Winter and I have a love-hate relationship. I love winter fashion and winter sports (well, watching, as I am usually too cold to participate for long) but hate being frozen!
So an ice rink in sunny Ghana may just be the solution...fun on ice + the sun! #Winning!! [I hope,lol]
Aburokyire aba Ghana ooo!!!!
Aburokyire aba Ghana!!!
The rink is located at the Lizzy Sports Complex in East Legon, Accra. The timing could not be better, it's right on time for Christmas. I am told this is the first of its kind in West Africa. By the way,the rink is made of synthetic material (sorry to those of you who planned to scoop the ice into bottles to take home) so it won't melt in the sun.
Skates In The City will be running from the 15th of December 2012 to the 13th of January 2013. Do something new this season...even if it's just continuously falling over on your bum,lol. Shame I didn't hear about it in time, I might have had an ice themed birthday party, but it may not be too late for you to organise an event. I'm sure it can be given out for private functions like birthday parties and corporate events, so set up an event and invite me.
I'm informed that It's open daily from 9am to 9pm.
Rates: Children 12 and under: ghc8
12 and over: ghc10
They were very generous to include the cost of renting the skates too. I'm sure not a lot of people have ice skates lying around the house, so that will be very If you're new to skating [read as risk adverse,lol ], there's a professional skater on hand to offer lessons. If not, enjoy falling, but do get up each time!
Check out and like their Facebook page for more information: https://www.facebook.com/SkatesInTheCity
The usual scenario is one aid agency or another in one European country or another, raising funds or gathering items to send to Africa for one cause or another. As much as they mean well, they often use hard hitting, negative images to drive their point home. Leaving people with the impression that Africa is only full of hardship, disease, death, etc. These images stick with people and may in turn affect tourism and investment, not just in the affected country but in other African countries as well.
In this parody video, the tables have [finally] turned!
It's an attack on the stereo types are usually used to drum up support for aid agencies and the effect that they have on developing countries.
They explain it all clearly on their website: http://www.africafornorway.no/why :
WHY AFRICA FOR NORWAY?
Imagine if every person in Africa saw the “Africa for Norway” video and this was the only information they ever got about Norway. What would they think about Norway?
If we say Africa, what do you think about? Hunger, poverty, crime or AIDS? No wonder, because in fundraising campaigns and media that’s mainly what you hear about.
The pictures we usually see in fundraisers are of poor African children. Hunger and poverty is ugly, and it calls for action. But while these images can engage people in the short term, we are concerned that many people simply give up because it seems like nothing is getting better. Africa should not just be something that people either give to, or give up on.
The truth is that there are many positive developments in African countries, and we want these to become known. We need to change the simplistic explanations of problems in Africa. We need to educate ourselves on the complex issues and get more focus on how western countries have a negative impact on Africa’s development. If we want to address the problems the world is facing we need to do it based on knowledge and respect.
WHAT DO WE WANT?
Fundraising should not be based on exploiting stereotypes.
Most of us just get tired if all we see is sad pictures of what is happening in the world, instead of real changes.
We want better information about what is going on in the world, in schools, in TV and media.
We want to see more nuances. We want to know about positive developments in Africa and developing countries, not only about crises, poverty and AIDS. We need more attention on how western countries have a negative impact on developing countries.
Media: Show respect.
Media should become more ethical in their reporting. Would you print a photo of a starving white baby without permission? The same rules must apply when journalists are covering the rest of the world as it does when they are in their home country.
Aid must be based on real needs, not “good” intentions.
Aid is just one part of a bigger picture; we must have cooperation and investments, and change other structures that hold back development in poorer countries. Aid is not the only answer.
These guys are brilliant!!!
[More positive images of Africa please!!!]
Did you enjoy the video? what do you think? Is this a good way to turn things around or just a flash in the pan?
