Ghana Day 1 continued.

The whole reason that I am here is to see what The Rotary Club of Coronado and I can do with Asantes dream and project.

The boys that I just met have been vetted from the beaches. The beaches is where many homeless people live. Some kids attend schools. There are many single families with just one parent trying to eke out a living, selling something, fixing something or some other. Most look industrious. Most look happy. I don’t see evidence of drug use, but it is here. I see a few beers later in the day.

Even though, they live right on the beach many are afraid of the water, even the fisherman. Drowning is a major cause of death.

Several years ago Asante swam out in the ocean and attracted the attention of some boys. He asked if they knew how to swim. They didn’t. He asked if they wanted to learn and they did. After a few lessons they found a pool, continued to swim and then he taught them waterpolo, a sport that Asante excelled at, as in Silver medal Olympiad. Other boys took notice and wanted to be a part of the group. This was after school, weekends and holidays. They were expected to go to school.m if they wanted to learn to swim and play waterpolo. This also meant that they might get to travel and compete with other teams and maybe go to the Olympics!

But pool time costs money. Of course these boys did not have money. At some point, girls were allowed to learn to swim too.

We talked with the boys. Mostly Asante since they were so shy. Maybe they never met a white woman before. They all shook my hand. We took some group pictures

To get to the beach we walked through a kind of artist area, many textiles! The colors were gorgeous. I wanted to buy many of the paintings too, but I am traveling light.

The paths are littered with rocks, glass, garbage and dog feces. People are trying to sweep it up. Pot holes are filled with muddy water. Asante knows everyone. I am learning the secret handshake! Ha Ha.

My mind is reeling as how to help. I observe the slight struts of the boys. You can feel their edge and confidence. You can see the younger boys look up to the older ones in this group. There is respect. I think this is what it all about. This is one way to raise a few out of the same old rut that their parents and neighbors are in. It’s a tiny step but impactful. Coronado did a similar thing with their Safe cards, trading cards of the athletes. A slight elevation, mostly in the kids’ mindset, but something positive.

The kids, with Asante’s coaching, play in water polo matches nearby and they have gone to Brazil. There was a trip planned to Italy but the visas didn’t go through. Remember they needed birth certificates and birth places to fill out the passport forms. That entailed talking with neighbors and family and asking questions, like was there a drought that year, what trees were blooming, who was the president of the US. The boys were asked questions like how do you get to school? On a bike or walking, determining poverty level.

There must be Rotary grants etc to be found to really get this up and running well.

Asante dreams of his own pool and locker room.

At the impromptu music gig, the pictures on the walls were there for environmental awareness the waters are filthy. when the fishermen get fish they have to discard all the plastics and clothing that is mixed in with the fish.

Here are some of the signs in the bar: