The IDS Year Abroad Program was a major part of my decision to attend Trent and study International Development. By the end of my first year at Trent, I knew I wanted to partake in the Trent-in-Ghana program, and I can confidently say that following through and going to Ghana for my third year was one of my best decisions of my university experience.
Perhaps the most memorable part of the program, was my 12-week placement with Radio Ada, a local community radio station in a small town just east of the capital. During this time, I had the opportunity to be involved with, and experience first-hand, the initial stages of a participatory action research project, supporting local women from over 50 different rural communities to take on leadership roles and mobilize around the protection of Songor Lagoon - one of the most important natural resources for the surrounding communities. This experience allowed me to develop an understanding of the complexities, challenges and successes of development work on the ground, in a way that a purely classroom education never could.
I have always believed that formal education is just one of many ways to learn and grow. Living in a country, thousands of miles from home, connecting with people of different cultures and backgrounds, and trying to adjust to a whole new way of life is in itself a huge learning opportunity. While, it certainly comes with an array of challenges and moments of discomfort, looking back it was often those very moments of figuring out how to overcome the various challenges that proved to be some of the most powerful learning experiences and opportunities for personal growth.
Living in Ghana and working at Radio Ada pushed me out of my comfort zone and challenged me ethically, socially and academically. It challenged my perspectives on development, and made me reconsider my positionality and how I interact with and move through an increasingly globalized world. The Trent-in-Ghana program, combining both classroom and experiential learning components, enabled me to more thoroughly grasp the theoretical concepts and understandings I acquired after my first two years of IDS at Trent. The program was a unique opportunity to connect theory and practice, whereby through first-hand involvement with development work and living in Ghana I was able to enrich and challenge my understanding of how various concepts apply and manifest on the ground.
Further, in addition to the numerous learning outcomes of the Trent-in-Ghana program, living in Ghana for a year was also one of the most personally influential and best times of my life. The friendships, family and memories created while in Ghana were more than I could have imagined. Ghana is a wonderful country with amazing music, food, diverse cultures and landscapes and some fo the friendliest and most welcoming people I have ever met. The relationships I built and the experiences I ha din Ghana have shaped me into who I am today, and I know will influence my future decisions both personally and in terms of my career.
Without doubt, Trent-in-Ghana has been the highlight of my university experience and I would strongly encourage students to consider this program!