CARES is pleased and proud of he many partnerships it has formed over the past 17 years.  Just recently Program Coordinator Tyisha Burroughs of Amizade Global Service-Learning wrote a letter outlining the experiences of the trip made in conjunction with CARES to Ghana, West Africa. Enjoy!!

A letter from one of our many partners…

Ghana: Transformation and Global Citizenship
During June of 2016, Amizade and the Center that Cares worked together
to bring eight young people from the Hill District to Ghana for a week
of exploration. The Center that Cares, is a community based
organization, led by Rev. Glen Grayson, Sr.,that focuses on the
betterment of youth within and around the Hill District of Pittsburgh
P.A. According to Rev. Grayson, the experience began the moment they
stepped off the plane. Of the many things they noticed upon arriving
in Accra were the Ghanaian women. Aside from carrying and caring for
their children, these women were also lugging around any materials,
tools, and food they needed for the day. Their strength and survival
was humbling to watch. At first the students were weary of the food,
unwilling to try things that they had not seen or eaten before. But,
they were lucky to have an opportunity to watch the meals being made,
they were able to see how much time and care was taken by their hosts
to make food for them, and although french fries remained a staple,
the complaints stopped and the students gained an appreciation for the
effort and care that was put forth in their honor. The students, and
chaperons felt the joy their presence brought the community of Jukwa.
They were welcomed everywhere they went and were overwhelmed by the
generosity and excitement of their hosts. The group was invited into
the home of the chief, where they were fed and shown Ghanaian
artifacts and learned about their cultural significance and
traditional uses. For Rev. Grayson the most moving experience was the
visit to the Slave Castles and the home of W.E.B Du Bois. The
experience was a moving one for Rev. Grayson and he believes that
throughout their lives, the young participants will look back on this
experience, and on everything they witnessed, and it will transform
their lives; As they get older, these children will grow to better
understand the significance of this this trip, and this experience
will help to shape the choices they make and the people they become.

Tyisha Burroughs
Program Coordinator
Amizade Global Service-Learning