It's the childhood fashion in many parts of the world. You can always find a stick and an old wheel. It's fun and requires practiced skill when steered downhill.

On a dirt track in rural Laos, I was followed by a melodic "dtang-dtang" and discovered that the source of this unknown, but nostalgic sound was that of a stick on a bicycle rim, rolled in similar style.

Maybe it's early training for leading the water buffalo to the field. Or maybe it's a rudimentary metaphor of how we really can tap at our rims of fate and guide them in the way most true to ourselves.

For the first teachers' workshop, we presented momosign and Phonic Chants. We were curious to see how these experienced teachers would react. Would they want to stay dignified with chalk in hand or would they be ready to move?

With the assistance of Enyo Day (purple) the teachers took the patterned rhythm of Phonic Chants to an entirely new level. Inspired by the sound they created themselves, they were out of their chairs.

I'm here in Ghana with Pencils of Promise (PoP) to start the program of momosign and Phonic Chants for elementary school levels.

Many thanks to Dr. Oppong at the Department of Special Education, University of Education in Winneba and Daniel, his primary interpreter who recorded the momosign program for Ghana. 

He is instrumental in the development of deaf education in Ghana. When he first started, he saw how deaf children were often treated no better than animals. His advocacy work has taken him door-to-door to help raise people's awareness one-by-one in a tireless effort to make this a slightly better world.