunities are endless!  If you are interested in learning more about how you can support this project, send an e-mail or contact one of us through the blog and a team member will connect with you.

Kathy Stutzman, Scott Anderson, Karel Weigel, Judy O'Fallon
present the District 5960 grant of $12,000 to the Austin Rotary Club

The senses are alive....

Wow...our first full day in Accra.

I'm still savoring the flight yesterday from Amsterdam to Accra.  We flew during daylight this time and I spent   a bit over 90 minutes staring out the window at the Sahara desert below.  It was amazing to watch the dunes, even from as high as we were, and the occasional road trying to wind through them.  As the sun set and sent it's colors and shadows over the landscape I begged Kathy to let me get on out the wing where I might photograph to share the beauty with all.  She said no...

We  also got our first peek at the Harmadan winds kicking up.  They pick up the sand and dust from the Sahara and drop it in other parts of Africa...specifically Accra!  Wish each of you might have the experience of seeing one part of the world picked up and dropped somewhere else at some time in your life.  Proof that our Mother Earth is still under development.

Both last night and today we got to start sharing hellos and hugs with dear friends again.  Last night our friend and fellow Rotarian Theresa greeted us and helped speed us through the airport and on to our hotel, though she had been busy all day and was exhausted herself.  And, we spent a great hour with Vida, Director of Street Aid, who took time on her day off to come out and welcome us, and get the planning for our week started.  We ran errands and did prep work and enjoyed the sights and smells and sounds of Accra....starting to feel like a second home!

Today also found us shopping at the wonderful Woodin fabric shop, savoring the patterns and colors of Africa on cloth.  Alas, we could not bring EVERYTHING home, but we are having some things made and look forward to sharing with you on our return.

Our driver John is pretty great, today he spent time while we were buying our cell phone looking through all of the phone number options and selected a very special number for us...since then, we have been told on a number of occasions that we have a "really nice" number...hope to learn more about that while we are absorbing everything. Another full day planned tomorrow - can't wait!