Books, Babies and Beyond

Today continued to be an excellent day with one of the highlights including the arrival of our 7th team member, Diana - Akwaba Diana! (Akwaba means welcome). Many great connections were made today and friendships grew closer, we are meeting so many wonderful people and continue to be honored to be part of this experience with our new friends. The work is meaningful, the warmth genuine and the relationships long-lasting. Tonight in pictures and tomorrow - you will be hearing from some of the team with their reflections.

Playing in the nursery

and the libraries are getting assembled

it's all about teamwork

Team Library

At the Ghana Book Trust learning about how much
a half container of books is!

The Ghana Book Trust distributes books written by
local authors

Reviewing the options for books for the libraries

apparently, we found some!

so pretty in pink

the girls working on our sewing order

the sewing goods order is keeping everyone busy

it's all about international friendship

checking out the capacity of the library

having fun

Add caption

capacity development at its finest

Work, Workshops and Wow What a Great Day!

Tonight it is about the pictures...a spectacular day today, not only did a lot of work get accomplished, but new relationships were formed and great Rotary fellowship was had by all. Enjoy - more photos soon:

John, our driver playing with one of the babies at Street Girls Aid

This logo was done by Games People Play in Austin Minnesota
SAID has done a great job of brand marketing

Kathy and Margie goofing around with the Deechas

Margie, Cathy and Holly get organized for the work day

The girls were having their hair-dressing examination today

Kathy coordinates with Marilyn the tailor who is
custom making outfits for the team. Marilyn came on-site
so the work team could continue to get things done while
getting measured - lots of fun!

SAID staff Rose and Sammy...along with some of the
kids in the nursery send us off for the day

Rotary Club of Accra South President, Robert Sam receives a
banner from Margie while Cathy makes the introductions

The Rotary Club of Accra South and the team

Reading Makes a Country Great

Our first day at Street Girls Aid was pretty incredible. The libraries made it and are getting settled in - the team and some of the staff will be going to find paint and decorations in the morning and then...let the construction begin. So today in a few pictures...

The first full day in Ghana

In a few days these beautiful fabrics
will be transformed into beautiful clothing

We arrived safe and sound just yesterday! It is cool here at 80 degrees, but pretty sweaty. The local Rotarians greeted us warmly at the airport and arranged for some pretty special VIP treatment. The 2 days have been filled with getting our feet on the ground, engaging in local customs and traditions and preparing for the days ahead.

We will be sure to brighten up the day when we come back to the United States dressed in outfits made from these beautiful fabrics. It was a great first full day on the ground here, we met with Vida from Street Girls AID got settled in, got our supplies for the week, ate great local food and yes...shopped for fabrics. We meet with the seamstress on Tuesday for some styling, then off to build and decorate the Little Free Library tomorrow is a full day at SAID in workshops, meeting the staff and girls and getting started...more later!

Waiting in the VIP lot for our driver to load up up

Theresa, Barb and Holly enjoy some fellowship

Little Free Libraries get warm send-off...packed and ready to go...in 3 days

DG Gary Campbell sends the Little
Free Library off with a warm send-off

Todd Bol and his cheerleaders say
goodbye and bon voyage

 Despite frigid temperatures 110 degrees colder than in Accra, Ghana dignitaries from around the District came out to say farewell to the Little Free Libraries and Deechas on their journey to Africa. District Governor Gary Campbell met with Cathy Smith and Kathy Stutzman to wish the team a successful trip and a warm send-off. And Little Free Library Executive Director, Todd Bol brought a pair of cheerleaders to send the libraries off.

A scarf warms the library in the
below zero temperatures

The temperature outside on my way to
pick up the Little Free Libaray

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 libraries are all packed and ready to go thanks to  the crew at BL Dalsin who have packaged the libraries into checked baggage size - Yippiee! The next part is to get everything to the airport and take off. Pictures will be posted all along the journey - follow the links included in this post to learn more about the various partners we will be working with in Accra...2 days and counting.

Thank you all for your support and well-wishes!

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!

Follow this Little Free Library as it travels from Minnesota USA to Ghana...in 12 days

All loaded up in the car ready to go to
Austin, MN and then New Brighton to
get dressed and ready for the trip

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;

The vocation 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...12 days and counting.

Thank you all for your support and well-wishes!