September 4, 2003 - The Fayette Tribune: RPCV John David stayed in contact with friends in Ghana

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Headlines: Peace Corps Headlines - 2003: September 2003 Peace Corps Headlines: September 4, 2003 - The Fayette Tribune: RPCV John David stayed in contact with friends in Ghana

By Admin1 (admin) on Thursday, September 04, 2003 - 2:57 pm: Edit Post

RPCV John David stayed in contact with friends in Ghana





Adwoa Boama sits near the front door of a home in Page. The door was shipped from Ghana, West Africa. (Steve Keenan/The Fayette Tribune)


Read and comment on this story from the Fayette Tribune on John David who served in the Peace Corps in Ghana from 1965-67. David has stayed in contact with his friend Yaw Boama over the years. "We've stayed pretty closely in touch," David said. "I've been over there to visit a couple of times, and he was very generous.
"About five years ago, I remarked to him that one of the prevalent things you see in the capital city is that they sell doors," David continued. Boama then offered to make some of the doors available for the houses that SALS and its participating agencies build and/or refurbish. Many of the doors contain elaborate carvings that tell a story, adding a different flavor to houses that are built primarily using American products.
"It shows that we can work with different cultures," David said. Read the story at:

West African wood used in New Page house*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.



West African wood used in New Page house

By Steve Keenan, Staff Writer

Adwoa Boama sits near the front door of a home in Page. The door was shipped from Ghana, West Africa. (Steve Keenan/The Fayette Tribune)


PAGE , WEST VIRGINIA - The beckoning front door of Lisa Runion's new home in New Page Housing has a connection that spans a couple of continents and many years.

The beautiful entrance way is made of sturdy odum wood. The door is one of approximately 15 donated by Yaw Boama, a late 1970s business management graduate of West Virginia Tech, and shipped to the United States from Ghana, West Africa.

Mr. Boama has a long affiliation with WVU Tech professor Dr. John David. The two first met when Dr. David was teaching for the Peace Corps in Ghana from 1965-67.

"I was teaching for the Peace Corps at Prenteh College in Ghana, and at the time Yah was in one of my math classes," recalls David. "He was a young lad then, but he was very interested in the United States."

That curiosity, in addition to his history with David, led Boama to attend West Virginia Tech, where he obtained a business management degree and maintained an active student life, including holding office in the Student Government Association.

Following graduation, Boama left Montgomery and returned to West Africa, where he has become a successful businessman and a government leader.

The connection didn't end with Dr. David and Yaw Boama, however. Boama's daughter, Adwoa, is currently enrolled at WVU Tech, seeking a degree in business administration.

"My father liked it here," says Adwoa, a sophomore. "That's why he sent me here."

Adwoa originally wanted to attend college in Ireland, where she spent three of her high school years in boarding school.

"I was supposed to go to college in Ireland, but things have worked out here pretty well. It's like being back in Ireland. And I haven't had to make many adjustments."

The Boamas hail from Accra, a city of about 50,000 that is the capital of Ghana. It is located on the Gulf of Guinea.

She says she chats with her father and mother Sophi daily by phone, and that helps keep her from getting too homesick.

"I'm used to being alone," says Boama, "so I was fine when I had to get used to being over here."

The fact that the door to Runion's home is made of wood from her home country is a source of satisfaction for the 19-year-old Boama.

"I'm proud when I look at the door," she said with a slight smile.

Adwoa's brother, Nana, and sister, Serwa, are currently residing in Maryland and attending Marymount College. Four younger siblings remain at home.

She hopes to remain in Montgomery until she obtains her degree.

"I mainly want to get my education, then decide what I'm going to do," she said.

* * *


David says he and the elder Boama have remained in contact over the years.

"We've stayed pretty closely in touch," David said. "I've been over there to visit a couple of times, and he was very generous.

"And he's been here to visit Montgomery and to see what we're doing (at Tech and at the Southern Appalachian Labor School.)"

"About five years ago, I remarked to him that one of the prevalent things you see in the capital city is that they sell doors," David continued.

Boama then offered to make some of the doors available for the houses that SALS and its participating agencies build and/or refurbish.

After going through the hoops needed to actually get the doors shipped (they arrived in Philadelphia), the next task was to arrange shipment to West Virginia. That task was completed, the doors were treated, and the door on the Runion home is the first to be installed. It was a chore that required a special frame due to the weight of the door.

Many of the doors contain elaborate carvings that tell a story, adding a different flavor to houses that are built primarily using American products.

"It shows that we can work with different cultures," David said.

- E-mail: skeenan@fayettetribune.com




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