Whilst sex tourism is prevalent in the Ivory Coast I learn prostitution is a far wider issue with the legalisation and easy operating laws, it is no wonder so many women turn to this in desperation. Since the war in 2011 a significant increase in prostitution has been recorded, with many women struggling to find work and low employment rates. Sadly this is not always an income choice and many children are also being subject to the sex industry, children are being...

Fair trade is something I have been aware of a long time through exposure of limited amounts of products available in varied shops although has not really been an issue or concern I have had an actual understanding of. Myself and many other westerns use and enjoy cocoa and coffee yet not many of us concern ourselves with its true origin or the effect that it has had on the country it has derived from. I think that if this was a better known issue it may impact on...

It has now come about far too quickly, the time to depart Ghana and head off for the next leg of my journey, to the Ivory Coast or better known as Côte D'Ivoire. On planning and booking my route of West Africa and the countries to visit, I was attracted by its close proximity to Ghana and being known as the Gold Coast of Africa. Admittedly I had little knowledge of this country but I also knew little of the others, so went ahead and added it to my already marked...

Waking up to a multitude of sounds to what I can only describe to give you an idea of this place, picture a farm smack in the middle of central London. It is like a 'city farm' Accra, Ghana's capital with a crowded population of 23 million. The paved streets can barely be seen with all the over flowing market stalls selling just about everything you could imagine and the smells ooze as you walk by and are not all pleasant. Some smell sweet with frying plantains a...

It has come around the day I have had mixed feelings about, at first I felt as if the last day on construction couldn't come soon enough dreaming about bubble baths and conditioning my hair and at other times the prospect of departing was not a great one, the thought of leaving such amazing people behind and a half finished vision of the project. I woke this morning to the usual sound of Tina our Cook shouting across the compound, "Lydia, Lydia are you awake" sh...