About the village of Atsiekpoe
Atsiekpoe (its name meaning “Home of the cashew tree”, pronounced as a-tjémpe) is on the opposite river bank from Aveyime and Bator, small towns in North Tongu District situated in the southern part of the Volta Region in Ghana. North-Tongu District counts a population of 89.700 people and the district capital is Bator. The district counts 29 Electoral Areas and Atsiekpoe is part of the Vome Electoral Area together with the following communities: Adidokope, Badzi, Afalekpo, Bokoeme, Darbokorfe, Fiarkorfe, Kponkorfe, Norkolekpoe, Patamiakorfe, Vome East and Vome West. The estimated population of the Vome electoral area is 3200 people. Atsiekpoe counts 250-350 permanent inhabitants.
Atsiekpoe’s location is quite unique: you can get there in a one and a half hour drive from the hectic capital Accra, after which you find yourself in a peaceful place surrounded by beautiful nature. To get to Atsiekpoe from Aveyime, you need to cross the Volta River by ferry-canoe.
Local life is very much centered on the river where local fishermen prepare their boats and nets, children play and swim, and women do their laundry. The village consists largely of termite clay houses with thatched roofs. The main economic activities are farming (cassava, maize, peanuts), fishing (tilapia and shrimps) and trading. Craftwork is another important source of livelihood. The local people weave baskets and mats from palm branches. And the blacksmith follows a century-old process in the production of iron tools.
Because of these characteristics, the Ghana-based travel organization Jolinaiko Eco Tours partnered with the community and established an eco-tourism programme. On average, the village receives a minimum of 400 tourist annually.
Despite these characteristics, the youths of these riverbank communities leave the area in search of greener pastures in Accra and other areas in the country. The majority of these communities lack infrastructure in terms of health, sanitation, education and livelihood and many people perceive themselves as being deprived.
