There`s No Hallowe'en in Ghana But Dressing Up Still Happens in October

One bright October morning, my colleagues and I travelled to a school to address the new students and educate them about the Youth Savings Club in their school. We arrived at the school and asked to speak to the Teacher Supervisor of the club. Unfortunately, according to her colleagues, she had not yet arrived. So we began to walk around in search of her or a member of the Youth Savings Club that could point us in the right direction.

There was a lot of commotion and chanting in the school, and as we turned a corner in the corridor there was a large group of students all crossdressing! It was very surprising to me as homosexuality is very frowned upon and illegal in Ghana. Students had smiles plastered on their faces and they were singing, dancing, and chanting through the school in large groups. At one point, a man dressed as a school boy ran by us followed by students. We came to learn that he is the headmaster of the school.

We were pointed in the direction of the auditorium where the addresses to first years were being held. We arrived just as the addresses were wrapping up to find the Teacher Supervisor, Abena, sitting at the back of the auditorium. Such is life sometimes in Ghana. Things do not always go according to plan and you need to be really flexible. We therefore took the opportunity to go converse with her in the staff room so that we could learn more about their school's Youth Savings Club and its successes and challenges.

During our time in the staff room, one of the male teachers came in all dolled up and pulling off a very convincing woman - high voice and all. There were many laughs shared amongst staff members. It turns out that the school was celebrating its Silver Jubilee and that was the launch of two weeks worth of celebrations to mark the event.

It was nice to see that both students and teachers alike are open to experimentation for the sake of celebrating such an important event in their school's history. The joy was infectuous and I can still see and hear them chanting their school's success.