Lessons Learned: Michigan Campus Compact Service Learning Institute

"Lessons Learned" was the topic of one of the "Open Space" tables at the institute. Dr. Abalo Adewui was the most fascinating participant at this table. Dr. Adewui is originally from Ghana. He was educated in Scotland. He is an associate professor at Central Michigan University specializing in Teacher Education and Professional Development.

He shared that most traditional Ghanian cultures are communal in nature. Ghana have many different tribes. Extended families lived in compounds. The person who takes care of all the members of his extended family is well respected and accorded the higher status, while the person who doesn't is shunned or sometimes cut off. This form of reward system worked very well for traditional Ghanian society.

The compound was composed of family mud huts. Those who had means of employment, business or farms worked outside the compound - generally helping each other as they go along. Prosperity and poverty were shared equally among the members of the compound. Child care or elder care was never an issue - although the system was not perfect, it provided its own social safety net for all the families.

Yet, it was considered "primitive" by the folks who came to educate the young during the colonial period.

The system has long been eroded with the advent of western style family systems and governance structures adopted by the "educated". Families started to build individual homes away from each other. The culture of consumerism became stronger as the years went on. Resources are no longer shared. Communal and familial sharing has been replaced with the pursuit of consumer goods and other modern conveniences such as travel and leisure, etc...

The vestiges of the old system can now be seen through the practice of nepotism in government and other social structures. Social problems continue to grow. Where this is leading is beyond imagination.

I see parallels of the phenomena happening everywhere - not just Ghana. The illustration cited by Dr. Adewui is not exclusively Ghanian, it has become universal.

Civic engagement, community service and service learning are designed to counter this trend. By teaching the young to balance individualism and the common good; freedom and responsibility - the practitioners hope to mend and strenghten the frayed fabric of society.

Thank you Dr. Adewui for sharing your insights. Your students are very lucky to have you.