Hosted by International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

Most Affordable & Trusted Volunteer Programs in Ghana from $270

Name: Most Affordable & Trusted Volunteer Programs in Ghana from $270
Brand: International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ
SKU: 21103
Rating: 9.63 (104 reviews)

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9.63 Rating

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Location

Ghana
- Accra

Starting Price

$270 USD

Length

1 to 24 weeks

Project Types

Agriculture Childcare Community Development Building Projects Sports Education Teaching Health Medical

View Other Details

Program Details

Language

English

Age Min.

Timeframe

Short Term Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round

Housing

Guesthouse

Travel Type

Budget Family Senior Travelers Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price

$270 USD

Price Details

Fully hosted experience from only $270 for 1 week - this includes accommodation, meals, airport pick-up, orientation and 24/7 in-country support.

What's Included

Accommodation Some Activities Airport Transfers Meals Wifi

What's Not Included

Airfare Travel Insurance Visa

Last Updated: May 06, 2021

Last Reviewed: Oct 15, 2021

About Program

Trusted by 113,000+ volunteers, IVHQ offers the world's most popular volunteer programs in Ghana and 50+ other destinations around the world. Choose from seven meaningful projects including Teaching, Childcare, Medical, Construction and more.

Our Ghana programs span 1 to 24 weeks, based in rural villages and townships within the Greater Accra Region. When you’re not giving back to the local community, you’ll have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the local culture and join exhilarating tours.

Your fully-hosted experience includes airport pick-up, orientation, accommodation, meals and 24/7 in-country support. You’ll be accommodated in a volunteer house with other like-minded, impact-focused travelers from around the world.

IVHQ offers a multi-layered support network, so even before you depart, you’ll receive outstanding service from your IVHQ Program Manager and gain exclusive access to volunteer training and preparation tools.

Ready to make a difference?

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Program Highlights

IVHQ’s Ghana program is available year-round, starting on the 1st and 15th of every month and you can choose to volunteer for periods ranging from 1 week to 24 weeks.
Fully-hosted volunteer experience from only $270 for 1 week - IVHQ provides the most affordable and top-rated programs
You’ll be joining a global network of 113,000+ volunteers backed by the world’s leading team of volunteer travel experts with an outstanding safety system and track record
Support impact-driven volunteer projects run by locals within your host community
Flexible booking and free changes so you can register with confidence

Scholarships

IVHQ Scholarships

You can get your hands on a range of different International Volunteer HQ sponsorships throughout the year, with the money you win going directly towards the cost of one of their two-week programs. You'll also get a flight voucher in the value of up to $1,000 from STA Travel and travel insurance to cover the duration of the program from World Nomads. Recent grants have included an “Alternative Break” scholarship, where Spring, Summer or Winter break programs were fully funded.

Value

$1,000 - $2,000

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Popular Programs

Childcare Volunteering in Ghana

Childcare volunteers in Ghana work in both rural and urban communities, providing education, care and attention to children from low-income families. This program is well suited to volunteers with a warm and caring nature, who love working with children and are passionate about supporting early childhood development. Tasks include helping children with morning and evening routines, assisting with food preparation and providing care and entertainment.

Agriculture Volunteering in Ghana

Are you passionate about sustainability and looking for some hands-on volunteer work? As an Agriculture Volunteer in Ghana, you’ll be based on a local farm 2-3 hours from Accra. Tasks involve clearing and developing land for crops, fertilizing, planting, nurturing, teaching farming techniques to locals, fencing, and assisting with purchasing, moving and caring for stock.

Construction & Renovation Volunteering in Ghana

Based in rural Ghana, this Construction & Renovation project offers volunteers the special opportunity to work alongside local people to help improve infrastructure in small rural communities. Projects focus on clinics, community centers, toilets facilities and schools. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to meet chiefs and community elders, and learn about the local culture through music and dance.

Medical Volunteering in Ghana

As a Medical Volunteer in Ghana, you’ll help support small clinics in under-resourced, rural areas for two days per week, and then mobile wound care outreach for the remaining three days. You’ll play a pivotal role in providing basic healthcare services to communities who often don’t have access to these resources. This project is open to qualified medical or nursing professionals as well as volunteers who have completed at least two years of medical or nursing training.

Sports Mentor Volunteer in Ghana

Are you an energetic, enthusiastic individual? Ready to give back to a local community in need of extra support and resources? As a Sports Teaching Volunteer, you’ll put structure around local sporting programs that help children develop their physical capabilities outside of school. This program is well suited to individuals with a love of sport and real enthusiasm for supporting youth development and working with young people.

English Volunteering in Ghana

As a volunteer on this English Teaching project, you’ll work in rural communities across Ghana teaching English directly to local students and assisting teachers. If you’re an aspiring teacher or you're interested in education, this is a great opportunity to get some practical experience while making a difference to those in under-resourced communities. You'll play a pivotal role in helping children develop their verbal and written skills.

Program Reviews

9.63 Rating

based on 104 reviews

Leave a Review

Rating Spread Volunteer

9-10 rating 96.15%
7-8 rating 2.88%
5-6 rating 0%
3-4 rating 0%
1-2 rating 0.96%

Impact 9
Support 9.5
Fun 9.5
Value 9.3
Safety 9.5

Good for Solo Travelers, Students, Adventure travelers

Showing 1 - 8 of 104 reviews

It was the best experience i've ever had in my life. I love Ghana! I loved being part of something good and ı love every person in this program. Thank you IVHQ!
ı have more frıends, a lot of amazing pictures, good memories now...
I was ın gold program and everyone in this program was so helpfull..
We were 8 when i start program with friends from all around the world, ı went there alone ı back with many friends and good memories, if u thınkıng about go there u shouldnt think twice...
Just do it!

I'm just back from Ghana on the Purple Program with IVHQ! My program included teaching, childcare, sports and construction. The program is very well organized by IVHQ and the designated leader Elvis made your transition into the village that much easier. Elvis was exceptional at his job without him the trip wouldn't have been the same. No matter how big or small the request from the volunteers he made sure to get it done for them. Elvis helped you make the most out of your free time by organising excursions such as weekend trips to cape coast or day trips to waterfalls. Whatever you would like to do he will make sure you get it done within your time on the programme. Elvis has such fantastic professional relationships with people around the village and when we travel on the weekends, which helps benefit the growth of IVHQ organization’s and makes the volunteers trip more enjoyable and smooth sailing

What was your funniest moment?

When the local shop (Joe's) was playing bob Marley and all the volunteers and locals went up to dance to the music

Volunteering with IVHQ Ghana was my first time volunteering overseas and I was nervous. Everyone was so amazing at helping us get used to different environments. I felt completely safe and the food was amazing. The program is versatile, you are able to help out in some of the other programs if you would like. I was apart of the medical program, but spent a few days volunteering on the farm and i loved it!! Thank you to the program directors, Elvis, Joe, Milli, Mary, and everyone for allowing us to feel very comfortable.
Volunteering in Ghana was truly a positively life-changing experience and hope to be able to go back in the future!

Had an amazing time doing both teaching and sports volunteering in Frankadua Ghana these past 4 weeks. Food was awesome, support was constant if needed and Elvis made the program 100 times smoother and more enjoyable. The weekend trips to various parts of the country were also amazing and very unexpected! Made some amazing friends, got incredibly close with so many kids and everyone in the community was so welcoming and friendly! Would definitely come back and recommend this program to anybody. Absolutely life changing! Thanks for the memories!

Bobby Willen

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Just go in with an open heart and open mind. Its a life changing experience but you can't go into something like this thinking it will be like home. You are there to volunteer and make a difference in the community and if you go in thinking that way it will exceed all expectations!

This project was my 4th one and was such a unique and different experience from the others. I signed up for childcare but mainly focused on teaching as that was where we were needed most and I loved it so much. Watching the children learn and seeing them start to understand more and more everyday was such a cool thing to see. The programme is so flexible, which is really nice as it allows to you try so many different things and go where you're most needed each day.
Being able to live within the community and see how the children lived is so eye opening as well, as you really get to know them more as time goes on, even though I was only there for a month. I've never had an experience like this one and it really showed me what I take for granted at home.
The whole time I was in Ghana I felt so safe and the local team, especially Elvis, really helped to make sure we were always well looked after. All our weekends were so well organised thanks to Elvis and without him, we definitely would of been very lost most of the time!
I can't wait to come back :)

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Go with the flow as much as possible and don't do what you want to do, do what you're needed for. Make the most of the experience!

It was my first time helping someone voluntarily. So if I was alone, I wouldn't have been able to do it. Also, I was the only Korean in the group, and even the only Asian. I was worried that this might be a disadvantage, but it was in vain.
IVHQ helped me a lot before I arrived in Ghana, and when I arrived in Ghana, the local staff were competent. I was able to carry out all the things I thought, wanted to do, and planned, and the staff supported them.
Additionally, what I liked the most was the innocence. Religious volunteer groups tend to spread religion or have a strong bias, and groups sent from the country have a sense of publicity. But at IVHQ, I really liked the pure help.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?

I love the happiness of eating. When it comes to something new, I tend to put it in my mouth. Ghanaian food was much better than I expected. In particular, I was unfamiliar with food called fufu or banku. In fact, those two foods are slightly different, but broadly speaking, they are like Ghanaian carbohydrates. You can think of it as food such as rice or bread in other cultures. However, in Ghana, it is difficult to grow grains such as rice or wheat, so it is a food made from cassava or corn flour. Also, this is a food eaten by hand without using a spoon. The reason I call this the most unfamiliar food is because it is not a chewable food. Unlike normal food, which is chewed and swallowed by putting food in the mouth, it is eaten by putting it in the mouth and swallowing it immediately.

This was a life changing experience as I got to immerse myself in a very different culture and lifestyle. I was a part of the medical outreach group, and we traveled to different villages and schools to perform malaria testing/treatment and wound care for those who could not afford to go to a hospital. I felt very safe and supported by the staff throughout this experience and I learned so much from the hands on work and many people I met. I went to Ghana to volunteer with my older brother not knowing what to expect at all and ended up having the best experience, and I can’t wait to go back next year!

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?

The traditional food in Ghana was very unfamiliar to me. We went to a local restaurant one day where we are fufu which is like a raw dough ball in the middle of a bowl of a spicy soup broth. They don’t use silverware either so it was a challenge!

After taking care of two wounds in a village, we took a picture with those we helped.

Helping our cook prepare some fufu for dinner

I was accepted to participate in the medical mission. I thoroughly enjoyed my time and felt like I made an impact. I was able to practice medicine and help the poorest of the poor. Resources were very limited, so I had to be creative. I am so glad I went!
Moreover, our program coordinator, Elvis, was awesome! He is an intelligent and thoughtful young man. Without his guidance, our overlapping groups would have been totally lost!
Thank you again Elvis! I hope to see you again one day.
Ghana, I miss you!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Expect the unexpected. Have an open mind. Adjust your standards. Get to know the people and their customs.

Questions & Answers

Is airfare covered?

No, it is not.

By Justine Clark on October 27, 2019

Is there an upper age limit for volunteering?

I hope not as this is the question I am asking.

By Jeanette Maureen bye on January 22, 2017

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

I chose this program because they seemed to offer a short-term, but high impact experience which would allow for a cultural exchange that both respected, affirmed, and celebrated the best of both the home country and visiting volunteer's country. Also, it seemed like a cheap, but an extraordinary way to live as if I was and alongside the locals in the region, without feeling like I was imposing my beliefs, ways of living and being, and culture on the people with whom I was staying. Finally, they were a long-established and well-reputed organization whom, I confirmed with friends, would be an excellent way to see a new country from a local's standpoint, plus have a ton of fun at the same time!

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

The program provider made suggestions as to which travel insurances to choose from when beginning the program, suggested flights, packing gear to bring with me on the trip, a cultural and planning guide for the trip, language lessons and resources to help become accustomed to and immersed in the culture, and resources for way to apply for visas, passports, and background checks necessary for the trip.

View Entire Interview

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

One piece of advice I would have wished to know prior to going on is the demographics of the people I visited. For example, while I knew we would be in a rural area with people who were low-income, I did not know their profession, that is, that they were subsistence farmers who had children and that these children would come to our local residence after school daily and play with us. Had I known that many of the locals were subsistence farmers with children, I might have brought gifts that were more tailored to children (for example, crayons, soccer balls, a skateboard, pens, paper, notebooks, arts and crafts, musical instruments, and more) and for the adults (gauze, ace bandages, aspirin, ibuprofen, Neosporin ointment for cuts, and various work gloves to help them in farming).

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

An average day goes as follows:

5:30 AM--> Wake up to my alarm and take off the mosquito net above my bunk bed sitting next to 10 other bunkbeds in the "Guys" dorm room.
6 AM - 6:30 AM--> Go outside and use the squat toilet for men and fill up my water at the pump to use to brush my teeth, wash my face, and floss.
6:45 AM - 7 AM--> Eat a delicious meal prepared by our cook, Tina.
7:05 AM - 7:35 AM--> Walk to our site where we did construction.
12 PM - 12:30 PM--> Walk back or take a small motor bike to our compound.
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM--> Eat another delicious meal made by our cook and take a bucket shower in the outdoors, which feels so great.
2 PM - 3:30 PM--> Hang out with the nearby children and other volunteers at our compound as they finish school.
4 PM - 5 PM--> Nap.
5 PM - 6:30 PM--> More talking with volunteers or venturing out into town via tro-tro (a small bus carrying close to 12-15 people - think a Mercedez Sprinter van if you need a picture, but less classy and expensive, hehe).
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM--> Eat another delicious meal made by our cook.
8 PM - 10 PM--> Hang with volunteers and sleep the night away to the sound of crickets, roosters clucking, and drums in the distance.

WEEKENDS are FREEEEE and we did fun activities, woot!

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My largest fear was becoming sick. I really did not want to become sick on the trip, so I was meticulous about the water I used (making sure to drink only bottled water or sachet/bagged water [yes, that is a real deal in Ghana... Bagged water] and wash my hands often). I brought a small bottle of antiseptic hand sanitzer and also made sure to eat only cooked meals. I did have a bout of traveler's diahrrea, but it lasted like 2 hours, and it was from eating a mushy pineapple, so yeah. I have to say I deserved that one, heh!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I would probably say many travelers would want to know if there is WiFi in the area, and the answer is yes and no. Yes, if you purchase a SIM card, but no in the sense that it requires data.

Will there be hiking? Yes. The children will take you hiking and will hack any brush away with a metal stick that cleaves away bushes.

Will it be fun? Yes.

Will it be a vacation like going to Europe? No, but it will blow your mind and have you think twice about what "vacation" means.

Is it worth it, though? You know the answer to that one.... ^_^ :) :)

Kelsey Holt

2019 Alum

Nakita Landry

2015 Alum

Chloe Kincaid

2013 Alum

Ricardo Espitia

Laura Bronstein

Madi Essing

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Why did you choose this program?

The IVHQ program seemed to offer all that I was looking for: destination, available projects, affordability, plus the fact that it not simply an adventure travel company. Their programs were dedicated to helping communities in need. The schools where we worked had all been built by volunteers, and we provided materials and labor to renovate and build toilet facilities for the children. A few weeks of work by a few people eventually build a school.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

IVHQ assists with everything: flight information, visa and health requirements, airport pick up, travel to placement, orientation, daily visits to the worksites, and regular meetings at our residence to discuss any issue.

The website provides most of this information in advance, but it's reassuring to meet "face to face" with the organizers. On our own, we have to arrange emergency travel health insurance, criminal background report, vaccinations, and visa requirements if required.

View Entire Interview

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

In Africa, bring as few clothes as possible, and nothing with long sleeves and long pants. Clothes can be washed daily if necessary. Insect repellents are only required at night, as they simply wash away in the daytime by the heat. Bring anti-malaria medication and personal toiletries, and a small first aid kit.

My advice: DO NOT WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING! You will be with an outstanding group of people and you will have a fantastic adventure.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Because of the heat in Ghana, all 10 of us only worked in the mornings.

In construction, we left for our 30-minute walk to the site around 6:30 am and it was an enjoyable walk, as everybody waved and greeted us. We returned to our compound around noon on motorbikes.

The childcare group prepared breakfast and lunch for the school children and were finished by 1 pm. Their school was only a 5-minute walk. Afternoons and evenings were spent reading, playing games, interacting with the children.

Weekends were for sightseeing, usually gone for 2 days (at our expense).

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I had no fears, no concerns. The website provides all the information that you need about your program. The country website (tourism) provides the rest.

As for safety, always remember that you are in a group. There are no safety concerns at the placement site, and we traveled on weekends in groups for 8 or more. Local people are very hospitable and helpful. You will soon discover that you have no worries.

Enjoy your stay.

Edward Adeli

Location

Location:

Accra

Currency:

Ghanaian Cedi

Weather:

Jan-Mar

91 F / 73 F

Apr-Jun

90 F / 73 F

Jul-Sep

84 F / 72 F

Oct-Dec

90 F / 73 F

Airports:

Kotoka International Airport

( ACC )

Accra is the capital of Ghana and has been on the rise for the past 20 years. This multilingual country has offers museums, cultural centers, and beaches.

About International Volunteer HQ - IVHQ

International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) brings people together from all walks of life to make a difference on the adventure of a lifetime. We offer the world’s largest range of volunteer programs with 300+ projects across 50+ destinations - from teaching and working with children to medical missions, conservation and wildlife volunteering. With over 14...

Learn More

Program Details

Pricing

Program Highlights

IVHQ Scholarships

Childcare Volunteering in Ghana 

Agriculture Volunteering in Ghana 

Construction & Renovation Volunteering in Ghana 

Medical Volunteering in Ghana 

Sports Mentor Volunteer in Ghana 

English Volunteering in Ghana 

Alumni Interviews

Aaron Wertheimer

Why did you choose this program?

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Staff Interviews

Julien Comeau

Why did you choose this program?

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

Childcare Volunteering in Ghana

Agriculture Volunteering in Ghana

Construction & Renovation Volunteering in Ghana

Medical Volunteering in Ghana

Sports Mentor Volunteer in Ghana

English Volunteering in Ghana