My first day in Ghana consisted of travelling to a village in the Northern region and assisting the team with an outreach. There were fifty elderly adults waiting in a classroom when we arrived. Ennis, the outreach optometrist, gave a speech in the local language about eye health. After the talk, the people lined up outside and I performed visual acuity tests. Most of the people I tested didn't speak English, and we relied on hand signals to communicate. That was a bit difficult at first, but it became easier with time. Of the seventy people who were screened, five were blind or partially blind. It was sad to see, but they were offered future eye surgeries. Spectacles were dispensed to the people who required them. The village was busy with life, and there were many children running around playing ball. I'll be sure to take some pictures at the next outreach.
Today was a day off, and the three other volunteers and I went exploring in the city.
We took a taxi down to the beach and had lunch there. The beach was warm and relaxing, although it was littered with trash.
Accra is a huge sprawling city with many people. The streets are lined with dwellings and shops. It's like no place I've seen before. The only familiar aspect is the red soil!
I'll have more stories to share next week.
Cheers,
Adam
Keep doing these good deeds! You're making a huge difference, I envy you!
ReplyDelete