4 Weeks in Ghana - Our Intern Julia Shares Her Experiences

A Journey Full of Encounters and Impressions
In this blog, I want to tell you about my eventful time in Ghana. Originally, my goal was to immerse myself in Ghanaian culture and visit Buy Food with Plastic Ghana on site. But this trip was much more than just a visit – it touched my heart and broadened my understanding of the world.
Right at the beginning, I had the opportunity to meet the Buy Food with Plastic team, wonderful people who welcomed me warmly and took me everywhere in their daily lives. I tried delicious Ghanaian dishes right in their home, attended Sunday church service, went to the local hairdresser, had custom-made clothes made for me, and visited local schools. However, the absolute highlight was the Buy Food with Plastic Community Event in Abeyee, where we were able to provide 322 people with a warm meal – paid for with 20 plastic bottles each. The deep gratitude of the people touched me greatly and left me with a sense of fulfillment. Through our appearance in Abeyee, one could feel the immense appreciation of the community that a lively event was finally taking place.

School Visit
Another special moment was the visit to the public school. The children not only wore their uniforms with pride, but also had bright smiles on their faces. The lessons were different from what I had known before: The teacher spoke, the students repeated in unison, and whoever answered a question correctly received enthusiastic applause from the entire class. Although English is the official language of instruction, "Fante," the local dialect, is often spoken – which unfortunately leads to the fact that not all children can speak and understand English equally well. Although state schools are generally free, the families have to pay for the school uniforms themselves, which cost about 200 cedis (approximately 10 CHF). Unfortunately, not everyone can afford this, which is why the school management often turns a blind eye.

A 3-Hour Beach Clean-up
A particularly impressive experience was the 3-hour beach clean-up, where together with many children we collected a total of 1,953 PET bottles and 2,053 plastic sachets. The children were full of energy, and the longer we collected, the more they helped us. But after everything was counted and the full plastic bags were on their way to the factory, a boy who had helped me for 3 hours dropped an empty water sachet directly at his feet. I was stunned. How could he do exactly the same thing after three hours of collecting? I was disappointed, because I thought that with this work we could raise awareness among those involved and educate them about the problem. But apparently, little had stuck. But then I asked myself: "What else is he supposed to do, where else was he supposed to dispose of the sachet?"
Because in Ghana I did not see a single public trash can.
In Ghana, people burn their trash right in front of their homes. Why should he take the waste home with him when it is easier to dispose of it on the beach or on the street? Even if he will pick up his own plastic from the beach again next week.
This experience taught me to question actions before judging them. There is still a long and stumbling road until sustainable waste disposal becomes a matter of course in Ghana. There is an urgent lack of the necessary infrastructure – trash cans, bins, and a functioning recycling system, but also knowledge among the population.

A Visit to the Elmina Slum
Particularly moving was the visit to the Elmina slum, where around 2,000 people live in extremely cramped conditions. There is no running water, only small, stone-walled cabins where you wash yourself with a bucket of water from the well. The toilet? The large dump right next door also serves as a playground for the children and a resting place for the goats, chickens, and dogs. The strong smell of dried fish, fire, and excrement in temperatures over 30 degrees was very intense. Although I would have preferred to leave the slum immediately and I thought it was unimaginable to be able to live here, it was hard to understand that this is the everyday life and home of these friendly and cheerful people. This thought deeply affected me and made me think. This day has enormously changed my attitude and gratitude for everything I can do and has shaped me.

Memories for Life
Ghana has taught me an incredible amount. I have made new friendships, felt the harsh reality of poverty, suffering, and hunger. Although I know that I did everything in my power, I still feel small given the fact that I was unfortunately only able to improve the lives of these people for a very short time.
It was an intense adventure with all its facets.

I thank the entire team of Buy Food with Plastic Ghana for their warm hospitality, their open and welcoming manner. A big thank you also to Anna, Khalil, and the entire Buy Food with Plastic team for the trust and appreciation you all gave me during my internship. To see what we enable in Ghana, Nicaragua, and India to sustainably and long-term combat the plastic problem and hunger, and thus improve the living standards of the population, is indescribable.

Medasse, Julia