Decawowo Spring 2016

Decawowo
Spring 2016 Newsletter
To all the friends of the Akpe Cultural Center in Kokrobite,
Ghana, welcome to our first newsletter! Akpe means “gratitude”
in the Ewe language, and Decawowo means “togetherness.” Our
hearts are full of gratitude for all the people — past, present,
and future — coming together to help us build this cultural
center. We plan to keep you in the loop as construction
continues and the doors finally open.!
Sweat equity! Mawuenyega
Mensah helps pour foundations
at the Akpe Cultural Center.
In 2015, we made two trips to Ghana, one in July and one in
December, to oversee and participate in construction. As you
can see in the photos above, our excellent local crew was joined
by U.S. student volunteers who traveled with us. When they
weren’t wielding shovels and pickaxes, they were drumming,
dancing, and enjoying all Ghana has to offer. When the Akpe
Cultural Center is complete, the offerings will be that much
richer!!
All this activity is getting attention in Kokrobite — the people
are watching the project and cheering it on, anticipating the
day the cultural center opens. For them, it means jobs and
more visitors to Kokrobite, but it also means a place for their
children to learn and practice the arts that are such a big part
of their own cultural heritage. !
In Ghana, as everywhere, there’s too much opportunity for kids
who have nothing to do to get in trouble and follow destructive
paths. The arts gave Maputo and Mawue a focus and strong
values, and they want the same for the children of Ghana.
Those kids’ parents want it, too.!
So when will the doors open and the dancing begin? If we can
raise the money, we hope to open in 2018. Our foundations are
now in place, and this July, with the help of our donors, we will
fill those foundations and start construction on the first floor.
Our on-site crew is ready to work, and we’ll be traveling, once
!
Above: Maputo Mensah carries
his share of concrete.
!
!
Right:The Akpe Cultural Center,
spring 2016. Foundations and
column supports are in place!
!
again, with student volunteers. All construction at Akpe is done
by hand, with care and high quality to ensure a building that will
withstand time and weather. We expect it to serve generations
of local kids, and artists and students from around the world
who are kids now themselves. It is our dream, our future, and
our legacy.!
In coming issues, we’ll update you on progress, profile some of
the great people working on the Akpe Cultural Center, and give
you a taste of life in the beautiful seaside village of Kokrobite.!
!
—Maputo and Mawuenyega Mensah