Workation
Door: Yanieke Slump
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Yanieke
19 Augustus 2015 | Ghana, Kumasi
Workation – Before coming to Ghana, I’d never heard of this expression, but now, I know exactly what it means. Waking up with at least 24 degrees outside, walking around in my summer outfit and flipflops all day, buying fresh fruit at the side of the road and working from 9 till 4. This may look like a short workday, however, I have been able to do a lot of work for Clean Team.
Clean Team is a company that is making a real change in Kumasi. With over 1000 toilets being used and an average of 7 users per toilet, 7000 people in Kumasi are provided with a safe sanitation. This also means that their waste is kept off the streets of Kumasi, and brought to the dump, where it should be. One thing that I enjoy most about working for Clean Team is the influence I have on the company. When I have an idea on improving the business, people are very interested and encourage me to develop it even further. Besides their encouragement, Ghanaian people are ‘hands on’ and inspiring in terms of their entrepreneurial spirit: when they have a great idea, they will just start a business and see where it will bring them. Inspired by their way of working I have already created a re-order tool for the cartridges (buckets used to collect the waste), created an outline for an implementation plan for dry toilets, and have designed improvements for the waste collecting site of Clean Team. This week, I will try to get a sample made out of my design and test it at the waste collecting site and I will improve the implementation plan. As you can see from the range of assignments I have done, my job is very dynamic. Therefore, at the end of the day when I am ready to crawl into my bed, I am still glowing from all the experience I have gained.
Besides working for Clean Team, I have also been busy exploring Ghana. And I would not be able to call myself a true ‘Slump’ when I would not try to speak a little Twi, which makes the people here very excited! On one of my first days in Kumasi, I have visited the biggest market in West-Africa. While strolling around, I started wondering whether the only thing for sale were fish heads. After some time I figured out the market was divided in sections, and was able to find other sections besides the fish market. People were intrigued by my presence at the market, as I was the only white women. They pointed at me while saying ‘obroni!’ (white person) and tried to touch my skin. The market, the people, the smell and the colors, everything gave me the true African feel. Apart from the market, I have visited a lake created by a meteor, walked around the city, visited a museum and the cultural center of Kumasi.
Enough with sightseeing, back to work!
Love from Ghana,
Yanieke
Clean Team is a company that is making a real change in Kumasi. With over 1000 toilets being used and an average of 7 users per toilet, 7000 people in Kumasi are provided with a safe sanitation. This also means that their waste is kept off the streets of Kumasi, and brought to the dump, where it should be. One thing that I enjoy most about working for Clean Team is the influence I have on the company. When I have an idea on improving the business, people are very interested and encourage me to develop it even further. Besides their encouragement, Ghanaian people are ‘hands on’ and inspiring in terms of their entrepreneurial spirit: when they have a great idea, they will just start a business and see where it will bring them. Inspired by their way of working I have already created a re-order tool for the cartridges (buckets used to collect the waste), created an outline for an implementation plan for dry toilets, and have designed improvements for the waste collecting site of Clean Team. This week, I will try to get a sample made out of my design and test it at the waste collecting site and I will improve the implementation plan. As you can see from the range of assignments I have done, my job is very dynamic. Therefore, at the end of the day when I am ready to crawl into my bed, I am still glowing from all the experience I have gained.
Besides working for Clean Team, I have also been busy exploring Ghana. And I would not be able to call myself a true ‘Slump’ when I would not try to speak a little Twi, which makes the people here very excited! On one of my first days in Kumasi, I have visited the biggest market in West-Africa. While strolling around, I started wondering whether the only thing for sale were fish heads. After some time I figured out the market was divided in sections, and was able to find other sections besides the fish market. People were intrigued by my presence at the market, as I was the only white women. They pointed at me while saying ‘obroni!’ (white person) and tried to touch my skin. The market, the people, the smell and the colors, everything gave me the true African feel. Apart from the market, I have visited a lake created by a meteor, walked around the city, visited a museum and the cultural center of Kumasi.
Enough with sightseeing, back to work!
Love from Ghana,
Yanieke
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Je kunt nu ook Smileys gebruiken. Via de toolbar, toetsenbord of door eerst : te typen en dan een woord bijvoorbeeld :smiley
