Hand in Hand in Hand in Hand

Nestled in the Nkoranza district, on the outskirts of the region's namesake, is a magical little piece of goodness and light called Hand in Hand. Technically, it consists of an orphanage and school for mentally challenged children, but it tends to feel more like home to a rather impressive and unique family. The best part is that they are perfectly happy to share their home, their gifts, and their music with you. After reading about it in the Bradt guide, we weren't sure we wanted to extend our northern adventure to fit it in, and if we're honest, there was some degree of apprehension about what we might be getting ourselves "into." As with most of the great experiences of our lives (not the least of which was a small move to Ghana), everything is scary...at first.

When we arrived we were greeted by Charity, the camp hostess, who showed us to what would quickly become our home away from home. It turned out to be a stone cottage with a screened in porch, surrounded by dramatic, rocky outcroppings, with a long view of the lush, green valley in which Hand in Hand is situated. Needless to say, our little home "had us at hello" and within a very short time we were talking about staying longer. It felt like the sort of thing you might find in cottage country in Canada, or in the Lake District of England. The guest houses are set back from the main housing, and guests are free to get as involved with the life of the community as they are comfortable with. It was wonderful to see our children's willingness to be "involved" grow as our stay progressed.

This place is all about caring for children who are exceptional and neglected. Many of their stories are not unlike the old one about the baby being dropped off in a basket outside the church. A number of them have literally been rescued from death as there is a great deal of superstition around those with disabilities. They are commonly referred to as "water children" and are thought to be the offspring of water spirits and mothers and many are abandoned. Hand in Hand has done a great deal to dispel this and so rather than being left by rivers to be reclaimed by the water spirits, some of the children are brought to Hand in Hand. In the defense of the mothers who do so, there is little or no support for the parents of these children whose needs are great and everyone in a typical village family must do there part--there are no extra hands.

And how did it begin? The same way it continues to exist: with people who can do more, choosing to do more. The real hero at present is Dr. Ineke Bosman (though in true heroic fashion, she will undoubtedly renounce the title), who is the remaining founder from the camp's conception in the early nineties. The land was donated by the local chief and he continues to be supportive of the mission. We were lucky enough to see his drummers and dancers the first night, along with community superstars Kofi the drummer and Bright the dancer. By the second night (we did extend our stay after all) we were up dancing with the children and caregivers at the nightly celebration. I really hit it off with Bob (Ineke's partner, a board member and the financial director), who delivered poetry to me one morning (signed copies of Lorna Crozier no less!) and had a real passion for film and literature. He was generous and sincere and reminded me of what I want to be when I grow up. He was as unlikely a find as Hand in Hand itself, and it was truly a break from the city in every possible way.

If you want to make a difference in the lives of Ghanaian children, this would be a good place to start. I give you my word that this is a legitimate and credible organization, and the only ones getting wealthy from this venture are the children, who are some of the best cared for I have seen in Ghana. For more information about Hand in Hand, to book in for a night (and more likely two!), or to learn more about making a financial adoption, visit:

http://www.operationhandinhand.nl/engels.htm