My STEP Signature Project gave me the opportunity to participate in the Engineering Service Learning trip to Ghana, Africa. This program is focused on implementing sustainable projects for an undeveloped community in Ghana. My focus was working to better the conditions of a village water site. We got to choose these projects based off the needs of the villagers, OSU partners with.

Going off little information, originally, we were going to cover their local borehole used for water collection and implement a manual hand pump. After seeing the site and listening to the community members we created more than we ever imagined. We built the borehole up (~3 feet) with concrete, trenched the standing, contaminated water away from the collection site, and created a concrete platform around the borehole as well. We also created three access points of water with valves, a poly tank, and our pump. Now the water inside the borehole and poly tank is free from the standing, contaminated water around it, bacteria from the villager’s buckets used when collection water, and flood water during the rainy season.

With little background knowledge, I had the misconception that African countries are poor so they must be helpless, struggling, and therefore unhappy. I was completely mistaken. I met the happiest, most loving individuals while in Ghana. I aspire to have the kind loving spirit they do. You’ll walk down a hallway in the U.S., say a simple hello to the stranger heading in the opposite direction and not receive a response or even a glance in your direction. In Ghana, everyone says hi and really wants to know how you’re doing. They’re also sure to shake your hand firm and snap their fingers at the end (their traditional handshake). Holding hands is apart of Ghanaian culture so often you’ll see men hand and hand conversing. Muslims and Christians live and work together without the slightest indication. I just wish our tone of life was more like theirs and it was so apparent once I was back in the states.

The most memorable interactions I had while in Ghana were that with he children in the village where we were working, where the collection site was. The children would come running and follow us to our site as soon as we arrived everyday. They’d sit and play around us the entire time we were there. They tried to teach us some Twi and wanted to be involved as much as possible. The children often giggled with us when we tried to communicate with them, as are accent is so foreign to them.

A community member, teacher, and Christian pastor, Moses is someone I’ll never forget. He was so kind and caring and spoke great English, so he was of much help. He translated for us and gave us his honest opinion when others didn’t want to offend us because we were there to help them. But we wanted to be of the most benefit, as our project was for them not us, so receiving their criticism and learning from them was vital. He asked each of us about our lives and shared some about his. His dream is to come to America and bring his family here. He’d jump at any opportunity to. Moses has a wife, three kids and only brings home $300 a month. He told us that he is broke halfway through the month. He has so little, but is so vibrant, loving individual I’ve probably ever met.

Ghanaians are so handy and hard working. While us aspiring engineers were trying to figure out a solution they were already solving it with what they had at hand. It’s amazing what they can accomplish given some of the conditions. I hope I’m taking away some of their strength and having much more appreciation for everything I have and the opportunities presented to me because they’d kill to have the resources we do.

This experience really made me realize just how lucky I am. We hear people say how lucky we are to live in America, but I didn’t quite understand that until I went to Ghana. Not having easy access to living necessities such a clean water is mind bobbling. We take so much for granted and can be ungrateful. I saw and met the happiest individuals while in Ghana when they have so much less than me.

This experience really opened my eyes to just how much you can learn from other people and new places. It rooted a deeper desire love people and to try to understand where they’re standing. To be open to try the things that make their culture different and is apart of their everyday life. It sparked a desire to learn, get out and try, travel, and immerse myself. We’re all so similar but what makes us different is so interesting and beautiful.

My trip to Ghana was very rewarding. It was incredible to see how happy the villagers and government members were with our work and resources provided. It really made me realize that I want to do something where I’m able to use my resources and skills as a future engineer to help others and better their life.