Scott Davis Anderson

The capacity to make beautiful wooden batik stamps has been built, and now the students have begun making these stamps to order for a number of interested customers. A big thanks goes out to Henning Lemcke, a German volunteer who came to the school for a visit and demonstrated the technique to myself and some of the carpenters in the Vocational Department.

In the following video, one of the vocational carpenters Richard, uses a fret saw to carve one of 37 stamps commissioned by a fellow Peace Corps Volunteer Emily Kernen. The batik stamps depict various yoga poses and turned out beautifully. The stamps have excited a number of prospective future customers, as Richard has now perfected making these stamps and is now taking custom orders.

The following video shows three of my students from the Vocational Department at the Volta School for the Deaf as they demonstrate processes associated with Kente Weaving.

1. Bless winds thread on to a shuttle.
2. Tetteh prepares the warp.
3. Forgive demonstrates the weaving process.

(Hohoe, Ghana)  The following video documents students from the Volta School for the Deaf using a webcam for the first time.  The students from the vocational department were practicing video conferencing in preparation for using their newly installed internet at the school.  The students are now able to broadcast their talents to the rest of the world. Broadcasts are forthcoming.

I had a fantastic time visiting home between August 5th and September 15th.  I took a 30 day leave from Peace Corps and tacked on another 10 days of vacation to spend some time with friends and family in the U.S.  I have extended my service in Ghana with the Peace Corps for another year and with renewed energy plan to continue working towards our joint mission to help provide sustainable livelihoods for members of the deaf community.

The efforts of all who have supported this mission have become more and more visible.  At the Volta School for the Deaf, the total number of computers in our newly established ICT Center has grown to 12 with plans to expand further.  While I was home a new friend of mine by the name of Ron Foster gave me the idea to “bring the world to these students.”  With Rons assistance, one of the largest Telecom companies in Ghana visited our school just last week to run a DSL line that will carry a broadband connection that will help our teaching staff better educate the students at the Volta School for the Deaf.  For all those that know me well, you must know that my mind is spinning with ideas of how to use this new resource.  I am excited to have my students show off their abilities via YouTube, utilize Wikipedia, and develop a larger visual database.  A virtual tour using Google maps is something that some may take for granted.  I feel lucky that I will be there to see the eager eyes and smiles of bewilderment as my students begin guided exploration of the world around them.  Along with thanking Mr. Foster for his assistance with this particular project, I would also like to thank him for teaching me about Agape Love.  Thank you Ron.

In the Hohoe community, we have opened a retail store.  We are calling the store Our Talking Hands.  The store is being managed by Promise Mensah, who is learning to run the store using QuickBooks on the stores new laptop.  The store was rented for 2 years by Promises mother Anne Mensah.  The entire Mensah family has been wonderful supporters of both myself and the students at the Volta School for the Deaf.

The Volta School for the Deaf has been getting national attention as of late, because this past week I was awarded the National Best Teachers Award for being the best foreign volunteer.  I was given the opportunity to meet with the President of Ghana, John Atta Mills at his Castle in OSU.  I shared the experience with 53 teachers from all across Ghana.  The experience was a once in a life time honor.  I followed in the footsteps of two excellent Peace Corps Volunteers who won the award in 2010 and 2009, Arianna King and Stephen Riutta.  I was bestowed gifts and had my picture on the cover of the national newspaper “The Daily Graphic.”  I have yet to arrive back at my school from the celebrations, but I am excited to head back to home.  We have big dreams ahead of us.  I will ride home tomorrow thinking of those eyes that are eager to see the world.  The anticipation is killing me.

Thanks again to all who have supported us.  The Massie family, Marilyn, Anne, Patricia, Riverside United Methodist Church, Mom, Dad, family, and of course all of your friends.  All of my friends that keep in touch and help me get out of my head every now and again.  Thank you all.