This morning I had the privilege of video chatting via Skype with Auntie Renee Neblitt, the founder and director of the Kokrobitey Institute, where I will be having my internship and living for the next three months. We went over some of the duties that I will have during my time there, as well as some basic supplies that are harder to find in Ghana that I can purchase in the US and bring with me. We had been trying to coordinate a time to video chat for a little while, but it can be difficult with the four hour time difference and busy schedules!
Speaking of my internship duties, I figured it's about time I give you a description of the program I will be helping out with. Here is the description given to me by the institute when I was invited:
"The Design Center of the Kokrobitey Institute has developed a new product, the Ghana School Bag (gSB). The project is an educational, environmental sustainability and job creation opportunity. The goal is to provide jobs for unskilled young people by launching a sustainable green company. The project will build capacity by training local youth in basic sewing skills.
The training will target low-income youth ages 17 to 26 and focus on recycling and design. It will be distinguished by its training curriculum. A curriculum focused on building basic competency skills, which are essential in today’s modern work place: good communication (asking and answering questions), time management, problem solving, categorizing and team building skills.
At the end of the three-month training all successful participants will be guaranteed a job in the company producing the first set of bags. The production and donation of the bags to Ghanaian school children will be sponsored by Ghanaian businesses committed to bringing the culture of recycling and waste management to Ghana’s youth.So, as a design intern I will be assisting with the Ghana School Bag project. I am still not sure as to what my day to day responsibilities will be, but I will certainly learn what they are in a short time!
The training model will serve the long-term growth of the company by allowing the trainees to progress to management and run their own decentralized production units.
This decentralized production model allows for the bags to be sewn at home or venues away from the central production area of the Kokrobitey Institute. A unit consists of 5 machines. The manager will collect kits from the Institute, consisting of the materials and parts needed to assemble the bag. The completed bags are then returned to the Institute for distribution.
An ambitious trainee can oversee as many units as they are able. Two units make a company. The head quarters at the Institute is called the Adinkra Hene. Two units or more make a company. The manager of two or more units can name their company after the Adinkra symbol of their choice.
The emphasis of the gSB initiative will focus attention on the country of Ghana. Providing Ghana’s school children with an well designed, durable, Ghana-made school bag brings the world of environmental sustainability, recycling, waste management, creativity and social entrepreneurship to the Ghanaian population."
On another random note, I picked up my anti-malaria meds from the pharmacy today (note: wal-mart's pharmacy has really great prices when it comes to generics!). I will be taking doxycycline, a daily antibiotic. I will start taking it the day before I leave, and continue to take it for a month after I return. This is definitely the biggest pill bottle i've ever gotten!
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