Overview
Volunteer in Ghana

Work with children and support teaching projects in one of several indigenous communities in Ghana. Volunteering in this West African country, you can help to educate children who, without the project, might not get the chance of a formal education.

Offering support to the local schools, which are overcrowded and understaffed, you could find yourself working with children from infant through to secondary school age, depending upon experience and interests, teaching play, literacy, math, music, sports, drama and art. A two-day orientation program will help you immerse yourself in the fascinating history and rich culture found in Ghana.

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Anyone can take part and everyone has something to contribute. Whether you are taking a year off, needing a sabbatical or simply want to take time out, please come and make a difference in Ghana – your efforts will be rewarded many times over by the smiles you see every day on the children's faces.

Aubrey Malcolm-Green, Charitable Trust Founder, 2005

What Difference Does This Project Make?

Working closely with the community leaders, GVI and our project partners are developing educational programs to assist the local children who otherwise may not have the opportunity of a full formal education or who need educational reinforcement. Volunteers will assist the local teachers to teach in the local schools from Monday to Friday. The schools lack even the most basic learning materials and teaching aids – the government is meant to supply text books, but there are never enough to go round and it is not uncommon to see five or six children trying to read from the same book. With money raised through volunteers, our project partners have already provided some teaching and learning materials for the schools, but there is a great deal more which can be done.

Highlights

Elmina and Cape Coast Castle, Kakum National Park and Nzulezo Stilt Village are all within an hour and a half of the community you will be staying in. If you wish to discover more of Ghana in your time off or after the project, the country offers an array of varying cultures and landscapes including national parks and stunning rainforests. On your project you will experience in-depth local community interaction and have the opportunity to use your skills on a variety of project elements.

Location

You will be based in the communities located in the southern central region of Ghana. Ghana is renowned for being one of Africa’s friendliest countries, despite being one of the poorest. Though only the size of the United Kingdom, Ghana’s landscapes range from dry scrub in the north, to rainforests, lush vegetation and pristine beaches in the south. The main towns in the area are Cape Coast and Elmina, the latter of which is the site of the first European settlement on the African mainland. Cape Coast is the cultural capital of the central region.

Field Conditions

Accommodation has been selected to offer basic but clean and safe facilities. Depending on the community, this will either be in a guesthouse or rented house. Western luxuries such as hot water and electricity are not always available, but this does add to your African experience! Your lockable room is furnished with a bed, desk, cupboard, mosquito meshed windows, clean sheets and pillows. The accommodation block has a washroom, separate toilet and shower with running water and a shared kitchen and social area. Three meals a day will be provided.