Turtle and Reforestation project: Found a new home and family, became a part of the Ghanaian community :)

Two months ago I left for a trip to Ghana and, well, the fact that I doubled my stay will tell enough about the wonderful time I had with Atlas! Atlas is a small organisation that really looks for opportunities to help the community. The team is so passionate and inspiring about the different projects and are open for new ideas. They also help you with planning trips or changing to one of the other projects. In Abetifi the volunteer house is for the projects reforestation, education, sports and construction. During my time we stayed with 10-18 volunteers: always someone to chat or play a game. At Cape Three Points the group was smaller but very nice.

Turtle Poject (3 weeks): I didn’t know anything about turtles, but left as a very proud and invested turtle mom. At night you do beach patrol two times. During the day you do different activities like changing the sand in the hatchery, gardening, getting bamboo for renovations or beach clean-up. I really liked that every day was different! In between the activities there’s enough time to relax, play games, go for a swim or see the sunset at the lighthouse. I found so much peace and quiet at Cape Three Points (it feels like a paradise in the middle of nowhere), but also had so much fun. I met the most amazing people and found friendship for life.

Reforestation project (5 weeks): Like the turtle project, I didn’t know anything about trees or cabbages, but became a very proud and invested tree mom and cabbage expert. There was a weekend day I said “I really miss my little trees, happy we can go there again tomorrow.” Three times a week you do reforestation: going to the tree nursery and taking care of the baby trees (watering, weeding, re-planting..) or going to the planting side for planting trees or making a firebuild (to protect the already planted trees for fire). Two times a week you go helping on a farm (this time we did grow cabbages) and often finish your workday with cooking together on an open fire. Because the work is more physical (totally fine with the weather, just have more breaks), I had really nice conversations with the others. In the afternoons you have enough free time.

Volunteering is not work: it’s sharing smiles, making someone’s day a little easier, giving back to an amazing community. What I did like the most? Becoming a part of the community. I learned to do small talk in Twi (local language), learned how to cook local dishes, played with the kids, took Ghanaian showers (showering in the rain).. I met the most amazing people and found friendship for life. Conclusion: found a new home and a new family. Definitely will come back here. If you're unsure whether to go: GO! It was my best decision ever. The plastic plants in my room are gone now :)