The Grind and Water

It seems odd, but every time I come home after spending some time away ‘the grind’ grinds harder. We, as human beings, have the amazing ability to adapt to new environments – the different grinds of different places. Like our animal brethren (and really, bacteria, microbes, viruses, plants and anything else with DNA that mutates) our environment plays a role in who we are and what we are to become. The “Alex” some know in the United States shares many characteristics with the “Alex” some know in Ghana, but the vast difference in the two environments brought out the very subtle differences in me. All the important traits stay constant – my sense of self, my moral code, my desire to positively impact those around me, the desire to love and be loved – but, it’s those minute changes that sometimes take control of your life. For example: I have written and re-written this post three times now because life in the U.S. has been very busy. With what, you may ask? Well, lots of TV. That’s right. I’ve been wasting my time with TV… The irony isn’t lost on me. All these ‘things’ – cable, high speed internet, text messaging – are suppose to increase our efficiency, connect us, simplify our lives. Instead, I find myself falling asleep most nights thinking “shit, what a waste.” In Ghana, I read many books, I wrote in my journal and I became more self aware because I had time. Do I no longer have the time? No. instead I find it easier to turn the TV on and turn my brain off.  

Where am I going with this? Unbeknown to us, we respond very differently in differing environments. That’s science, not conjecture. It seems that the lesson to be learned here is this: We, as human beings are set apart from most of the animal world because we have the ability to critically analyze ourselves – we are self-aware. We can figure out who we are and how we change, and more importantly, WHY we change. Don’t ignore the lessons life teachers you. Take the best parts of ‘who you are’ from whichever environment, person, or experience brought those parts out of you and try to be that person all the time. It takes effort, but everything does.

WATER

Anyway, before I get to far off track, let me bring the focus back to my last two weeks in Ghana. I will split the last two weeks into two different posts, which I will try and post today and tomorrow. Hopefully…

Dirty water, as we’ve heard on the news, in science class and pretty much in any conversation involving public health, is a major source of disease and infection in the third world. Put simply the problem is this: people without access to clean water drink dirty water and then get really, really sick. Diseases like cholera, botulism, dysentery and parasites like guinea worm and Giardia are incubated, transported and subsequently consumed by people consuming water. In the United States and other developed countries infections like these are rare and easily treatable. However, in the third world, millions die every year because they drink dirty water.

Before leaving for Ghana, Josh and I knew we wanted to continue the water purification and education work he had begun last year and with the help of friends and family we raised some money to purchase water filters. Josh had made contact with a distributor, who agreed to meet with us when we arrived in order to plan out the details of our purchase.

Then we arrived in Ghana and our plan began to unravel. Weeks went by without a meeting and we were beginning to worry. Finally, with only a week and a half left, we had dinner with John (name changed for privacy).

During the three weeks prior to our meeting, Josh and I discussed how we could best use our donated funds. Sure, we could buy filters and donate them but that plan is not very sustainable. Once the money is gone it is gone and filters don’t last forever. Distribution was also a big issue because the only two sites selling these filters were located in the northernmost and southernmost regions of the country, effectively cutting off direct access to the area around Lake Volta. John echoed these same concerns when we met so we began to discuss a possible solution and came up with a great plan: use the money to set up a distribution site.

When we got back to Kpando our work began. We approached Doctor with the idea of using part of his pharmacy as a storefront for our products – water filters, water purification tablets, mosquito netting and other products that help promote good health – which, could be sold to his patients at a discounted rate. The proceeds could then fund educational programs and filter donation programs at regional schools, and allow us to provide subsidized filters in the poorest areas along the lake. Doctor loved our idea and agreed to set asides some space in his pharmacy for our products and to help us with our public outreach work. Now, the hard part: the plan.

Distance is our enemy. Josh and I are in Michigan, thousands of miles – and a four hour ride on a tro-tro – away from Kpando and won’t be able to return until next year. We have ordered our first batch of filters and luckily, have Becka back in Kpando to see the initial set up of our distribution site through. Then the real work begins. In the months that follow Josh and I will begin to form a ‘business’ model. Unlike a conventional business our goal is not to maximize profits, but rather, to provide educational support for our clean water project.

In a different sense, distance is our friend. We have time to do the research, put together a plan, gather support and then put our plan into action. We have time to do things the right way.

Stay tuned for more details as time goes on. We are grateful for all those that supported us, monetarily and in spirit. Without your kindness we would not have gotten very far. So, until next time.