|
|
What was the focus of my investigation? The purpose of my study was primarily focused on health and environmental consequences as a result of Ghana's gold mining industry. I wanted to understand just how much health disparities and environmental damages affected the local people and their communities. I wanted to know if anything was being done to alleviate these issues - either from local officials or from the mining companies themselves as part of their corporate social responsibility. What diseases have risen from working directly at the mining sites or at the tailings site? What pollutants affected the water, crops and other food resources, such as fish and cocoa trees? What was being done by the mining companies to prevent pollution, if they even think pollution was occurring?
|
|
Only clean water source available in Kwabeng.
|
|
|
|
What resources or references did you find to be most helpful? My main, and most effective, resource used on the trip in order to address my issues of focus were the local Ghanaians – talking to the people, talking to officials, talking to gold mining companies. By conversing and discussing the focused problems, I was better able to understand the raw issues accompanying gold mining in Ghana in terms of health and environmental mistreatments. Without these primary sources, I would not have been able to gather the invaluable information that I needed. Learning directly from the affected people is a better way to understand the reality surrounding the affected area. In addition, the interactions grant a more in depth way of understanding the needs that pertain to the communities in regards to how those needs can be addressed in the future for optimal health and environmental benefits.
|
|
|
Liquid mercury on the hand of a galamsey
|
|
|
|
What approach did I take to studying this issue? Before departing, I gathered information on my focus of study. However, as mentioned, my main approach was discussing the issues with people -- on the ground. I really saw it as an opportunity to interview Ghanaians for the best way to focus my study to meet the needs of those affected by health and environmental disparities due to the mining companies. Then, upon returning, with the information gathered during interviews, I was able to narrow down my research and focus on the necessary topics discussed while in Ghana. The groundwork in Ghana really was the main approach to studying health and environmental issues resulting from gold mining and it is a more effective way to gather information that may not be fully expressed in text books. What process did I use to gather evidence? As mentioned, interviewing was my main process in gathering primary source information. I really believe that it is a much more resourceful and informative way to acquire information specific to the locations we visited. For example, when we visited the tailings dump in Obuasi, having the hands-on experience of physically seeing the tailings, seeing the polluted pond, and seeing the neighboring towns where the people lived with very little clean water sources and polluted soils gave me an invaluable perspective of the effects of gold mining, more so than would ever be possible through textbooks.
|
|
|
|
What conclusions have I drawn from my experiences? The importance of frield studies and hands-on research in identifying problems is the best way to study a focused topic. I cannot stress the quality of my understanding from having the experience of actually being and seeing the gold mining companies, their effects on the communities surrounding them, and actually being able to see living conditions as a result of mining. I really do believe it has not only granted me a better understanding on my health and environmental focus of study, but the whole study tour has enabled me to gain a deeper understanding of how to pursue active citizenship so that the people are the ones to benefit - benefit to meet their needs. Active citizenship will not work well if outsiders implement change in a way that they may think is best for the local community.
|
|
Child in Elmina during rush hour.
|
|
|
|
How might this experience fit into my future academic, professional or personal pursuits? Since I am now ending my final semester at Tufts, I can truly say that this experience has been the most effective and fulfilling experience I have had during my undergraduate career, if not during any trip abroad. The Ghana Gold Study tour has given me profound insight to how I want to focus my future professional pursuits in terms of international work in global health particularly for developing countries affected by intrusive industries. In addition, more recently, I was so inspired to do more for developing countries that I co-founded a non-profit organization (Beyond Boundaries: www.beyondworldwide.org) with two other Tufts seniors. The work we focus on pertains to infrastructure development in developing countries in terms of environmental, economic and health sectors. Since the trip focused on a multidisciplinary approach to studying gold mining (e.g. through global health, economics, political science, etc), I have sought greater academic understanding in these concentrations. I have now gained greater curiosity for broader areas of study that have not been part of my Biopsychology undergraduate major.
Beyond Boundaries Worldwide
|
|
|
