Down the Coast

What an amazing couple of days. Sunday we drove down the coast to Anamabo beach on a trotro (a taxi van that fits an unimaginable amount of people inside). After getting dropped off at the beach, we unloaded our bags to realize we are one bag short. At some point in the crazy hustle of the Accra streets, or one of the many rides we had to take, we lost a bag. =(

After the long, long, and longer rides, we joined the ABAN girls to enjoy the beach to relax, network, and brainstorm over a few Stars (local Ghanaian beer). We stayed the night in a tent just feet from the ocean. So great.

Left the next day on another trotro for Winneba. Settled into the hostel and checked out the University of Education, which seems to be a college for the Teaching Professionals.

Today we visited Challenging Heights, which is the organization we're hoping to collaborate with for the duration of our whole project. We sat in on their staff meeting, where they discussed the new CCPCs (Community Protection Committees) set up in the different villages to be somewhat of a "neighborhood watch" for children not attending school, child trafficking and labor violations. After meeting with the Director, we moved next door for one of the women's empowerment microfinance classes, where an official from the local Union Rural Bank came to discuss terms on the potential loans they could offer the women. The discussion was almost entirely in Twi (the local language), so we practiced reading body language.

Tonight, our meeting was cancelled, which we are ecstatic about. We're going to get food on the beach, watch the sunset, and catch up on work. =)