Photo Roundup #4: Sumniboma

Dorothy herself: mother of 4, wife 2 of 3, farmer of maize, groundnuts and millet, and an incredible example of how difficult women in Ghana work to stay afloat.

The local blacksmith, resting under a shade structure by one of the many baobabs after a day full of pumping coals and slamming heated metal with anything solid until the desired effect is reached.

The school children rise and greet me in rote english with military precision that actually makes me sad. I try to gesture that they should stop saluting me; only a few of the girls listened and understood.

The view from the neighbour's was pretty incredible--both inside the house and out. The more urban the setting, the more rare the door-painting becomes; a brutal shame, considering how beautiful and intricate it is.

I cant think of a better elder to be in charge of the youth...

Doris, walking the long road from Zambulugu to Namasim, to Sumniboma... limping, as her diseased leg pained her for the sake of my exceptionally poor Mampruli skills.

Two of the many children that would camp out in front of my compound, waiting to call me by my name, and watch me smile and wave, grateful for being more than a "Suliminga" this time. The donkey is part of a CARE International initiative aimed at assisting transport of water and goods in rural areas like East Mamprusi.

My landlord, Mr. Sumniboma himself; head IFT, next in line for Chieftancy of the community, tall, Muslim, soft-spoken and incredibly generous.

One of the community IFTs standing in his family compound--a sprawling monstrosity of domestic life, all 17 connected huts crawling with children, wives, sisters, aunts, cousins: cooking, playing, relaxing, and going to farm. He is the last born of his father's many wives; he speaks english, volunteer-teaches, and is one of three local family-planning and STD counsellors.

The stream separates Sumniboma from Sakogu, the nearest source of electricity and the site of the Area Council. It also saves women the trouble of bringing borehole water 2km to the house just to do the washing.


If I wanted any more proof that Sumniboma understood the real requirements of development work, I had it here... over the heads of children, the declaration that you can do "Nothing Without Something".

More reflections from Sumniboma, and some chat about my job, technology, and the coming crunch, next weekend!