Second time volunteer with IVHQ Ghana and VERY Disappointed

So I went to Ghana over 12 months ago from Australia for a month to volunteer. I came back raving about IVHQ Ghana and had the best time of my life that I went back to Australia, ran fundraising events and rallied a group of ten together to return to the program 12 months later. I was so excited to return and we had been building a Library. Then head of the program agreed to help me build the library in the school and I felt safe as I trusted him. His wife, who was Australian, did most of the communicating with me and I was told numerous times $3500AUD will build the entire thing. A week before leaving for Ghana I was Asked for another $1000 AUD and told me that he had all the receipts. I was told it would be built before my arrival so that we could set it up with the 300kg in books we took over.

On arrival I was told we had to stay in the capital for two nights because our accommodation was not ready as they had overbooked and needed to create new accommodation for us. I took it all in my stride until the day we were leaving to go to the village the head of the organisation sat me down told me he did not have any receipts and if I wanted it done by the time I was there in Ghana i needed to get another at least $2500US.

I was so upset and as the leader wanted to be positive for the group but I did not have that money to pay and I could not just leave the school with a half built library. Anyways after multiple calls to try work things out in the first week I ended up getting called names and being disrespected by some staff in Accra in which I had the utter most respect for just a week before. I found out the so called builder who had the receipts and who I never got to see was actually the head guy from IVHQ's brother.

Over ten people in the village whom were business owners, including the mayor of the town and many others that I was cheated and the building should have only cost maximum $4000 Australian to build. Whilst all this was going on my group were given water out of a petrol barrel that was stinging their skin and they could not wash their face with. Eating outside and as a result a number of them got malaria as we did not have anywhere inside to sit.

From there we had a lot more problems from our gluten free girl and vegetarian having the same meals pretty much everyday and the cook not sticking to the menu and cooking what she liked when she liked so we ended up missing things such as a church service on a Sunday or our bus to an attraction, which consequently was the only bus. We also had no fridge in our vicinity which meant we had to walk to the other volunteer house to get water to drink and never could keep it cool. We also did not have a key for their kitchen so if we were thirsty around 10.30pm at night we could not get water and had to buy our own, when we paid for it with our price.

Finally there were so many things that went wrong and that I was so disappointed as this was a program I could trust and now definitely would not. So I can not inform other potential volunteers, they have deleted me off all Facebook and social media groups to do with them.

There were some "dodgy" aspects to when we arrived in Ghana this time including the staff in Accra trying to sell my volunteers items that were much more expensive then on the street etc... I offered IVHQ Ghana a ten year contract with our University in Australia in which a group of at least ten would come a min of once a year, mostly likely twice a year.They seemed really happy with this agreement. When these issues arouse I spoke with them about talking to resolve them so we can move forward with this friendship and they wanted nothing to do with it.

I would recommend volunteering in Ghana but not with IVHQ, they may be cheap but you get not much for what you give. The local staff also give you a cost breakdown and in that is a $100US donation to your program from every volunteer. I asked multiple times if we could use our 10 X 100US and I kept getting told it went to an orphanage in another part of Ghana. I asked to see receipts it went to the orphanage and got no where.

Please I am someone who is honest I will tell you what was good about IvHQ too so please do not hesitate to contact me. I would rather you do that rather then have a bad experience as Ghana is a beautiful place and the locals there are amazing!