Akwaaba! Welcome!
My name is Elizabeth Peprah-Asare, and I am entering my final year as a doctoral candidate in Cultural Studies at Queen's University. My first two weeks as a Queen Elizabeth Scholar (QES) in Accra, Ghana have been nothing short of busy and exciting! I have had so many amazing experiences and have met so many incredible people. As the first sub-saharan African country to gain their Independance from colonialism, Ghana has a rich and unique history of which I hope to share in the coming weeks!
Ghanaian flag
For a brief introduction, The Queen Elizabeth Scholars (QES) program seeks to promote the increased participation of Canadian students within international study exchange for the purpose of helping young Canadian leaders to grow into 'global citizens' within reciprocal knowledge exchange projects. Learn more about the program here: About | Queen Elizabeth Scholars.
You may be asking what it is that I am actually doing in Accra. Well, let me tell you! In 2023, Dr. Heather Aldersey (Canada Research Chair, Disability Inclusive Development and Scientific Director, International Centre for the Advancement of Community Based Rehabilitation (ICACBR) at Queen’s University) invited a group of scholars from the University of Ghana at Legon to Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario to work on a Community-Based Research (CBR) project surrounding inclusive education. This fantastic team (whom I will introduce in the next post) is composed of Project Lead Dr. Peter Ndaa, Dr. Frank Hayford, Dr. Priscilla Y.A. Attafuah, Dr. Rebeca Steele-Dadzie, and doctoral candidate Ayine Akolgo, developed a unique project with a community organisation, i.e. a mother’s group who advocate for their children with disabilities for inclusive education within the Shai-Osudoku District in Dodowa, Ghana organised by Dr. Daniela Korletey (an Occupational Therapist impacting countless lives).
University of Ghana at Legon
The University of Ghana (U of G) team received extensive training on Community-Based Research (CBR) onsite at Queen’s so that they could be equipped with this participatory research method in order to carry out their research project back home in Ghana. Dr. Heather selected me as a representative of Queen’s University this summer to assist with research data organisation through NVivo coding software (which I loved!), along with various dissemination activities and institutional capacity building. Through QES, I have received the opportunity to engage within a cross-cultural research project gaining invaluable experience while lending my own research skills to assist this outstanding group of professors and health practitioners. This blog series will thus document a mixture of academic research activities and cultural engagement experiences.
Cultural Engagement #1: Braids
There is a saying that one cannot come to Ghana without getting their hair braided, so of course I had to get my hair done! First cultural engagement activity-check!
Elizabeth coding data inside Balme Library Graduate Study Room at University of Ghana Legon
Accra is famous for “Ghana braids.” There are luxurious “VIP” braiding experiences akin to Turkish barber shops where one is immersed in a luxurious environment of pampering and relaxation. These VIP salons offer an ‘experience’ and thus cost a little more than the classic ‘shed-like’ room intricately decorated by young female entrepreneurs owning shops and trying to “make it.” I had originally gone to the latter to get my hair done, but after one sleepless week I had to remove them! I still cherish the experience–although let’s just say that fire was involved–ha! I eventually discovered Beauty Buffet Salon and had a beautiful experience, and the rest is history!
Elizabeth at Beauty Buffet Salon
After the braids comes the food, and while Ghana has a delicious assortment of food from the celebrated delicacies of Jollof Rice (and the ongoing ‘war’ with Nigerians concerning which country's version is better-Ghana’s of course!), along with fufu and light soup, fried plantain, kenkey and fish, yam, banku, meat pies, kontomire, etc., of course I went with…
Sign of Pizza Hut in Accra
You guessed it! Pizza Hut! Did I mention that I am of Ghanaian heritage? Say it with me–Ghanaian h-e-r-i-t-a-g-e. I’m Canadian-haha! Ironically, I am reminded that I am Canadian each time that I encounter someone new in Ghana! All jokes aside, I have enjoyed Ghanaian food as my vegetarian self. I look forward to visiting Tatale Vegan Restaurant again which offers an assortment of traditional Ghanaian meals vegan-style!
Enjoying Pizza Hut with Friends
Coding and Green Smoothies at Vida Cafe in Accra Mall
Interestingly enough, Vida Cafe appears to be a hub for international tourists in Ghana. Several nationalities congregate there to grab smoothies and lattes- which was truly a neat experience. Model UN anyone? I later enjoyed some Ghanaian fried rice and joloff rice from my brother-in-law Frank's restaurant (Jewels Restaurant and Lounge), so you can't say that I haven't eaten any delicious Ghanaian staples yet, ha!
Elizabeth at Jewels Restaurant and Lounge
Eating Ghanaian fried rice. When in Rome...
Jewels Restaurant and Lounge Sign
Research Activities
During the first two weeks in Ghana, I worked closely with Dr. Peter Ndaa-the lovely and oh-so-brilliant 'Commander-in-Chief' of the University of Ghana (U of G) project team as both an Occupational Therapist and Head of the Department of Occupational Health at Korle Bu Campus, and it still amazes me how much we accomplished during this short time period! I also had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Ellen Adomakoh, a U of G alumna who is an Occupational Therapist and professor at University of Exeter in the United Kingdom who was invited by Dr. Ndaa to teach the fourth year Occupational Therapy students at University of Ghana’s Teaching Hospital in Korle Bu non-violent intervention training.
Dr. Ellen Adomakoh in action demonstrating non-violent intervention positions to 4th year Occupational Health Students
I was inspired to see the passion of the next generation of Occupational Therapists in Ghana for various activities. I even had the pleasure of being an evaluator of mock presentations on their critical-creative interventions to assist children with disabilities within Ghana’s education system and daily life.
Traffic from Central Accra to Korle Bu
If I am honest, it was difficult for me each time that I travelled to and from Korle Bu. Certain pockets were impoverished, and this is something that I am not used to. I suppose that this is the first time that I have been to a “village”, and the term “village” is often hard to define in certain areas of Accra.
Accra is such a unique city where up to this point, in any commute that I have taken for work or leisure, I am always struck by the range of wealth and poverty that I encounter. It is almost as if you can travel down one street and see striking wealth and luxury, and then on the next street you will find shocking scenes of poverty. It is something that I don’t believe I will ever get used to here, and affirms what Queen's pre-departure training names as "culture shock." However, I am deeply inspired by the resilience of the Ghanaians who suffer economic hardship. Their tenacity is to be duly commended.
Scene from car window in Korle Bu. “Dorothy we aren’t in Kansas anymore”
NVivo Coding
The U of G project team had a tight deadline that I had to meet surrounding the NVivo qualitative data coding software. Said software has been and remains integral to thousands if not millions of doctoral dissertations including my own project! Dr. Peter and I met Dr. Ellen at Balme Library at the U of G Legon campus to learn some great NVivo tips from her.
Dr. Peter Ndaa (QES Project Lead), Dr. Ellen Adomakoh, Elizabeth Peprah-Asare seated at a table with laptops learning Nvivo Coding Tips from Dr. Ellen
Elizabeth standing in front of Balme Library
Elizabeth coding on Laptop
After several long days and nights coding 24 interviews conducted by the U of G project team, I was ready to present the interesting trends which developed from the thematic analysis! I had a wonderful time presenting the research findings to Dr. Peter and Dr. Frank at Korle Bu.
Dr. Frank Hayford, Elizabeth Peprah-Asare, Dr. Peter Ndaa. Elizabeth presenting on thematic analysis generated from NVivo Coding in Dr. Peter’s Office
In sum, the first two weeks were jam-packed and filled with many exciting activities! In the next blog I will go into details regarding our research dissemination durbar event which was such an inspirational day learning from the U of G project team, students who live with disabilities and community stakeholders! I hope that I put a smile on your face at least once throughout this blog, and I promise to be more serious in the next edition:).
Medaase Paa! Thank you very much!
#QEScholars
