Global Leadership Training Programme in Africa 2015
2014
Activity Report of Field Research

Local Autonomy and Endogenous Development:
The Experience of Informal Associations in Upper East Region, Ghana
Nagoya University
Graduate School of International Development
Education & Human Development Course (D1)
Host University: University for Development Studies (Ghana)
Period: 3. Aug - 26. Dec, 2015
Natsuki Kondo<OUTLINE>
I.

Summary••II.

Research Activity
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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III.

English Summary (1 page)
Japanese Summary (1 page)

Introduction
Study Area
Methodology
Research Findings
Discussion
Conclusion
Acknowledgement
References
Appendix

Reflection to the GLTP in Africa

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I.

Summary•

English Summary

This report was written based on the field work conducted from 3rd, August to 26th, December in 2015. It took
form of studying abroad at the University for Development Studies (UDS) under the supervision by Professor
David Millar. This opportunity was realized through the support by Global Leader Training Program of United
Nations University in Japan.
The UDS was established in 1992 and it is the first and only public university in Northern part of Ghana. At
the UDS, ‘Endogenous Development’ program was founded in the Faculty of integrated development in 2008,
through initiative of Prof. Millar and several other Ghanaian scholars. They have tried to promote the philosophy
and new approach of ‘Endogenous Development’ both in Academic and practical level. They have implemented
many projects in the rural communities in Northern part of Ghana in collaboration with international NGOs. I
was interested in this movement and my initial objective in this program was, therefore, to learn what inphilosophy and approach of ‘Endogenous Development’ in Ghanaian context.
Through field work in Ghana, however, my focus has shifted from the UDS and NGOs to the people living in
the communities. At the beginning, I was regarding the UDS and local NGOs as main actor in ‘Endogenous
Development’ approach. Through readings and the discussion with professors and people in the communities,
however, I learned that people themselves should be regarded as main actor of developmental process of thecommunities, rather than interventionist including UDS or NGOs. The philosophy of endogenous development
claimed that the development process first of all should be found in people’s ongoing life in which they are
constantly changing themselves in reaction to changing environment around them. And people’s own initiative
and autonomous choice is regarded to be the central issue of the process.
Based on this awareness, in the field work, I tried to see the process of social change from people’s point ofview. I selected Gowie community in Bongo district as study area and stayed there and experienced rural life ofpeople. I collected information mainly based on participant observation and interviews. Through the field work,
I found that people are organizing many informal association, which is called as ‘youth association’ bythemselves, for objective of self-help. It was also revealed that the movement of organizing association wasstarted around same period in the region and they have had played significant role in process of social change ofrural communities. Furthermore, along the line I investigated the experience of the associations from historicalpoint of view, it was found that the autonomy, nature and activity of associations have been greatly influenced
by the policy of each regime and also by the relationship with governmental sector.

2日本語要約本報告は、2015 年 8 月 3 日から 12 月 26 日にかけてガーナで実施した現地調査に基づいて執筆されている。現地調査は、国連大学の Global Leadership Training Program (GLTP)による援助によって、現地にある University for Development Studies にて David Millar 先生を現地指導教官として調査を実施する形で実現した。
UDS は 1992 年にガーナ北部で最初の国立大学として設立され、現在に至るまで北部唯一の国立高等教育機関である。2008 年に Millar 先生など一部の教員が旗揚げ役となって UDS の Faculty ofIntegrated Development 内に‘Endogenous Development’のコースが設置され、教員らによって国際 NGOとの連携の下、Endogenous Development Approach を推進する活動が学術面と実践面の両方において進められてきた。その動向に関心を持っていた私が本プログラムに申し込みをした当初の研究課題は、ガーナの文脈における‘Endogenous Development’とはどのようなものか、その理念と実践アプローチを学ぶことであった。
当初私は、‘Endogenous Development’のアクターとして、大学である UDS や NGO を想定していたと言える。しかしその後、現地での新たに得られた視点の為に、私の調査対象は UDS や NGO からコミュニティの人々へと変更を迫られることとなった。現地で文献を読んだり、教員らと議論の機会を持つなどの学習を通して、私は ‘Endogenous Development’のプロセスの中心的アクターはそこに生きる人々自身であり、外部からの介入者である UDS や NGO はそこに参加するに過ぎない、という考えを学んだ。人々は変化し続ける環境に対応しながら、自らもまた生活の中で変化し続けている。
‘Endogenous Development’のプロセスとはそうした生活と切り離された形で外部から持ち込まれる単発のプロジェクトとしてあるのではなく、何よりもまず人々のそうした生活の変遷の長期的な過程であり、外部からの介入者はそのプロセスに参加し、援助するに過ぎないと見なす視点であった。
上記のような視点の転換を経て、私は村でのフィールドワークを通して、社会変化のプロセスを人々の目線から捉えることを目指した。インタビューや参与観察を主とし、村で人々と共に生活しながら調査を行った。その過程で、コミュニティの人々が自発的に Informal な自助グループである
Youth association を組織してきたこと、そうした組織が人々の問題解決の中心的役割を担ってきたことが浮き彫りとなった。さらに、このような Youth association を組織する動きは、ある歴史的時点で地域全体に起こっていたことが分かってきた。また、そうしたグループがそのように起こり、どのような活動を行ってきたかという歴詩的変遷に焦点を当てて調査を進めるうち、そうしたグループの自律的活動の性質や内容が、政策の変化やその時々の政権との関係性から大きな影響を受けて変化してきたことが見えてきた。
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II.

Research Activity

1. Introduction
History or process of ‘Development’ has tend to been explained by the state- oriented perspective. This study,on the other hand, tried to see the social process from people’s point of view by examining the historicalexperiences of people in the rural communities in Upper East Region, Ghana.
Throughout 1970s, people in rural communities in the region were suffering with severe poverty under
unstable military regime. At that time, people in rural communities were excluded from decision making process
about development and were regarded as mere ‘receiver’ of intervention. Since late 1970s, however, numerous
informal associations were organized by people and have played active role in social, political and economic
process of the country. By organizing themselves, they made appeal of their presence as actor who can also takedecision and responsibility about development of their own environment, with the aid of other stakeholders.
It is believed that shedding light on initiative of people and describing them as main actor of creation of‘history’ will be empowerment toward autonomy of grass-root movement.

2. Study Area
2.1 General Overview of the Upper East Region
The Upper East Region is located in the north-eastern corner of the country, between longitude 00 and 10
West and latitudes 100 30”N and 110N. (Map 1).
Map1. Upper East Region

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The population of the Region is 1,046,545, which is 4.2% of the national population. About eighty percent of
the economically active population engages in agriculture. Currently, Upper East Region has 3 municipality
including capital town, Bolgatanga, and 13 districts.
The Upper East Region is the second poorest country while there is wide variation in the level of poverty
across district within the region. The highest incidence of poverty observed in Builsa South District (84.4%)
followed by Bawku West (68.1%), Bongo (67.4%) and Nabdam (63.0%). Kassena Nankana West District(13.1%) has the lowest poverty incidence in the region.
2.2 Bolgatanga Municipal and Bongo District
I implemented myfield work especially in Bongo district and Bolgatanga municipality in Upper East region.

・ Bolgatanga Municipality
Bolgatanga Municipality has total population of 131,550 and the district’s share of the regional population is
12.6 percent. Although urbanization is fact catching up with the area, the rural population still account foraround 50 percent of the population. Agricultural households constitute 59.8 percent of households.
The traditional system of governance revolves around the chief while ‘Tindaana’ is the custodian of lands in thearea. Tindanas are literally the land owners and are responsible for pacifying the gods in times of adversity. They
also make sacrifices on behalf of the chiefs.

・ Bongo District
The district has a total population of 84,545 and the district’s share of the regional population is 8.08 percent.
About 93.9 percent of the population of the district is classified as rural and 6.1persent urban. About 95.7
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percent of the households in the district are engaged in agricultural activities. The Bongo District Assembly wascreated in 1988 with introduction of District Assembly system.
The traditional authority of the district resides in the paramount chief known as Bonaba with 11 divisional
chiefs and 31 sub-chiefs who support the Bonaba in the administration. There are also Tindaanas who hail from
Zorko in Brukina faso.

3. Methodology
Followings are the techniques and approach I employed to collect data during the field work.

・Gate keeper and key informant
Having gate keeper or key informant (Whyte, 1995) is one of most critical issues which affect all aboutsampling strategy. There are many difficulties for outsider to conduct research only by herself. For example, if I
was not with someone who come from the area, the person may have suspicious toward me and never open his
mind to me. Also, it is difficult for me to know who will be ‘right’ person to ask about certain issues.

・Participatory Observation
In the field, to get general picture of people’s situation and life style, I tried to make myself to be the part ofthe environment. I participated to lively food activity including farming, cooking, weaving and fetching waterfrom borehole. Living in the area was also important to make schedule flexible. Since farming job is affected bymany factors including whether, it is difficult for people to fix the time for me. It was necessary to make myself
always ready to start interview whenever people think that they can make time for me.

・Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA)
Transect work & Community map
In the first and second day of community enter, I have done observatory walks with informant. After walking,we drew map together and put important elements and natural resources such as sacred groves, farm, Dam,forest, valley and also structures such as school, clinic, library, bar, houses and community center. During thefield work, when I got new stories or information through interview, I often referred this map and I added
objects on the map.
Time trend diagram
I used this technique combined with interview. When interviewee accounted something about historicalchange, I asked person to draw the picture of the issue at different points in time. While this technique is usuallyused for pictorial representation of landscape of area, I used this in form of cognitive map to help interviewee toeffectively show his perspective on the issue.

・Interviews
Interview was conducted both individual and groups, structural and non-structural and formal and informal.
Some of most important information were gained in informal conversation in the livelihood activities rather thanformally designed interview. Since I am not a speaker of local language (Frafra), I got several interpreters from6

the community. The technique I used in early stage of field work was ‘Life-History Approach’ (Sakurai, 2002).
This approach was introduced to let people share their own history from their point of view and it helped me tocapture general picture of history of the community. Along the line, as my research interest come to focus on
specific theme, I started to ask people to account for specific events.

・Documentary Search
Apart from collecting data through field survey, I also combined documentary search to understand thecommon experience and historical background of what I hear from people individually. It was needed tocompensate information since rural people seldom keep written records and had to rely on their memories in
exploring their experience. I mainly searched academic paper and statistics. The places I visited were Ghana
Statistical Service, radio station, public library and library of public universities.

4. Research Findings
4.1 Previous study about ‘Youth Associations’ in Ghana
According to Lentz (1995), since mid-1970s in northern Ghana, numerous associations have been founded bypeople which call themselves ‘Youth Associations’ or ‘Youth and Development Associations’. Lentz (1995)
explained that the term ‘youth’ used in those informal youth associations in rural communities generally implies
no age limit on members and it is rather a socio-political category. Those associations combine the forms oforganization and types of function of ‘voluntary associations’ with ascribed membership based on origin in aparticular territory or ethnic affiliation. According to their own rules, youth associations aim to further the ‘unity’and ‘understanding’ of the members among themselves and to contribute to the cultural, social and economic‘development’ of the community (Lentz, 1995). The associations tried to pursue this goal by mobilizing thepeople for the objective of ‘self-help’.
From literature review, it was also found that in spite of significant role of those associations played, they
have been paid very limited attention by researchers and nature and meaning of the movement have never been
examined well.
4.2 Findings from Field Survey
In Upper East Region, the movement of organizing youth association started in late 1970s, relatively late thanother regions. By that time, those organizations or associations were already very active especially in southernpart of the country. When youth from Upper East went to south for job or schooling, they saw people insouthern area organizing themselves to gain greater benefit there. They brought the idea back to theircommunities in Upper East and also started organizing people.
It was also found in the field survey that youth associations in the region have cultural continuity fromtraditional farming groups. In the rural communities in the region, people have culture to do farming in the group.
These groups are divided into ‘age mates’ with different kind of jobs. Age mates are not a group only forfarming but also ‘colleagues’ who always stay together, chat and exchange ideas. When idea of association has
brought it was formed based on those existed age groups.

・ Influence of Political Transition

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The time ‘youth association’ became active in Upper East Region is corresponded with the period of Ghana’s
political transition. Throughout the 1970s, economy of Ghana had undergone a comprehensive and pervasive
decline under unstable military rule. It was inherited also under the rule of new civilian regime of Dr. Hilla
Limann and People’s National Party (PNP), which came in power in 1979.
On 31st December, 1981, Jerry John Rawlings, leader of Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC)
overthrew the Limann-PNP government and seized power, then established the Provisional National Defence
Council (PNDC) regime. For Rawlings, the objective was ‘ to establish alternative non-bourgeois politicalinstitution that would link the State to civil society, and facilitate the incorporation of the masses in theprevailing power structure’ (Boadi et al. 1993, pp100).
Under PNDC, many institution for mass mobilization was formed. Rawlings built Democratic Youth Leagueof Ghana (DYLG) which is volunteer institution consisted by ordinary people in rural communities under
governmental youth department. People’s Defence Committees and Worker’s Defence Committees (PDCs andWDCs) were also set up at community and workplaces. Later, DYLG, PDCs were replaced by another similar
institution called CDRs which was established in1884. Rawlings aimed to locate these institutions as:‘[…] the democratic bedrock of the new people’s power that the Revolution is building... organs throughwhich the oppressed must organize and educate themselves and mobilize the people to destroy oppressive
power relations and institutions’Lentz (1995) evaluates that the attitude of the PNDC government towards youth associations has been flexible,
not to say ambivalent, because of that that the self-help philosophy of the associations was quite close to thegovernment’s populist concept of grass-roots democracy and the principle of self-reliance. Actually, manymembers of youth association in rural communities also joined these groups and engaged in communal works.
According to Ninsin (1993), however, the role of CDRs as agents of mass mobilization started to be deemphasized by 1985 and ‘District Assemblies’ system was introduced instead in 1988 as part of decentralization
policy. In 1992, PNDC became constitutional government.
These changes in policies for moss mobilization have greatly influenced on nature and activities of informal
associations in rural communities.

・ Experience of Gowie Youth Association
In this section, I would like to introduce the experience of Youth Association in Gowie Community. Gowie
community is one of communities in Bongo district.
How it started
First youth association in the community was founded in 1980 in this communities. It was the period ofradical change of society, and founding member of first youth associations were the first group of people whostarted going to school around this area. These new experiences of schooling and working in the southern cities
were different from what their fathers have experienced and it made youth to start thinking differently from thetraditional values. One of members commented:‘This is my family, I only help my family to grow. I won’t help any outsider to grow because you don’t
belong to.’ That was notion people had. ... It was limited to clan development rather than social development,inter-clan development, which bring people in same community together.’Through organizing youth association, people in the community started to came together and did a lot ofcommunal projects: constructing the road, community meetings, building clinic and corporative farming. Apart8

from this, in 1982, 1983, people in Guwie community claimed to the commercial farmers, who had dominatedthe irrigation area around the Dam, to give the land back to people. Getting the support from District secretary,
they gain the land back and build communal rice farm.
Influence of Revolution on YouthThe evolution led by Rawlings absorbed the initiative of youth who wanted change. One of members said:‘It was whole of change in the societies ... not only in Gowie but in Ghanaian society. You had your bossin the office, your boss is not doing something right, you are labor or technical officer, don’t have right toquestion (at that time). But revolution turned whole things out.’
Encouraged by revolution, youth became more active. Fighting for irrigation farm was one of those activities
and they also made claim to government for their right to get drinking water. One member commented how
revolution mentally influenced on them:‘For so many years, this community had no water. They pump the water here, and send it to Bolga andpeople in Bolga was drinking it. So during the revolution time, we questioned. It opened some of our mind toquestion some of things whether it was rational, so revolution taught us how to question... We started thinking
about it, question ourselves. Is it that don’t we also need to drink this water? [sic]’
Ironic result of ‘decentralization’?: decline of autonomy
On the other hand, although Assembly System introduced in 1988 was intended to strengthen such power ofgrass root people, it was heard from people that ‘what intended to be wasn’t work on so’ and now ‘structure is
there just by name.’ One of member said that changes in the political structure influenced on people’s mentality
negatively:‘Me as a person, I have seen that the thing is rather lying down. People are now waiting for government
to bring resources put up project for them. Unlike those days people that themselves understand themselves,
mobilizing themselves. ... People are now looking up to the assembly men, to bring them water and all those
things. But those days, people don’t look up anybody.’
Although revolution was welcomed by local people and had active involvement of them, after a period of time,
based on the field survey, it seems that ‘autonomy’ and ‘subjectivity’ of people were rather declined in thegradual process of decentralization.
5. Discussion
It can be said that by organizing themselves into association, they started making appeal of their presense tooutside and came into arena of negotiation with other stakeholders. Through interview, however, is was also
heard that such spirit of self-help has declined compared to before. During the revolution time, youth were
working closely with governmental sector in community development. However, people are perceiving that in
the process of decentralization, they rather came to be excluded from decision making process again. It meansthat the nature and activities of civil movement can be greatly influenced by the political situation of the time.
Therefore, it will be rewarding to analyze nature and autonomy of association from historical point of view inrelationship with wider social and political situation. To examine how relationship with the state/ government
influenced on ‘Subjectivity’ and ‘Autonomy’ of people and to find out the factors or elements of encouragementand discouraged will be what to do in the future.
96. Conclusion
In the rural community in the Upper East Region, movement of bringing people inside the communities
together by organizing youth associations started around 1980. By doing so, they claim their interests, makeappeal of their presence as actor of process of community development. Revolution absorbed the initiative andmade it bigger movement of fight for making change in the environment by themselves.
What I have head through the interview with people suggested that although revolution succeeded to haveactive involvement of them into political process, after a period of time, it seems that ‘autonomy’ of people
rather declined in the gradual process of decentralization. If it is true, the process and factor which brought suchironical result should be the objective of future study.

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•Acknowledgement

I would like to start my acknowledgement by showing my gratitude and deep respect to the people incommunities I stayed. Their words with full of wisdom led me to start looking at their initiative and autonomy inthe experiences of youth associations. Especially, my warm thanks go to Mr. Aniah and his families. I am
looking forward to go back and continue learning many things from them.
I would like to express my special thanks to my local supervisor, Professor David Millar. When I was
struggling with many new things I encountered, he always gave me insightful advices and encouraged me tokeep developing my interest. I could not done this field work without his warm support and sincere guidance. I
would also like to thank to other professors in Millar institute, especially Dr. Akanburi and Dr. Azure for theirconstructive comments and warm encouragement.
I am sincerely grateful to support of Dr. Gordana Kranjac Berisavljevic and other teachers and staffs at the
UDS. She and her staff assisted me from preparation and during the stay, and arranged great opportunity to do
the final presentation at the UDS.
My sincere thanks also goes to professors and staffs in the GLTP program, especially to Professor Osamu
Saito, Ms. Yuki Nakano, Ms. Natsuko Imai for the generous support I received from them.
Although it is difficult to list all the name here, I express my warm thanks to my many local friends. I always
received encouragement from them.
Finally, I express special thanks to my family and my precious. Their warm support was what sustained methus far.
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References

・ Sakurai, A. (2002). Interview no syakai gaku life history no kikikata Serika Book.
Bryton, L. (1996). Adjusting society: the World Bank, the IMF and Ghana. Tauris Academic Studies.
Carola Lentz, (1995). Unity for Development’ Youth Associations in North-Western Ghana. Africa 65 (3),1995.
Chazan, N. (1976). The manipukation of youth policies in Ghana and the Ivoly Coast.. Geneve-Afrique:acta Africana volume 15, 38-63.
Chazan, N. (1999). Politics and Society in contemporary Africa. Lynne Rienner Publication.
E. Gyimah Boadi (Ed) (1993). GHANA Under PNDC Rule. CODESRIA BOOK SERIES.
Ghana Statistical Service (2010). Population & Housing Census District Analytical Report.
Long, N.(1984). Creating space for change: a perspective on the sociology of development. Sociologia
Ruralis 3/4. pp168-184.
Long, N.(1989). Encounters at the interface: a perspective on social discontinuities in rural development.
Sociologische studies 27, Wageningen Agricultural University. The Netherlands. P1-10; 221-245.
Mascarehas, J. (2001) Participatory Rural Appraisal and Participaory Learning methods: recent experiencesfrom Myrada and South India. RRA Note, Issue 13, 26-32, IIED London.
Millar, D. (2008). FOOTPRINTS IN THE MUD Re-constructing the diversities in rural people’s learning processes.
doctoral dissertation.
Millar, D. (1992). Understanding Rural People’s knowledge and its implication for intervention: ‘From the
Roots to The Branches’. master thesis.
Millar, D. Agnes A., Apusigah. (eds.) (2008). Endogenous Development in Africa Towards a
Systematisation of Experiences COMPAS.
Millar,D. (2008). Endogenous Development in Africa –Towards a Systematisation of Experiences.
COMPAS.
P.A.Twumasi. (2001). Social Research in Rural Communities. Ghana University Press.
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Randford, E. Van, Gyampo. (2012). The Youth and Political Ideology in Ghanaian Politics: The Case of the
Fourth Republic. Africa Development Vol.XXXV , No.2, 137-165.
Whyte,W.F. (1955). Street Corner Society (2nd ed.) University of Chicago Press.
Wunsch, J. (2001). Decentralization, local governance and ‘recentralization’ In Africa. Public
Administration and Department.
Welton, M. (ed.)(1987). Knowledge for he people: The struggle for Adult Learning in English-speaking
Canada: 1828-1973. OISE Press, Toronto.

Ⅱ•

Appendix

・ Map1. Upper East Region

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III.

Reflection to the GLTP in AfricaoMotivation to participate in the GLTP

Before I got know about GLTP program, I was looking for assistance to go to Ghana for my fieldsurvey. Since I was in the first year of doctoral journey, I wanted to spend longer time in the fieldand determine my research theme carefully.
While there are many founding programs for oversea research and also many scholarshipprogram for studying abroad, former seldom to have linkage with local university and latter tend
to limited only for getting degree in foreign universities. This program, different from others,
combined both advantages of oversea field work and studying abroad. It was also lucky for methat this program is based on close relationship with local universities so that I could studies
under supervision by Prof. Millar. I had read his paper many times in Japan, so it was the great
opportunity for me to develop my research interest through discussions with him.
oField experiences

The period of my stay in Ghana can be divided mainly into two stages. First stage was study at campus andmodification of research proposal. Second stage is field survey at local community.
3.1 Timeline of Stay in Ghana
89Readings & Discussion at thecampus, Development ofresearch proposal

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Field work at communities
Literature review &interview atgovernmental offices

Summarizing data &Final presentation(1) August, September: Research Proposal Development
First two months were the period for revising research proposal based on better understanding about
philosophy of ‘endogenous development.’ I shaped my research interest through readings and discussion withprofessors at the campus. I also attended classes withother students. In the end of September, I had
presentation of revised research proposal.

Picture.1 The campus

13This is the campus of Millar Open University, the private university Prof. Millar founded.
While I wad studing abroad the UDS, I was mainly stayed here and learned under Prof. Millar. Other
professors from the UDS were frequently coming to have lecture here and I also participated to those classes.

Picture.2 The staff in CECIK
This is the picture with staffs of CECIK, the NGO
founded by Prof. Millar. I accompanied them andjoined sanitary project in rural communities. CECIK
has only 3 staff. It is because thay find out the partner
within the community in every each project rather
than to have fixed staffs. The philosophy ofendogenous development also can be found in theunique style.
Picture.3 One week stay in the community
While fiest two months was mainly for study at thecampus, I stayed for only 1week in one rural community
in Bolgatanga since I counldn’t wait to experience what
the community life is like! The picture was taken in thelast day with children.

(2) October: Field Work in Gowie Community
I started my field work in the Gowie community in Bongo district from beginning of October. Through thefield work, I got know about presence of informal associations and interested in it. I started to collectinformation focusing on this topic.
Picture.4 The comcompound I stayed
This picture showed the compound which I lived
throughout 3 months stay in Gowie community.
There are 3 families living there. The wall is madewith soil. Traditionally the roof is maded with straw
but some of them were replaced by zinc seat.

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Picture.5,6 Cooking and having meal with family
I learned how to cook from them and enjoyed fresh and seasonal vegetables every day!

(3) November: Field Work in Several Communities & Visit to Governmental Offices
From November, I focused more on youth association and widen my scope and target to get more general
picture about the topic. I visited several communities around the district and also governmental offices
concerned with community development. I also visited library at Legon University to find previous studies about
informal associations in Ghana.
Picture.7 ‘War dance’ in funeral
Luckily, I had opportunity to experience traditional
funeral of ‘Frafra’ linguistic group of people. The
funeral last for whole night and young men entertain
people with ‘war dance.’

Picture.8 Items used by ‘Tindaana’The picture shows the items which Tindaana use in
consultation. In funeral, Tindaana has important role to tell
the place to bury the body, It is determined based on the
consultation with God through these items.

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Picture.9 Interview at the local radio station
While I was mainly stayed in community in
September, I begun to see people in different sector
to collect information about the period of
revolutionary regime and also about youth
association. This is when I visited local radio station,‘Gurune Radio’. Radio has played critical role incommunity development in this region bycollaborating local people and also international
donors.

(4) December: Summarizing Data & Presentation
In the last month, I briefly summarized data and had final presentation in front of professors and staffs at the
UDS, Tamale campus. I talked about what I learned and found throughout my field work, and my future plan for
doctoral research. I got many comments and feedbacks from them.
In the community, I spent precious time with people. During the stay, I participated to lively
food activity including farming, cooking, weaving and fetching water from borehole. I evenenjoyed dancing and a kind of game with them.
Picture.10 With my host family
In the last night of my stay in thecommunity, not only family I was living
together but also ‘extended’ who living
different compound visited me and had dinner
together.

Picture.11 Dancing together
The last day of my stay in the community.
We played game and sang and danced together.

16oChallenges

The biggest challenge for me was that my research theme was tremendously changed according
to what I have learned and found in the field. But it was so helpful that GLTP was so flexible tolet me constantly modify my approach so that I didn’t have to be rigid and could maximize mylearning opportunities.
Though there are also mental challenges that sometimes I felt nervous about my research, I
could find easily find people to talk to and some get advices, including supervisor and friends.

oHow to make use of this experience to future career development

The most thing what I have gain is local network for my research. I had interacted with people
in several communities in the region, people who has rich experiences in community development
including professors, NGO staffs, influential farmers. I also met people in local government suchas regional minister and district assembly.
Also the connection with UDS will continue to be advantage for me in future as far as I
continue research in Ghana.
oEncouragement to other students

In Africa, it will be difficult for student to come to the field and conduct research alone without
any connection or assistance. Therefore, it will be better to collaborate with local researchers andinstitution to broaden the network and access for valuable information. In that sense, thisprogram may be the best choice especially for students who want to do research in Africa to getboth research network and field experiences. I hope many other students will also develop his/her own research through participating this program.

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