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Suitcase? Check.

Toothbrush? Check.听

Hammer? Check.听

Garden hose? Check.

The packing list looked a little different this time for Karen Duritza 鈥�26 and Sergio Santana 鈥�27. But then again, the political science majors hadn鈥檛 been 5,000 miles away before, stepping off the bus into the bright sunrise over Ghana.听

Duritza and Santana were part of听political science听Chair and Professor Kevin Fridy鈥檚 PSC 282 course: Community-Based Development.听听

Through the听International Programs Office鈥檚 faculty-led program the students on the Ghana trip this summer performed service projects to benefit the rural communities of Nabdam, Ghana.听听

Santana said Fridy warned them: Things are different around Nabdam. They don鈥檛 have a Home Depot. The students had to pack some materials they would need for their projects, like garden hoses and hammers.听

鈥淔ridy does a lot to make sure that when you get to Ghana, you hit the ground running,鈥� Santana said.听听听

The seven-week course started on campus after spring break.The students studied and discussed readings and films to understand community development and how to ethically and effectively help the Nabdam area.听

The students designed their own service projects in small groups, while Fridy put them in contact with people and leaders from Nabdam, including welders, nutritionists and even the royal families that had claim to chiefdom.听听

Santana鈥檚 group did a historical preservation project. They interviewed elders and other important figures about the local history of the land, and they made signs to denote physical landmarks.听

Duritza鈥檚 group worked with a nutritionist to help alleviate infant malnutrition by adding nutritional value to sweet potato baby food.听听

However, things didn鈥檛 always go according to plan.

There was a power outage at the clinic, so Duritza鈥檚 group couldn鈥檛 reach the nutritionist for five days, and they had trouble finding the clinic.听听听

鈥淚t's just different there,鈥� Duritza said, 鈥渁nd you just have to be OK that it's different and go with it.鈥�

Through Fridy鈥檚 help, the teams bought additional materials they needed at the marketplace, which also financially benefitted the community.听听

鈥淲e had connections everywhere, no matter where we went. He knew what to do, knew the processes and how to help us through it. He knew everything, really did it all,鈥� Duritza said.听听

But it wasn鈥檛 all work 鈥� the class drove to Mole National Park and went on a safari, stepping foot into another world.听听

Santana recalled, 鈥淒r. Fridy said to lock the doors because the baboons will get in. We're, like, 鈥榃hat are you talking about?鈥� He's like, 鈥榃atch behind you, because if a baboon sees you going in (the car) it鈥檒l run in, and you can't get it out.鈥欌��

鈥淭hey'll eat all your stuff,鈥� Duritza warned.听听听

鈥淭here鈥檚 wildlife all around, monkeys running around outside your door,鈥� said Santana.

After a week in Ghana, the students flew back to the U.S., ending the class. Designing the community-based initiatives for Nabdam gave the class first-hand experience in how their political science studies can help the world.听听

鈥淚t鈥檚 a shared experience that a fraction of people really get to have,鈥� Santana said.听鈥淵ou get really excited for the project and what you can do with it."