By BV Semah



Volunteers of Young at Heart GH. currently based in the city of Takoradi and it’s environs organised the maiden edition of #VoluConnect over the weekend. #VoluConnect as the name suggest is meant to serve as a mini networking event for volunteers of the organization living in a particular city.

The #VoluConnect was scheduled for 10am on Saturday and with Squeeze (a smoothies bar in Takoradi) as the venue. However, the rains had different plans for the volunteers. We met at Squeeze alright, but because of the rains we had to relocate since Squeeze is an outdoor location.

We moved to another location (Queens cakes and more) where we spent about an hour before moving to the I.T. 4 TEENS conference room inside the HFC Bank yard. We settled on that location because it was the venue for the Start Up Takoradi program which we intended to attend later in the day.

Over there, there was the usual Jollof/Waakye debate. Well, the waakye lovers present outnumbered the Jollof lovers. And so for lunch, the team decided on waakye from the Columbia waakye joint. After lunch, whiles waiting for the Start Up Takoradi event to begin, we had a long conversation on topics ranging from Ananse the Teacher app, education, technology, entrepreneurship, etc. 

Later, we were joined by other attendees of the Start Up Takoradi event. The theme for discussion was “Building the Sekondi-Takoradi Startup Ecosystem.” Young at Heart GH volunteers also took advantage of the occasion to talk about Ananse the Teacher app. The city of Takoradi needs more of such programs. The only thing I didn’t like about the event was that it started very late, an hour later than the scheduled time.

After the Startup Takoradi event, we had to disperse to our various places of residence. However, it seems we hadn’t had enough of the #VoluConnect experience. And so, we had to re-strategize to take advantage of the holiday (on Monday) to meet again. Our dear Mansa Bubune made it easier for us. She decided to host the team for a Jollof party at her house.

On Monday afternoon, we met at her place. And after a time of intercessory prayers for the Young at Heart GH team, we wasted no time at all in devouring the jollof rice, taking chaw photos, “talking plenty” and finally calling it a weekend well spent.

Below are the names of the Big Six (plus 1) who made the Takoradi #VoluConnect a reality.

Mansa Bubune

Marian Clara

Dennis Kemevor

Victor Ayertey

Jay Paul

BV Semah

And Miss plus 1 is Mildred (Marian’s sister) who is yet to become a member of the Young at Heart GH fraternity.

I would describe the Takoradi version of the #VoluConnect experience in three words; exciting, enlightening and elating. Hopefully, #VoluConnect will be replicated in other cities accross the country as well. As they say the best(and the first) comes from the west.

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