Update on Mrs Amopoaka Atule of Ghana

Proverb of the week:

"The ruin of a nation begins in the homes of its people ." – Ashanti of Ghana

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Mama Afrika personally recommends the following: We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families by Philip Gourevitch A day in the life of Africa by David Cohen, Lee Liberman Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela by Nelson Mandela Tribal Arts of Africa by Jean-Baptiste Bacquart

Mama Afrika

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For those of you who have been as touched by Mrs Atule's story as Mama has, here is an update as to her current situation.

(Click here for NEW photos and an update on Mrs Atule)**

**Photos and update added October 25, 2003

To find out Mama's policies on donations, click here.

An update on Mrs Atule:

(Photos and update: September 8, 2003)

Go to page:

Due to the constant leaking during the rain season this year; Mrs Atule's house is now in such horrible shape that she has been forced to move out and live in a neighboring house. Mama Afrika's goal is to repair the roof of her old home and bring it to good condition so that Mrs Atule can once again have her independence.

Here is the one room house that Mrs Atule is forced to live in now that her house's roof is completely decayed. As you can see, it is not in much better shape than her own home. The tin roof is being held on with a variety of heavy objects; which of course, don't keep out the rain. As the floor is dirt, this means that Mrs Atule is left to make her way around the one room on her hands (she has no wheelchair as of yet) on a wet floor.

Here is the corner where Mrs Atule cooks her food. There is no chimney; but she is forced to cook indoors in this small corner of the one room she lives in.

As you can see, she has no bed; but sleeps on a thin mat on the floor. This photo gives you an idea of what work we have ahead of us. It is an absolute outrage that any woman, much less one as kind and loving as Mrs Atule could live like this!

And yet she weaves....

As independent and proud as she is, despite her current living conditions, and the fact that she is paralyzed, Mrs Atule insists on earning her living. She is so grateful to those who buy her baskets and make donations to her housing fund. She was much too proud to ask for help; but Mama thanks the other cooperative members for letting us know of her situation.

Now the ball is in our court. Even a small donation will help meet our goal of having her house repaired and seeing her wheeling around Bolgatanga to visit her friends, attend church and make it to funerals which are an important social event in Ghana. Once we raise the $500 dollars needed, it will be with great pleasure that Mama Afrika will put up a new page here telling you of the success of our project. And of course, you will get to see her home in its new and improved condition as well as of her new wheelchair.

Even if you can only give a few dollars, please do and please share her story with others so that we can have her living in better conditions as soon as possible. And remember, 10 percent of all sales will be donated to this project until we have met our goal!

Thanks for reading...

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