'Eleven-eleven' remains in my memory as one of the last and largest gatherings of Papa, his family and friends at Wegbe-Kpalime. It was the Centenary Celebration of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church at the place Papa called 'home' and no one would take away the joy, excitement and preparation for this grand occasion. Papa was very happy - clad from head to toe in the anniversary cloth and ensured that all his family members had sewn and were wearing outfits made in the same cloth too.

 Children, in-laws, nephews, nieces, friends from church and whoever would listen had been told months ahead about this very-important occasion, and many had been invited to attend. I remember how some of us who had to do a return-trip that Sunday converged at my sister D'Emefa's home before 6am and were ready to set-off to Wegbe - all of us fully aware that we had to arrive way before the service itself began (Papa was not one to arrive late at Church services). My very good friend and maid-of-honour (Ayele), and my brother-in-law (Max) also joined in - to share in the joy of this 'Holy Village' we had said so much about. You can be certain that enough 'noise' had been made about the celebration! :)

Looking back at pictures from that day and remembering all that went on, I have smiles on my face. :) Papa was a 'GUY' - he knew how to let people share in his joys, and good news was never something to be 'hidden'. Good news had to be shared. Interestingly, today, I interacted for the first time with someone called 'Nyanyuie' - (i.e. 'good news' in Ewe).

Papa's legacy truly lives on! Life is more beautiful with relationships and we should all strive to build many impactful, truthful, well-meaning and lasting ones. May we shun the things that divide us and embrace the things that unite us. May the Lord enable us to let go of the things that have hurt us in the past and embrace a fresh start and a godly perspective on all issues. Amen.

Love God! Love people! 11-11 memories. 

Written in November 2021

....Interestingly, when I tuned in to Sunny FM around 11:15am today, I heard Rev. Andy Yawson preaching about forgiveness. He gave an example of how we sometimes join a friend or a relative to 'hate' or 'be angry' with another person - and said 'the day they reconcile, you may not know'. :) Imagine carrying a grudge 'on behalf of' another person, getting to a restaurant, and seeing that the said 'enemy' and the one you 'joined' are having a nice conversation over lunch. :) 

What I had wanted to share before my radio-listening session:)....

"I read a story about a wise older monk and his young apprentice who were walking together along a forest trail. Their monastery had a rule forbidding all contact with women. Coming to a river with a fast-flowing current, they saw an old woman weeping near the shoreline. She asked for help, saying that she couldn’t cross the river on her own. Without a word, the older monk picked up the woman and carried her to the other side. She went on her way while he and his young colleague continued on their journey. Two and a half hours passed without a word being spoken, but the young monk was seething on the inside. When he could contain himself no longer, he blurted out, “My Lord, why did you carry that woman across the river? You know that we are not supposed to touch a woman.” The wise older monk looked down at the young man and said, “I put her down hours ago. Why are you still carrying her?”

Good question. Why are you still carrying the burdens from the past? Isn’t it time to put them down once and for all?

Some of us are walking around with a heavy load of bitterness and frustration. It’s time to lay that burden down. God never meant for you to carry it around like you do. Maybe it’s resentment toward your parents or toward your employer. Maybe there’s someone who has done you wrong and it’s been eating your lunch. Day and night you dream of a chance to get even. Maybe it’s a friend who let you down in a big way. Maybe it’s someone you trusted who walked all over you. Whatever it is, it’s time to lay that burden down." - Ray Pritchard.

4th October 2024, Ghana

I am a beneficiary of this partnership and would like to celebrate this recognition! :)

In December 2015, just a few months after The Centre of Renewable Energy and Industrial Maintenance (CERMI) of Cabo Verde was officially inaugurated in order to build capacities in renewable energy and energy efficiency, I had the opportunity of 'experiencing' the Centre (with a solar farm on site, air flow considerations displayed, energy management in use, etc). My interest in energy efficiency and sustainable building practices peeked after visiting CERMI, during the "ECOWAS Regional Training Workshop on Energy Audit for buildings", organized by ECREEE. I stayed on for a two-day Workshop for the validation of the JTA - Regional Certification Scheme for PV off-grid Installers, also organized by ECREEE, in partnership with IRENA and GIZ (with CERMI as the venue!)

The collaboration between ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) and CERMI for 10 years has been beneficial to West Africa, especially with respect to capacity building.

Congratulations and kudos to the teams!

 https://www.ecreee.org/ecreee-recognized-as-a-regional-partner-of-excellence-by-cermi/

Fast forward...I got to work with a team of three other young engineers - mainly via emails in an era where there was no Zoom or MS Teams, no working together real-time on documents, etc. The four of us were on 3 different continents. To cut a long story short - ours was one of the projects chosen to be presented at the World Engineers' Convention held in Geneva in 2011. We had to put in some hours of in-person final touches to our work; a great opportunity for knowledge-sharing and collaboration.

I got chosen at a point to represent Young Engineers on a panel, we had to present our paper together to a team of judges and other colleagues - and we also got to build some great friendships, go sightseeing and have fun :)

So...get involved. Start young. Start in your mid-years. Start 'old'. It doesn't matter when or where you start - just make a move today and keep walking.

 Meet the composer of the GhIE Anthem, Prof. Esi Awuah (PhD, FGhIE, FAAS) 👏

We each must be known for something (good, hopefully 😊 ) and Prof. has been known over the years for composing an ‘environmentally sound’ song for each year group she taught in KNUST (I don't know if she continued with this while at UENR. On her birthday last year, the WOMEN IN ENGINEERING, (WinE) Ghana platform was 'lit' with joy as we shared some of the songs Prof. has composed over the years.

Ing Sophia Abena Tijani wrote: "I still remember the song you taught us in 1998. "Cigarette smoking is not good for you. Neither is it good for the environment. It will impair your mental dexterity..."

Another class got these words:

"I am an environmental engineer. I seek the welfare of mankind....

I protect their health. I design to treat waste.

I am for the planet earth 2x

I couldn't remember our 'class song', but Eldad Kusi (PE-GHIE), EDGE EXPERT did, and sent this: "I'm a citizen of the earth and part of the environment. Yet I have abused the environment. I'm now transformed because I now know the impact...."

Long before 'sustainability' and 'resource efficiency' became familiar words, Prof. had us singing great songs about our environment.

Prof. Esi Awuah's response was: "I am so happy I chose to teach as a Profession. God bless you all."

Well....Prof. - we are also very happy you chose to teach us! You're celebrated!!

GhIE Anthem: https://youtu.be/86ox4zxeLdA?si=S4CgjTz9MxKzeTcQ

God doesn't do 'one-size-fits-all' stuff. Everyone's life story is different, but He displays His Glory through each life if we totally depend on Him and completely surrender to Him. When people seek counsel from us, do we prayerfully consider what to tell them, or do we just say what readily comes to mind...or what we know from 'experience'? The fact that one path works or doesn't work for one person doesn't mean it would or would not work for another person. Let us seek answers from God. Let us live in total surrender to Him. There are no shades of grey....you're either black or white. I pray that God grants you all you need to be all that He desires you to be. Amen.

Posted on Facebook: 3rd August 2014

 Last Saturday was a truly joyful day for me 🎊 As a renewable energy & sustainability enthusiast, this initiative by the St. Rose’s Old Students’ Association (ROSA) simply gladdened my heart. The roofs of almost all of our school buildings have been covered with solar panels, totaling about 95kWh so far. The project has been funded by generous contributions from many old students of our dear alma mater. 

Well done, ROSA 👏🏾🙌🏾 Many thanks to all family & friends who supported the cause! This is such a great gift to the school on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary celebration. 🎉 

“To our alma mater we’ll be loyal….Our motto ever be Rose’s to uphold. Knowledge & virtue will lead us through life, from St. Rose’s….Our hearts aglow, our spirits go high!” 🎶✨

One project at a time….✅🇬🇭 #solar #renewableenergy #sustainability #60thAnniversary #StRose’s #Akwatia #Ghana #ROSA 

For God & Country,

Juliet Mawunyo Gbormittah (née Addo)

ROSA 2003 (Yellow Check)

Science 1

Dorm 45A

🙂

I sent a message to some friends which read something like 'I remember our Easter weekends in Wegbe- Kpalime in a happy way'. We thank God for Mama and Papa- they were intentional in many ways. I'm grateful to God for their commitment and great examples. This Holy Week, one thought I've had is the fact that 'the motions are important'. E said the same thing when we went to visit Nuna's mum in the evening. If we take away all the church 'traditions', our own good parts of our culture and the 'motions' as some of us call them, we realize that we're really left with nothing. Nothing to recall. Nothing to remember. Nothing to use as a basis for the next thing. Sometimes, we need a base.

Not long ago, a friend put up a post (around Palm Sunday I think) which said something about the charismatic church in connection with church traditions. I don't remember the exact quote but I kinda agreed. I think our children should be allowed to go through the 'motions'- they matter. Cathecism...Confirmation....church services...programs...etc. The fact that we understand things in a certain light doesn't mean we should strip the next generation of customs or practices we have come to label in different ways. Let's make room for God to use whatever experience He chooses to draw people to Himself. Selah. 8th April 2023

Mamfio, my Grandmother :)

"Let them grow old with the same love that they let you grow ... let them speak and tell repeated stories with the same patience and interest that they heard yours as a child ... let them overcome, like so many times when they let you win ... 

Mamfio on her 96th birthday, 2025

...let them enjoy their friends just as they let you … let them enjoy the talks with their grandchildren, because they see you in them ... let them enjoy living among the objects that have accompanied them for a long time, because they suffer when they feel that you tear pieces of this life away ... let them be wrong, like so many times you have been wrong and they didn’t embarrass you by correcting you ...

Random visits :)

LET THEM LIVE and try to make them happy the last stretch of the path they have left to go; give them your hand, just like they gave you their hand when you started your path!" - Author unknown

Copied from LinkedIn. Posted by Ghassan Yared. Reposted by Desire Clarke.

When Nana Owusua Boamah of SiGNATURE KITCHENS GH asked me to apply for the African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative, I thought it was one of those applications. :) As an entrepreneur, one would usually fill a number of applications for all sorts of things; some end nowhere but we keep pushing. 😃 I am very certain that the application for Out of Eden Gh was one of the last the AWEC team received; close to midnight on the last day.

. The ripple effects of your 'one action' will bless many. One highlight for me has been the fact that there are various businesses across Africa, solving local problems while thinking globally; and it's inspiring on the fronts of all sectors of our nations.

'Ayekoo' to all entrepreneurs, especially the African ladies making a difference all around the world. Keep walking 👏 ... Keep making meaningful impact. There's enough room in the sky for each of us to shine; so - brighten the corner where you are! "We face neither East nor West; we face forward”― Kwame Nkrumah

African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative hashtag#entrepreneurship hashtag#Africanbusinesses hashtag#impact hashtag#sisterhood hashtag#gratitude hashtag#AWEC hashtag#AWECCohort7