Grand Opening Pictures

About 120 people attended the grand opening ceremony, and we rented canopies to protect everyone from the hot sun. There was a nice breeze during the early part of the day, so it was remarkably cool in the shade. The two pictures directly above and directly below were taken before we got started, so you can see some of our students in purple and white uniforms playing and others napping. Overall, the children were very well-behaved.






























Our ceremony began in full after the Chief of Dalun (second seated person from left, in yellow smock) arrived.















When the Chief started approaching the gathering from his palace, a group of musicians marked his arrival with drumming. As the Chief came closer, they briefly knelt before him and then got up to resume drumming. Drumming is often used to honor the presence of chiefs at official events in northern Ghana.















A group of aides to the district imam offered a prayer in support of the school and community. Throughout Ghana, many events - and sometimes even routine meetings - include a prayer. In the South, it will typically be a Christian prayer, whereas in the North it will usually be a Muslim prayer - unless the organization happens to be predominantly Christian.















Later, Fatawu and I gave short speeches (I'm in the picture on the right, with a translator from a local radio station). I usually enjoy public speaking, and this occasion was especially exciting since it marked the tangible opening of something we'd been working on for so long. We felt an added sense of seriousness since we were addressing not only community and district leaders, but also the parents of the children we'd be teaching. We emphasized that their involvement in their children's learning would be crucial to our success.















On the lighter side, we also had some great dancing! On the left, Habib, our Project Manager, is burning up the dance floor. The Chief even complimented him on his abilities.















At the end of the event, we welcomed everyone inside one of the classrooms.















Once inside, Fatawu (second from right) showed the Chief, the coordinator of a local NGO called the Ghanaian Danish Community Program, and others a sampling of our school supplies. The chief seemed impressed with the books, and many others commented that they liked the map of the world.















The map of the world was Fatawu's idea, and it will be an especially useful tool when we teach the children about different parts of the world. We want to instill a sense in our students from a young age that the world is a large and diverse place and that with enough hard work they can become global leaders when they grow up.















The day after the opening, Fatawu (far left), Habib (far right), my dad (second from right), and I (second from left) met with the Chief (middle). We talked about how the committee he was forming would support Titagya and broader issues concerning the growth of the project. The Chief thanked all of us several times and said that our bringing new schools and resources to Dalun was helping him to fulfill his responsibilities to educate his village. He also offered to make my dad a sub-chief the next time he comes, in recognition of my dad's continued support for Titagya.















Lastly, a picture of the three co-founders of Titagya Schools, Habib, Fatawu, and I. Before taking this one, we were talking about how amazing it was that the finished school was once just an idea being discussed by email and long-distance phone calls. Now it's built and backed by the resources of an incorporated organization and many dedicated individuals (you!) who are focused on creating more such schools throughout northern Ghana.

This is just the beginning.