REACT

This week was a quiet one in the office as we attended 2 goalball events and PAGSUNG/Youth Alive’s mid-term review. The other project in Ghana, which I have mentioned before, is REACT who had 2 groups, 1 in Tamale and the other in Sandema near Youth Alive. This was their last week in Ghana and featured two goalball events that their project was building up to: a regional competition and a national competition. PAGSUNG attended the nearby regional competition at Tamale Polytechnic University while Youth Alive supported the Sandema team. The regional matches were between the different goalball teams from the communities that they have been working with, the winner of the regional progressed to the national competition on Thursday. During their time here, REACT’s focus was challenging the disability stigma.

“In Ghana, over 300,000 live with a severe visual impairment. They're often undervalued by those around them - and as a result, excluded by society. All because of a lack of understanding about their disability. International Service launched a new project, REACT, in northern Ghana in 2018 tackling the stigma around disability. Volunteers trained both disabled and non-disabled people to play the inclusive Paralympic sport of goalball. They offered visually impaired Ghanaian people an opportunity to push their self-development. And they raised awareness about disabilities through interactive discussions in local communities and on local radio. Half the volunteers on this project were visually impaired, and half were fully sighted.” This last part allowed for a unique opportunity to gain understanding: a UKV (UK volunteer) and ICV (In country volunteer) lived/worked together while experiencing either supporting someone with a visual impairment or being visually impaired and supported in a cross cultural setting. Furthermore, this was especially challenging for the visually impaired volunteers in Tamale who worked together with their counterparts to navigate around the bustling streets and “arcade game” like roads.

Our week started with a drug abuse session in a local school, then the regional match, mid-term in nearby Savelgu (usually we would have gone to Tongo Hills as a cultural trip too but Youth Alive came to us this time to keep travel costs down and so they could attend the finals in Tamale), the national match and finishing the week with a national holiday – African Unity Day.

All in all, a good week however I have a lot of respect for REACT this week who have been waiting to have their tournament in the New Stadium for their entire placement, only to be told on the day that it has been double booked by the Ghana Football team for training and the FA have overruled the decision in favour of the football. According to them, the football team takes priority as the stadium “belongs” to them. The fact that REACT had the agreement months ago made no difference but REACT took it on the chin, rush-ordered some gazebos and set up on a nearby volleyball court. It turned out to be a great day and well done to the winning team – Sandema.

PAGSUNG, REACT and the goalball teams (Youth Alive had to leave to get home before we took the picture)

The regional match

The Tamale Polytechnic Team

The original site of the National Goalball Competition 

The new site of the competition, at least you can still see it from the stadium 

Still a great day which shouldn't be overshadowed by bureaucracy! 

My host mum Hajia!! She came to the national game and it made my day. This is the only picture I have of this elusive women, love her so much.