mushrooms...

 

I have always loved the part of Hope for Life that involves getting to know the members, discussing directly with them about their goals and dreams and then working with them to determine how best to go about achieving these goals.

In the past we were very fortunate to have some donors who made it possible for us to assist with orthopaedic surgeries, mobility devices, education, vocational training, business boosts, etc. But things change – some supporting organizations are no longer in Ghana, or simply no longer in existence, some private donors are no longer in the position to help, or are simply no longer around…add to that the time since I’ve been away, and it’s as though we’re starting fresh with this. 

In the long run for Hope for Life, it is also not realistic or helpful to depend only upon outside donors. When I was here from 2009 – 2011, we started going around to local businesses one day per week with letters asking for support in cash or in-kind. After following up time and again, we had some minimal tangible success: once we were given what felt like a lifetime supply of toilet paper; other times we were given some support in basic provisions. So, no complaints and it was a good experience. Businesses began to recognize Hope for Life’s name. And, just as importantly, the HFL members who were with me were the ones who presented HFL to the people in charge. I was only the key that opened the door to get us into the CEO (or whoever the contact person was) since, as an able-bodied foreigner, I wasn’t seen as a beggar. It was an opportunity for the HFL members to be treated on equal footing with some powerful people, to learn to speak with confidence and to use their voices without fear.

That was years ago, though, and those contacts and connections are no longer in place. There are also fewer and fewer international organizations providing assistance. So, over the past few months, we have been brainstorming income-generating options. Two have stood out, and the easiest and most promising to begin with at this time, since basic structures are already in place, is mushroom cultivation. (The other, a group workshop setting for PWDs who are skilled in tailoring, shoemaking, etc., will hopefully come about in the future.) Over 10 years ago, another NGO proposed and began a mushroom cultivation project focused on training about 30 HFL members per year and then setting them up with start-up support and follow-up visits. After a few months, though, that NGO faced some difficulties, and, unfortunately, the start-up support for the trainees never played out, and the trainings came to a halt as the NGO drifted away.

pre-renovation grow house, with managing team: George (HFL President), me and Fanny (HFL Admninistrator)

 

But there is a market for mushrooms. The basic structure of the grow house is still standing, but in need of some renovation. A few basic supplies needed to be acquired, and a project written out. 

 

George, with 1/4 of the mushroom-growing substrate

Fortunately, even before sending the project proposal out, we received a donation that helped us with the initial stages and we got the mushroom project off the ground. We are now in the beginning of our first harvest cycle and are trying to find our market. All the signs give us hope.

opening the mushroom growing substrate, top to bottom: Christy, grow house manager; Geoffrey, marketer and distributer; George, HFL president and part of management team

 

Christy, first days of watering

Mushroom Queen, Geoffrey, Christy, me, George

first un-official harvest - mushrooms that were growing before their bags were opened...delicious sauce that night

There are a few primary and ongoing goals for this project: to generate funds to help HFL support people with disabilities to achieve their dreams; to provide employment for some PWDs; and in a year’s time, to start training a few HFL members each grow cycle, and then, post-training, assist them in starting up small-scale mushroom cultivation efforts of their own, facilitating their efforts to be productive members of their families and communities.

part of today's harvest