Jewelry and Witches

Today I visited the Witch's Village of Gambaga. It's a village where woman live who are accused of being a witch. In reality, none of the women are witches like we would think of them. In this culture if you accuse someone of being a witch for whatever reason she is sent out of her village. Common reasons: 1) I have a dream that you are trying to kill me so I accuse you of being a witch. 2) You and I are both wives of the same man. You have children and I don't; so you are a witch because you are robbing me of my chance to have children. 3) You have a prosperous business but mine is not doing well so you are a witch. Which all sounds crazy to us as Americans, but woman are sent out of their village because of this. There is a village supported by the Ghanaian Presbyterian Church where the “witches” can go. Presently there are 70 woman there. Many debate whether the village is helping or merely allowing the witchcraft accusal to continue, but woman that don't have a place like this to go to are killed or forced to hide and struggle to survive.

Caroline, a Peace Corps volunteer, is working to help create income for these women by teaching them to make jewelry. We went today to see the woman and help them in their jewelry making. We got there, though and the woman had gone to farm the chief's land. They broke their commitment to us and did what is better for them today but not necessarily good for their future. It is hard to get the woman to think long-term and work hard today to receive money in a few weeks or months. The visit was still good because the four of us picked out colors and beads and separated them for the women to make later this week. The plan is to sell them to volunteers and in the States so we know better than the women what colors the Americans like. It was fun spending a couple of hours playing with beads and jewelry and I can't wait to see the finished products!