Today, one of our newly recruited Trainers with the Community-Driven Development Department, So Abapa Boateng, shares her experiences since she joined ACA in February 2024. She says the experiences she gathered in her previous workplace are being sharpened and appreciated in multiple folds in ACA.
The email read “You are hired”, my joy was out of this world. I screamed, I jumped, I danced to no song; the excitement was indescribable. “Wow”, I was lost for words. “Finally, Finally,” those were my words when I could speak.
My time with Advocates for Community Alternatives has been very fulfilling and I dare say, it has been worthwhile joining this exciting team of development practitioners.
“Welcome to our new team members, Geoffrey Fummey Horkpe, Bommie Adamu, Joseph Obeng, Ingrid Frempong and So Abapa Boateng” a beautifully written note placed on the wall in the Osino office welcomed the new staff members. It was heartwarming because I was not quite certain on what to expect on my first day in the office, but the team made it so welcoming, it was as though we knew each other for a very long time before we got to the office.
The Director of Community-Driven Development, Nana Ama Nketsia-Quaidoo (Mrs), was so welcoming as she clearly outlined what was expected of us as new staff members.
Osei Nimako, the Project Manager was so excited and did not spare us a minute of laughter and jokes. Francis Manu and George Mpoah were so knowledgeable in their fields, and it made it super easy to understand what ACA does within the various partner communities.
And oh, the time with the Executive Director, Jonathan Kaufman – I loved the chocolates he got for us. We could make our choices; he was ever ready to answer all the questions on our newly recruited minds.
It has been smooth sail for the months I have worked with ACA. I am even more enthused that the organization gives room for innovation and creativity because working with the communities is not cast in stone.
The decision to move out from the Northern region of Ghana where I had practiced community development work since 2008 to Nkoranza in the Bono East region has been very fulfilling. My experiences gathered in Education, Food Security and Livelihood, Entrepreneurship, and Gender, are being sharpened and appreciated in multiple folds in the organization.
The journey with Advocates for Community Alternatives has just begun and I am looking forward to working with communities to attain their development vision one community at a time.
I believe that I can be creative in facilitating communities to attain their development vision and I’m always encouraged by the fun and excitement that go with my community-based work. This spurs me on to do more and always put on my creativity cap. My level of confidence is soaring up higher because the team is always on hand to sharpen the rough the edges, so we get the desired results in the development journey. There are well tailored training tools and manuals to make facilitating trainings, monitoring and evaluating results very detailed and easy.
Even more fulfilling most of the time is the positive feedback from the community meeting I facilitate. “Madam, not only have we learned how to develop a vision for our community, but I have also learned to use that knowledge for myself. I know I must have a vision I am working towards for my life and family, thank you.” A community member expressed his appreciation after a community meeting.
I have no doubt that I am going to make a positive impact on ACA and the communities assigned to me while broadening my horizon further by learning from my colleagues and most of the people I encounter through the performance of my duties.
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