As a public relations person, I find it is critical to feel passionate about the organizations I represent. I have to believe in order to convince someone else. This week, we worked on a story I found particularly inspiring. One of our clients – the CEO of Playworld Systems – traveled deep into the lush countryside of Ghana as part of a commitment his company has made to bring play and light to the children of Ghana.
I have never been to Africa and my experience traveling to third-world countries is somewhat limited. Though as a child I did visit places with minimal modern amenities. In 1980, I made my way to the house where my father grew up in County Mayo, Ireland. Back then the country was considered third-world because of its lack of indoor plumbing – let’s just say it was common to take a bath with seaweed in the water and it wasn’t part of a lavish spa treatment. While the plumbing infrastructure may still seem archaic in older homes in Ireland, the mechanics for indoor plumbing do exist.
Unlike Ireland, Ghana, a country located in West Africa has yet to become a developing nation. It remains a third-world country by all accounts and indoor plumbing is still very much a luxury. We were reminded of the country’s condition this week as our client, Matt Miller, traveled there, to kick off Playworld Systems’ partnership with Empower Playgrounds, a non-profit organization that provides renewable energy to villages in Ghana through electricity-generating playground equipment and smart LED lanterns.
Matt was in Ghana for two installations of “whirls” (sometimes known as merry-go-rounds) that generate power while the kids play during the day for portable lanterns that enable them to study in the evenings at home. Playworld Systems recently agreed to take over the manufacturing of the whirls in an effort to reduce costs and accelerate Empower Playgrounds’ ability to make an impact in Ghana and beyond.
Matt chronicled his experience for Play By Playworld, his company’s blog and his writing also appears on a popular trade magazine website. His heartfelt prose vividly captured the culture and people of Ghana. His posts served as a reminder that there are many people in the world that live with so much less.
As a result of Matt’s journey, the children of the Akyeremanteng and Madavunu villages will have not only brighter nights but brighter futures. By 2012, Playworld and Empower plan to make the power-generating systems available to developing nations across the globe.
I REMEMBER YOUR EARLY DAYS IN IRELAND, THAT PART OF THE WEST COST WAS CUT OFF FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD. MATT MILLER IS AN AMAZING HUMAN BEING.THREE CHEERS FOR HIS INNOVATIONS AND EFFORT.