Di friends wey dey drive from Accra go London to create awareness for digital poverty

Twelve pipo don embark on ambitious road trip from Ghana dey go London.

Di pipo wan use di trip wey dem start Saturday 22 July, take create awareness about digital poverty for rural Ghana.

Dem plan say dem go use sixteen days take drive reach London – different say dem go fly seven hours go di same destination.

E be di first time any pesin for di kontri dey do dis kind trip but di organizers say apart from di fun, dem wan experience “di practicality of travel across di borders as di continent don dey preach free trade”.

Who dem be?

Di group dem call dem Wanderlust Ghana be adventure freaks. Dem love dey travel plenty.

Dem all be Ghana pipo wey dem be professionals, some be real estate pipo, bankers, software developers, den career business pipo.

But dem no just dey travel.

One of di group members Kojo Akoto Boateng don talk say “usually as dem dey drive dem dey see, build relationships den provide solutions for rural Ghana”.

Dem use di trips raise funds take build schools, libraries, e-learning devices den provide mentorship for plenty rural children.

Na twelve of dem pursue di journey, eleven na males plus one female – who be Nana Efua Serwaa Adusei.

She be mechanic by profession.

“Drive for digitalization”

Many pipo outside di cities for di kontri no get access to basic digital tools for dia communities den schools.

Na im one of di leaders, Kwabena Ayirebi say dem go take di journey raise awareness of digital poverty for di kontri.

Dem also wan raise funds take connect communities for Ghana plus digital libraries.

Di target be “US$100,000 wey go take technology go di doorsteps of young pipo wey di libraries be dema only window for di world of possibilities”.

As of 4 August, dem raise $6,000 dem wan take put some digital catalyst fund wey go help dem support di digital charities.

Kwabena who be realtor den im paddies dey soak di adventure for di #AccratoLondon trip as dem hope say dem go drive reach di destination in sixteen days.

Dem dey document everytin e dey happun for road for social media as dem dey drive dey go – from di immigration den border checks plus di food den accommodation all.

How dem start am?

Despite say dem sabi di trip for 2018, dem no fit start am sake of planning den getting di pipo on board no easy.

Dem also talk say by di time dem make ready na im covid 19 come scatter everytin, as kontries close dia borders.

Three years afta di covid outbreak, dem now figa say dem for do di journey.

Dem never get external sponsorship – e be dema own resources dem take dey go.

Las las dem start di “drive for digitalization” road trip plus five Ghanaian-registered cars for di convoy as dem go thru Mali, Senegal den Mauritania.

Kwabena Ayirebi write for Facebook say “dem service some of di cars for Dakar, Senegal before dem continue go Morocco.

By 4 August, anoda member of di group im name be Kojo Saka don confam say dem drive 7,200km take reach Spain.

Som of di group members don fly back to Ghana wey som don go South Africa den Netherlands sake of dia work.

Las las nine pipo dem go reach London after di entire trip by 7 August.

#AccratoLondon trend for social media

Plenty pipo for Facebook den twitter dey vim di explorers for dia courage den determination.

Some na media pipo, odas na sports personalities.

One sports journalist for Ghana, Saddick Adams don write say “dis na thrilling adventure. Na im wish say he fit document di way di group dey document dia 10,000km trip”.

Anoda one Gary Al-Smith say he get “feeling say dis adventure go end plus fantastic twist”.

Na im former BBC editor den current chief editor, UN News, Ben Dotsei Malor com write say “dis na amazing, awesome, daring den beautiful adventure”.

He talk again say he “salute den respect di team for di vital planning den preparation for di trip”.

Som pipo however dey talk say dem no sabi why di group go risk dia lives for dis kind journey.

One account name Ruth Dwira don comment for one of di posts about di trip.

She write say “di explorers get moni to spare dat be why dem dey spend am anyhow”.

Im also talk say “na irrelevant trip plus no inspiration”.

But di Wanderlust Ghana group say dem no go shake about dem kind negative comments.

Dem say dem wan focus on #DrivingForDigitalization from #AccratoLondon.