February 2026 Trip to Ghana

The February Ghana trip again proved to worthwhile and as always, challenging.  We managed to check out all the safe water boreholes we had done the previous two years and other projects.  The water boreholes were doing their job in supplying the much needed safe water where needed. A couple of dry season projects were suffering because of the severe lack of rain fall. Alongside that was seeing and witnessing the daily hardship and difficulties that many people continue to face every day, just to survive. 

In the world we live today torn by war and political division it seems the task to ‘help’ gets harder, when deciding where to start. I think for all the Trustees of Ghana Outlook (GO) the hardest thing was knowing that some of things we saw and subsequent requests for help did not come within the scope of the charity and whilst not telling the people that directly, knowing it was always difficult to walk away from.  

The trips into the bush were long days over many miles of tracks and it showed us all the lengths that our NGO partner, SAC go to, in identifying worthwhile projects such as the much need boreholes for the remote communities we visited. Rain in the area we were focused had not fallen for 7 months  leaving communities in peril. Deep river beds had long been dry. Digging deep sump holes into the river bed everyday was not unusual. The sump hole scold be dangerously deep and ready for collapse, the women digging for water were attacked by Bees with venomous painful stings who were also looking for water. in the night animals would collapse the sump hole and the next day bit would have to be dug out again, every day. Relentless digging and stinging for the very limited supply of water to keep the family and equally important the live stock alive. 

We were told that no such dry season had been known before and the real concern is that this will become the norm. They may be isolated, but they know the climate is changing, and that worries them very much, not only for water, but growing of food also.

Their land is where they are and has been for many years, other land belongs do different communities and tribes and moving is not an option, and full of difficulties. Much like us moving into your neighbours garden and building a house and growing crops in their garden.

It was obvious that from what we were told, that because of the remoteness of these communities there was little in the way of any support. Access to these areas were arduous, and it clear to see how difficult it was for the drilling machines to get there.

In all the communities we we had provided boreholes, our welcome was heartfelt with the community expressing their sincere thanks to GO and those who funded the boreholes. This was done in the usual way with thanks from the chief and village elders, but more profound was the thanks given to us by the children. 

I think we were all taken aback when one lady passionately expressed her gratitude in a way I had not heard before. She mention her time no longer spent on looking for water not fit to drink, but which they had to, the overall improvement in health and no more skin disease's and risk of snakes bites etc, but she also said, speaking for all the women that for the first time for many years she felt clean and not dirty. The clean pure water that she drew from the borehole cleansed body and soul her completely. She felt, like all the women did that they had their dignity back. She was no more shamed of her menstruation periods. 

I and the other trustees had never thought of water giving this simple but vitally important ingredient back into their lives. It was quite powerful for us to hear that.  

Each visit ended with presenting us with a gift, either guinea fowl or a Goat. Some would be eaten the nest day as Ruby had killed and cooked them for our travel picnic the previous evening. 

We left North Ghana with more projects and work to do. 

In Accra we rested before visiting the Orthopaedic Centre where GO and Rotary has had past involvement. We also managed to see the mother who has a paraplegic child. What an amazing person she is. Her child was is now 17 years old and she has been looking after him in the most difficult of circumstances, Constantly kicked out of rented accommodation because of the 'evil spirt’ within her child.  A generous person gave her a small piece of land and she on her own built a house. Thanks to the OTC who help to care for her child during the day, she managed to start her own small business, making and selling home made jewellery. OTC asked GO if it could help and we were able to get funds to help provide a water supply and electric to the home. At the end of her day she picks up Stephen and takes him home. She has to turn Stephen over every hour of every night. His smile was infectious and her determination inspiring. 

We held productive meetings with PRSD and the Accra Airport Rotary Club, resulting in collaborative future plans aimed at making a meaningful impact. Our next significant challenge for GO is to partner with both organisations to secure a Rotary Global Grant—an ambitious undertaking, as it’s the first for our club. While this represents a considerable challenge, the potential benefits make the effort worthwhile.

Regardless of the outcome of the grant application, GO remains committed to its core aims and objectives: providing essential life necessities to those in need. Our dedication to this cause continues, and this recent visit clearly show us that this work is not done. Climatic changes bring new challenges to the table along with illegal mining that disrupts communities  water sources. 

Rtn Richard Galliford