BETWEEN SAND AND WATER

Ada-Foah and Keta are neighbouring fishing towns based on either side of the Volta Delta, situated on Ghana’s coast where the Volta meets the Atlantic ocean. The area is home to important mangroves and other aquatic cultures which the communities depend on. The photos show the communities of Azizanya, Azizakpe and Kewuno which are located close to Ada-Foah.

Shoreline erosion and subsequent flooding have increased the damages to homes and infrastructure and general way of life. The communities have resulted in adopting resilient but unsustainable mitigation and adaptation measures to protect their homes ie building walls and landfilling using the rubbish which gathers into the community during the high tide. In other places such as Wasakuse and Anyanui, the community members are engaging in mangrove restoration projects to help restore the ecosystems that were diminishing due to human activities such as mangrove harvesting for firewood.

With this project, Ofoe wants to explore the resilience of the communities and how they cope with the consequences of the constant environmental challenges in their everyday lives. It explores the relationship between the people, the sea and the land. The resilience found among the people along the coast includes wide-ranging activities such as the restoring and preserving of the mangroves which are an essential part of the ecosystem of Volta Delta.