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Country: GHANA
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Program description: |
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Volunteer in Ghana by teaching English, working in an orphanage, assisting with various health products or working in HIV/AIDS education. Consider a mini-adventure program in Ghana, either after your volunteering program or on its own. Like many developing countries, Ghana is experiencing increased business and trade conducted in the English language; therefore, English education is in high demand. In our Teaching English in Ghana project, volunteers may lead English classes or assist other primary teachers in elementary, middle, and high schools. Volunteers working in this program will teach English to local children in private, public, or informal schools. Responsibilities of volunteer English teacher include teaching basic English, mostly conversational. Even though English is the official language of Ghana, the children rarely learn from non-Ghanain speakers of the language.
Throughout the teaching period, Ghana volunteers will receive support from local teachers and schools for lesson plans and teaching curriculum. Most of the schools in Ghana give volunteers a Teaching Guide book to help prepare for daily teaching. Many schools also allow volunteers to bring/use teaching materials of developed countries such as picture books, flash cards, art supplies, and songs. Classes are generally in session five days a week. By working as an English teacher, you will not only be helping young Ghanain kids build their future but also be making a long-lasting impact that will benefit the entire community.
Volunteers will teach in the junior secondary schools, where the student age ranges between 11 and 16 years old. Teaching resources will be provided by the school headmaster. Ghana has 3 academic semesters a year: January-March, May-July and September-December, so a minimum commitment of 2 months is required to volunteer for the Teaching English in Ghana project.
Teaching English:
Like many developing countries, Ghana is experiencing increased business and trade conducted in the English language; therefore, English education is in high demand. In our Teaching English in Ghana project, volunteers may lead English classes or assist other primary teachers in elementary, middle, and high schools. Volunteers working in this program will teach English to local children in private, public, or informal schools. Responsibilities of volunteer English teacher include teaching basic English, mostly conversational. Even though English is the official language of Ghana, the children rarely learn from non-Ghanain speakers of the language.
Throughout the teaching period, Ghana volunteers will receive support from local teachers and schools for lesson plans and teaching curriculum. Most of the schools in Ghana give volunteers a Teaching Guide book to help prepare for daily teaching. Many schools also allow volunteers to bring/use teaching materials of developed countries such as picture books, flash cards, art supplies, and songs. Classes are generally in session five days a week. By working as an English teacher, you will not only be helping young Ghanain kids build their future but also be making a long-lasting impact that will benefit the entire community.
Volunteers will teach in the junior secondary schools, where the student age ranges between 11 and 16 years old. Teaching resources will be provided by the school headmaster. Ghana has 3 academic semesters a year: January-March, May-July and September-December, so a minimum commitment of 2 months is required to volunteer for the Teaching English in Ghana project.
Work in an Orphanage:
Orphanage work in Ghana gives volunteers the opportunity to help orphans, children who have grown up in the streets of Ghana, and youths who live in extreme poverty. This well-structured volunteer in Ghana project attempts to create an atmosphere where orphaned children can experience the fun and excitement of learning. The orphanage work project is highly challenging and rewarding, as you will be changing the lives of children who rarely receive opportunities to interact with other people. By sharing love and caring for innocent, troubled, and forgotten children, you will be offering a profound gift. Working with orphaned children demands lots of patience, as these children's harsh living conditions have often alienated them from society.
The job responsibilities of orphanage volunteers in Ghana depend on the needs of the individual orphanage as well as the skills and interests of the volunteers. Most of the orphanages aim to provide education opportunities to orphans; therefore, in most of the cases, volunteers in Ghana project teach basic English to the kids. Volunteers also help in developing creative programs such as art, music, dance, sports, etc. Additional help on day trips, sanitation, cooking, and administration might be requested.
One of the most wonderful opportunities that work on an orphanage can give you is the chance to share your love and skills with poor children. Many volunteers have experienced working with poor kids as life-changing. By offering individual attention and love to children, you are making a real difference in the life of a young person. Whether you have a background in childcare or simply enjoy sharing love with kids, a smile or kind hug can offer something meaningful to the life of kids deprived of love and care.
Health Projects:
In Ghana, efforts are underway to improve health, especially the health of women and children. An emphasis is placed on improving the quality of reproductive health services and on preventing and reducing the impact of widespread communicable diseases, bridging gaps that prevent efficient and effective delivery of health services, and fostering partnerships that lead to improved health in Ghana. Government and non-governmental organizations run a number of different health facilities, hospitals, maternity clinics, children's hospitals, HIV/AIDS wards, and alternative-medicine clinics in many cities and small rural villages.
In our Ghana volunteer health project, volunteers support the local doctors and nurses. Work ranges from observational to basic assistance, depending on level of knowledge, experience, and skill. Volunteer work includes taking care of patients, changing bandages, taking blood pressure, distributing foods, weighing babies, and helping with other first aid treatment. Many hospitals also run different programs on health education, basic prevention, nutrition, and sanitation. Volunteer help might be requested in these areas. Working on health projects offers a wonderful opportunity for volunteers/students to become familiar with the challenges and health issues of developing countries.
Medical volunteers need to have some proof of qualification as a health professional, medical student, or nurse.
HIV/AIDS Education:
AIDS is the leading killer in Africa - with over 2.4 million deaths in 2002 alone. Despite major investments in AIDS prevention, the rate of HIV infection in many African countries is still rising. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has exacerbated poverty and malnutrition. Families hit by AIDS see their food production cut in half. UNAIDS and WHO estimate that 7 out of 10 people newly infected with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa. Nine out of ten children under 15 have the virus. Of all AIDS-related deaths since the epidemic started, 83% have come from Africa. Ghana, like it's neighboring countries, has not been able to escape the AIDS pandemic. Furthermore, the impact of AIDS is deepening and getting worse; the need for action now to prevent its further spread is urgent.
HIV/AIDS projects in Ghana aim to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS and to provide support to those affected by the disease. Therefore, volunteers in the HIV/AIDS Ghana project mostly take care of HIV/AIDS infected kids and people, but they also engage in educational and training activities meant to increase awareness and stop the epidemic of HIV/AIDS in Ghana. Organizations who work on the HIV/AIDS problem have established different community outreach programs such as hospice care, recreational and educational programs, voluntary HIV counseling and testing, and educational seminars and conferences on the virus within the local community. Volunteer help could be used in all of these activities.
Mini-Adventure Program:
The Ghana mini-adventure program is a wonderful opportunity for volunteers who wish to explore the beauty of Ghana and its culture, nature, and people while volunteering to help orphans. The Ghana mini-adventure program aims to help orphaned children with much needed hope and guidance. As a volunteer, you will be teaching health education/English/sanitation to poor kids. You will also help children develop their creative talents by working with them to draw pictures, play games, and perform various creative activities. After a few days of working for the poor children, or any other activity that interests the volunteer, Global Crossroad will organize a 4-day tour of Ghana, during which you will experience Ghana's rich past, exciting future, wonderful culture, and natural beauty by visiting the dramatic coastal slave castles of Cape Coast and El Mina, exploring Kumasi (the vibrant traditional capital of the Ashanti Empire), walking through the canopy high above the Kakum National Park rain forest, and exploring the biggest single market in West Africa, the ancient museum, and the biggest lake in West Africa. The aim of our mini-adventure is simple: to enrich your volunteering experience by showing some of the cultural wonders of Africa.
PROGRAM OUTLINES
Day 1: Airport pick up and hotel transfer. Participants rest the first night in Accra.
Day 2: Proceed to project site in Kumasi early in the morning; orientation after reaching the office. Orientation covers children issues, field condition, host family conditions, safety issues, climate expectations, working projects, and related topics.
Days 3-11: After breakfast, volunteers will proceed to the children project (orphanages). Orientation with local staff; discussion of job responsibilities and other issues. Work with orphanages for 6 days. Volunteers will do generally assist in English teaching, cleaning, washing, game playing, homework, and extracurricular activities Our country coordinator will organize a half-day village hike between 2 and 10 miles. Meet the village chief and explore village life, farming systems, local cultures, local ways of life in Africa, and issues of a developing African nation.
Days 12-15 Four day explore Ghana program
Day 12: Cultural visits of KumasiVisit the Manhyia Palace Museum, see a film presentation that introduces you to the rich culture, history, and wealth of the Asante king, visit the durbar of chiefs and where the king of Asante sits at the Manyhia Palace to learn more about Asante chieftancy and culture, exchange greetings with chiefs and the king, and interact with the king.
Day 13: Explore Craft Village in Kumasi Visit the craft villages that surround Kumasi for the famous Kente cloth at Bonwire (origin of kente), Adinkra textile printing at Ntonsu, and wood carving at Ahwiaa. Each craft village has a particular claim to artistic fame. Bonwire is the capital of the Kente cloth, while Ntonso boasts the Adinkra cloth. Ahwiaa produces outstanding carved figures, including Ghana's traditional fertility doll, and Kurofuforum specializes in the casting of brass.
*In the afternoon, volunteers will leave for Kukum and Cape Coast.
Day 14: Visit Kukum National Park and Cape CoastIn the morning, visit the Kakum National Park, a semi deciduous tropical rain forest. Enjoy a walk on one of the only four canopy walkways in the world, which offers you a bird's eye view of the forest. Or trek on the Kenton trail and get to know the medicinal value of the various African tree species.
After lunch
Visit the slave Castles: Elmina Castle, the first and largest European edifice on the coast of West Africa, built in 1482, and the Cape Coast Castle, which became the seat of British colonial administration until 1877. The history of black slavery unfolds as you tour these Castles. Overnight stay in Cape Coast.
Day 15: Return to Accra in the morning, day tour of Accra, and end of project
Visit the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, peruse Ghana's cultural history at the National Museum, and tour the home of Dr. W.E.B. Dubois, the African-American who spent the last few years of his life helping to build the foundations of a new state, Ghana. Attractions at the WEB Dubois Memorial Centre for Pan African Culture include his tomb, a museum, a library, and a very interesting narration.
Program itineraries are sample itineraries and are subject to change to meet the needs of Volunteers and our home office.
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General program information: |
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Program open to: Everyone
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Benefits and advantages of the program: |
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Nested in the heart of the Gulf of Guinea on the West Coast of Africa, Ghana is a land with miles and miles of sun-dappled beaches, the home of Ashanti, and the land of gold. With its beautiful landscape, lush green palm trees, and many ethno-linguistic groups, Ghana offers some of the best travel experiences of Africa. In Ghana, our volunteer projects are located in Kumasi, a city known as
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Cost or price of this program: |
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From $1000 US
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