Volunteer in Ghana / General information for volunteers
CHANGE LIVES AND VOLUNTEER IN GHANA 2011 - 2012
Volunteer in Ghana With a variety of options available, that can be chosen after arrival, our Ghana volunteering program provides all the ingredients of the classic African volunteering experience. There are many different volunteering options, in
many locations, in and around the Kwahu region. Based at a volunteer house with your fellow volunteers; choose from one or more of the following – teaching in schools, playing with children in orphanages, building projects and
hospital work; whether you stay for one week or a month or more. For medical and nursing students, workshadowing and community outreach healthcare placements may be available, please contact us for more details.
Highlights ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • A relaxed way of life in tropical Eastern Ghana away from the hustle and the bustle awaits you. • Our Ghana project provides a classic African experience, with lots of variety for volunteers. • Positive input from volunteers will help the children and set their futures up to be brighter.
Need some advice? Call us today: 0800
345 75 82
While volunteering in Ghana a Project Manager for a Midlands Hospital helped to build a Classroom, install a Creche, and set up Maths, and English tests during her two week stay at a school. Joyte Parmar, who works at the University of Birmingham Hospital, described her time spent volunteering at the Lisa Findlay school in Ghana as 'the best thing that I have ever done, It was fantastic'.(read review)
| www.originalvolunteers.co.uk |
2011 Original Volunteers Ltd. Company Registration No. 6917187 in England and Wales - ATOL Protected Number 9644
Volunteer in Ghana / General information for volunteers Overview On arrival The nearest airport to the project is Accra. Once you arrive at Accra airport, there will be someone waiting for you to take you to the volunteer house. When you are settled in, the co-ordinator will go through all the options with you and see which projects you are most interested in and would like to be involved in. Most volunteers decide on their chosen project/s after chatting with the co-ordinator. Your fellow volunteers who may have arrived shortly before you may also have their own recommendations. Your co-ordinator will also give you a tour of the local area on the day of your arrival, showing you where you can buy food and exchange money etc. If your flight arrives in the evening then the co-ordinator will show you around the next morning once you have had the time to settle into your accommodation.
Accommodation included Most volunteers stay at the main volunteer house. It has a large garden area and a nice veranda; it is a fairly modern Ghanaian house. There is a communal area, where the volunteers can choose to relax and watch a DVD. Accommodation is included with this project. Bedrooms are usually dormitory style, with three or four to a room. Home-stays are also available for volunteers looking to get involved with everyday Ghanaian life.
Teaching in schools Teaching volunteers usually work in primary and nursery schools. The teaching in Ghana is very informal. If you choose to work with older children you may have your own class to teach whereas with younger children volunteers usually share a group with another volunteer or a local teacher. No experience is necessary; most of our volunteers have little or no experience. Basic materials are provided for teaching older children, which mostly requires supervising the students as they work independently through their own set work; although whatever age group you are working with there is always an opportunity to introduce the children to new things. This is a great opportunity to use any creativity you have as you plan different activities to do within the class.
Volunteering in Orphanages When the older children get back from school, volunteers can help them with homework, set up activities or just sit down and give them time to chat and show interest in their progress. Volunteers can also help with the younger children; this help will involve reading stories, play work and general day-to-day care. Working with young children can be very rewarding as you watch them grow and know you have been involved with their development.
Food Ghana is a self-catering project, which means you have to buy and prepare your own meals. There is a cafĂŠ within walking distance, which serves western snacks and meals. Most volunteers for short stays will eat here. Volunteers can also make use of a kitchen which has a gas oven and a fridge at the volunteer house. Shops and markets can be found in the local towns nearby.
Local support A local support team is available in Ghana; made up of volunteer placement co-ordinators, house staff and drivers. They can be reached easily at anytime during your stay for advice and help on any matter from changing projects to organising a visit to a doctor should you need one.
Building Projects Volunteers have the opportunity to help with building projects whilst in Ghana. This can be anything from building houses for people in the poorer areas, repairing roofs, plastering, fixing streets and painting. If you like to work with your hands and feel you have made a difference, this is the project for you!
Hospital Work In Ghana, you can opt to shadow a doctor at local hospitals. This opportunity is great if you want to work in the medical area and see ways in which different countries work medically.
Skills and experience Specific skills and experiences are not needed. It is entirely up to which things you prefer to do and what age groups you like to work with. Creative minds will work well with the teaching as volunteers can set up different activities and use their creativity to immerse themselves in this. Medically minded people or people that want to see and experience different sides to medical work will obviously love the chance to shadow doctors in hospitals. Any volunteers that love working with children will be sure to enjoy the orphanage work, so there is something for everyone!
Need some advice? Call us today: 0800
345 75 82
Your local support team. Front row - Co-ordinators, Rebecca and Fred. Middle row - House keepers and assistant co-ordinator, Rose. Back row - Drivers
| www.originalvolunteers.co.uk |
2011 Original Volunteers Ltd. Company Registration No. 6917187 in England and Wales - ATOL Protected Number 9644
Volunteer in Ghana / General information for volunteers Project resources and advice If you are hoping to work teaching in the schools, it is best to bring along children’s activity books. Few of the schools will have text books for you to use, although previous volunteers tend to leave some spares for others to use in the volunteer house. You could also prepare for the fact that you may get bored if you are staying for longer periods, so bring different props, colouring books, crayons, quizzes and word games too. Nursery schools and orphanages are often lacking in materials, so anything welcome.
Free time There are lots of things to see in Ghana when you are not helping out and volunteering. Many volunteers tend to go and see all the sights, like the beautiful Kwahu Tafo waterfall, where volunteers can swim in the pool below. There are also beautiful lakes and beaches, including Lake Volta and Lake Bosomtwe, and Kokrobite beach. Mole National Park is also a popular tourist visit, along with different churches and other places of worship. Closer to home there are many pleasant walks from the volunteer house up into the hills behind. A small local hotel allows volunteers the use of their swimming pool.
Getting around
Not on your own
Public transport is the main way to travel around Ghana and taxis are the preferred and most common transport used in rural areas. The transport is cheap for short trips ranging from 35p – 50p. For Accra a bus is the best option and costs around £3.
Local facilities
The majority travel to Ghana on their own. But you will never be alone when in Ghana as there are always other volunteers nearby and local support team always on hand. There is also the option to get in touch with other volunteers before you travel. Most volunteers do this, so that when they arrive they have the opportunity of already knowing people; some volunteers even meet up and travel together.
The towns – Mpraeso and Nkawkaw will have all the local facilities that are needed, including banks, doctors, cafes and other amenities.
How to apply
Health
It is quick an easy to register with Original Volunteers. You can either do it online via our website www.originalvolunteers.co.uk or you can call us on 0800 345 75 82 or 01603 627007 and register over the phone. It costs £125 to register and this registration lasts a whole year; which means you can go to as many placements as you want within that year without having to pay the £125 again. The registration fee also instantly books and reserves your place in any month you choose. We are very flexible however and you can always change your mind. Just let us know if dates change and spaces permitting we will put you on another list.
There is also a hospital nearby, although volunteer visits are extremely rare, should you need one, a local co-ordinator will help you to organise a transfer.
What to take Once you have applied and registered with Original Volunteers, you will receive an Information Pack via email that will have further details on the project in Ghana; in this email there will be a list of items to take.
When to pay for this project Accommodation for Ghana is paid on arrival, directly to the volunteer co-ordinators. There is nothing to pay before travel.
Things that you will need to organise yourself • • • • • •
Need some advice? Call us today: 0800
345 75 82
Flights to Accra Visa Travel Insurance In-country transport (except your airport pickup on arrival date) Any extra equipment – e.g books, toys, props etc. Food
| www.originalvolunteers.co.uk |
2011 Original Volunteers Ltd. Company Registration No. 6917187 in England and Wales - ATOL Protected Number 9644
Volunteer in Ghana / General information for volunteers Fast Facts Project Information • • • • • • •
•
Climate
Project Duration: Min 1 week - Max 12 weeks Project Costs: £37 per week Location of project: Various locations in Kwahu and Lake Volta region. Arrival Airport: Accra Activities: Building, playing with children, teaching, general day-to-day care. Working Hours: Variable – Full or Part time. Weekends free Getting to the project: Airport pick-up and transfer to the volunteer house is automatically arranged for all volunteers, once flights have been received. Requirements: Minimum age 18
Ghana has a tropical climate; however temperatures vary with each season. In the north the rainy season occurs between April to September. February and March are the hottest months, the highest temperature being 32 Celsius.
What's Included • • •
Accommodation: Volunteers stay together in a volunteer house. Airport Pickup: Airport pick up is provided. Training: During your stay you will be trained on the job informally via in-country orientation
What's not included • • • • • •
Flights Visas Insurance Return Airport transfer Local Transport around Ghana Meals
Ghana Ghana is located in West Africa. It is bordered by the Ivory Coast to the west and the Gulf of Guinea to the south. The word Ghana comes from the ancient Ghana Empire and means ‘Warrior King.’ The Gold Coast achieved independence in 1957. It was the first sub-Saharan African Nation to gain independence.
Need some advice? Call us today: 0800
345 75 82
| www.originalvolunteers.co.uk |
2011 Original Volunteers Ltd. Company Registration No. 6917187 in England and Wales - ATOL Protected Number 9644