The more we get to know Accra the more it seems that the problems have further to do with poverty than flooding. The situation would not be so great, except for the lack of access to adequate sanitation. The rivers have become sewers, the lagoon and sea side, a massive dumping ground for trash and open defecation. When the floodwaters come, they are filthy, and the outbreak of disease is tremendous, especially of malaria, typhoid, and cholera.
We have seen and smelled so much that now the notorious slum of Old Fadama, hardly phases us. It seems relatively clean, smells just fine, there is a natural wind due to its proximity to the lagoon, keeping the temperatures cool and pleasant. Standing on the second story of Father Arcadio's school, the view from the window is peaceful. I wouldn't mind living here myself. It kind of feels like being in a tree house, something I miss, since most of the buildings in Accra seem to be one story block houses. We are lucky to be here in the dry season, I have to admit, I have not seen the dumping grounds yet either.
The borders are abrupt. One minute we are walking down narrow alleys along densely built structures, and then, as if someone lifted a curtain, we find ourselves in the middle of one of the largest and busiest markets of Accra, the Agbogbloshi market.
Old Fadama is something else!
Built with least and with a pending eviction notice hanging in the air, it is a dynamic space with many factors at play. Most of the inhabitants are migrant farmers from the north or neighboring countries. However, each one has a story, religion, tribe, language, etc... It is a diverse site, where conflicting tribes live in peace, due to the common fear of being relocated.
We have gathered numerous spatial analysis of Accra's environmental state, health risk, and land use, among other things. Yet, one phenomenon remains constant. Old Fadama is a white spot of no information, along with the entire bank of the Korle Lagoon. It is the invisible! Coined with the name Sodom and Gomorra, it seems to have become the scapegoat for all of the city's problems, often acknowledged in a derogatory manner. It is true that many illegal activities occur in this no-man's land, but there are a lot of good people here too. They often come to Accra fleeing from poverty, conflict, or forced marriage. In Accra, they are faced with the problems of flooding, poor sanitation, epidemics and fires. We hope to learn from this community to understand how a diverse group, such as they, organizes themselves and cope with the various challenges of natural disasters in urban environments. What are the spatial aspects of religion, tribe, language, gender and family structure in the community? How do the citizens share facilities? How do they distribute resources? What is the relationship of Old Fadama to the Agbogbloshi market? Is the market dependent on the neighborhood, or vice versa?
There are many questions, and each time we visit the site there are new discoveries. What once used to be a thick forest, grew out of a village, to become one of the most densely populated areas in the city. I wonder, if the government wiped them out, would another little village explode? And how would the Agbogbloshi market adapt? How would it morph, especially the yams, which are directly tied to the Kokomba people living in Old Fadama?
Aside from work, all is well. Gabriela is over her bacterial infection and out on the streets. Arie is using his strong Dutch voice to stop the tro-tros and becoming our GPS navigator. Shilesh is getting dark, and taking wonderful photographs as usual. We're making some really good friends in the city and preparing our trip up north.
Exiting times. I wish the internet could keep up with our rate of change. If we seem to disappear into a black hole beginning the 9th of April, it is because we are stomping our feet in mud, and building a house. We will try to make it to
Bolga at least once every two weeks to update the blog and email. For quick correspondence, please call us.
