Arrival in Africa

Life is good, Mark.

We made it!  After 17+ hours of travel, our group of Ghana coaches arrived safely in Accra.  The coaches for Uganda and Malawi scattered during our stop over at Heathrow in the UK– and had many more hours of travel - but our team have settled in Ghana as a group for now.

Africa.  Deep, dark, exotic.  Yes!  But also a land of diversity and many contrasts.  We are stationed in Accra, the capital city of Ghana to get ourselves acclimatized and sorted out.  We are a group of 14: six pairs of two coaches, me, as communications liaison, and Anna Brown who is the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) Program Officer for Africa.  I personally am staying in Accra for a few more days while the Ghana coaches are moving about the country. 

Ghana is a wealthy country by African standards, and Accra is a wealthy city by those same standards.  Envision some of the side streets in downtown Winnipeg, MB, or London, ON and you have the general idea.  There are many cars – traffic is horrendous – and you would recognize many of the brand names – BMW, Mercedes, Hyundai, Toyota, Ford, Kia.  People sell things on the street, on the side of the road and congregate at stop lights and intersections.  These are legitimate businesses, generally selling good quality food and merchandise – don’t think of squeegee-kids or homeless people hawking garage sale cast-offs.  These are Micro-businesses – and it is often credit unions in their role as micro-finance providers that help fund and support them.

Of course there are the ‘sketchy’ areas, and areas of abject poverty in this city, and I don’t pretend to assume that the whole country is like its capital city.  Still, in my very limited experiences and hearing from the coaches stationed throughout Ghana, the picture that we have (often shaped by those ‘world-vision’-type TV commercials) is an incomplete view of this part of Africa.  As I move about the country, I’ll let you know how my vision is changing. But for now, in this vibrant city of Accra, life ain’t too bad.

Ghana coaches are placed in these parts of the country and are each visiting three credit unions – Western (Erin and Elaine); Upper East (Scott and Brian); Northern (Mike and Mary); Eastern (Karen and Craig); Tema (Dennis and Barb); and Brong Ahafo (Anthony and Fintan).  Over the next days, I’ll try to share some of their stories with you and link you to their blogs.

I’ll talk with you soon,

Mark

Mark Ventry welcomes you to the Africa 2012 Coaching Blog

Twenty-two credit union professionals from nine provinces are busily preparing for their Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) coaching assignments in Ghana, Malawi and Uganda. After training and briefing in Ottawa January 17-20, they head off to Africa, arriving on January 21.

Actually, 23 people will be part of this mission. 22 coaches and me.  Unlike those two teams of eleven, who will provide hands-on coaching and mentorship to credit union members and staff, I will be providing communications support for the entire group (before during and after their time in Africa). I’ll be travelling throughout Ghana during our two-week stay (unfortunately I will not be visiting Malawi and Uganda), throwing light on those I'm travelling with, highlighting the coaches and credit unions I meet, and describing my experiences in this very exciting, very exotic country.

The On Co-op team cut a celebratory cake during the official Canadian launch of the International Year of Co-operatives on Thursday, January 12, 2012.  Ontario celebrations were held in Guelph, with events taking place at City Hall and The Co-operators head office. Left to right: Audrey Aczel, Mark Ventry, Barry Hannah (Board Chair), Kerr Smith, Julia Buchan, Peter Cameron, Jennifer Ross.

This mission is especially important to me as it takes place during the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives. The theme of the International Year is, “co-operative enterprises build a better world” and the team will be seeing that – and literally helping to make that happen – while in Africa. Over the next few weeks, you’ll learn more about the mission, the credit unions we’re visiting, the coaching teams and me. I expect that the themes of building a better world and strengthening communities will flow through many of my blog postings and those of our coaches throughout our stay.

I will be contributing regularly to this blog -- hopefully daily if my schedule and technology permit.  I think you find it entertaining, informative and thought-provoking.  Whenever possible, I will link to the coaches’ blogs or at least summarize some of their comments in this space so you can learn about their experiences, too. This will be my first time in Africa (and my first time accompanying a coaching mission) so you’ll be learning about the country, its people and the good work that local credit unions do at exactly the same time I will.

In ‘real life’ I am the Co-op Community Manager for the Ontario Co-operative Association, based in Guelph, Ontario. On Co-op is one of the country’s provincial co-operative organizations, and has a mission to lead, cultivate and connect Ontario’s 1300 co-ops.  We are a small and energetic team, and work hard to support Ontario’s existing co-ops and help create a landscape that is favourable to the creation and expansion of co-operative business enterprises. My role at On Co-op includes marketing and communication, so taking part in this coaching assignment is a good fit. 

We all are embarking on an incredible adventure that starts in just a few days.  I’m glad you’re coming along, and I look forward to spending time with you over the next few weeks!

Talk to you soon.

Mark