TWEAPEASE, Ghana — Mornings in this small cocoa-farming community of roughly 65 families begins with the sound of bamboo brooms sweeping red clay, while a minister recites prayers over a loudspeaker.
Last month, Stefan Ewers awoke before dawn, peering outside his host family’s residence. The deputy director of CARE International Germany is the grandson of farmers himself. Ewers had experienced rural life many times before, but never rural Ghana. “I’m really excited to work in the field,” he told Devex.
Ewers visited Ghana as part of the Exposure and Dialogue Programme, a weeklong leaders training that connects senior-level German aid workers, government officials, members of the private sector, aid recipients and senior officials in developing countries. The program begins with a visit to a rural cocoa-growing community, where topics such as wealth and social justice play out in real time. Following the “exposure” visit, participants offer feedback to local aid, government and private sector representatives.
About the author
Christin Roby@robyreports
Christin Roby worked as the West Africa Correspondent for Devex, covering global development trends, health, technology, and policy. Before relocating to West Africa, Christin spent several years working in local newsrooms and earned her master of science in videography and global affairs reporting from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Her informed insight into the region stems from her diverse coverage of more than a dozen African nations.
