Report

It was a hot, humid, starry night when I stepped out of the plane. That moment I looked at the Kotoka Airport sign and thought. How will I survive three months here as an intern for UNICEF Ghana?

I remained frustrated throughout the first week because of the fear of a mosquito bite that might cause a serious sickness, because of all the people looking at me and shouting Oubruni, Oubruni! and because I had to bargain all the time. But, after that, all the grays began to turn into bright colors, like the colors of Ghana: golden, green, red, blue and purple.

Despite the fact that Ghana is poor in economic terms, it is still rich, with a vibrant culture, smiling people, and beautiful landscapes. When I look back in order to itemize my favorites there, it seems that I can list almost anything, even the "tro-tro"s - the mini buses packed with humanity inside and with their really fast drivers.

I have never seen a coast as dreamy as the one in Anomabu, with its coconut palms, its roaring waves, singing fishermen in their handmade wooden boats, and the sea mist. You can loose yourself in the markets full of all kinds of fruits, beads, fabrics, and children dancing in front of the cassette sellers playing really loud highlife music - a blend of African rhythms with western musical instruments. You don't need a 24-hour open mall in Ghana as you have night markets, lit by with steamy gas lamps, to serve you all night long.

Another thing I'll always remember is the straight, elegant woman carrying large baskets on their heads, dressed in colorful fabrics full of symbolic meanings, their babies tied upon their backs. Or I'll remember women preparing "fufu" - fermented cassava that is eaten at any time of the day.

I went to see one of the biggest and most popular Ghanaian entertainments - the movies. I was so amused by the interesting movie posters all over Accra. It was a lifetime experience, similar to watching a theater play in Ghana. People react spontaneously to what they see and interact with what they are watching. This is the reason why UNICEF has so many projects in Ghana related to media; specifically drama and music use.

In the following weeks, I learned much about UNICEF as an organization. My colleagues taught me how to reach the local people, government and non-governmental organizations, and how to involve them in projects for the good of the society. My work was to help the UNICEF Communications Section to design of Public Relations materials and materials for newly implemented projects. Throughout my stay in Ghana, I had to travel to observe, interact with, and work with, many local people, which taught me much about the culture and my job.

At the University of Florida, my design work and thesis are based on design for social good and I returned from Ghana with much information on this topic. In the future, I will now really consider working for an organization such as UNICEF because, each night after work in Ghana, I returned home feeling really good about my work. UNICEF is certainly doing very important things to help the people of Ghana.

Throughout my stay, I did not watch any television, although I heard it a lot of times, as I did the radio. This made me observe the people, the city itself, and the moon. I suppose my favorite memories of Ghana are about the laid-back, relaxed people and the way that everything makes an observer take the time to enjoy the beauties that surrounds him or her. Then there is the way that people react to you when you talk about the beauty of the moon, and the way that they watch it with you in silence. I don't think it was a coincidence that, in Ghana, I was constantly murmuring to myself "Heaven, I'm in heaven ...". It really was, is, and will continue to be ...

Photo Gallery

Eating joluf rice with hands in Kumasi (Photo: Jeannette Klein).

Roteracts raising money for National Partership for Children, UNICEF, Accra (Photo: Nazli).

The oldest mosque in Western Africa, Larabanga (Photo: Nazli).

Kids in the market place, Tamale (Photo: Carsten Lottner).

The Holy Rock, Larabanga (Photo: Carsten Lottner).