Frustration

June 24 2009
Today I am angry. I was excited to go to Cape Coast today. When we were about to leave at 8, there was a huge storm. We waited it out. It lasted 40 minutes. When we left for school, we saw trees that had been uprooted by the side of the road. But we attended school anyway...
Many of the Cape Coast teachers did not. I showed up in my classroom ready to do the art project I had planned, and there were 30 kids waiting, unsupervised. I started the project anyway. I can't tell you how difficult it is to try and communicated to 30 deaf 6-8 year-olds who cannot read. I felt powerless. The teacher next door gave me a box of crayons. I brought pencils, paper, sharpeners, erasers, and a few colored pencils. It wasn't enough. They ripped each other apart to get their colors. Finally I asked the teacher next door to please come in and sign directions. The kids were calm for a few minutes until other kids from other classes whose teachers also didn't show up came into my class. So I was teaching 35-40 kids by myself.
A little girl vomited on the floor and they swept it out with a broom and a little water.
A little boy was sobbing and a teacher came by, popped his head in to say hi and smiled. When I asked him to come help me, he left. I went into the next classroom and sitting conversing were 3 teachers with a classroom of 10. Really?
The teachers don't care about their kids. Not at all. They put on a show when visitors arrive (like the Kipharts) and then we are left with the reality of it all. We (Lea, Esther, and I) have all been doing art projects with the kids. The headmistress has no interest in seeing it. It rains and teachers decide to bail on the day. It was more upsetting to me than seeing the malnourished baby clinic. At least they were being treated and cared for. At Cape Deaf, students who nobody cares about are doomed. Education is supposed to be a ticket out of poverty. Where is that opportunity for these kids? I am so sad for them. They are so young, away from their parents, disabled and uncared for. It breaks my heart.
I know I'm not supposed to point fingers, place blame, or pass judgment. It's just so difficult not to be able to trace all these problems to a single fix. This is Africa. Nothing is easy. The government is corrupt (side note: a police woman tried to bribe us in Kumasi). Teachers only make 500 dollars a month so they lack motivation. There is no internet in the schools so they can't communicate outside their school. There isn't enough food. Basic needs aren't being met. The government doesn't give them enough funding. They are given no freedom of creativity. Kids are completely neglected. Where do we start first? Clearly basic needs to be met, but how do we even do that? Where is the funding?
Africa is one of those places you read about, feel badly for, send condolences or maybe a check, but really have no grasp on until you are here. It's impossible to describe this place in one word. Impossible. I've been frustrated and angry, but at the end of the day, I'm just really sad for these kids.