Camp Tag 1 (Accra)

01.02.2022 (see in english below)

Punctual landing in Accra at 7:00 am local time. The entry procedure was very clearly defined and was carried out quickly. Several stations including the previously registered corona test took less than 15 minutes. Our luggage was also complete. Quite the opposite of Chris Gulley's luggage. He had flown from Amsterdam as planned. But there they had unloaded all the luggage of all passengers due to the storm and had taken off without it. That was a hard blow for Chris and the project, because in addition to a change of clothes, which one urgently needs here (also several times a day), some of the prostheses were also missing. But more on that later.

After we had our luggage very quickly, we waited for the result of the entry test, which had to be booked beforehand from Germany for $150. But that also went quickly and we were allowed to continue to customs, for which we had the greatest respect, since we had a lot of material for Ogidi's office with us, which was all declared as donations, but the corresponding letter to prove it , unfortunately Ogidi could not provide in time. We moved towards the two customs officers and while Ramon, in his inimitable way, with just two or three words, was able to win the supposedly tougher nut as a new friend within 20 seconds, incl. bro fist, exchange of hand numbers and the Promising to meet in Germany was easy for me because of this distraction and we got through so easily that even now we're still surprised.

Chris G. arranged a car for us from Lavender Lodge, our hotel, and the driver was waiting for us and drove us to the hotel fairly quickly. Check in briefly, freshen up and then take the UBER to the camp. Although I had to wait a few minutes for 'Madame Mahrou', I was able to take a look around the hotel. It's a small, quiet oasis in the middle of Accra. Very simply kept, but perfectly fine and mostly clean.

While the Uber driver, we just called him 'Young Lewis Hamilton', drove us through Accra, we got a few first impressions of Accra.

Arriving near the camp, Sebastian picked us up and took us to the Accra Arts Center. A few people were already waiting for their prostheses and Chris Gulley and the local crew around Ogidi were already busy working. We then orientated ourselves briefly and were then able to slowly board.

Now the 'forearm prostheses' were still in Chris G.'s luggage and on the plane on the way to Accra. So everything was reorganized a bit and all patients with an amputation of the joint were postponed to the next day. This is not trivial at all, since some people have a very long journey to get there. But in this case it was possible. So that day we concentrated on the 'normal' cases that we already knew from India and that get a simple, prefabricated prosthesis. But then we traded in lemons because there were only 5!!! was. Everyone else got an additional upper arm extension. That was actually completely new for us and we had to learn it first. In the process, a sheet of thermoplastic is heated in boiling hot water and then placed directly on the residual limb and adjusted. Just as brilliant as it is difficult. It then cools down relatively quickly and becomes hard again. Then, in several work steps, straps, fasteners and the counterpart for the cosmetic hand and the working hand are adjusted and attached. Everyone gets a completely unique, customized prosthesis. The hands are all prefabricated in three different sizes using 3D printers.

A television crew from Ghana was present throughout the day and various representatives of Parliament from Accra attended. And something happened that can only happen here: the representatives of Parliament were so enthusiastic that they gave Ogidi two plots of land so that he could build his office. That was very emotional and very impressive.

After some time at his station, where the prostheses are finally covered with a skin-colored skin, Ramon immediately introduced new processes and techniques. He was immediately 'the Secret Boss' in the group with Alaska and Richard (two local, incredibly funny and friendly helpers). No one, not even the two coolest Ghanaians, can escape the German/Iranian charm on offer. And of course fear also plays a role in his height ;-) ... deep-seated, well-founded fear.

On the first day we also met Mrs and Mr Microsoft: Martina and Sebastian. Two words: cool and absolutely likeable. We all got along right away and we worked great together.

At around 5:00 p.m. we were done with everything. We then looked at the nearby Independence Monument and then took an Uber to the hotel. The car had its 'charm' and a minor 'maintenance backlog' (see photos).

In the hotel, after a local beer, a shower and a very early dinner at 9:30 p.m., we ended the evening in our own beds. Except for Chris G. : he still had to go to the airport to pick up the suitcases with the forearm joints. Luckily everything was there.

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