The Project Begins!

Blog post by Isabelle Nugent, a summer 2015 fellow

So much to do, but so much has been done! We are only a few days in on our project, but already I can see my ideas take shape, becoming more physical rather than existing just as possibility.

After meeting Iddi, Alhassan, and Akua over Skype last Friday, I was incredibly excited to actually start working one-on-one with our partners through our projects. For the first few weeks, I’m collaborating with Akua to research and create a project surrounding  the  Simili Radio Station in Dalun.

When I found out that Akua would be my partner for the radio project, I was relieved (although Iddi and Alhassan also seem wonderful!) because I was envisioning a radio segment on gender issues and feminism in Northern Ghana and I wanted a woman’s perspective. I was really impressed by the radio program created by last year’s fellows when they were in the ground in Dalun, as they generated a fascinating a platform for a cross-cultural dialogue on race.

One notable falling of the program (which was recognized by the fellows) was the lack of women’s voices as the majority of the callers were men. I’m hoping that by purposing the question, “What’s the difference between a man and a woman?” with Akua, we can break down the prejudice behind gender roles and encourage women to call in and share their experiences.

Already, we have collected a plenty of research as Akua gathered valuable information about the history and significance of Simili Radio to the community while I studied both modern and historical gender inequalities in Ghana. I am hoping to find interesting sociological ideas on gender to add to the discussion and then begin to type up drafts for our program by early next week.

For now, I’m eager to see where this discussion goes! I’m jealous that I won’t be able to be in the station myself, but I can’t wait to see what ideas and stories come out of a gender dialouge on Simili. For now, I’ll continue my research and my collaboration with Akua until our project comes to life.

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Thinking Together — a Summer Action Research Fellowship in Northern Ghana and Pennsylvania, USA