Volunteering Vespup for Africa

The ambitious volunteer project Vespup for Africa was born from my idea to co-inhabit a solo Vespa trip from Italy to Ghana with a humanitarian and volunteer operation to benefit the association In My Father’s House run by Father Peppino, aka Father Giuseppe Rabbiosi.

The goal is to support the mission in two ways:

The first is to promote fundraising to enable us to finance a number of projects within the mission and in the outer villages.

The second is to enable people who would like to have a volunteer experience, giving them the opportunity to do it in a safe place and outside the “solidarity tourism” circuits that have unfortunately developed a lot in recent years, masquerading as humanitarian missions.

Father Peppino

Father Peppino I met when I went to the mission in Abor, Ghana, for a few weeks in 2013. I immediately saw in him a reference point, a clean person who has dedicated and is dedicating his life to a mission aimed at supporting African children to grow up and learn a job in their own land, Ghana.

For the past 40 years, he has managed the mission he created, In My Father’s House, wisely, efficiently and transparently administering the funds he manages to raise through the work of the non-profit organization that operates in Italy by his sister Elsa Rabbiosi and Davide Bonfanti.

I last met him in Colico, in the province of Lecco, it was August 1, 2022, he had returned to Italy for a series of medical examinations that unfortunately diagnosed him with occlusion of three coronary arteries, resulting in the need for urgent surgery, which fortunately went well. What struck me that day was that despite his aches and pains and his age (74 years old), all his talk was focused on things to be done in the mission, hoping to return to Ghana as soon as possible.

Looking back over notes written in 2013, phrases he said in those days jumped out at me, which fully represent the way he weighed and acted:

“Father Peppino ….qui every now and then state officials come and leave us children in need.

Marta … but then do they give you funds, aid ?

Father Peppino…. no no, they just have a problem to solve.

Marta … however, it is not fair, they have to help ….

Father Peppino…. Yes it is true, but if you want to do good you have to forget the logic of giving and receiving. You have to think that you can give and rejoice in doing so, without expecting a return.”

and again

“Father Peppino….Here in Ghana there are many people who could help those who are suffering … but that is not why we should not give our contribution and support …

… even in Italy those who volunteer do so, regardless of the fact that there are hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of very rich people who alone could solve the problems of all the weakest …”

and again

“Father Peppino….Children don’t need toys … when they have them, desires for possession arise: “it’s mine …, mine is more beautiful …” …. Here they are happy even without the toys…. They have fun, they make up toys, they are together ….

Children need books, clothes, love and more, but not toys.

… here you learn to slow down, leave behind the hustle and bustle of modern life to rediscover the value of time, relationships, community…., slowing down…., almost into madness., knowing how to be content and value what you have.”

In My Father’s House

The In My Father’s House mission started 40 years ago in Abor, a small town a three-hour drive from Ghana’s capital, Accra. About 800 children are handled within the facility, attending the different levels of schools present, from kindergarten through vocational schools. There are four types of boys and girls:

150 of them have no family and live permanently within the mission 365 days a year.

Another group attend school and return to their homes in nearby villages every day in the afternoon.

Others stay all week and go home only on weekends, accompanied to the farthest villages by mission vans and buses.

Finally, a last group, those who live far away, return home only every three to four months, that is, during the Christmas, Easter and summer holidays.

Over the years, the in-house facilities have been increasingly enriched, partly to cope with the increased number of children present. Today inside IMFH there is a cafeteria, dormitories, classrooms for all classes, recreational areas as well as a small medical and dental clinic. There is also a dedicated area to accommodate up to 20 volunteers at once.

The entire mission is completely fenced and therefore extremely secure.

Among Father Peppino’s activities, in addition to running the mission itself, is the support he provides to about 100 villages in a 30 to 50 km radius around Abor. Every day he leaves early and visits an average of two/three villages, going to celebrate Mass, bringing aid and retrieving any people and children with health problems who may need medical care in the mission or to be taken to the nearest hospital, in the most serious cases even to Accra.

Fundraising

Fundraising for the Vespa for Africa volunteer project is done by donation options via bank transfer, PayPal, Credit Cards and in the Gofundme platform.

For companies that want to make a contribution, it is advisable for this to be done by bank transfer, indicating in the reason for the transfer also the tax code/VAT number, by doing so the entire amount donated is tax deductible.

The dedicated Vespup for Africa page has all the links and related information.

Volunteer experience in Ghana

I, when I was in Ghana in 2013, had an experience of volunteering and charity that marked me deeply. I have discovered a different world, where everything slows down and where the value of things and money is greatly diminished, perhaps returning to its most natural dimension.

I was amazed to see the children always smiling, albeit in situations that were certainly not as comfortable and comfortable as we are used to having in Italy and Europe. They played with simple things, not expensive toys and electronic equipment, at most marbles or a ball.

Thanks to Vespup for Africa each of us can decide to go on a mission trip to volunteer, on the dates and for the length of time we want. In my experience I suggest a minimum period of two weeks, but if needed, even one week can be done.

Those who are interested are put in touch by me with Marta and Davide who give support to the whole thing from Italy. The volunteer only needs to purchase the airline ticket and get the yellow fever vaccination, as it is mandatory, as well as, of course, having a valid passport that is not about to expire. Once we arrive at the Accra airport, the mission takes care of sending a van to pick up the volunteer(s) and bring them to Abor. No room and board costs are borne by the volunteer.

The activities that a volunteer can do are the most varied, also depending on his or her skills, interests and abilities, basically we make arrangements with Father Peppino upon arrival. It is already a good thing for him when volunteers spend time with children and young people, sharing experiences and cultural differences with them.

A complex project with many practical and emotional implications.

The difficulties of a long and demanding Vespa trip, where care must be taken to avoid the pitfalls of the territories, roads and desert.

This is an important fundraiser that will allow us to do many things and see a number of facilities that improve the quality of life in those terriors, for the people who live there, realized in a very concrete way.

A unique volunteer experience that many alone would never have done.

I’d say there are all the ingredients not to be bored, Abor…, here we come!