Church masses often evoke a sense of sombreness, giving congregants the space to reflect, while drawing them closer to each other via the shared experience of the divine. Our recent Church of Climate Change mass was less sombre – but our goals were similar. We hiked, washed off the dirt and heat in unbelievably cool pools of a waterfall and ate delicious vegetarian food. In marking our second mass, we spent an adventurous time at the Obosomase waterfalls.
This year, Earth Day called on us to End Plastic Pollution. Always up for a challenge, we gathered some members of the Church of Climate Change and organized a cleanup. There’s no simpler way to LIBTYFI: Leave It Better Than You Found It. We picked up trash (90% plastic!) off Sakumono Beach in Tema, Ghana. Our Earth Day cleanup was in partnership with Niantic, the Pokémon Go company. They put up the event on their website among many worldwide so that Pokémon Go players could find us and sign up.
We are all trying to race towards the promises of success. As we go, we get stuck in the mucky mess of our Greed-Dressed-As-Ambition. What are we willing to die for? Or rather to live for - and what kind of life? Is it economic wealth? How about our lungs and the air we breathe? The food we eat? The soil? The future? Now take a deep breath...
Dr. Monk is looking for an intern based in Accra. Might it be you?
A temple for the green of hearts! Imagine a space where we can convert our climate change concerns into action. Reflect on the state of our world and compensate for our CO2 sins.
Kwame will finally have time for his babies on the farm... because Dr. Monk is taking a collective summer break! We wish you love, light and clarity for the rest of August - we'll be back refreshed and bursting with new inspiration in September. Artwork by our amazing Ire!
Siamese crocodiles are a symbol of democracy and unity. The Siamese crocodiles share one stomach, yet they fight over food. Ama, the amphibian of Dr. Monk, uses this symbol to tell a story of interconnectedness.
Back in 2011, Dr. Monk's Ama joined a group of creative minds in Accra - representing ACCRA[dot]ALT, FCA, IUB and others - to imagine the Chale Wote Street Art Festival. The need was to give a stage to creativity and reclaim public space - for the public.
Now, five years later, large crowds once again thronged the streets of Jamestown, Accra, for the sixth edition of the festival. Bigger than ever, this year's edition was themed Spirit Robot and brought artists from all over the world to the seaside neighborhood, for a display of visual and performance art. How proud we are of our partners for creating a magnetic hit!
The roaring fire we gathered around at the beginning set the mood for the rest of the night: a warm search for honest answers to our climate problem. With non-stop conversation and debate, ideas were exchanged and plans were set in motion for anti-plastic campaigns, as well as tackling the big and small climate issues in our daily lives.