Final Field Day

On Tuesday, we finished the pump in Talensi (near Bolga) and had the privilege of watching Juliet--a local woman who uses a wheelchair trike--pump and carry water by herself for the first time!  Both Juliet and DJ Cliff, a local DJ who uses braces and canes to walk, told us that being able to access basic services on their own is an important experience of empowerment that encourages them to tackle other challenges like accessing education and using their skills in the professional world.

Everyone in the community (young and old alike!) helped with the construction.

Juliet was able to pump water for herself for the very first time!

In the afternoon we drove to a different family's compound in the area to build another accessible pit latrine using local materials.  This time, with the help of the family, we finished the whole project in just a few hours! The family will eventually put up walls of mud brick as we did in Tolon but for now the latrine has some natural ventilation.

 A cement seat was added to the top to help persons with disabilities access the latrine.

One of the beneficiaries of the new latrine. 

We asked one of the neighbors what he thought and he said.  "This is very good!  I'm going to build one for myself!"

This comment and our experience on this trip inspired us to write a little song. (Because we found this so inspiring, we set it to the tune of Wesley's famous hymn "And Can It Be".) The first verse goes like this:

And can it be that I should gain
a latrine made from local things?
All made by me who caused this stain? [point to pant seat]
By me, without blocks or VIP?   [VIP stands for ventilated improved pit latrine, a type of construction that is too expensive for the average Ghanaian to build on their own]
Refrain:
Oh, holy poop, how can it be?
I poop in the latrine made by me.
(repeat)