Volunteer Requirements
Volunteers in Ghana should be at least 18 years old and speak English to at least intermediate level. Some experience working with children is preferred, as is a responsible, enthusiastic and compassionate attitude. Medical placements accept pre-med, medical students and professional medical practitioners. On all programs, initiative, self-motivation, and a willingness to help in many areas are qualities that are greatly welcomed.
Start & Duration
Volunteers who intends to come on Short Term ( less than 3 months) can begin their project placement on any Saturday of the month. Volunteers need to book their flights to arrive on the dates mentioned below.
Those volunteers who wants to come on Long Term (more than 3 months) can begin their project placement on any Friday of the month. Arriving over the weekend is always a good option as it allows time to adjust before starting at the placement on Monday morning.
Arriving over the weekend is always a good option as it allows time to adjust before starting at the placement on Monday morning.
Food and Accommodation
The volunteers in Ghana are very fortunate as they have the opportunity to live with a local family within close proximity of the volunteer project location. Getting to experience cultural immersion within a Ghanaian family makes one’s stay in Ghana uniquely memorable. The family will be on hand to help you and also show you around the local area. The host family provide breakfast and dinner (or all three meals if you are at your accommodation during weekends). At lunch breaks on working days, you can sample local cuisine at modestly priced cafes and restaurants.
The cuisine is flavoursome; if simple. The best known Ghanaian staple is fufu, which consists of a basic starchy ingredient such as cassava, yam, plantain or rice. You may also be served different types of stew, be it fish, chicken or vegetable. Fried plantain is another popular local dish.
Orientation
On arrival at the airport volunteers will be met by a local representative. From there volunteers will be taken to their accommodation and introduced to their hosts. All newly arrived volunteers receive a full orientation to prepare them for their stay in Ghana, including an introduction at their project site and help with familiarization within the local community. The local team are available to help volunteers withdraw money, buy phone or sim cards, get used to using public transport, and to arrange weekend activities
A typical week
The structure of the week varies for different projects, but we aim to be flexible. Provided some notice is given, we will try to accommodate your plans. That said a typical week in Ghana for volunteers may look something like this:
Weekdays: Between 7am and 8.30am you can expect to have breakfast with your host family. At 8-8.30am you will head to your placement, depending on how far you have to travel. Expect to arrive at work at 9am, where you’ll meet with the local staff and plan your day. You will have a tea and lunch break during the day, the length of which will depend on the particular program. Most work finishes between 2pm and 5pm. At this point you a free to explore the local area, play with the kids (if you’re at a teaching or childcare assignment) or hang out with other volunteers. In the evening, you can have dinner with your host family or visit a local restaurant with friends.
Weekends: The weekends allow you an opportunity to visit local attractions or perhaps take a trip out of the city to some of Ghana’s beaches, the Digya National Park or the famous Lake Volta (the world’s largest lake by surface area).
Cost Breakdown
Program fees are a necessary part of volunteering abroad. They help to cover costs associated with your stay, as well as supporting the local organization and projects. Below is an approximate cost breakdown to show you how your program fees are used when you choose to join a volunteer program in Ghana.
Cost Breakdown
- 17% Operating and administration costs
- 19% Awareness, communications and advice
- 19% Implementation and monitoring of projects
- 23% Support for volunteers from before start to finish
- 22% Direct costs on the ground
- 17% Operating and administration costs
- 19% Awareness, communications and advice
- 19% Implementation and monitoring of projects
- 23% Support for volunteers from before start to finish
- 22% Direct costs on the ground
NOTE: The above graph is intended to be used as a guide only. Actual cost allocations may vary slightly depending on the program selected and the length of stay.
Volunteer
Creative Arts with Kids
The Role of Volunteer
This is a great program for creative volunteers as they will have the opportunity to design and implement recreational and educational activities for the children. We encourage volunteers to use their skills and interests to develop fun things for the children to do such as music and dance, arts and crafts, etc.
This is a highly varied program, which can be tailored to suit the skills and interests of each volunteer. There are several areas of focus and volunteers generally assist in areas where the need is greatest, or where their skills are best suited.
Apart from working on projects directly with the children, there are a lot of different ways volunteers can be an important part of this program. Volunteers will also work on interesting subjects such as devising new ideas for the children, preparing lesson plans, helping and organizing fundraising events, and other marketing activities to improve the outcomes of the project. Volunteers will also be encouraged to share opinions, come up with ideas that improve the lives of the children and take responsibility for the outcome of the projects that they work on. A unique and hands-on opportunity that is not often available in other programs!
Resources on are limited so donations from volunteers are greatly appreciated. This is important for those volunteers who are designing activities that might be new to the centre.
Country Info
Welcome to the Land of Sunshine, also reffered to as an ‘Island of Peace’. Ghana is one of the thriving democracies in Africa, inhabited by the world’s friendliest people.
Ghana, the gateway to Africa is situated right in the heart of West Africa . Its borders extend from the Gulf of Guinea covering a distance of about 672km from the south to the north, and about 540 km from the east to the west.
The country is bordered to the north by Burkina Faso , the east by Togo, the south by the Atlantic Ocean and the west by Cote d’Ivoire.
A narrow grassy plain stretches inland from the coast, widening in the east, while the south and west are covered by dense rainforest. To the north are forested hills, beyond which is dry savannah and open woodland. In the far north is a plateau averaging 500m (1600ft) in height. In the east the Akuapim hills run inland from the coast along the Togo border. The Black and White Volta rivers enter Ghana from Burkina Faso , merging into the largest manmade lake in the world, Lake Volta. Ghana ‘s coastline is dotted with sandy palm-fringed beaches and lagoons.
Many countries in Africa, like Ghana, face the problem of homeless and neglected children due to AIDS, of which only 5% get any kind of support. Due to this problem efforts are being made to help these young ones. This outcome has resulted in the construction of more orphanage homes. Unfortunately, there are children on the streets and corners of the cities and major towns in Ghana who are still homeless, with no place to stay, and no one to show them love and care.
The kids are very energetic and will gladly challenge you to a game of basketball or soccer. You will have a chance to make a huge impact on these children’s lives by spending time with them, and contributing to their learning and development.
7 AM– 8 AM: Breakfast) 