[su_tabs][su_tab title=”Ghana Project & Aid Distribution Trip“]Our chairman Molana Ebrahim Patel, our projects coordinator Molana Sameer Ismail and a volunteer are in Ghana. They will be overseeing all our projects in the country. They will also be carrying out a distribution of aid in northern Ghana.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5
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I Have Never Seen Anyone Drink Water That Dirty (Day 4) – 08 March 2015
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Its been a very long day today and Alhamdolillah a productive day.
We woke up at 4.30 am and read Fajr salaah. We were meant to leave the hotel at 5:00 am but the driver came late, so we used the extra time to plan the day further. We set off for an area called Gushego at approximately 6:30 am. On the way to Gushego me and brother Saleh worked on the SSP projects and the numbers that needed to be distributed.
About 20 minutes before we reached Gushego we saw a very large dam in an area called Karaga (aprox 82 km from Tamaleh). We saw young children walking and filling their buckets to take the water back home. We asked a few people about the water and they said that they are forced to come to the dam as the pipe lines to their homes only come on a few times a month, even that just for a few hours. In Karaga the people that can afford it pay 1.5 cedes for someone on a donkey cart to bring them a large drum of water. Some people pay 2 cedes for someone on a rickshaw to bring them water.
We eventually arrived in Gushego (approx 108km from Tamaleh). We first went to the police station as brother Ibrahim had agreed with them that he will inform them when we arrive. We then went to the school where the widows had gathered. We were welcomed by the chief of the village. Molana Ebrahim gave a brief talk, and we arranged with the locals that we will InshaAllah be back on Tuesday to make the distribution. We also had the chance to view a dried out dam in the town of Gushego. The locals here have access to approx 3 boreholes but the water it produces is not the best. In Gushego I was advised there are approx 10 to 13 thousand people that live in this town. They have approximately 20 Masjids.
We then started on a very long journey to Salaga where we intend to do a distribution tomorrow. On the way to Salaga every town we passed we checked to see if we could see a Masjid for Zuhar salaah, but unfortunately we couldn’t see any as they were probably more deeper in the town. In comparison to this we saw a church on the main road of nearly every town. Brother Ibrahim advised us that even if there is 1 Christian in a town they will ensure that a church is built so that 1 Christian can make effort on the rest of the people.
We eventually saw a Masjid in the town of Bimbila (233 km from Tamaleh). It was a town that gave us all much needed hope as there was a very active Muslim community especially the youngsters. While doing wudhu and reading salaah we could hear taleem of fazail Amaal, and also hear muzakarah taking place. After salaah Molana Ebrahim spoke to the locals for approximately 20 minutes.
We continued with our journey to Salaga until we were stopped when we saw little boys carrying a bucket of water in an area called Sagon no 1 (260km from Tamaleh). The water that they had filled up was really muddy. The locals told us they use this water for everything. We found it hard to believe that someone could drink water that dirty, so they actually drank it in front of us to show us. We decided to go to the actual dam where they filled this water. The dam is nearly all dry. I have never seen anyone drink water that dirty. A girl called Abigal advised us that the locals of the surrounding 10 -15 villages have no choice but to use this water as they can’t afford to buy clean water. Molana Ebrahim distributed sweets to the kids in Sagon 1. The kids were very happy. After leaving Sagon 1 we were all in shock and couldn’t believe what we had witnessed. Molana Ebrahim informed brother Ibrahim to send costings etc for a borehole in Sagon 1 ASAP. How can someone have a shower in mud water, it is only going to make them more dirty, unfortunately the locals here are forced to drink it.
We eventually got to Salaga at Magrib time, brother Ibrahim’s friend Al Hasan had cooked us a much needed hot meal. We then sat till approx 10.00 pm finalising a few order details for the SSP project before getting much needed rest.
Sameer Ismail
Projects Coordinator