Wow. This Wednesday, I will be travelling to Dagbamete, Ghana with 20 of my Bedford Park Players cast-mates to help facilitate the 4th Empowered African Child Arts Conference (EACAC) with the Big Little Caravan of Joy. Go Team Joy!
“Dagbamete is a village located in the Akatsi district of the Volta Region. The Volta Region, with the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and Togo to the east, is one of ten administrative regions in Ghana. The population of Dagbamete is about 1000. The rural setting, dirt roads, and still common thatch roof huts give the settlement a distinct village feel. Most of residents are related to the founder, Torgbui Zatekpa, who settled in the area in the late 18th century.
The village has developed a national and international reputation for its traditional Vodu shrine, for its festivals, and for its summer music school.” We will be taking part in a tribal festival upon our arrival!
Founded and directed by my friend Sarina Condello, the EACAC’s mission is to support, enrich, and revitalize primary Ghanaian teachers with new ideas that highlight the importance of the creative arts in the primary curriculum, and how to guide this learning.
Many global organizations have researched the overwhelming issues that Primary Educators in rural Ghana face each and every day. Most rural primary educators receive no visits from outside organizations. Monitoring, support, encouragement, or workshops are not common. Classrooms are void of resources and usually function with 50+ children sitting together in one small room.
In Sarina’s words “There is a desperate need for Primary Teachers to be encouraged through educational services that support, inspire, and foster a value of teachers. The EACAC helps inspire and educate Primary Teachers through art and play-based teachings that also highlight Ghanaian culture. The impact is palpable! 1000’s of rural primary students are then inspired and educated with an empowering, culturally-driven, and creative curriculum. We do this all this and more with the dedication, support, and direct endorsement from local educators, dignitaries, and artists from Ghana and Canada.”
As a guest artist and educator, I will be facilitating five modules on the Visual Arts at the conference with my awesome partner, Shari Morandin, and our on-the-ground guru, Godsway. Our project is called One Love and we’ll share various techniques to create a heart, including marbling paper with basic water, cooking oil, food colouring and crayon. We will also be teaching our session to three different classes at the Dagbamete Primary School.
Our Team Joy is taking 2000 lbs of supplies with us, thanks to the generous donations of all our friends, co-workers and families! I will snap a lot of photos and ensure that you see your donations in the hands of the grateful Ghanians! Although we’re all packed up, you can still donate anytime here.
More reports to follow!
TREDSUP 