The children and elders in and around the village of Otinibi can hardly wait for the inaugural ceremonies marking the opening of the third Food for People in Ghana. Construction teams are working long hours to complete the final touches. Just as the end is in sight, a slight plot complication has heightened the drama of this compelling story.
A few last minute details will make the wait last a bit longer. Well, maybe the refrigerators are more than a “detail.” A delayed shipment of equipment for the “cold room” has set back the opening date to the week of March 5-10.
The Ghana educational authorities are very interested in seeing the freezer, cold room, preparation area, and cooking system in operation. The authorities are excited about the possibility of adopting the Otinibi facility plan for other Ghana school feeding programs. Therefore, Bobby Hendry, who oversees health, hygiene, and quality control for the feeding program, wants to be sure that everything is running smoothly when the facility opens.
Ghana FFP Construction Nears Completion
Approximately 550 guests, ministers and chiefs will attend the opening event.
Approximately 500 children will eat their first, nutritious lunch on opening day.
The stage and assigned seating will be located opposite the facility in an open area on the far side of the Otinibi Road.
A separate lavatory building is nearly complete with individual facilities for boys and girls. The interior finishing of the main dining area continues to progress rapidly, as evidenced by the accompanying photos. The construction team is testing landline and Internet connection devices as we write this update.
At long last, the facility is on the brink of opening. I think I may be more impatient for the inaugural event than the Otinibi villagers–but then I remind myself, it’s only a matter of days. Only a few small hills remain to be climbed instead of the mountains that stretched before the undaunted volunteers more than a year ago.
In Bobby Hendry’s own words, “The facility is really looking good.”
Exterior Views of Ghana FFP
