Overview
Being a volunteer for the Street Children Program in Ghana, you'll be working with a bunch of underprivileged kids, aiming to provide a good future for them. In association with a local NGO in Accra, Volunteering Solutions has been trying to uplift the lives of children between the ages of 6 months to 12-years-old.
Ghana is a developing country and numerous families are living below the poverty line. The parents often leave their kids in search of work, and these kids struggle alone, barely making it to school, growing up without any proper support. Our main aim is to help these children, provide them with basic education and nurture them for a better future. You'll be working at a shelter home, assisting the local Mothers (Mamas, as they are called), helping them with daily chores like teaching the kids about health and hygiene, preparing food for the kids, and playing with them while showering them with love & care.
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.
Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities
As a volunteer for the Street Children Program in Ghana, your main tasks would be:
- To provide adequate attention to the kids and adolescents daily
- Educate them about health, sanitation, hygiene, etc
- Teach English, encouraging them to study for a better future
- Involve them in extracurricular activities and games
- Help with the preparation of the food and feed the little ones
- Assist the local staff in their day to day activities and managerial work, as and when needed
Volunteer Work Schedule
Volunteers mainly work from Mondays to Thursdays, between 8 AM to 1 PM. Breakfast is served before 8 AM, after which you’ll get started with your work.
Living




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.
Arrival & Orientation
You will meet our representative at Kotoka International Airport in Accra from where you'll be transferred to the accommodation. Later, you'll travel to the project site after the orientation program.
Accommodation
You'll be staying at a homestay with Mamma Mina, who has been hosting volunteers and interns in Ghana for years. You'll surely have a 'home away from home' feel with her, as she'll ensure to feed you like a mom! You'll be sharing the space with other volunteers. There's a living room where you can chill with Mamma Mina and her family. There's also a large beautiful garden.
Meals
Volunteers are provided with 2 meals (breakfast and dinner) at the accommodation. 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. Participants are given a mix of local and western meals.
During your Free Time
There is also a lot to discover around in Accra. In addition, after work you can do a relaxed stroll in a shopping mall not far away. Experience the vibrant Ghanaian Capital Accra in all its facets.
On the weekends you can do a variety of trips to places such as Cape Coast, Kumasi, Canopy Walk and many more options to choose from.
Program Cost
Please Note: -An application fee of £165 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment.
What are you Paying for?
- Airport pick-up & Drop off at the airport
- Comprehensive Pre- Departure Information
- Support from long term experienced staff
- Welcome meeting and Orientation
- All necessary project training by experienced staff
- 24-hour in-country support
- Accommodations
- Donation to our ongoing work
- Meals: Breakfast, and Dinner
- Travel & Medical Insurance (Available at an extra cost)
- 100% Financial Protection
- UK Based Support
- Certificate Of Completion (Upon Request)
What's NOT included?
- Flights
- Cost of the daily traveling to the project
- Public transport and extra transfers
- Private expenses on site
- Visa and vaccinations
Program Dates
Months | 2022 | 2023 |
January | 0209162330 | 0108152229 |
February | 06132027 | 05121926 |
March | 06132027 | 05121926 |
April | 03101724 | 0209162330 |
May | 0108152229 | 07142128 |
June | 05121926 | 04111825 |
July | 0310172431 | 0209162330 |
August | 07142128 | 06132027 |
September | 04111825 | 03101724 |
October | 0209162330 | 0108152229 |
November | 06132027 | 05121926 |
December | 04111825 | 03101724 |
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.
Every program has certain and prerequisites that are required to be fulfulled by the volunteers. Please refer to the respective program page for the detailed requirements.
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.
Volunteering Solutions offers projects in the capital city of Accra as well as in Tamale in Northern Ghana. Tamale is the fourth largest city in Ghana and one of the the fastest growing cities in West Africa.The Beach Conservation Project is located in Axim, which is a six hour drive from Accra.
For our returning volunteers, $50 discount is provided for the application fee for their next Vol Sol program.
Flights and Visa
Tamale is well connected to Accra having daily flights between the two cities. You need to book your flight to Accra and the connecting flight thereon from Accra to Tamale. Please get in touch with your program manager for more details.
Health and Safety
The recommended vaccinations for volunteers traveling to Ghana are as follows:
Yellow Fever
Hepatitis A and B
Typhoid
Rabies
Ghana is a safe and stable country with relatively low crime levels compared to other West African countries. 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.
Connect with Past Volunteers
To read alumni interviews from past participants, visit ?the Meet a Volunteer section on our website.
Accommodation and Living
We provide a wide variety of program options in Ghana and the accommodations vary depending on the program choice.
In Tamale, 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.
In Accra, volunteers are provided accommodation in the volunteer house with other volunteers or in a host family depending on the program choice.
In Axim, volunteers stay with other volunteers as well as local staff in the Volunteer & Staff Village! There are bungalows in the village, located by the side of the beach. You'll share a room with one to three other folks. The rooms are basic but you'll be provided with all necessities.
At all project locations, two meals a day are provided to the participants.
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.