Disaster Risk Reduction workshopby Isaac Abugri | 18-08-2018 20:21 |
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  Katharina Reschke, an intern from Germany who worked with Green Africa Youth Organization, writes about her experience. As an intern from a different continent (Germany), I had been keenly looking forward to my first field activity with the Green Africa Youth Organization since I arrived in Ghana a few weeks ago.
During my first week, we visited the Imam Khomeini Junior High School in the central region of Ghana where we introduced new methodologies to the children on how to handle plastic waste. After a very motivating opening speech by Rhoda Mensah about the environmental impact and threats of plastic waste for humans and all species, we showed some practical introductions to the children in order to upcycle water plastic bags which are often thrown in the landscape with the goal of reducing these wastes and its harm on the natural environment. It was really amazing for me to see how curious and motivated all these children of different ages and grades were! We had planned to create pillows, pencil cases, and key holders by reusing the plastic bags as basic material. Therefore we grouped our 100 participants into three teams with different tasks in order to work more efficiently. While my colleague Isaac Abugre introduced the first group to cut a plenty of plastic bags into little pieces which were supposed to be the lining of the pillows and key holders afterwards, another colleague of us, Boatemaa Ansah, started to explain to the second group how to produce pencil cases by closing two plastic bags on their length and at one width. I had learned it before from my colleagues, it is such a good idea because the children can use it every day and it is so easy to create. For a comfortable opening and closing, the guys got some zips in order to sew it in the open long side and close the last width side. Meanwhile, Rhoda and I showed to the third group how to sew the pillows and key holders by cutting at first the fabric into adequate shapes. By doubling the fabric and closing it along its fabric edge until there was just left a little gap the children didn?t need long to sew their individual shapes for their pillows or key holders. I really enjoyed the creative atmosphere, everyone preoccupied with his own creation and it was amazing to see all these diverse shapes of hearts, diamonds, and circles.
Finally, we joined the first group to use the plastic pieces which they had divided by cutting in order to put them in the pillows and key holders until they appeared properly filled. Then the children closed their creations with a few pinholings to then appreciate their work which may be very useful for times inside and outside of school! I am really grateful that the team of GAYO shared this wonderful experience of such a creative co-working for a cleaner and healthier environment. I am sure that this kind of classes will inspire a lot more children to fight against environmental pollution by waste. |
