Projects Abroad High School Volunteer Program in Ghana

My experience traveling with Projects Abroad to Ghana was so incredibly smooth and hassle free. From fundraising ideas to visa application the group and I were supported so well, we had constant communication with our Project Advisor through emails and phone calls. Every question was answered. For my first time traveling without family and volunteering, I couldn’t recommend this trip enough because from the second we arrived we all so welcomed as we were introduced to our supervisor and built an amazing relationship in such a short time. It was a great relief for ourselves and our families at home knowing we had constant supervision. I never felt unsafe at any point. Our work done in Ghana was also beneficial to the school and the children.

I was looking for a volunteer project in the summer of 2015, I was 16 at the time and discovered that very few organisations offer projects to people 16-17, until I came across Projects Abroad's website. I was immediately interested and started browsing through the many projects, for me it was the high school specials and i was particularly interested in care and community in Africa. I emailed projects abroad as I had so many questions, they were very very helpful and even arranged for me to meet up with a previous volunteer where I live. She was lovely and answered all of my questions and concerns, that was when I made the decision to go to Ghana for 4 weeks.

I was overly excited (especially as this was a year before I was actually going!), when I got my "my projects abroad" webpage I swear i checked it every day waiting for new information to be uploaded about my project. About a month before I went I received lots of information about my project (about the schools I'd be going to, my host family and accommodation and even an itinerary that told me what I would be doing each day in Ghana).

I emailed back and forth with Projects Abroad staff and always got a quick response.

From the minute I set foot in Ghana I was supported and guided by the staff, I was met at the airport by them and they were very friendly. My supervisor was my rock for my month in Ghana. He became a close friend and he and my group of volunteers became a little family, helping and supporting each other. I felt like I could talk to him about anything whether it was because I was unwell, needed help, for a laugh or having to be forced out of bed in the morning! We were given a lot of responsibility which I felt was very important, on the project we led classes and organised what the pupils would be doing (which was harder than it sounds!) but it gave us that a purpose and made it a much more valuable experience.

Projects Abroad took good care of me and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a worthwhile, safe and enjoyable experience.

I completed the HSS Football Coaching project back in 2016. It was an amazing experience which I will never forget (hence why I'm writing this review almost 4 years later!).

I worked in a marginalised area of the Captial, Accra. In the mornings we trained with a local senior team and in the afternoons we coached the younger children.

I volunteered alongside 7 others from Holland, Japan, US, Canada and the UK - communication was not an issue and we bonded quickly and became the best of friends which really enhanced the experience even more.

We were all in charge of our own group of young footballers, we ran training drills and coached them with our knowledge. At the end of the placement a 6 a side tournament was held, my team came 2nd.

My month in Ghana with Projects Abroad was anything but ordinary; it was, in simplest terms, a fantastic month which changed my life. But of course, as I left my home in New York and headed to JFK airport, I was more nervous than ever before. The butterflies in my stomach disappeared, however, when I met the Projects Abroad staff member, surrounded by 7 other high school volunteers, who was waiting for me at the gate. After quite a long flight, we emerged from the Ghanaian airport to find two more smiling staff members waiting for us. They helped us load the car, and then drove us to our final destination: Cape Coast. Upon arriving at our home stay, they dropped us off, to unpack for the month ahead. After about an hour, another staff member came and gave us a quick orientation. Over the course of the weekend, we met many more staff members and the volunteers who would be staying with us for the amazing upcoming four weeks.

Throughout our time in Ghana, the Projects Abroad staff was always attentive and caring. Our group supervisor, Saeed, quickly became a friend, and we are all still in touch with him. He always helped if we had any questions or concerns, and he is the reason that we all felt so confident in our medical work. Two other staff members, Grant and Enoch, helped teach us how to take blood and blood pressure, and taught us a lot about malaria and cholera, information we later related to students in schools across the city. In our workshop sessions when we would study health issues in Ghana, they answered every question and made sure even I, who has never so much as taken a biology class, could follow along. On the weekends the staff made sure we had plenty to do, taking us to the beach and even the rain forest! We also had cultural events like bead making and drumming and dancing, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

At home, we were immediately welcomed in by our host family, and though we did not often speak with our host mother, two of our host brothers quickly befriended us. They watched TV and played video games with us, and they helped us do our laundry by hand, an endeavor which all of us were wary to complete on our own. We also went out to restaurants with our host brother, and he truly felt like part of the group.

Overall, there’s no other way to describe my time in Ghana except with a radiating smile and the simple fact that it truly was the best month of my life, and I encourage anyone and everyone to experience it for themselves.

I chose to go overseas to Ghana and work on law & human rights related issues. Going into the program I wasn't too sure what to expect, but I can confidently say it was the best decision I could have made and the experiences and friends I made will surely last a lifetime. The pre-departure stages of my trip were extremely smooth, made possible by Projects Abroad staff and the MyProjectsAbraod page. Once I arrived in Accra, Ghana, I was immediately greeted by friendly Projects Abroad staff and quickly brought to the host family's house where I met a few other volunteers.
The accommodation far surpassed my expectations in relations to cleanliness, space, and food. Everyone in the house was extremely friendly and was ready to accommodate every need you had. Projects Abroad has a multitude of staff in country to assist with your trip. Each High School special placement has their own supervisor who is with you just about 24/7. This interaction provided time to learn about Ghanaian culture and way of life in a casual environment. Being someone who did a 4 week high school special, I had to opportunity to get very close with my supervisor, and we still communicate! The supervisors really do a wonderful job of making sure you have everything you need and check up on you even at the host family's house.
We had the perfect mix of volunteer work, and sight-seeing. During the weekends we went on trips to Cape Coast, Shai Hills, Laguna Beach Resort, Boti National Falls, and more. During the week we met with locals to discuss topics relating to human rights and social justice which was very interesting and eye opening. We also met with lawyers, chiefs, visited the Supreme Court and Parliament, and also taught about human rights in multiple schools.
Regarding safety and health, I think Projects Abroad did a wonderful job of making sure we were aware of our surroundings and that we knew ways to keep healthy and clean. They provided us with bottled water at all times and helped us find street food that would be safe to eat. A few girls in my project did get sick and the supervisors wasted no time taking them to the hospital as soon as the volunteers mentioned they weren't feeling well. Then, they checked up on them everyday to make sure they were taking their medication, etc.
The most amazing part about my experience with Projects Abroad was my opportunity to meet fellow volunteers from around the world. Everyone bonded so fast and being in such close quarters with each other everyday allowed us to become very good friends. This unfortunately made the goodbyes unbelievably difficult, but I'm lucky to have made such good friends that makes saying goodbye so hard.
Overall, my time with Projects Abroad in Ghana was invaluable and irreplaceable and I would recommend this project to anyone looking to learn about human rights, see/visit a beautiful country, and is open minded to new cultures, foods, and experiences!

My volunteer experience with Projects Abroad was an unforgettable experience! I was impressed especially impressed by how passionate the staff members were and how the entire schedule was meticulously organized! The host family was very welcoming and they also had great food. My most-liked dish was Red Red with Rice, it was super delicious!! Whenever I had questions about the culture, the host mom or the daughters would give me thoughtful answers. Living with the family was a gate way for me to learn about the language and the lifestyle! It proved that Projects Abroad thinks through all of their staff placements and the qualities which all of them obtain. The programmers, the men behind the scenes of the program: Grant and Bernard, did an exceptional job in making sure we always felt comfortable and busy! We always had a jam-packed schedule with trips to the hospital, community outreach days, orphanage and school check-up days, etc. I learned an incredulous amount of my current abilities in first aid from the medical advisors Eric and Abigail and they are my inspirations to become a doctor in the future. I hold this experience dear to my heart and will treasure it for the rest of my life.