Our Community

What is a community?

A community is a group of people who live in the same place.

Your family is small. Your community is big! It is everyone who lives in your village or your town: your neighbours, the sellers at the market, the teacher, the nurse, the chief, the children you play with.

People in a community know each other. They help each other. They share the same roads, the same market and the same school.

Try this: Say the name of your village or town. Say the names of three people who live near you.

Village and town

Some communities are villages. A village is small. There are not many houses. Most people farm or fish. Everyone knows everyone.

Some communities are towns. A town is bigger. There are many houses, shops, cars and trotros. There may be a big market and many schools.

Some communities are cities, like Accra, Kumasi and Tamale. Cities are very big, with tall buildings and busy roads.

Try this: Do you live in a village, a town or a city? What makes you think so?

Our homes

Every community has homes. People live in them.

In a village, many homes are built from mud bricks with a thatch or metal roof. Families often live in a compound — several rooms around a yard.

In a town, homes may be built from cement blocks. Some are flats with many families in one building.

Whatever the home, it is where a family eats, sleeps and keeps safe.

Try this: Draw your home. Who lives there with you?

Our neighbours

A neighbour is a person who lives near you.

Ama's neighbour is Auntie Adwoa. She sells bread. When Ama's mother is late from the market, Auntie Adwoa watches Ama until she comes home.

Kofi's neighbour is Uncle Yaw. He fixes bicycles. When Kofi's bicycle chain fell off, Uncle Yaw fixed it for free.

Good neighbours greet each other. They look out for each other's children. They share food on special days.

Try this: Who are your neighbours? What do you call them? How do you greet them?

Greeting people

In Ghana, greeting is very important. It shows respect.

In the morning we say "Good morning". In Twi, "Maakye". In Ga, "Ojekoo". In Ewe, "Ŋdi". In Dagbani, "Dasiba".

When you greet an older person:

• Stop what you are doing.
• Look at them.
• Say the greeting clearly.
• Wait for their answer.

When you pass a neighbour and do not greet, they may think you are rude.

Try this: How do you say "good morning" in your language? Greet three people tomorrow morning before school.

The chief

Many communities in Ghana have a chief. The chief is the traditional leader.

The chief:

• settles quarrels between people
• looks after the land
• leads festivals and important meetings
• speaks for the community to the government

The chief sits on a stool or a skin. A chief wears special cloth, like kente, and may be carried in a palanquin at festivals. The chief's helper who speaks for him is the linguist (ɔkyeame).

We show respect to the chief. We do not shout in the palace.

Try this: Do you know the name of your chief? Ask an adult.

The queen mother and elders

The chief does not rule alone.

The queen mother (ɔhemaa) is a senior woman in the royal family. She helps choose the chief and advises him. She looks after the women and children of the community.

The elders are older, wise people. They sit with the chief and help him make good decisions. They remember the history of the town.

Together, the chief, the queen mother and the elders look after the community.

Try this: Who are the oldest people you know? What can they teach you?

The Assembly member

Each community also has leaders chosen by voting.

The Assembly member is chosen by the people of the area. He or she goes to the District Assembly to speak for the community. The Assembly member asks for things the community needs: a borehole, a new classroom, a better road, street lights.

The unit committee helps the Assembly member in the community.

So a community has traditional leaders (chief, elders) and elected leaders (Assembly member). Both are important.

Try this: What does your community need most? A road? Water? A clinic?

A durbar

A durbar is a big gathering. The chief, the queen mother, the elders and all the people come together.

Durbars happen at festivals and on special days. There is drumming, dancing and singing. The chief sits under a big umbrella. People wear their best cloth.

At a durbar, the chief may talk to the people about the community's plans. Visitors come to greet the chief.

Try this: Have you been to a festival or durbar? What did you see? What did you hear?

The market

Every community has a market. It is where people buy and sell.

At the market you can find tomatoes, onions, pepper, yam, plantain, fish, rice, cloth, pots, slippers and much more.

The sellers bring their goods early in the morning. The buyers come with money. They talk about the price. This is called bargaining.

Some villages have a market day once a week. Towns have markets open every day.

Try this: What is sold at your market? What day is market day?

People at the market

Many people work at the market.

• The tomato seller sits with her basket.
• The fishmonger sells smoked and fresh fish.
• The butcher sells meat.
• The kayayei carry heavy loads on their heads for a small fee.
• The tailor sews dresses near the cloth sellers.
• The market queen leads the sellers and settles problems.

All of them help the community get what it needs.

Try this: If you could sell something at the market, what would it be?

The church

Many people in the community go to church on Sunday. Christians go to church to pray, sing and hear from the Bible.

There are many churches: Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, Pentecost, Anglican and more.

The leader of a church is the pastor, priest or reverend.

On Sunday mornings you may hear singing and drums from the church.

A church is a place of worship. People show respect there: they dress neatly and do not run about.

Try this: Is there a church near your home? What is it called?

The mosque

Many people in the community go to the mosque. Muslims go to the mosque to pray.

Muslims pray five times a day. On Friday they gather at the mosque for a special prayer.

The leader of a mosque is the imam.

Before prayer, people wash their hands, face and feet. They take off their shoes before they enter.

A mosque is also a place of worship. We show respect there.

The Larabanga mosque in the Northern Region is very old. It is one of the oldest buildings in Ghana.

Try this: Is there a mosque near your home? Have you heard the call to prayer?

Respecting every religion

In one community, some people are Christians, some are Muslims and some follow traditional religion. They are all our neighbours.

Kofi goes to church. His friend Abdul goes to the mosque. They play football together. They are good friends.

We respect everyone's religion. We do not laugh at how other people pray. We greet each other on Christmas and on Eid.

Ghana is peaceful because people of different religions live together as one community.

Try this: Do you have a friend who worships in a different place from you? What do you like doing together?

The clinic

When someone is sick, they go to the clinic or the hospital.

At the clinic you will find:

• the nurse, who checks you and gives medicine
• the doctor, who finds out what is wrong
• the midwife, who helps mothers have babies

Babies are taken to the clinic for weighing and injections to keep them healthy.

The clinic is a very important place in the community. It keeps people well.

Try this: Where is the nearest clinic to your home? Have you been there?

The school

The school is where children learn. You are at school now!

At school there are:

• the head teacher, who leads the school
• the teachers, who teach you to read, write and count
• the pupils — you and your friends
• sometimes a cook who makes the school lunch

The school belongs to the community. Parents help build classrooms, and the PTA (parents and teachers) meets to make the school better.

Try this: What is the name of your school? What is the name of your head teacher?

Water in the community

Everyone needs water. Where does your community get its water?

• a borehole with a pump
• a standpipe with a tap
• a well
• a river or stream
• pipe-borne water in the house

In the morning, people queue at the borehole with buckets and jerrycans. Children help their parents to fetch water.

We must keep the water clean. Do not wash or throw rubbish near the borehole.

Try this: Where does your family fetch water? Who fetches it?

People who help us

Many people in the community have jobs that help everyone.

• The farmer grows our food.
• The fisherman catches fish.
• The driver takes us places in a trotro or taxi.
• The police officer keeps us safe.
• The nurse cares for the sick.
• The teacher helps us learn.
• The seamstress and tailor sew our clothes.
• The mason and carpenter build our houses.

Every job matters. A community needs all of them.

Try this: What work do your parents do? How does it help the community?

The farmer

In many villages, most people are farmers.

Farmers grow maize, cassava, yam, plantain, cocoa, rice, tomatoes and pepper. They keep goats, sheep and chickens.

Farmers work hard. They clear the land, plant seeds, weed and harvest. They sell the extra food at the market.

Without farmers, there would be no food in the market, and nothing to cook at home.

Try this: What crops grow near your community? Have you helped on a farm?

Places in our community

Let us make a list of the places in a community:

• homes, where families live
• the chief's palace
• the market
• the church and the mosque
• the clinic
• the school
• the borehole or standpipe
• the lorry station, where trotros stop
• the football field
• the police station
• shops and chop bars

Try this: Which of these does your community have? Which does it not have?

Draw a map of your community

A map is a drawing that shows where places are.

Kwame drew a map of his village. He drew:

• his house in the middle
• the road going past
• the school at one end
• the market at the other end
• the church and the mosque
• the borehole near the big tree

Try this: Draw a simple map of your community. Start with your home. Then add the school, the market and three other places. Show which road you take to school.

Helping our neighbours

In a good community, people help each other.

• When a neighbour is sick, we visit and bring food.
• When a neighbour has a new baby, we go to greet them.
• When someone's child is lost, everyone helps to look.
• When an old person cannot fetch water, a young person fetches it for them.
• When there is a funeral, the whole community comes.

Helping is not only for adults. Children can help too!

Try this: Think of one thing you can do this week to help a neighbour.

How children can help

You are small, but you can do big things for your community.

• Greet your elders.
• Fetch water for an old neighbour.
• Help carry a load for someone.
• Share your food with a friend who has none.
• Show a lost visitor the way.
• Run an errand for your mother or a neighbour.
• Pick up litter near your house.
• Be kind to the younger children.

Ama helps Auntie Adwoa sell bread on Saturdays. Kofi sweeps the compound every morning.

Try this: What did you do to help someone today?

Communal labour

Sometimes the whole community works together on one job. This is called communal labour.

The chief or the Assembly member calls everyone to come. Together they:

• clear weeds along the road
• dig gutters so rain water can flow
• clean the market
• build a new classroom
• fix the path to the borehole

Everyone brings a cutlass, a hoe or a broom. Many hands make the work light!

Try this: Has your community done communal labour? What did they do?

Keeping our community clean

A clean community is a healthy community.

• Put rubbish in a bin or the rubbish pit, not on the ground.
• Do not throw plastic into the gutters. It blocks them, and then there are floods and mosquitoes.
• Sweep in front of your house.
• Keep the area around the borehole clean.
• Use the toilet, not the bush.

Many towns have a clean-up day each month. Everyone comes out to sweep and clear.

Try this: Look at the path from your home to school. Is it clean? What could make it cleaner?

Playing together

Children in a community play together. This is how we make friends.

Kofi, Abena, Kwame and Ama play football on the field after school. They play ampe, hide-and-seek, oware and skipping rope.

When you play together:

• take turns
• play fair
• do not fight when you lose
• include the new child who has no friend

Playing together makes the community friendly and happy.

Try this: What games do you play with the children near your home?

Rules in the community

Every community has rules. Rules keep everyone safe and happy.

• Do not steal.
• Do not fight.
• Respect your elders.
• Do not make noise late at night.
• Keep the community clean.
• Do not fetch water with a dirty bucket.

Some rules come from the chief and elders. Some come from the government. If someone breaks a rule, the chief or the police may deal with it.

Try this: What is one rule in your community? Why is it a good rule?

Being a good community member

A good community member:

• greets people politely
• respects the chief, the elders and all adults
• helps neighbours
• keeps the community clean
• obeys the rules
• shares with others
• plays fairly

Ama is a good community member. She greets everyone, she helps Auntie Adwoa and she keeps her compound clean.

Try this: Which of these things do you already do? Which one can you start doing?

Kwame's community

Kwame lives in a small village near Kumasi. Here is his community:

My village has about fifty houses. Our chief is Nana Osei. We have one school, one church and one mosque. The market is on Tuesdays. The clinic is in the next town; we go by trotro. We fetch water from the borehole near the big tree. My father is a cocoa farmer. My neighbour, Maame Yaa, sells kenkey. On Saturdays we do communal labour.

Try this: Write or say five sentences about your community, like Kwame did.

What we have learnt

Well done! You can now:

• Say what a community is.
• Tell the difference between a village, a town and a city.
• Name the people who lead: the chief, queen mother, elders and Assembly member.
• Name important places: the market, church, mosque, clinic, school and borehole.
• Name people who help us: farmers, nurses, teachers, drivers and more.
• Say how to help your neighbours and keep the community clean.
• Be a good community member.

Your community is your home. Look after it!

Learn more

• Ghana Health Service — the people who run the clinics and hospitals in every community
• Larabanga Mosque on Wikipedia — the story of one of Ghana's oldest buildings
• Makola Market on Wikipedia — Accra's famous market
• Government of Ghana — news about the country and its districts
• NaCCA — Ghana's curriculum body, where the Basic 1 Our World Our People standards come from

Watch more

Think about it

1. Who are the leaders in your community? What does each one do?
2. Why is the market important? What would happen if there were no market?
3. How are a church and a mosque alike? How are they different?
4. What is one way a child can help a neighbour?
5. Why do communities do communal labour instead of leaving the work to one person?
6. If a new family moved in next door, how would you welcome them?