Why did you decide to volunteer with Operation Groundswell in Ghana?
Hannah: The decision to travel with Operation Groundswell (OG) in Ghana in all honesty, was an impulsive one. But, it has been one of the best decisions I had ever made. I knew that I wanted to travel and volunteer in the summer, and I knew I wanted to go to Africa. So, early last year I began my search for programs that I thought both suited my interests and needs and, were also sustainable and based at a local level. I did not want to go on a trip with an organization with lofty ideals, I wanted to do work within the community and be immersed in the vibrant country which I would, hopefully, be lucky enough to volunteer in. Fortunately, someone in one of my classes gave a brief 30 second talk about OG and it sparked my interest. After some googling, I realized that they not only fit what I was looking for but, they were quite affordable. For me, one of the biggest obstacles to the amount that I am able to travel and volunteer is the cost. If it wasn’t for my student budget, I am quite sure that I wouldn’t be staying in Canada very long! After finding the program I was interested in, fully exploring their website and having a great Skype conversation with my soon to be trip leader; it was the culmination of the affordability, the helpfulness of OG with some of my pre-application questions and, their ‘backpactivist’ values which really solidified my decision to travel to Ghana with them. Which, continues to be one of the best decisions which I have ever made.
Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer in Ghana.
Hannah: The beauty of volunteering is that everyday is different, every day you are faced with new activities and challenges making the experience even more exciting. Whether it be figuring out how to get water to shower when your poly-tank has run out or, how to make the program you are running as exciting as possible for everyone involved, each day infallibly provided an opportunity to learn something new. This summer in Ghana, we did a lot of traveling throughout the country so, volunteer activities ranged from teaching in classrooms in Tamale to helping with sustainable farming in the Volta region, to learning about the challenges that the inhabitants of Old Fadama, a slum in the capital, face everyday. The bulk of our time, however, was spent in the Upper East Region in a village called Sandema.
Generally, our day would begin at 8am, assuming you weren’t on breakfast duty (we rotated who cooked, cleaned etc) you would grab a bite to eat, talk with the group about what every one had planned for the day and get going. Doing things right over lunchtime was rather hot so, getting an early-ish start was often a good idea. The project I was working on was a girls leadership program which I, along with five of the other participants on my trip organized and ran throughout our time in Sandema. The sessions we ran with the girls ran from 1:00 to 2:30 in the afternoon so the morning was usually spent getting things together. This could include preparing materials, buying supplies, hanging out with the girls outside of the program (believe me they are some of the most amazing people I have ever met) or, meeting with various community members to learn more about the happenings in Sandema.
After grabbing lunch, my go to was fresh yam chips and guava juice from the stand just off the main road, we ran the program. The great thing about OG is that the programs are really flexible and thus, your experience is largely what you make it. All of us in girls leadership were really passionate about the program so, the hour and a half we spent with the girls practicing leadership skills, speech writing, playing games etc., always went by really fast. For the remainder of the day, I would often wander the market if it was market day (it came to town every three days), write in my journal, explore Sandema or, visit OG’s partner organization in Sandema, Horizon’s Children’s Centre (HCC). A home for boys who are age 5 - 24, HCC was probably my favorite place in Ghana. No matter the type of day you were having, the smiles on all the boys faces always made it that much better. Whether it was reading with them or tossing a soccer ball around, a lot of our group loved spending any extra time they had there. In the evening, we would all end up back at our house, share dinner and chat about what we did during the day and what we had planned in the next couple days before going to sleep to face the new experiences to come.
What made this experience unique and special?
Hannah: For me it was the people who I met along the way that made this volunteer abroad experience unique and special. Both the people on my trip itself and the Ghanaians who I met, and became friends with throughout my travels, really made the experience an unforgettable one. The warmth and generosity that I experienced throughout my entire time in Ghana is indescribable. I have made countless new friendships many of whom I stay in touch with over Facebook or Skype. Sarah, a woman I met in the Volta region, even called me the other day just to see how I was doing. OG provided me with an uncensored experience of life in Ghana, the smells, the daily realities, the sights and, most importantly the people which really allowed me to make these lasting friendships and look forward to the possibility of one day returning to Ghana.
How has this experience impacted your future?
Hannah: My experience volunteering with OG has really solidified what I want to do professionally and really opened my eyes to a lot of new things personally. Professionally, I have known for sometime that I would like to work in the field of international development. In my mind, I have always seen myself doing something like I did in Sandema, designing and implementing a program in the field. Although I had previously volunteered on numerous occasions within Toronto and once before abroad, I had never had the hands on experience which OG provided. Their “backpacktivist” perspective really allowed me to have a momentary feeling of what it would be like to do what, I now know, I really want to do in the future.
On a personal level, I have never really experienced such a sense of community as I did in Ghana. Since OG has such amazing relationships with their partner organizations, you really got a sense of what it is like to live within the community, a community which supports you and is looking out for you and your wellbeing everyday. If you weren’t feeling well one day, you would get visits from your new friends; if you were struggling to carry something they would offer you a ride or a helping hand; or, to me what was best of all, if you did not say good morning or give a smile to someone walking into town, they would call you out on it. It was such a drastic change from the bustling urban lives many of us were used to where everyone is attached to their smart phone and large coffee at all times. And, although I got many strange looks as I constantly was smiling or saying hello to people once I returned home, it was a refreshing experience that really made you step back and, no matter how grounded a person you are, really question what is truly important in life. If it wasn’t for the opportunities which OG provided I would not have been able to personally experience any of that.