Building a boat in Azizakpe, a small island in Ghana
Azizakpe is a small island of about 3 km², located at the mouth of the Volta River in Ghana (West Africa). Its population of around 800 inhabitants survives thanks to fishing and its subsequent sale in markets.
The children of Azizakpe (almost half of the island's population) face difficulties in receiving the necessary education and medical care due to a lack of boats. Thirty-five boys and girls from the island are enrolled in school on the mainland and have no means of transport to get there. The same goes for the island's teachers who live on the mainland, as they have difficulties reaching Azizakpe regularly. This is seriously affecting the academic level of all these children. The hospital is on the mainland (a 45-minute bus ride away); in case of emergencies, they have no means of transport to leave the island.
Activities carried out during the project
After meeting with authorities and interviewing local teachers, the necessary data was collected to design a boat. In the workshop, the pieces were carefully cut following templates and then transported to the construction site. The final phase involved assembling the boat, leaving it ready for community use. The volunteers assessed the condition of the boat upon arrival, based on their experience of building a scale replica in Barcelona. They left the structure ready for cladding. Once the deck was installed, they waterproofed the interior and exterior and applied the paint.
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Related Articles:
https://ccd.upc.edu/ca/noticies/el-projecte-una-barca-per-azizakpe-al-diari-maritimas
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