Ghana Goodwill Trip 2009

In Feburary 2009, Emma Deakin, instructor of Chesterfield Tae Kwon-Do took part in a PUMA organised goodwill visit to Ghana.

Master Gayle and Master Ogborne took a group of students to Ghana for a goodwill trip in February 2009. They took part in the West Africa Tournament. The team also helped to showcase some traditional Tae Kwon-Do as well as some modern aspects such as Musical Patterns, Bo Staff and Nunchaku demonstrations.

The students who taking part were Mr David Pixton, Mr Philip Whitlock, Miss Emma Deakin, Miss Stacey
Weatherer, Mr Brett Dowling, Miss Jenny Francis, Miss Natalie McColl, Mr Richard Harze and Mr Josh Veitch.

February 14^th 2009. Excited, yet slightly apprehensive, the team meet at Heathrow Airport

From the bright lights and shiny surfaces of Heathrow airport we left for Ghana; 8 hours later we landed in the somewhat contrasting, mainly wooden, 1940’s style airport in Accra, the countries capital.

It was almost midnight when we clambered aboard an old Sherpa van (smaller than your average 7 seater). Nine of us and our luggage, for an hour’s journey across roads that shook you teeth loose! To say we were a little squashed, hot and bothered was an understatement! The rest followed in a 4 seater taxi, in the same, tightly packed style. A method of travel we would become familiar with during our stay.

Mr Pixton and Mr Whitlock were the first to rise in the morning to stretch away the journey, followed shortly by the juniors and ladies. Master Gayle and Master Ogbourne came down to enjoy breakfast but soon set about the admin and organisation of the trip....do these guys ever stop?!

Later that morning, Mohammed Mahandi joined us for a quick brief and explanation of our mission in Ghana. We were soon to learn that when greeted by Ghanaian’s, they ask ‘what your mission is’. Over the next few days we were to meet the top 5 Chiefs (Kings) of various tribes, to ask for their blessing for Taekwon-do to flourish in Ghana, and to allow us to participate in the all important competition (Ghana vs. the UK) and launch of Taekwon-do.

For the remainder of the day we were happy to train in the scorching sunshine and chill around the hotel. We quickly realised that Ghana has a very ‘laid back’ culture. No need for watches! We ate lunch and evening meal at the hotel restaurant, where nothing was too much to ask....even though it did take an hour plus each time we ordered.

The next day we travelled around Accra. Taking in the sights alone was an amazing and an eye-opening experience, we really don’t know how fortunate we are, but words cannot describe what it was like to meet the Chiefs of Ghana.

Each Chief we met was different in many ways, from how you greeted them, to the places they lived and the clothes they wore. There was extremely strict protocol for meeting each one and I am convinced that the discipline and respect that Taekwon-do teaches prevented any potentially embarrassing incident! Despite this, each Chief greeted us with open arms and were excited and backed our mission in Ghana. They were particularly amazed that our team was made up of ladies and juniors and all Chiefs pledged to make every effort to attend the tournament.

A very long day and very long waits, apparently, the longer a chief keeps you waiting, the more important the meeting (we must have been very important!).

On the way back, we stopped for a fast food snack Ghana style- fresh coconuts, on the side of the road!

They were very refreshing and the knifeman ship of the stall holders was something to behold.

Soon came the competition, viewed by a whole host of dignitaries including; the Police High Commissioner, the Chiefs we had met the day before, the British High Commissioner and a representative of the President of Ghana.

To begin the proceedings, the Ghana National Anthem was played, which was to be followed by the English Anthem. However, ‘God Save Our Queen’ did not play due to a technical hitch. The microphone was passed to Miss Deakin (Ladies Captain), who, rightly so, handed it to Mr Pixton (Male Captain), who in true Taekwon-do style, handed it to Master Gayle and Master Ogbourne! Without further delay, Master Gayle and Master Ogbourne, with PUMA UK as backing singers, proudly sang the National Anthem- by the way, this was being televised throughout Ghana for a prime-time, 40 minute TV slot! I am pretty sure this will be shown on many Blackbelt presentation evenings for years to come.

For the results of the competition, please see the competitors, I am sure they will all say the same thing- Taekwon-do won.

The schedule for the last few days of the trip initially included a trip to meet the President of Ghana and a visit to the ‘Tree of Life’, the largest tree in Africa. However, on the plane journey to Ghana, Master Ogbourne had sat next to a gentleman who was travelling to Ghana to stay with his wife doing voluntary work in an orphanage and he had asked whether the team would be prepared to go and do a demonstration for the orphans. Although we would have liked to have done both, with limited time we could only do one, our pleasure or the Orphans? It didn’t take long to choose!

I am not even going to try and put into word the emotions of being at the orphanage, watching the team perform demonstrations in the hot, midday African sun, in front of very fascinated and excited orphans.

The team stayed and played with the children, nobody wanted to leave. They were over the moon for us to be there and keen to practice some Taekwon-do moves. A simple gift, of a rubber wrist band made their week!

Nothing and no amount of writing can describe the event, but I don’t think anyone left dry-eyed. How could so many of these adorable orphans (60-70%) have Typhoid, TB, Malaria or be HIV positive?

Since our visit, Mohammed our host, has arranged for a couple of his team to go into the Orphanage on a regular basis to teach and instruct Taekwon-do. Something that would never have been done before.

If this article seems short, it is because emotion still runs deep and I’m welling up again. Please, if you want to know more about the Ghana trip ask any of the team that were there. They did Taekwon-do proud, their country proud and themselves proud.

Watching Master Gayle and Master Ogbourne for a full week, in a very close environment (sometimes very close...transport!), it became very apparent that they do not just live and teach the tenants of Taekwon-do, THEY ARE THE TENANTS OF TAEKWON-DO.

If anyone has any doubt about the reason Master Gayle has a running project in Ghana, find the photographs that are very soon to be on the PUMA website. The work that PUMA has done there is second to none. Please don’t get fed up when you see fund raising at PUMA events for the Ghana project, as everyone who was there will tell you, every penny really will change a life.

I think I can safely say, without being over dramatic, it really was a life changing experience for all that went, and it will be for the PUMA members that maybe fortunate to go in the future.