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Overview
Be a part of the 2 Weeks Special Volunteer Program in Ghana and experience the beauty of the land like never before! This program had been designed for those who wish to spend a short time in Ghana, contributing towards a meaningful social cause and explore the wildlife scenario that the country has in store. Volunteers will be working in and around Tamale, teaching in local schools and occasionally engaging in community development work.
You'd also get to meet some amazing volunteers from other parts of the world. There will be an immense scope of peer learning and together, you can make a big difference to the lives of the Ghanaians. It'll also be an incredible opportunity for you to know more about their life and culture as well
Program Schedule
Duration: 2 weeks
Dates: 1st and 3rd Monday of every Month
Arrive at: Kotoka International Airport (Accra).
Working Days: Monday – Friday – 5 days a week, 7-8 hours in a day
Travel and Tourism Tours: Travel/Sightseeing for 3 days included in Cost
Program Location – Tamale, capital of the northern region of Ghana. The program is based in the Northern region of Ghana in a city called Tamale. Tamale is the capital of the Northern Region of Ghana, with a population of 3,305,000 (2008). It is mostly populated by Dagomba people who speak Dagbani language. It is located in the northern part of the country, where the land is savanna, consisting of grasslands with drought-resistant trees. The city is like a conglomeration of villages, with many people living in traditional mud-brick houses. While the majority of the houses are roofed with corrugated iron sheets, a good number of them are roofed with grass.
Program Details
There are tens of thousands of girls in the city who have dropped out of school and some parents have refused to send their female children to school. Volunteers will be volunteering with a project which is designed to prepare deprived girls, such as those described above, to go to school. The main aim of the project is to provide them with the educational support and vocational training required to help them become ambitious and important members of the Ghanaian workforce.
The learning center has girls in the age group of 7-18 years and around 40-50 younger students are taught basic skills in English, Maths, Social Studies and Religious & Moral Education. There is also a vocational programme for teaching 10 older students basic sewing techniques and preparing them for an apprenticeship in a professional sewing shop in town.
Volunteers on this program will enjoy a rewarding experience by assisting the teachers to deliver lessons. During the mornings you’ll be working with smaller groups of students helping them with their reading, writing and numeracy skills. There may be occasions when you’ll be asked to teach one of the classes yourself but you’ll be fully supported if this happens.
In the afternoons you’ll have the opportunity to support the ex-students who are now attending state school, helping them with their homework and reading and writing skills.
This project is popular with volunteers because it allows them to be entirely creative in their teaching style and use of materials, and actively encourages new ideas for improvement and development. If you come on this program you’ll undoubtedly fall in love with the students and return to Ghana again.
Tour Programs
Northern Ghana Wildlife Tour: - After breakfast with the host family, volunteers set off towards the villages of Boebeng and Fiema. These two villages help protect the black and white colobus and mona monkeys, which the locals perceive as sacred, that live in the surrounding forests. We tour the village while interacting with the locals and learning about their history and traditions. In the afternoon we visit the majestic Kintampo Waterfalls and spend the night in Kintampo Town.
Wildlife Viewing Tour: - After breakfast, we head off from Kintampo to Mole National Park, Ghana’s largest and best game viewing park. An afternoon foot safari will provide close-up views of African Elephants, the world’s largest land mammal. In the evening, we marvel at the wildlife from the viewing platform which overlooks a busy and exciting waterhole, while relaxing in the hotel.
Program Requirements
Volunteers must be 17 years or older at the time of joining the project. Participants should have an open mind and flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. Volunteers need to be flexible, open-minded and have a passion for working with children. You should also be proactive and have the ability to take initiative. All volunteers must provide a clean criminal background check report prior to joining the program. A parental consent form shall be required for Under 18 participants joining the program.
Living
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Volunteering Solutions strives to provide best of the living and other arrangements to its volunteers. Like we keep saying, just pack your bags and arrive at your placement destination. From your airport pickup, stay, meals, weekend tours and other nitty gritties, VolSol manages everything for you.
Airport Transfer
You will be met by our representative at Kotoka International Airport in Accra from where you are transferred to your project location. Volunteers will stay overnight in Accra at hotel accommodation provided by Volunteering Solutions and travel to Tamale the next day. For those volunteers who are arriving in Accra in the morning, you can also take a connecting flight to Tamale directly from Accra. You will be met at Tamale airport and transferred to your accommodation in that case.
Accommodation
Volunteers will be staying at a standard Ghanaian volunteer homestay managed by the local program coordinator. In case space is not available in the volunteer home, you will be accommodated with a Ghanaian Host family. Accommodation is either provided in an individual or shared room along with other volunteer. By staying with a family you will experience the local Ghanaian culture, language customs and traditions. There are separate rooms for male and female volunteers with shared toilet facilities. Participants should note that living is of basic standard and you should not expect luxuries. Power cuts are common in Ghana and most rural houses do not have running water during times of drought. Bedding is provided, however, volunteers need to bring their own towels and mosquito nets (these can also be purchased in Ghana). Air conditioning is available in the volunteer house and the participants need to pay the extra charge to avail the facility in the country.
Orientation
An orientation and briefing session will be provided by your local coordinator. Areas like culture, safety, locations, transportation are covered in the Orientation. After your orientation is over, you will be introduced to your project and also given a tour of the local market and town of Tamale.
Meals
Volunteers are provided with 2 meals (breakfast and dinner) at the host family house. Ghanaian cuisine consists primarily of starches, soups, beans, meat, and fish. The Starches consist mainly of rice and doughy balls made from mashed cassava, plantain or yams. Famous Ghanaian dishes include Banku and Fufu.
During your Free Time
On the weekends you can head out to explore places such as Mole National Park and Monkey Sanctuary. Volunteers also visit Paga to visit Crocodile Park or further south to Cape Coast to enjoy the beaches. On weekdays, participants have free time in the evenings and spend time relaxing at their accommodation or socializing with other volunteers and the local people.
Program Cost
Please Note: -An application fee of £149 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment.
What are you Paying for?
- Comprehensive pre-departure guide
- Assistance from support staff and In-country program coordinator
- Airport pickup from Kotoka international airport in Accra
- Pre-Program accommodation in Accra in a hotel/guesthouse
- Pickup from Tamale airport and transfer to accommodation
- Program orientation
- Accommodation with host family
- 2 meals a day during volunteering period
- Volunteering in Tamale Region
- Weekend Trip to Mole National Park and Kintampo Falls
- 100% Financial Protection
- UK Based Support
- Certificate Of Completion (Upon Request)
What's NOT included?
- International/Domestic Airfare
- Visa fees
- Travel insurance (available at nominal cost)
- Local transportation to and fro program location
- Departure transfer to airport (can be arranged at additional cost)
- Vaccinations
- Any other personal expenses
Program Dates
| Months | 2021 | 2022 |
| January | 0216 | 0822 |
| February | 0620 | 0519 |
| March | 0620 | 0519 |
| April | 0317 | 0216 |
| May | 0115 | 0721 |
| June | 0519 | 0418 |
| July | 0317 | 0216 |
| August | 0721 | 0620 |
| September | 0418 | 0317 |
| October | 0216 | 0115 |
| November | 0620 | 0519 |
| December | 0418 | 0317 |
FAQ's
FAQ's Application and Program Details
As we have limited spots available in our programs and we serve on first come first basis, it is recommended that potential volunteers book their programs well in advance to get confirmed placements. You can book your slot by filling the application form online and pay the application fee.You can pay your program fee later and also, in installments, however, the complete payment should be made 45 days prior the start of the program. If you are volunteering in a group, you can also fill a group application form.
Volunteers must be 17 years or older at the time of joining the project. The minimum age requirement for Medical Program in Ghana is 18 years. One must be a medical student or have a medical background to take part in the Medical programs. All medical program participants need to provide a copy of their certifications/ credentials.
Need to have an open mind and flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment.
The volunteer should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference.
Must be in good health.
In our experience of more than 6+ years we have enabled and facilitated volunteer program placements for student groups- college groups, university groups, high school groups, group of families, group of couples as well as groups of colleagues.
Ghana is one of our popular destination among student groups and is highly recommended for family volunteering as well.
For our returning volunteers, $50 discount is provided for the application fee for their next Vol Sol program.
Flights and Visa
Health and Safety
The recommended vaccinations for volunteers traveling to Ghana are as follows:
Yellow Fever
Hepatitis A and B
Typhoid
Rabies
Tamalians love visitors and particularly volunteers. You’ll meet some of the friendliest people in Ghana and their culture is a fascinating blend of traditional and modern.
However, as in any country around the world, you need to take certain precautions for safety. You will be given safety precautions and instructions by your coordinator during the orientation.
Accommodation and Living
In Accra, the accommodations are provided in a guesthouse or a hotel for a night and on the next day, volunteers take a flight to Tamale. Those who are arriving overland or are already in Ghana will be picked up at a meeting point decided beforehand.
After taking the short flight from Accra, you will be picked up from Tamale airport and taken to your accommodation by our team. You will be given an orientation about the city, placement, safety guidelines and transportation by the in-country coordinator. Depending on your time of arrival, you will be given a tour of the town and nearby amenities on the same day or the next day when you start your project.
You will be provided breakfast and dinner at the homestay. Breakfast usually comprises of Tea, Coffee, Bread, Jam, Butter, Eggs or Fruit. Dinner usually comprises of Rice, Bean Stew, Fufu (Ghanaian dish made of Cassava and Plantain), chicken, vegetables and yam chips. These can vary on a daily basis.
Weekends are free for the volunteers to explore the city. You can go for short weekend trips to Mole National Park, Monkey Sanctuary or Kintampo Falls.
We encourage our volunteers to travel. We have designed various weekend tours which can be booked under the Add-on Tours section in your ‘My Account’. You in-country coordinator will also help you book and organize the tours once you are in the country.
Connect with Past Volunteers
To read alumni interviews from past participants, visit ?the Meet a Volunteer section on our website.
