In 2016, in addition to transport for GSPCA mentors to visit schools, small stipends for Humane Education teachers, and photocopying of Humane Education Manuals, AKI's donors supported 2 field trips for students who completed the Ghana SPCA Humane Ed program.
They say a picture is worth 1000 words, and thanks to Aluizah Amasaba Abdul-Yakeen (GSPCA Humane Education Specialist and Photojournalist), we have some beautiful pictures of the AKI-supported field trips. So in this AKI Blog Post, we'll keep the words to a minimum and let the pictures speak.
Both field trips were on Saturdays, so no students missed classes.
The first field trip, for students from Amrahia AdMA Basic Schools and Trust Academy, was to Village Pets and Gardens located in a suburb of Kampala, Dzowulo. (COST: Bus hire (two buses ) US$422.00; stipend for 3 Humane Education teachers $50; refreshments for 90 children $213; total for this field trip=US$686 (100% covered by AKI donors)).
Although the students graduate from GSPCA's HE Program, they may never have seen wildlife, and at home, most never see animals treated kindly. Check out the students' faces--you'll see how exhilarating their 1st introduction to animals--as feeling individuals--is, and you'll understand that these field trips can have life changing effects.
In the 2 pictures above, the students are holding a little fuzzy puppy-yes that's a real dog! While most of us disagree with breeding dogs, in Ghana, you just never see dogs like this and most people (adults and children) are so frightened of dogs. Holding a fuzzy puppy like this one can spark an interest in dogs and can start kids on the road to caring about all dogs, including the typical Ghanaian "village" dogs (they're not fuzzy lapdogs!).
[My 1st experience with dogs was my Airedale, Candy, bought from a breeder (pet shops and breeders were the only places to "adopt" dogs back then). And that started me on this lifelong animal welfare/rescue road.]
Pictures below show the students during their visit to the Village Pets and Gardens.
The students say thank you and goodbye (2 photos below).
The 2nd Ghana SPCA-sponsored, AKI donor-funded field trip was to Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary in Volta Region, about 9 hours by bus from Accra. This is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Ghana. It's taboo to harm the mona monkeys at the sanctuary, so the monkeys aren't afraid and won't harm people.
For this trip of a lifetime for 35 students from Kwabenya 4 & 5 Primary School and Trust Academy, the cost was: bus hire US$314; meals & refreshments $475 (included breakfast, lunch, drinks); stipend for 3 Humane Education teachers $50; total for this field trip= US$839 (100% covered by AKI donors). That cost is certainly worth these faces (see pictures of the trip below). The 1st 2 pictures are of David and Aluizah with mona monkeys.
If you think these are cool, please check out our youtube videos of both field trips, filmed by Aluizah: https://www.youtube.com/user/AnimalsInternational
(You can find us on youtube at AnimalsInternational or go to the AKI website and click on the youtube icon, which you'll see at the top of every page.)
In 2017, can Ghana SPCA top these successful and fun field trips? They're hoping, that with AKI funding, they'll be supporting more field trips, can continue to fund Humane Education classes, and also, a poor community approached David to hold a rabies vaccination clinic there. We hope to be able to support the GSPCA's 2017 wishes!