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I spent two amazing weeks in Ghana, volunteering with IVHQ Turquoise Program at the Senya-Beraku Health Clinic.
Evans (who is your POC for the turquoise program) met me at the airport, on time and exactly where my instructions told me he would be. I had an obnoxiously large and heavy suitcase that I had filled with medical supplies for my work at the clinic. Evans did not hesitate to help me with it and lugged it down the street until we found a taxi. When we got to the volunteer house in Madina, he showed me around and introduced me to the staff. After I was settled, Evans helped to get my phone working with multiple package options with prices for pre-paid SIM cards. I was stressed because I had no local currency to pay him for the SIM card at that moment, he assured me we would find a reliable ATM in the morning and got my phone working that night anyway. Half way through my stay in Ghana, my phone ran low on data and Evans was able to help me again.
Getting to my placement in Senya was chaotic and long but Evans was so helpful and professional, explained everything to me along the way and answered all of my questions. Everyone stares at you, and tries to get your attention because you are clearly a foreigner, but I never felt unsafe with Evans, as he doesn’t let them harass you.
Once we reached the volunteer house in Senya, Evans introduced me to my local point of contact, Francis. We went over any unanswered questions and/or concerns before Evans left. Later I met Stephen and Seth, who were also my local people to contact. Evans continued to check in via text or phone call to make sure everything was going well and was so fast to respond if I ever needed him for something. Francis or Stephen stopped at the house almost every morning to check that everything was going well also.
When I started at the clinic, I was quickly thrown into the mix. I am a registered nurse so I was able to help with whatever they needed, though another girl with me was still in nursing school and also had no limitations. The staff was amazingly friendly and all very willing to teach. On my first day, I rode in the back of an ambulance to help transport a patient to the closest hospital about an hour away. I took vital signs/established initial patient rapport into the clinic, performed dressing changes, administered medications via IV and injection and helped with whatever else they needed.
I saw many people struggle to pay for care or the treatment that they needed. I saw people come in with malaria, in constant misery. I also noticed that many people who did not have health insurance would wait at least three days or more before they came into the clinic. Unfortunately, this always lead to a much bigger problem once they were finally seen.
I wanted to do more for the community that I was temporarily living in. Evans had told me on the first day that some volunteers have organized free malaria outreach projects in the past and that if I wanted to, he could help me get it started. So I started a fundraiser online to raise money for a free malaria outreach, provide health insurance to people who could not afford it and get some basic medical supplies for the clinic. With the help of Seth, the Chief of the clinic, Leticia (a local nurse) and many others, I was able to organize a free clinic in Senya to test and treat 400 people for malaria.
Trying to move money for such a large project was a little tricky but Evans came with me and we went to bank after bank until we finally were able to pull out the money we needed. After, Evans took me to the Accra market where I could find medical supplies for the clinic. I honestly could not have done any of it without him because I was crunched for time and had no idea where to go or how to do it.
The day of the outreach, I had so much help and everything went so smooth. Seth, Francis, Stephen and Evans all worked very hard to help me from start to finish. Leticia and other local nurses were there working all day as well.
I never felt unsafe or alone while I was in Ghana; someone from IVHQ was always there if I needed them. Meals were always on time and any issues I had were quickly resolved through Evans, Seth, Francis or Stephen. I started to feel ill after the first week and everyone was so attentive. Francis stopped at the house to check on me, Evans called and text me and kept tabs on me every day until I was feeling better. Everyone genuinely wants you to have a great experience so if there is any problem, please let someone know.
Senya is a small village, so finding things to do after ‘work’ was a little difficult. However, there was a bar close to our house, we walked around the village for street snacks and there are two great beaches close by that we went to often as well. Getting around was easy too, either by Tro Tro or Taxi, if we wanted to go to another town. One weekend all of the volunteers met up at Kokrobite beach, which was really fun, and I suggest you do, if you can all plan it. Evans also is the weekend master planner when it comes to anything Cape Coast and can set everything up for you if you wish to go.
I made so many great friends and wonderful memories during my short stay in Ghana. I had an overwhelming amount of support while I was there and if I ever needed something or wasn’t sure who to ask, I would call Evans and he would help me figure out who I needed to talk to or what needed to be done. Everyone was so great, but Evans went above and beyond every single day and is extremely willing to help you with anything. It was so hard to leave, and actually, I am already planning my return 
Packing Tip: I never wore my running shoes; they just took up space in my bag. I wore flip flops and TOMS style shoes my entire stay. The heat is tolerable; the humidity is what gets to you. STAY HYDRATED. I brought Pedialyte ® (ORS) drink mix packets to add to my water and they are GOLD; especially if you are not feeling well. I also brought my own personal pharmacy and had almost any medication you could think of, and I am so grateful that I did. Pack half the amount of clothes and twice the amount of baby wipes that you think you will need. Head lamp/flashlight was essential. Small backpack for traveling, big enough to hold your water and money and baby wipes was extremely handy. Bring a charged battery pack to charge your phone, because the power never fails to go out when your phone is about to die.

I genuinely and thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Ghana summer 2016. IVHQ were very friendly in the sense of how we were looked after. If we had any ideas or any other ways we wanted to contribute then we were provided with help and support. I was on the purple program, we taught at a local school which was a 3 minute walk away. The volunteer house is ample for everyone's needs and quite spacious. I expected less if I am honest but it is quick to see how big and 'modern' it is when in comparison with the houses surrounding it so be grateful. The house is placed in the middle of the community so children often play around it which is good because you are immersed into the community and can spend more time with the children but may also not be good if you get annoyed easily .. lol.
Evans Nkansah in particular made this trip smooth for me as if we had any concerns he would be sure to assist us in so. It really is a blessing having a IVHQ member who is helpful as it can be scary travelling to a foreign country alone for the first time. So thank you IVHQ for this experience,

Volunteering in Ghana was a great life experience. I went by myself and I quickly met the staff and other volunteers. I worked with childcare in Kasoa. The best part was the attention and love from the kids, who are really thankful for our presence.

Adeli and the local IVHQ were really helpful. Evans Kojo gave us 24h support. He helped us with tourist guidance, language, safety advice, acquiring cellphone service, and much more.

Internet service on my phone was good and not expensive. Local food was good. Drinking water (sold in 500ml sachets) was very cheap and easy to find. Public transportation (Trotro/Van) was quick and cheap. In the streets, there are small goats and chickens all around!

On the other hand, local vendors in the streets and craft markets can be annoying, not leaving you alone. Most of the kids in the streets ask for money. There’s also a huge numbers of churches and religious ads.

Visiting Cape Coast was awesome. Ghana is a beautiful country and Ghanaian people are very friendly. Ghana is also really safe. I recommend Ghana for first time travelers.

I participated in the agriculture program for 12 weeks. Going to Ghana through IVHQ was a good way to get introduced to a country I had never visited before and knew little about. The food and accommodations are great, and the staff is there to help with any questions or concerns that come up. The staff member Evans is particularly helpful, always responding promptly to calls or messages and willing to do anything that he can to make your experience in Ghana a positive one. He goes above and beyond his job description and generally leads a trip to Cape Coast with new volunteers, so you don’t have to worry about logistics and finding your own way for your first trip after only being in the country for a few days.
Doing the agriculture program was helpful for relating to the people of our village. Farming is a big part of life there, and I felt like part of the community because I was waking up in the mornings and going to the farm just like everyone else. We got to help out with planting seeds, maintaining the plants, and harvesting the food, and I got to see our hard work pay off with multiple food donations to the orphanages during my time there.
I also enjoyed the flexibility of being able to help with teaching and sports as well. The experience is very customizable and is really only limited by your creativity and level of motivation.

I've always wanted to do some international volunteering since I was a young child and saw the need for it advertised on TV. December of 2016 I finally got my chance, but only for 2 weeks. I say "only" because it flew by so quick I wish I could've stayed longer. I participated in the childcare program in Ghana and loved every second of it, from the IVHQ/VCO staff to the locals to the children...the food...the weekend traveling...the way of life in the village, just everything! I feel like I didn't even scratch the surface on the experience I could've had, had I stayed longer, but I couldn't take anymore time off from work back home. Whether you go for 2 months or 2 weeks you will no doubt have a life changing experience and meet friends for life in the other volunteers and local people. Make sure you take advantage of the trips to Cape Coast and Kakum National Park. See some water falls. Stop by a coconut and cocoa fruit stand and try one of each. Try the Fanmilk products (FanYogo, FanIce, FanChoco, FanDango) you won't be disappointed! And if from the USA, take larger bills to exchange ($50, $100) as you will get a better exchange rate at a Forex Bureau (don't exchange at the airport).

Don't wait around - get planning - you will have the time of your life!!!!!

Traveling to Ghana with IVHQ changed my perspective of the world. I made lifelong friendships with fellow volunteers and locals that I continue to cherish. One of my favorite moments during this month long journey in Dodowa, Ghana was spent teaching kindergarteners the English alphabet. It was hard to get them to focus, as you'd expect with little ones, but by the end of the class day, they were all excited to show me how they could draw the first 5 letters without help. Watching the children learn and blossom and develop was the most rewarding thing I could have asked for about this experience. I would love to go again and I'd recommend IVHQ and their Ghana program to anyone!

When I first got to my placement I was very overwhelmed. The house was pretty good but the toilet situation really bothered me for a while.
I loved my program, the people and the kids were great. The kids are the best part of the experience, they are so caring, so sweet and with great will to learn.
It was the best experience of my life, I learned a lot about myself and what I'm able to do; for me and for others. I met awesome people there, I made great friends and I would love to go back someday

I went to Ghana on the 13th of September to volunteer at a medical clinic in Frankadua, about 2 hours by bus, North East from Accra. It was part of the 'purple program' which consists of other kinds of volunteering endeavours such as education and agriculture.
When I arrived in Ghana, I was duly picked up at the airport by the staff of IVHQ. We spent the first night at the volunteer house in Accra which was just a temporary stop where all volunteers went to for their orientation. Everyone was very welcoming and also very accommodating. I got to meet other volunteers from other parts of the world and become acquainted with them.
The next day was our orientation and afterwards we travelled to our individual placements. Our interim program coordinator, Evans was (and still is) very apt in recognizing the needs of volunteers and offering solid, tangible solutions. Some of the things he was able to help with in my case for example were things like acquiring a Ghanian SIM card to communicate with my friends and family. He also escorted us to the purple program and helped get us settled in. He was available round-the-clock to answer any questions we may have about the program, donations, the culture, what to expect, etc. I can honestly say that I didn't go into the purple program with any doubt about what to expect.
There is a volunteer house right within the community that is pretty much a hotspot where a lot of the locals come to hang out and get better acquainted with the international volunteers. The volunteers I stayed with were extremely friendly. We got along quite nicely.
My time in Ghana was actually short. I was only able to do a week due to the amount of time I was able to take off work. But within that week, we did a lot. We went to cape coast, saw the cape coast castle where slaves were held prior to shipment, we went to the Kakum National Park for a hike and also went to pet crocodiles as well.
The clinic in Frankadua is the only clinic in the community and where most of the locals go for medical their medical needs. It functions primarily as a malaria clinic and practically all the clients would get tested for malaria test post-triage/ initial assessment. If there are any differential diagnoses out of the scope of the clinic, or seemingly idiopathic in nature, the patients are referred to one of the bigger hospitals in the neighbouring cities. Other common ailments include anemia, gastroenteritis, etc. Mama Christine who runs the clinic is very adept. There are other staff nurses and a lab technician that work there. There is a governmental run insurance program for Ghanians and so a lot of the time, the clinical visits are covered by the government which I thought was very progressive and encouraging.
There is also a maternity ward for labour and delivery and about 8 beds or so for admitting patients. Pregnant soon-to-be mothers are routinely checked upon and the clinic does monthly out reach programs for post-partum mothers at different parts of the community.
All in all, its safe to say that you won't be disappointed to volunteer here at the medical program with IVHQ at Frankadua.
Have a great day.
Tolu.