get involved Donate

Tag Archive: Accra

  1. Do you know your Ghanaian name?

    6 Comments

    Last week I finally learned what my Ghanaian name is.  In Ghana there exists a tradition where ethnic groups base the first name of their newborn on the day of the week in which their child was born.   This tradition has widely spread throughout Ghana and West Africa and the majority of Ghanaians have part of their name taken from this tradition. An example that everyone would know is of ex Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan.  Born on a Friday, he was given the first name of Kofi.

    Interestingly, it has taken me 4 weeks of living in Ghana to finally figure out what day of the week I was born on.  This is surprising being that 75% of locals I have met here have inevitably asked me what my Ghanaian name was within minutes of meeting me.

    After some Internet investigations, I learned that February, 5th 1981 fell on a Thursday.  In terms of my Ghanaian name, I am called “Yaa”(pronounced “yeah”).  Being that there are limited choices for a person’s Ghanaian name, additional names are often added for originality. Sometimes the additional name might have to do with what number child you are in a line of siblings.  Other times, friends or family might unofficially add a term of endearment to your Ghanaian name.  On that note, the incredible women of EWEC have recently deemed me “Nana-Yaa” which translates to Queen Thursday.  Initially, I was unsure about being called Queen Thursday, particularly due to the “queen” part.  But I’ve since been assured that this is a good name and has nothing to do with staff members perceiving my behavior to be queen-like!  My new name has taken off with ease and I’ve found it brings big smiles to everyone’s face.

    Being given my name was a reminder that as with any new situation, it takes time to grow and cultivate a relationship.   Respect can come slowly and requires hard work on both ends of a relationship.  It wasn’t until my coworkers warmly gave me a Ghanaian name that I realized I’m slowly becoming a true member of the EWEC team.  Similarly, as a young organization trying to build a network of businesswomen, EWEC is also learning how to best cultivate long lasting relationships with Ghanaian businesswomen.   Through mentorship, leadership and training EWEC is slowly building upon its relationship with each member. And while this process is slow going and requires a great commitment from both EWEC and its members, ultimately, a common goal is shared by everyone:  To provide meaningful change in the lives of women and their families by creating independent and financially stable businesswomen.  I’m proud to be a part of such a great organization.

    For those of you who are interested in what your Ghanaian name is, I’ve included the below information from Wikipedia for you.  Enjoy!

    First figure out what day of the week you were born: http://www.fi.edu/time/Journey/OnceUponATime/dayofweekbirth.htm

    Males
    Monday: Kojo, Kwadwo, Jojo, Cudjoe
    Tuesday: Kwabena, Ebo, Kobena, Kobina, Kobby
    Wednesday: Kwaku, Kweku
    Thursday: Yaw, Ekow, Yao, Yokow
    Friday: Kofi, Fiifi, Yoofi
    Saturday: Kwame, Ato, Atoapem, Kwamena, Kwami
    Sunday: Kwasi, Akwasi, Kwesi

    Females
    Monday: Adwoa, Adzo, Ajoba, Ejo, Adjoa
    Tuesday: Abena, Abla, Araba, Abina
    Wednesday: Akua, Akuba,
    Thursday: Yaa, Aba, Yaaba, Yaayaa
    Friday: Afua, Afi, Afia, Efie, Efua
    Saturday: Ama, Amma, Awo
    Sunday: Akosua, Esi, Kisi

    Characteristics of Each Day

    Monday’s child is the father or mother in the family; nurturing in nature, dependable and organized, and protective of his/her family.

    Tuesday’s child is the problem solver and planner of the family. They are structured in nature, neutral in all matters and never takes sides.

    Wednesday’s child is fully in control of every situation, does not want to be told what to do, knows it all, is spontaneous, vibrant and cordial. Be sure not to cross his or her path though…

    Thursday’s child is quiet in nature and incredibly observant. They are generally listeners, not talkers, and analyzes situations very well.

    Friday’s child is a leader, not a follower. He/she is very temperamental but has a big heart. Generally the instigator of everything.

    Saturday’s child likes to take control of family situations. He/she runs the show and make the rules, but will go out of his/her way for others anytime.

    Sunday’s child is the passive, sensitive and warm member of the family. He/she tends to be shy and likes to keep to his/her self, but is very aware of his/her surroundings and usually is the secret keeper of the family.

  2. “Ghana Time” and Eagle Women

    2 Comments

    Like Ghanaian clockwork, the meeting started very late. “Ghana Time” is a concept that has taken me some getting used to.  Whether you’re going to a social event, an appointment to get your hair cut, or a very important business meeting, inevitably things will start later than anticipated.  Much, much later.  I’ve had several weeks to consider why exactly this is the case and while some of it can be attributed to a relaxed Ghanaian culture, a large part of it is due to unpredictable weather in a developing city that battles unreliable public transportation, bad roads and heavy traffic.

    On Thursday evening of last week, Accra experienced very heavy rains that persisted throughout the night and into the day on Friday.  With a city largely webbed together with dirt roads and a lack of efficient drainage systems, this can mean travel that is slow going and at times impassable. It can also mean long and uncomfortable Tro Tro rides met with muddy walks and more rain.  Particularly in a country where people greatly pride themselves on their crisp attire and spotless appearance, traveling a few miles in the rain might appear daunting.   What is remarkable about days like this, however, is the people who bare the weather, mud, and long journeys to arrive at their appointment, albeit often late, looking sharp and ready to go.

    And so on Friday evening of last week, I had the great pleasure of meeting some of Eagle Women Empowerment Club’s most committed members.   Coming from as far as eight hours away and bravely traversing the elements in dresses and heels, approximately 30 proud Eagle Women members gathered together at The Hotel Wangara for one of EWEC’s quarterly meetings.  Set in a small conference room with chairs, a podium and projector, we discussed EWEC’s previous activities, introduced several new programs (me being one of them!) and conducted a brief informational session on taxation and an EWEC Rewards Card.

    I was able to introduce to the group the Vital Voice’s Baseline Survey and member profiling that I’ll be starting later this week.   I received a very warm reception from members and am excited to get into the field to better understand their backgrounds, struggles and successes.  There is certainly a diverse mix of Eagle Women, however one thing is very clear.  All of these women are strong, independent women who have conquered a great deal to be where they are today (weather issues aside!).   I look forward to learning from each of them over the next few weeks.

    Thanks for reading.

  3. The Arrival

    Leave a Comment

    Accra welcomed me with some very thick, warm air on Sunday afternoon, May 31st.  While I had been mentally prepared for the heat, my body still experienced a minor panic as my hub Manager, Bridget, met me at Kotoka International Airport and led me out to her car.  Within minutes I could feel the sweat on my forehead and upper lip collecting.   Exhausted and confused about exactly what time it was for me, I was thankful to be taken under Bridget’s wing that evening.  She fed me a delicious home cooked Ghanaian meal and delivered me to my hotel.  I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.

    My first day of work began bright and early the following morning at 6:30am.  Accra is notoriously horrendous for its traffic, so morning commute starts early.  Traveling a mere few miles can take well over an hour during the heart of traffic hour.  I was lucky enough to commute with Bridget during my first week of work and I accompanied her to the EWEC office on my first morning in Accra.

    EWEC’s office is set along the eastern side of Accra in a fairly quiet neighborhood called Labadi.  Upon initial inspection, the neighborhood appears a bit sparse, with large open spaces connected primarily by dirt roads.  A closer look, however, reveals a great deal of growth and development taking place in the neighborhood.  I would not be surprised to find the area bustling in just a few years.   As I sit here and type this, actually, I hear numerous hammers pounding away in the near distance.   In general, I’ve noticed a great deal of development taking place throughout Accra and it is great to see the economic growth the city is experiencing.

    Founded in 2008, EWEC is a young organization with a full time staff of 5 people.   Currently sharing the two story office space of Eagle Productions Limited (staff of 24) until sufficient resources are available for their own office, the work environment is busy, committed and friendly.   I’ve noticed an eagerness from everyone on the EWEC staff to learn from the knowledge I have to offer and I’m excited to share some of my experiences with them.  I’ve also realized that I have a great deal to learn about business in Ghana!

    Over all, my first week has been exhausting, fascinating, confusing and wonderful.  I’ve received such a warm welcome from Ghana, my new co-workers, and in particular, EWEC’s hub manager, Bridget.  It has been a great first week and I’ll be updating often as I dive into work with EWEC.

    Thanks for reading and see you soon!

    Bridget, EWEC's hub manager, shares lunch with me

    EWEC/Eagle Productions Limited Office

    EWEC staff member, Mercy, poses for a picture.