Project Name: OVF-NTHU Ecotourism and Service Learning Project

Location: Winneba Region of Ghana

Background: OVF executive director Joy Tang's 09.13.07 Presentation at the National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), led to further engagements with faculty and students at the University. She initially suggested the Eco Living Zone idea to NTHU, considering how the national Ghanaian rainforest could be better preserved as part of an ecotourism/service learning experience.

Overview: Participating students and volunteers will learn more about indigenous cultures in Africa, Ghana and the small farming village of Jukwa which is located in the KakumRainforest?. The program launch will include 10 Taiwan students with 3 instructors. They will travel to Ghana for 4-5 weeks in the Summer of 2008, prototyping the program. The will include field work to help develop the Eco Living Zone (ELZ) between the rural areas and regional relay hub: Winneba.

The idea of a Winneba Ghana EcoLiving Zone (ELZ) will take advantage of our effort to position the Winneba Open Digital Village (WODiV) as innovator of social enterprise, sustainability and distance education solutions for surrounding regions. WODiV’s role is to be a demonstrate site for the actual implementation of those best practices within the ELZ. Students and other service learning volunteers participating in this ecotourism program will support the development of the proposed ELZ which will include Greater Winneba, the Kakum Rainforest Bioregion and surrounding areas.

Vision: This EcoTourism program is designed to provide a valuable knowledge exchange between cultures. It will involve the development of a ecotourism and workshop program built around Multi-purpose Community & Unity Centers. This program when fully developed will give peopla a chance to experience African culture and in the process heal from the stresses and traumas of modern life, becoming more effective and productive �change agents� in creating a sustainable global society.

Project Design: Spring semester will include planning on how to use the time in Ghana most effectively to get the local work and conditions supported, while the students learn valuable lessons about life and also enjoy the local culture, history and ecology of the central region of Ghana. This approach will enable the students do their research while developing an awareness of the local culture and way of life, which that will prepare them for the interactions with the local people in Jukwa and Winneba.

While in Ghana they will stay with traditional families in Jukwa to learn about the Ghana way of life. The Chief of Winneba is a strong believer in our work and can facilitate some royal drumming sessions this will provide a special chance for the students to gain first hand exp of Ghana indigenous culture. Students will travel to key ecological and cultural sites (they will do research online before the trip and then decide which places to travel to).

The Jukwa Farm site will be one of the focus areas for the students' visit. Building on Jukwa Farmer's Coop effort to develop a palm oil processing plant, students will research and then be involved in testing production of palm based bio-diesel promoting an alternative to petroleum fuels at the community level in Ghana. Students also will perform a environmental Scan for the proposed Eco Living Zone plotting out potential plans and coordinating this process with local stakeholders. The existing wireless network will be expanded into the existing Winneba Wireless Network into the regional Ghana ELZ Wireless Network.

Evaluation: After trip Students in Taiwan will write comprehensive reports about their work and experiences will include evaluation of the four phases of program by entire team; report on each of the target projects and their suitability and relevance to their studies; evaluation on usefulness of the collaboration with UEW students at WODiV and interests; and the productivity of online collaboration tools. Ongoing aspects of the evaluation process include Students blogging about their experiences and feedback to Staff Coordinators. At the end of evaluation process, the team will consider follow up activities for future students.

Methodology: Building on oneVillage Initiative we will work with NTHU and UEW students to develop an Assets Based Community Development (ABCD) model which highlights the importance of holistic thinking to empower underserved communities. In addition the team will incorporate Back to the Root mindset towards the development of a specific methodology for the cultural pillar of OVI that includes a full immersion experience revolving around three main components:

	Eco tours - Staffed by a core group of Field Agents and eventually supplemented with volunteers from academic and eco-tourism program;
	Service Learning & Teaching - Teach and build sustainable prototype projects matching workshopper/student interests and passions with the needs of people in the field;
	Culture Immersion - Chance to get back to the root of life through indigenous cultural experiences including drumming, dancing and singing as well as alternative healing services such as massage and acupuncture.

Implementation: Project has been implemented over several years as OVF Ghana has cultivated relationships with local farmers in Jukwa. In April of 2004 OVF President Joy Tang Traveled to Jukwa to sign an MOU with the farmers to work as partners with the coop.

Through a grant from OVF, the cooperative was able to secure a commitment from the federal government of Ghana towards the purchase of "Palm Oil and Palm Kennel Oil Processing Plant" The option of a Multipurpose Modern Oil mill was carefully chosen as there are none in the local area and for this reason it has the potential to generate substantial income for the cooperative.

Funding Strategy: There is a possibility local investors can get involved in this program and also an opportunity for online investment like through an online microfinance institute called Kiva. We will be exploring these opportunities as part of our fundraising strategy for this project.

Goals: This project will include research on the development of EcoLiving Zones (ELZs) and then in the summer a trip by NTHU students to explore the situation on the ground to:

	Provide volunteer services to OVF Ghana and its partners;
	Provide Capacity Building skils relating to the Holistic ICT for Ecoliving Concept skills for: starting enterprises; educating and training people effective and promote sustainable development;
	Identify global organic farming networks and technologies to build the model for self-sustaining community living;
	Develop a Integrated approach to development that bridges income and digital divides
	Develop the first EcoLiving Zone within the region between Winneba and Jukwa and Kuka National Park.

Target Groups: African Farmers

Long Term Outlook: If successful this program will expand beyond the academic sector and be developed as a social enterprise. The funds from this social enterprise program would have a valuable spillover effect enabling the rapid application of appropriate technologies to rural populations building local economies and promoting sustainable development through Ecotourism. A major long term focus of the project will be to provide jobs, education and skills for local people.

The future plan includes the development of a Multi-purpose Community and Unity Center that will feature a variety of support structures that will include local artist galleries as well as Vo-Tech schools that emphasize practical skills such as computer education courses, sustainable design and welding and carpentry.