Projects Abroad Volunteer Programs in Ghana

My time in Ghana was and still is a total disaster. This project is too expensive for the service they gave to the volunteers.

I was brought to my host family and left: nobody was explaining to me, which things (which kind of food, drinking stuff toilet paper, soap and things for cleaning...) you will get and which you have to buy by yourself; where and in which occasions you have to ask for this stuff; where you can get washing water etc. It was the same at my first day in the office I was just parked there: "Wait till the head of the office comes to pick you up" - That was 6 hours later and nobody was taking notice of me till that time. And after the short induction I had all the time problems in the office: nobody gave me work, I had to run around and search for it; nobody asked if I need help; nobody had explained how the computer systems were working, where I can get food, where do I have to go to take the firm car etc.

Some of the descriptions of the projects here in Accra are too much gloss-over. The same goes for the host families, too. Nowhere is written, that you regularly don't have power for 10-12 hours; our longest blackout was 35 hours and the intervals between the blackouts shortened from once a week to every second day! Then you have problem with the washing water in a few host families: sometimes you will never have running water in the washbasin and the toilet, not at all a shower. You have to wash with water from a tank and a small bucket. But there is a big difference in host families and you can't decide in which family you will go. Here the two extreme examples: in one host family they have great rooms, running water, electricity nearly all the time, Wifi and a cleaning lady. But the house is far away, you need a lot of time to go to work. In another host family you have to bag for everything - toilet paper, drinking water, jam, peanut butter etc. every time you run out. Nobody will ask if you have enough or bring it by him-/herself. One time the volunteers had no water for 3 days in that host family because they did not want to pay more for a man who brings the water earlier, so that the volunteers bought small water bags at the market to flush the toilet and to wash. Sometimes there is running water for a few hours on Saturdays but not longer - then the volunteers can fill up the tank themselves. So in the end there are very different conditions in the different host families. And what they don't tell you: you have to pay by yourself to go to work if you are too far away to walk to your placement. I think If volunteers pay such a fucking high amount of money to go work for free (!) somewhere, they must be treated like kings and queens, provided all with the same standard: good balanced food and different beverages, constant running water and electricity, reasonable rooms and the transport to the work placement!!!

And if you have problems the first thing they told you: you must be patient and understanding. It is a different culture here. Things need time and you have to adjust to live here. So please be patient and try to solve the problems by yourself. The Projects Abroad staff will help you, if you feel sick or if you are in big arguments at placement or in the host family but not if you feel unhappy or something like that. Then you have to be quite and calm and patient and try to solve the problems yourself. Only if you bother them every day with emails and messages there will be a reaction and a try to assist. But most of the time it seems to be half-hearted.

TO SUM UP: If you want to gain some overexpensive experiences in a foreign country without so much trouble in organizing and little working hours a week then Project Abroad is the right decision. If you want to gain experiences for your curriculum vitae and you a searching for a serious internship with a lot of work and appropriate results as well as a western-country standard accommodation for the lots of money you spend for the project you should try to organize the trip by yourself or search for a higher qualified volunteering/internship organization.

I went to Ghana for a month last July, and was only 17. I was a bit worry because of my age, however it was the best experience I never have, and I will never forget it. I worked in an orphanage in Accra. At the beginning, I was just playing with the little kids (4 to 6 years old), with the things I brought (color books, bubbles, ...). But I then decided to get more involved. First, I gave french lessons to older kids (16 to 18 years old) : they were my age and some of them were even older than me so that was quite disturbing, I didn't want them to think that I felt superior or anything, I just wanted to learn to know them, and to learn them about the french language and the french culture. It went perfectly well, and I'm happy I have learn them some french words, sentences and songs ! I also bring, with 4 other volunteers, 5 of the little kids to the beach. This was amazing : we went to the beach for an afternoon, just the kids and the volunteers, no member of the orphanage staff (which shows that they trust us totally). The kids almost never go there so they were really excited and had a lot of fun, and we brought them some cookies for the break so they were really really happy, which made us even happier.
This trip had such an impact on me that I want to continue to help these kids as I can : I am doing presentations to students in my school, and i'm trying to raise money with cake sales for example. Then, I want to go back next summer to bring them the money I raised, some clothes, some games, and most of all to see the kids again. I miss them so much, I'm still dreaming of them sometimes.... They brought me so much more than I brought them.
Projects Abroad was really great : they took care of us from the first day I registered to the day I left. They try to organize events so the volunteers get to know each others, with Pizza parties, Football cups, shows, etc.

Critical Feedback:

The cost.

I spent two weeks in Accra, Ghana during the month of April. It was the first time I was traveling to Africa and I was nervous because I had no idea what it was going to be like. Projects Abroad helped me a lot before my trip, sending me e-mails with tips of things I should take with me, and answering all my questions, even the silly ones.
I got there on a Saturday night, around eleven and my first surprise was the warm weather! I knew it was going to be hot, but not that hot. It felt amazing! One of my favorite things out of that trip was the amazing weather. A driver picked me up and took me to my house. He was very nice and talked the whole way about things I should see, places I should visit and former volunteers. I was so excited! When I got to my house, I met the other volunteers who were all girls around my age. Along the trip, we became friends and I had so much fun with them!
During my first week, I worked at a school. It was a school for the neighborhood children, who had no money to go to the public schools that all the other children go to. I asked the other volunteer who worked with me at the school if it was expensive and she said it was around 15 dollars per year. 15 dollars per year!
The teaching I had to do was very simple, basic math and basic english. I loved doing it, and the kids were so sweet, they made it all worth it! on my last day at the school they had a dancing competition and it was so much fun watching them dance. I also met this girl, Abigail, who I fell in love with. I still think about her everyday, and wish more than anything I could bring her to live with me. I gave the kids all my stuffed animals, and they were so happy! It felt nice to give them what was once was so special to me, and see that priceless look on their faces. I worked for around three hours everyday, usually starting at 9 and ending at noon. Tuesday and Thursday I had the option of staying for long and helping with various activities the school offered after classes.
The second week I worked at an orphanage. I could choose how many hours I worked each day, and I usually stayed around 5-6 hours each day.It was sad to see all those kids without parents, without families, and it was hard to imagine how they felt. Amazingly enough though, they were always smiling, always laughing. That good energy that they had changed me, made me realized how petty our society is, how we are always complaining when we have everything. That was my favorite thing about Ghana, a country without luxury, without extra comfort, but with a population that is always smiling, always happy, always ready to wave when you walk by and sing and dance. I think everyone could learn with them.
It was an amazing experience, and it was only possible because of Projects Abroad and how organized and caring they are. They made me feel relaxed and safe during my stay. I recommend them to anyone who is thinking of taking a gap year, or having an experience abroad!

Critical Feedback:

I think that one thing that I wasn't bad, but was somewhat confusing was that, when I changed programs - from teaching to care- no one from Projects Abroad really explained to me what to do, or where to go, because one of the other volunteers in my house did the same project as me. It was okay because she taught me what I needed to know, but it would have been reassuring to have someone from Projects Abroad with me on my first day.

It is important to note that I was one of the first participants of this program, so I'm sure it has matured since my participation.

I was fortunate enough to travel to Ghana to volunteer under the HIV/AIDS program offered by Projects Abroad. I wasn't fully sure what to expect, but hoped that I would get a thorough understanding of the virus, treatments, and its social, cultural, economic, and personal impact on the people of Ghana. The Projects Abroad staff helped deliver in most of these arenas and exceeded expectations in others.

My one month placement brought me to the Police Hospital in Accra where we were to be rotating through different departments, such as the lab, pre-natal care, counseling, and the anti-retro treatment team. The lab exceeded expectations as the staff was very open to sharing as much info as they could while still managing the lab operations. However, that rotation carried on a bit too long considering my short timeline here. Same thing with the pre-natal care; it took about 2 days to cover the material and truly see everything the department had to offer- yet I was scheduled a week in the dept. Moving to the counseling team, I felt as though I was not taken very seriously by the hospital staff- my general curiosity about the impact of the virus was taken as being a "nosey" individual and was shunned. I had words with the program staff about this and they worked their best to accomodate... in the end, they ended up looking to other hospitals for the experience. I think that says something about their commitment to the program's success. All in all, I'm glad I participated in this program, but hope they can work the kinks out and offer the flexibilty of transferring departments when you've maxed out on your experience.

As for the social aspect of Projects Abroad, it was fantastic and exceeded expectations. The staff is fully committed to making your experience a safe and memorable one and I felt that the social aspect of the trip was the best part.

Having volunteered with other companies out there, the best thing Projects Abroad has to offer is the number of other volunteers out there. Chances are if you are in or near a big city, there are many volunteers around you and it is a fantastic social opportunity. However, it is easy to then shift your focus from the volunteering to just socializing... but that's a personal issue. I would highly recommend Projects Abroad, especially if you are looking for a social volunteering experience. If you are truly looking to go make a solid impact and change the world, commit yourself to the cause when abroad... but I warn it is hard to ignore the fun.

This was an amazing experience. You meet great friends all over the world and get a better understanding of not only the west african culture but the culture of many different countries as well. Throughout the week you will go to your placement with weekends off, which gives you a great opportunity to travel around the country and see more of the sights.

Going with a program gives you the security to live in a forign country, I personally was very glad that I did not try to travel there myself as the customs are very different and the culture takes some getting used to.

As for the work placement its self the work is very challenging but rewarding. I worked in a care placement in the orphanage and found the children difficult because they are not used to time outs and the only form of punishment that they recieve is the cane. That being said this is the custom in Ghana and although it took some getting used to we showed the teachers different ways of discipline and convinced them to be open to other methods. The children are fun and great to work with, many people think that they will volunteer and "Change Africa" but as a volunteer you need to understand that the rewards come from teaching one child on one day to say please and thank you, or helping a child with their math homework and watching them get excited because they got the answer right. As a single volunteer in Ghana you will not make a world of difference, or change the whole country, but you are the buliding blocks that collectivly over time will help to change the country.

Going to Ghana after high school was probably the best decision that I could make for myself. It was beautiful and great fun, and opened my eyes to all of the different opportunities that the world has to offer.

My placement with Projects Aborad was at Central Regional Hospital in Cape Coast and my first day was awesome. I got the tour around the hospital like everyone does. The fun part of my day happened when we got to the operating room during my tour. I got sucked in with some medical school students and got to watch an appendectomy! The surgeon was a Bulgarian doctor who has been in Ghana for more than 4 years. He explained everything about the procedure and let me come in close to see the perforation of the appendix. That was my first day and it just got better from there.

I was in Ghana for a total of 4 months and I chose to spend most of my time in the Surgery Department. A doctor on ward duty basically had to stay in the surgical wards and do anything that was needed from putting in catheters and NG tubes to washing burn victims. This is when I got my most hands-on experience because less people were around. I got to do many awesome things, as odd as some of it may sound. I helped bath burn victims, dressed wounds, gave a rectal exam, put in IV lines, drew blood for analysis, and assisted in a minor surgical procedure. For example, one time a doctor that was supposed to assist could not be reached so Dr. C asked the nurse to get me a gown and gloves. We had to put in a suprapubic catheter into an old man who had an obstruction that wasn't allowing him to release the urine from his bladder. He was too old to have an operation so they decided to put a catheter directly into his bladder through the abdomen. Dr. C made a small incision and then clamped the catheter tube with a forcep. He handed it to me and told me to push down as hard as I can until I felt a rip. Skeptical, but definitely willing, I did as I was told. I pushed and urine began to flow out through the tube and into the bag, much to Dr. C's satisfaction. He showed me how to do a proper stitch then allowed me to do the remaining few stitches. This was probably the most hands-on, doctor-like experience I had while I was in Ghana and it definitely confirmed my desires to go into surgery.

Aside from the hospital, I also went on medical outreaches to villages and schools about once a week. We provided minor health services by treating ringworm, small infections, cuts and wounds, etc. This weekly experience helped me to apply a lot of the things I learned while at the hospital, and one weekend, a bunch of volunteers went to a rural village in Assin Praso to have our own one-day health clinic where almost 200 village people came.

Every week I also got a chance to do something outside of the medical-related area. On Tuesdays we took the kids from New Life Orphanage to Han's Cottage to swim in the pool and see crocodiles in the nearby lake. They were the sweetest kids ever and they even gave me a tearful goodbye ceremony on my last day with drumming, dancing, poem-reading, and singing.

Needless to say, my experience in Ghana is one that can't be fully expressed in mere words. All I can say is that I gained so much from this trip. Educationally, I learned a tremendous amount about medicine and the practice of human care. However, my gains were not limited to the educational benefits, because I also created so many memories that have changed me in some way through the different people, culture, and ideas that really defined my experience and every time I think back to my time in Ghana, that's what I remember. And I thank Projects Abroad for giving me that experience.

Most amazing trip of my life. I learned so much and it gave me a new perspective on the world. going with projects abroad is a must! The staff was very friendly and i felt safe the whole time. An experiance that i will never forget

As soon as I arrived in Ghana I was greeted by a staff member, very clearly marked as a Projects Abroad staffer, as well as, a few other volunteers who arrived on the same plane. Projects Abroad also provided me with plenty of contact information of staff members, just in case anything were to go wrong, a few weeks prior. This staff support continued throughout the 2 month trip. I was also very pleased to have weekly staff interactions during Tuesday night Quiz nights and during my outreach programs. I honestly could not have asked for a better accommodation. I stayed with Molly Yankey for my two month placement. She is the kindest and sweetest Host Mother in all of Cape Coast! She took care of me and my seven other roommates like we were all her daughters. She cooked to our preferences and always made sure we were well fed. Even having a roommate who was a vegetarian, she met her needs to the best of her abilities. I am so thankful for my placement at Miss Molly's because it also meant living with Esi and George, as well. They are like family to me now and I stay in contact with them, even a year later. The conditions were great, especially for being in a third world country. The running water would often not work, but that was only due to overall Cape Coast city problems. However, Molly always made sure to have water stored on hand so all 8 of the volunteers and the three family members could take showers and use water as need be. My project was with the Central Regional Hospital in Cape Coast and I worked as a Physiotherapist. I was able to work with my own patients, diagnose, and rehab with my own plan. Definitely an experience that I would not have been able to have in the united states without being certified. I was treated respectfully and always have plenty to do. Overall, I had an amazing experience with my placement and on top of that, an extraordinary time traveling all around the country of Ghana during the weekends. The price for the program was a bit lofty, but with how well the two months went and how well everything was taken care of, did I mention I contracted Malaria and the staff took me to the hospital and checked up on me for days after??, I am perfectly satisfied with how much I paid. I know I could not have had an equal experience going through a different program.

When I first got of the plane in Accra, Ghana, I could not have anticipated the profound effect this trip would have on me. The first experience that embraced me in Accra, ( besides the overwhelming heat which I wasn't used to coming from Canada) was the warm welcome from Nyami, the driver that picked me up from the airport. He took those first few minutes to introduce me to the program, and what would then become a recurring theme throughout the trip, that famous Ghanaian hospitality. After finding out a bit about me and my aspirations, he quickly gave me a name day and introduced me to the jewels of interpersonal interactions in Ghana such as the tricky to get but fun to do snapping handshake. Despite the jarring differences I witnessed between Ghana and Canada, I quickly felt at home in Ghana because of my kind host family that I would be very sad to leave in 2 months.
My placement was at the Ghana Police Hospital where I was put on rotations through the various wards in the hospital, from the outpatient department or OPD ward (emergency ward), surgery, female ward, paediatrics, ob/gyn and the rest. I originally planned to stay only a month in Ghana, but after two weeks in the hospital, I quickly extended my stay by a month. Not only did I get to do some technical things I would never get to do in Canada (such as giving injections, assisting with IV lines, and following doctors on ward rounds), but I felt as if I was real member of the health care team by the level of respect given to me as if I was true colleague. The degree of professionalism as well as team work displayed by the employees of the police hospital truly made my short time there an enriching one. I got to see things I have never seen before such as c-sections, hysterectomies, hernia repairs, and amputations to name a few. I got to also read up and see patients who had diseases I had never come across and perhaps never come across again such as typhoid fever, malaria, elephantiasis, colon cancer, diabetic sores, gangrene, and much more. If you want to get in on the action, it all depends on the enthusiasm and dedication you show! You really do influence how your placement will go!
Those on medical placements also had a chance to participate in weekly medical outreaches to orphanages in the Greater Accra region. Here you got to realize the true impact of your volunteerism. Cleaning the scrapes and cuts of these children who would have a smile on their faces despite everything they had to endure taught me so much about what true perseverance and resilience is. It is not about what life hands you but how you handle it that develops and shows your character and what marks the difference between one who is happy and one who is defeated by life.
It wasn't all work in Ghana! If there is one thing people in Accra know, its how to have to good time. With the various events to do after work from the weekly quiz nights at the Projects Abroad office in Pig Farm ( one of the numerous personality-filled neighbourhoods in Accra), to the ethnic restaurants, bars and clubs, there was always something to do! If shopping is your thing, the arts market, makola market and Oxford street were prime places to bargain and get deals. Weekends were filled with trips through the beautiful locales of the many regions of Ghana.
My two months in Ghana hold some of my most profound memories of my life thus far. This trip in Ghana fully immersed me in the culture and really showed me what it meant to be a Ghanian. The food was excellent, the people were fantastic, the work was rewarding and the time there was unforgettable. Ghana is a place full of untold beauty in not only the sights but the people. What you will take back home that will be the most important won't be the souvenirs and the pictures but the experiences and the feeling that Ghana gives you. Ghana one love indeed!

Projects Abroad volunteer programs allow participants to EXPLORE a new country and EXPERIENCE a new culture. Participants live in a host family, therefore they are fully emmersed into the new culture. One will make friends with other volunteers around the world. For a third world country, the housing is fairly comfortable. The staff is very friendly and helpful before the trip, during the trip, and after the trip. A typical day of the program I participated in (they have many different options but I did Care and Community)a volunteer would do a variety of work. In the morning we would paint a school. We got many breaks to play with the students, and had several games of soccer (football). Lunch would be delivered to our place of work. There was always enough food to keep you satisified, and water to keep you hydrated. After lunch we would go to the orphanage. There we would play games with the children, talk to them, help with chores, homework