Berekuso is loud. The singing and drumming are not usually amplified during the all night prayer and Gospel sessions on Friday, and for some Sunday services. But other times, Ghanaians love to blast music and announcements through PA systems. There is a barking "news report" at 5 am every morning, which I've learned to sleep through, and blasting Afro-beat dance music many nights, unless the electricity cuts out. The sun goes down fast at 6 pm and the crickets and frogs set up a fierce trilling. The sun comes up at 6 each morning, with sounds of roosters, chickens and kids playing.
Bananas, plantains, tomatoes, fiery hot peppers, and onions. Eggs, but you must bring your own carton. Beer, packets of biscuits, cloth, iron railings, flip flops and some "sundries". About once a week, we make the hour drive down a terrible road to Accra for groceries.
Obruni is said with a smile. We are greeted with huge smiles and the welcoming cry of Obruni!, which means foreigner or white person. We reply Good Morning, and if the person knows any English, they are happy to chat.
Ashesi students launched an adult literacy program in Berekuso, a project which won a Dali Lama fellowship. Ashesi students also sponsor a top Berekuso student and pay his fees to go to high school; they offer the village kids computer tutoring on campus, and have other programs. Still creating change can be hard, which I'll explore in more depth in a later post.
Most kids don't make it to high school, but last year, a student from Berekuso was admitted to Ashesi for the first time.
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