There are three main seasons in the north of Ghana. The rainy season runs from about May/June to October, when humidity is above 90% and you can expect tropical rainstorms up to a couple of times a week. Then in November this all changes in a matter of weeks once the ‘harmattan’ starts. This season is named after the dry winds from the Sahara that radically change the look and feel of things. Humidity drops to as little as 10% and the nights can be as cold as 16 degrees Celcius. Finally Febraury/March takes us into the hot season, when the cold nights evaporate and afternoon temperatures hit the mid 40s.
For women such as the ladies in the witchcamp in Kpatinga, the harmattan can be a hard time. The witchcamp is situated on a smallish hill, outside of the main town. Both these factors make the nights extra cold. Lack of income means that blankets are a luxury, so often the women suffer during this time. With a little money left over from last year’s Christmas project, plus some gifts from this year, we decided to buy them some blankets, as a belated Christmas gift. Imagine the joy when they received these! Though the cold nights are almost coming to an end, we didn’t want to leave this gift any longer and they will then have them ready for November when the cold comes again. Thank for those who contributed! [Suhu Yini]