Day 6 - My Ghana 6 team members

Day 5 was not a good day.  I wrote about it in my blog yesterday.  However, on Day 6, my outlook improved significantly and I managed to solve the cash machine challenge. I learned that Scotiabank has a partnership with Barclay's Bank in Ghana - so not only can I withdraw cash - I could do it without even a transaction fee.  Now we are talking.

The news from my brothers and sisters back home is also more encouraging.  The tests that the hospital ran on my mom all came back as negative for a bladder infection.  She is still in the hospital, and still in discomfort - but at least there was some good news. 

I also successfully managed to run an antivirus check and my computer has not shut itself down since (touch wood).  My manager reset my password and sent me the new password so I was able to get back into the IBM network.

As I overcame some of the challenges that seemed insurmountable yesterday, I reflected on how much I have come to rely on my Ghana 6 teammates.   For instance, through my cash woes,  any one of them would have helped me out and a few of them did spot me some cash until the crisis was over.  Even after a week we still go out for dinner as a group of 11 almost every night.

My Ghana 6 team members

My ECG team

Denis Selegatto - Technical Solution Architect - IBM Brazil
Rangarao Wunnava (Ranga) - Technical Solution Architect - IBM India
Kerstin Herrmann - Managing Consultant and Project Manager - IBM Germany
June Zeng - Business Operations Manager - IBM China
Kristina Bryson - Executive Program Manager, Import Compliance - IBM Canada
Joanne Davidson - Executive Project Manager - IBM Canada (Me)

SOS Team

Heike Reinking - Application Architect, Web Technologies - IBM Germany
Jorge Estrada - Project Support Office - IBM Mexico

Tema Technical Institute Team

Akiba Saeedi - Program Director - Information Manager - IBM US
Shikha Raghav - Business Analyst - IBM India
Shin Wakayama - SAP Consultant - IBM Japan





The Ghana 6 team - Left to Right
Denis Selegatto, Joanne Davidson, Jorge Estrada, June Zeng, Shikha Raghav, RanagaWunnava, Barbara (CDS), Shin Wakayama, Heike Reinking, Kerstin Herrmann, Akiba Saeedi , Kristina Bryson

 
We even have a team logo

We have become a very tight-knit group - Is it really possible that a week ago I  had only met one person, my Canadian team member, and that the others were complete strangers?  Sometimes I find it hard to believe that they have not always been a part of my life. 

Here is a link to a new press release about us that came out this week about the Ghana 6 team

http://www.ghananewsagency.org/s_economics/r_25921/


Newspatper article
International IBM team to support modernisation of electricity supply
February 25, 2011
Accra, Feb. 25, GNA - A team from IBM, an international technology and consultancy company, will arrive in the country this weekend to work
with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to modernize its computer systems to improve electricity supply.
    
The team, which would be in the country for a month, would also work on a number of projects aimed at supporting national economic and social
development.
    
"IBM is helping companies and governments around the world to use advanced technologies to do things smarter," said Joe Mensah, Country
General Manager of IBM Ghana, said in a press statement issued in Accra on Friday.
    
"In Ghana we will use our experience and expertise in the utility sector to help improve the management of electricity supply in the country.
Our employees will work pro bono and IBM will benefit from the experience by helping to develop its next generation of leaders."
    
The statement said the team of 11 IBM employees from nine countries would work with a number of other organisations in Ghana.
    
For example, they will help to establish a Website and student record database for the Tema Technical Institute. The team will also work with
a local branch of SOS Children's Village to provide a technology framework to better educate disadvantaged youngsters.
    
The statement said the Ghanaian initiative was part of IBM's global Corporate Service Corps (CSC) programme through which IBM deployed teams
of employee-volunteers on projects around the world aimed at supporting economic and social development.
    
This is the sixth time that IBM CSC teams are being deployed in Ghana. To date and it is also the 100th team to be deployed by IBM globally.
    
The statement said this milestone coincided with the celebration of IBM's Centennial this year and highlighted IBM's continuing role in
transforming society, business and science around the world.
    
The current engagement in Ghana comes on the heels of a number of previous CSC projects in Africa - a focus region for the programme.
    
Since July 2008, IBM's Corporate Service Corps has deployed 327 staffs on 29 teams to South Africa, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco
and Egypt.
    
The Corporate Service Corps is a global IBM initiative designed to provide small businesses, educational institutions and non-profit
organisations in growth markets with sophisticated business consulting and skills development to help improve local conditions and foster job
creation.
    
The CSC projects in West Africa are facilitated by the Washington-based CDC Development Solutions.

That is it for today...