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We just recently finished a trip to Obodan, Ghana in order to help improve the brooder house and continue working on the training center started earlier.
Below is a detailed description of all of the projects completed this past trip to Ghana.
The first project of OSUDEC was to build a training center and construction began in 2004. Unfortunately, Bill Dickerson passed away shortly thereafter and the building was unable to be completed because he had been the primary source of financial support. This project
involved designing the unfinished structure, the roof, and assessing the previously completed foundation and walls to ensure that this building will be able to serve the village for many generations. The hope is that this building will be a catalyst for the village, serving many needs for the village,
from providing housing for Peace Corps volunteers to a center for education. The center will serve as a place for people to meet and learn about how to do their vocations better, in order to improve the overall quality of life in the village.
The brooder house that we designed and built in June 2006 had not generated the income or number of chickens that our EWB team and Dr. Akunz had projected. When we handed over the poultry house to the village their council of elders designated one of the village members
to manage all aspects of running the poultry house, from purchasing and selling chickens to feeding and raising them. We believe that the poultry house has not met expectations because a viable business plan was not created. The village member managing it has not had formal
training or past experience in small business management and he has been unable to create the amount of positive cash flow that was expected. The team investigated the problems encountered to date, and created an easy to understand business plan. While in country, the team was also able to make
improvements to the building and worked with the community to select a new person to manage the brooder house after receiving the appropriate training. This person is currently serving as an apprentice at a nearby brooder house.
If you have any questions about these projects or would like more information, feel free to contact the EWB-RHIT presidents,
Alex Morelli, or Ryan Oliver.
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