understanding is the key to peace
We are deeply involved in development projects that benefit the community we live in. We are based in Northern Ghana for the better part of the year. Once each year we return to the U.S. to raise money by holding sales at various West Coast venues and locations. We also do fundraising in the U.S. to support projects in the area that we live in.
Although our work does not provide the sole means of support for the artisans and merchants we have relationships with, our repeat business provides a reliable source of income for many of them. They have developed healthy business and personal relationships with us stretching back into the days when we were Peace Corps Volunteers.
We uphold a commitment to bring the culture of Ghana and West Africa to the people of the United States. Conversely, in the service work we do for Ghanaians, our goal is to demonstrate to the people we work and live with the compassion our supporters show through sales, donations and volunteerism.
We are continually trying to eliminate the middle-man in many of our transactions to ensure fair value for all. Most of our suppliers are family run businesses, conducted with integrity. We have yet to witness what the Western world calls a “sweat shop” in West Africa.
One
of our goals is to communicate to the people in the U.S. the beauty and
reality of modern day West Africa. Understanding is the key to peace, a goal
we strive towards. We frequently speak to groups about Ghana: its culture,
arts, social and development issues prevailing there today. Through these
presentations we have been able to forge relationships and opportunities for
American volunteers and Ghanaian counterparts.
Fund
raising through donation is another focus. Funds directly donated or raised
through other avenues are infinitely appreciated and utilized in development
projects.
Through one of our school presentations, we became involved with three students from Coronado High School in Coronado, California. They were members of the local Amnesty International Club. These students came over to Ghana for one month and stayed with us. The volunteer work they did while they were in Ghana was truly something to be proud of. The program was a success and we are open to hosting students and other volunteers in the future.
Photos
Left: Kirstin and Linda selling Tro Tro Trading Company jewelry at the Talmadge Art Show in
San Diego.
Right: Two Montana elementary school kids demonstrating the African way of
carrying heavy loads, as they transport donations from the classroom to our truck.
This school has
been a favorite source of fundraising projects since Linda began teaching
there as a Peace Corps volunteer in 2001. The children are loving and hungry
to be loved. They are excited to learn, appreciate any effort to communicate
with them and those that make their life easier. The Deaf in Ghana are very
closed off from the rest of society so their community within the school is
everything to them. The students and staff become family since they board
away from their villages for three months at a time.
The school was
established in 1995 by the Chief of Gbeogo and opened with 10 students in a
run-down mud compound house. It remained here until overcrowding in 2003
forced the Government and an Italian NGO to complete some structures at a
new school site. At 175 students aged 5 to 25, the school population
continues to grow but the timeline for dorms, dinning hall, teachers
quarters and office lags without funds. The school is in a remote area with
an unpaved road, no electricity, running water, or phone service and at this
writing, no school vehicle. The appalling nature of the school makes
attracting qualified teachers and staff difficult. 3 grade levels currently
have no teachers at all. Since the classrooms themselves are uncompleted,
they lack windows and doors which makes securing the classrooms and books
impossible.
Despite this depressing description of conditions at the school, most of the students have better conditions at the school than they face at home in the village. They are not hungry, have a bed to sleep in and are learning to sign, read and do math. Moreover, they are optimistic, fun loving and manage to find joy.
Most
recently, Tro-Tro Trading Company donated to the Deaf school sports program
by providing fuel to transport student athletes to a National Special
Education Olympics and sports equipment for after school sports.
Past projects undertaken include; solar lanterns, locking teacher’s supply shelving, book donations, arts and crafts supplies such as basket straw, dye, batik chemicals, fabric and wood for trade skills education and serving pots for students food.
People interested in volunteering at this school or donating can contact Tro Tro Trading Company.
Tro-Tro Trading Company has pledged 10% of Tro Tro Trading Company proceeds to the Gbeogo School for the Deaf and we continue to do direct fundraising as well.
Photos
Top left: students with a sign language batik project.
Top right: students showing off a tie and dye project
Bottom left: student making a local style "Bolgatanga" basket
Bottom right: three little girls demonstrating their dancing skills. They
dance to the beating of their hearts and the rhythms in their minds, and by
imitating each other.
Establishment of Community Based Organization
After
serving in the Peace Corps for three years, it became apparent that a
certain level of community contribution was expected of us. We live in a
very rural area populated entirely by subsistence farmers. Connections in the
United States with the Rotary Club of San Diego provided us with an opportunity to do a
water related project.
This led to the establishment of a Community Based
Organization (CBO), which was dubbed "Peal Deng", meaning “Pioneers”. The
CBO has an executive committee, with a chairman, vice chairman, secretary,
treasurer, and project officers (pictured right). Through
this group, we are able to discuss local issues and tap into the true needs
of the area. A CBO is recognized by the Ghana Government, and makes the
group eligible for aid that they would otherwise not have access to. The CBO
is broadly represented by men, women and youth, and is the nucleus of Tro
Tro Trading Company
development projects. Regular executive and general meetings are held in the
true African way, under the dawa-dawa tree, usually lasting for hours. It is
truly a democracy, as everyone is heard before any vote is taken. The funds
available to the CBO are held in a bank, and not used unless it is voted in
a general meeting. The photo at left shows a general meeting in session.
Photos
Left: A general meeting of Peal Deng, under the Dawa Dawa Tree.
Right: Peal Deng's Executive Committee
The
Community Based Organization, although established with many purposes in mind, was originated when the
Rotary project was first proposed. Through the members of the CBO, the
community was able to pinpoint their main water problems, and solutions were
drawn up.
They saw the problem as twofold: people and animals. The people of the area saw a need to drill a borehole in a strategically placed location. The animal water problem was addressed with the idea of dredging three existing water ponds, creating a year round source for livestock and dry-season farming. The money, amounting to over $12,000, has been approved and the project will begin during the dry season of 2006.
Photos
Left: Kirstin speaking to the local Coronado California Rotary Club.
Right: Linda stands with members of Peal Deng at the proposed borehole site.
Soap Making Co-op (Women’s Group)
During the health education program, one of the main issues discussed was germs and the use of soap to help control them. The women of the health program had a good point: they knew about soap, but couldn’t afford to buy it for their families. So the soap-making project was born.
Although in its beginning stages, with the funds made available by the student volunteers, a soap making co-op is being established by some of the leading women in the CBO. As Shea butter is one of the chief resources in Northern Ghana, Peal Deng is currently working on formulating a soap using Shea butter as a main ingredient. Other ingredients that could go into the soap include Nim Tree extract, palm oil, coconut oil, and other locally found materials. The goal is to create a product that can be sold locally and exported as an income generation source, while providing the families of the CBO with a soap that can meet their health needs.
One of the main health issues in Ghana is the transmission of germs and bacteria through the fecal oral cycle, something that can be eradicated with the use of washing with soap. Our goal is to see less sicknesses perpetuated through this cycle. The knowledge is there, and we hope to provide the families with the materials they need to realize this goal.
Photo: Members of the Women's Soap Making Co-op, Kirstin (middle) and the Chairman of Peal Deng, Bazimbil (directly to the right of Kirstin)
The women of Peal Deng are currently organizing their Shea butter processing methods so that a steady, quality product will be available for export. The processing of Shea butter is a very time consuming, labor intensive act.
First the nut inside the shea fruit is collected. The fruit is a thin sweet pear-like covering around the shea or “kerité” nut and enjoyed by all. The leftover nuts are parboiled in a large cauldron over a wood fire. This allows the outer shell to be cracked and then removed. The inner kernel is then dried. In a large mortar, the kernels are pounded and then dry roasted. After this, the roasted and crushed kernels are ground into a mash at the mill. At this point, a woman will take the mash, add water into a large basin and begin slapping and whipping the mixture by hand until the color changes. It takes a few hours for the fats to rise to the surface. The shea fat is removed and slightly heated to remove any remaining water. The “butter” is filtered and cooled slowly. The shea butter is now ready for use. The process takes upwards of 20 hours. Ghanaians use shea butter for a cooking fat, a body moisturizer, healing agent for nasal congestion, a topical ointment for burns and cuts, a hair cream and even mix it with ground millet and pepper for a high calorie meal.
Tro-Tro Trading Company's shea butter is 100% natural. It is not refined, blended with other products or had fragrance added. It is an anti-oxidant with naturally occurring vitamins A & E. It has been shown to have anti-inflammatory capabilities and tested to SPF 6 as a mild sunscreen. Doctors recommend it for the treatment of eczema and psoriasis. Once you try it, you will never want to use any other moisturizer.
Photos
Left: Shea nuts and Shea butter
Right: Tro Tro Trading Company Shea Butter label
Student Volunteers
From the United States
In the summer of 2005, three Amnesty International Club students from Coronado, California came to Ghana to volunteer for one month and experience Ghana and all its wonders. They stayed in a local style mud house and lived close to the land, fetching their own water and participating in village life. Each student brought an amount of money that they used at their own discretion, contributing to a project of their choice. Contributions included developing a small library, a hand washing station for the dining hall and screens in the public latrine of the deaf school.
They helped develop and teach an intensive health education program for the women of our Community Organization, Peal Deng. The program covered pertinent health issues in modern day West Africa, such as malaria, diarrhea, nutrition, parasitic worms and intestinal bacteria, and HIV/AIDS. The program ended with a fun health competition and prizes.
The girls also contributed 3,000,000 cedis ($300) to Peal Deng for future projects. In Northern Ghana, that’s a lot of money. The members of Peal Deng voted to use the funds to set up the soap making co-op. Additionally, the girls set up a scholarship fund for a promising, bright young mind, Kwabena, ensuring that he will be able to attend school for the next four years.
Their month long stay not only forged lasting friendships between the girls and members of the community in which they stayed, but also helped to strengthen positive perceptions of American and African cultures on both sides. Not to mention, it was a great time!
Photos
Left: Diedre Kelly, Jessica Knapp and Katie Bookout, students from Coronado
High School Amnesty International club, before their journey to Ghana.
Right: The first prize winner of the health education competition, Paulina,
(center) hugging Jessica. Peal Deng founder Emmanuel Annoeni stands at left.
Paulina has gone on to become the leader of the womens' soap making co-op.
Working with the local fire chief, we have established an education program for any CBO member that is interested. Subjects include: health, bush fire abatement, HIV/AIDS awareness, and environmental awareness.
Working with local NGO’s, it is Tro Tro Trading Company's goal to provide each household in the CBO with at least one Moringa Tree, as well as Shea and Mango Trees. Moringa is also known as the Miracle Tree or Mother’s Helper Tree. Just a teaspoon a day of dried crushed leaves can end malnutrition for a child. Every part of the tree can be used from the nuts to the roots.
