Background:

The Dalun Simli Centre is one strand in a network of resources provided and maintained by the Ghana Developing Communities Association (GDCA). GDCA works with a number of NGOs that foster community-based leadership and engages the community through literacy programs, artisan workshops, relevant social justice issues and informative segments at their radio station. The Simili Centre is the training/workshop site and contains hostels for foreign and local guests.

For more information, please go to: http://gdcaghana.org/

Project(s):

Interns worked extensively with the Simli Centre staff on projects that focused on cultural learning and exchanges. Projects included working with the incredible, all-women kitchen staff who supported the Dagbani lessons by teaching more Dagbani vocabulary while guiding interns to cook delicious traditional meals.  One intern took it upon herself to create a project in which she put together a volume of Dagbani lessons for interns in the future. Lastly, in celebration of the entire 8-week experience, interns, the young people of Dalun and the Simli Centre staff put on a community-wide talent show at the Simli Centre that showcased talents in poetry, story-telling, riddles, dancing and singing.

I loved getting to know the women [who cooked for us] at the Simli Center. Their kindness and eagerness to help me understand the Dagbani language was exactly the support I needed to venture out of my comfort zone. Their patience was an inspiration to me and led me to pursue my interest in fostering group dynamics through understanding individuals. I learned how important it is when trying to create unity in a group to take the time to understand every individual and the context they are coming from. Just as in a recipe it is important to know how each and every ingredient will bring its own flavor to the dish, it is important to understand the “flavor” of others, where they come from, and how they will contribute to the group dynamic.

~Victoria, Youth Centre Summer 2013 Intern

One of my strongest memories of this summer was joining with the interns for one of their thrice-weekly Dagbani lessons with Sumaila.  They had learned so much!  The dedication of so many to bring us to this moment was beautifully realized in a time of teaching and learning that held mutual respect, curiosity, and openness.  Ami!

~Alice Lesnick, Dalun Community Internships Director