Staff Spotlight: Frank Odoi

Title:
Program Coordinator

Photos

Tell us a little about OGVO and your role at the company.

Our Generation Voluntary Organisation (OGVO) is a registered non-profit and non-governmental African Organisation in Ghana. It was founded with the goal of helping participants to see the world while making a difference. We provide affordable and flexible volunteer and internship programs in Africa, Ghana.

Our programs are designed to help local communities while at the same time providing cultural learning and living experiences to our volunteers and interns. We also believe that through these individual participants will learn about Africa and our ways of doing things. My role at the company is Program Coordinator.

What makes OGVO unique?

In the international volunteer industry, you usually have to pay thousands of dollars for just a few weeks of volunteer work and major non-profit organizations are no exceptions. In contrast, at Our Generation Voluntary Organization (OGVO), we aim to provide you affordable, flexible, and customized international volunteer and internship programs. Our programs are designed to help the local communities at the same time of providing a valuable learning and cultural experience to our volunteers and interns. Here is a summary list of factors that make us stand out in the industry:

1. Extremely Affordable: Our program fees start from only $270. You simply cannot find a lower price. Does lower price mean lower quality? Not with us. The organization was founded with the goal of helping international students and young travelers to easily access the volunteer abroad experience. We aim to provide the best value you can get in the international volunteer industry.

2. Flexible Start Dates and Durations: Unlike other organizations that limit your arrival to only certain fixed dates every year, we offer you flexible arrival dates. Whether it is because of a personal reason or a discount flight that you want to take advantage of, you can start your program any week of the year with advanced notice. The duration can vary from 1 week to 6 months. You may also extend your stay with advanced notice.

3. Customized Programs with Flexible Work Schedule: The volunteer programs are customized for you according to your needs. Most of our work placements have flexible work schedules. We understand that some volunteers want to work a lot while others want to relax and travel more. Whether you want to work a lot or a little, whether you prefer urban or rural areas, we will do our best to make sure that your program is what you want, not what you are given.

4. Meaningful and Enjoyable Work Placements: We regularly inspect the programs and make sure they have an impact to the society and be worthwhile to the volunteers and interns. We will do our best to make sure that you feel needed and you do make a difference in the global community.

5. Quality and Friendly Services: At our head office, we provide extremely rapid response to email inquiries (usually within 24 hours). After your arrival, we provide you a 24/7 hotline for on-site support.

6. Our outstanding service has a personal touch to it. We pay lots of attention to your individual needs and we want you to come as a guest and leave as a friend.

7. We regularly arrange cultural and social activities to help you enjoy your time and build friendships abroad (Ghana).

In your experience, what characteristics make a good international volunteer?

A good international volunteer must be flexible, willing to work hard skilled/unskilled job and willing to live with others in simple living conditions.

What does the future hold for OGVO?

To facilitate the development of communities to reach a level that is most dignifying to the total and holistic progress of mankind. It is also the vision of OGVO to develop at network within the West African sub-region with Liberia being our next target.