In the Beginning...
BaRely had he stePPed
OFF the PlaNe thaN jOhN
Fell INtO a stORM dRaIN
ONce uPON a tIMe
IN accRa aNd BROKe hIs
(IN 1998) theRe was a GaP yeaR studeNt
aNKle! jOhN’s FIRst NIGht
FROM Newcastle called jOhN. weaRING
a tweed-jacKet (jOhN waNted tO teach)
OF hIs GaP yeaR was sPeNt
aNd wIth a RucKsacK ON hIs BacK jOhN
IN aN aFRIcaN hOsPItal.
Flew tO GhaNa, west aFRIca.
But RatheR thaN RuN hOMe
tO hIs MuM, jOhN BRavely
stucK It Out aNd sOON
FOuNd hIMselF IN a sMall
GhaNaIaN vIllaGe helPING
sO IMPRessed weRe the PeOPle OF
set uP aNd teach IN a
the vIllaGe wIth the eNGlIshMaN
secONdaRy schOOl.
(the tORGBuI MOttey shIeld!)
ON cRutches, they decIded tO MaKe
hIM a chIeF! jOhN was eNstOOled as
chIeF tORGBuI MOttey I (PIONeeRING
PathFINdeR thROuGh the FORest) aNd
was GIveN GOldeN saNdals tO weaR!
sO jOhN set-uP
the New chIeF RetuRNed
the MOttey
hOMe wheRe he decIded
aFRIcaN
he wOuld lIKe MORe
develOPMeNt
PeOPle tO have
sOcIety (Mad)
exPeRIeNces lIKe hIs IN
at Newcastle
GhaNa aNd tO helP RuRal
uNIveRsIty.
cOMMuNItIes wIth theIR
develOPMeNt wORK.
aFteR the PROject jOhN’s
lIttle tRIBe waved GOOdBye
tO theIR New FRIeNds aNd
headed OFF ON aN adveNtuRe
OF a lIFetIMe acROss
a yeaR lateR he RetuRNed
west aFRIca. MadveNtuReR
tO GhaNa tO FINIsh the
was BORN. . .
schOOl PROject wIth a teaM
OF studeNt vOluNteeRs.
the story continues...
Mad about sustainable development
Since working on real life development issues
The Mad Model of Sustainable Development
tel: 0845 121 1996
with the other Chiefs in the Volta Region of
is now used to assess al Projects to make sure
Ghana, John gained a unique insight into
that there is a complete win-win so that the
team@madventurer.com
how we can al help engage in development
host community gets exactly what it wants
initiatives in rural communities and also
from having visitors stay with them and that
how visitors can help better their own travel
the volunteer achieves what they want from the
experience by spending more time with people experience and both parties shout about what
in addition to just seeing the sights of a country. has been achieved in a relatively short period
of time.
Join us... online at www.madventurer.com, by calling us on 0845 121 1996 or by post (go to page 36)
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