Original Volunteers work with a number of different primary schools in Ghana. One of the primary schools attended was called Sunrise Primary School. This is a community based school which is run and supported by the local community. It does not receive funding from the government. Parents pay a small fee each term for the children to attend, this money, along with the help from original volunteers helps to pay the teachers wages and pay for any resources they have (which is very little!).
There are 6 classes at this school. The classes are split up into ability groups, only if a child passes the school year can they move up to the next class.
The teachers are very welcoming. The headteacher gave us the address of the school so we can write to them and keep in contact. He is also willing to teach volunteers about the local culture and gave us a little book of translations.
The cane is still used in Ghana as a punishment to the children, so don't be alarmed when you turn up to a school and you see a teacher with one in their hand! Even if you do not agree with this form of punishment, you must remember that it is their culture and incorporated in to the way they live, so try and keep your opinions to yourself as a form of respect.
Before going to the school it's good to plan what you are going to teach the children. I often turned up at the school and one teacher was trying to teach 2 classes, so I took over a class, in this situation it was helpful having lessons prepared. The children love to make things and using work sheets, it's always useful to take paper and pencils as they lack basic resources.
There is also building projects which you can help out with: you would be mainly building schools and there are sometimes schools which need to be painted. However you do have to pay £50 a week for the resources needed when carrying out the task.
Another school volunteers are able to go to is 'Fulani' which is a volunteer led school where the children speak no English so it is a challenge. The main language they speak is Arabic, in the morning before you arrive the children will be practicing Arabic. There is about 20-30 children who are separated into two groups - older and little. When there you teach the children simple English like the Alphabet and simple numbers for the little ones and Math equations for the older children. The children love to take part in different activities so take educational resources for them to be involved in, even though they speak little English they are very good at taking part.
Volunteers are also able to go to Sunshine Creche where parents have to pay for their children to be there. During the day children will do simple english and maths and they love to sing songs. You will be asked to help them with their dinner at lunch time also. This Creche is mainly used for children of more affluent parents, such as doctors.
We stayed in a big guest house, (volunteer house which is for original volunteers only) because of this you get to meet lots of volunteers and you end up making great friends along the way. You book your placement with £145. Then pay £95 per week to volunteer. There are 2 volunteer houses approximately 30 mins from one another) The facilities are basic, there is no running water at the accommodation meaning you have to have bucket showers and use buckets of water to flush the toilet. Although this sounds awful, you get used to it easily and it really isn't that bad! It is a self catering accommodation which has a kitchen. There is a living area with a television, however the power does go out quite a lot of the time, on some occasions there hasn't been power for 3 days. There is also a large area outdoors with table and chairs. Single beds and bunk beds are provided, usually 2-4 sharing a room.
To get to placement a taxi will be arranged for you each morning, taxis are really cheap, lthough they are nothing like the taxis you get here in England! They are alot smaller and will fit up to 8 people in them! Taxi's are like buses, they are public, meaning anyone can share a taxi with you. You are able to get straight into one if it is passing your way. When in town don't be surprised that they come up to you and constantly ask if you want to go back to the volunteer house.
For longer distance traveling they have Tro-tro's (they are like mini-buses) they can transport between 11-14people. They have Tro-tro stations- where you can just turn up and get on the next available Tro-tro to where ever you want to go. At the accommodation they know someone who drives one of these and you normally get him, he can also take you away on weekend trips.
Ghana is a Christian country so they don't have a big nightlife out there. They do have a few pubs and bars however they close at about 11pm. It was hard to get a taxi after about 10pm so if you are heading out book at taxi early enough for getting back otherwise you might got a taxi back.
The volunteer house is very social and you are able to make lots of new friends which makes your experience better! Travelling to different places on weekends is also a great way to spend your time.
Things to do, things not to do
Lake Volta is only 30minutes by taxi away from the volunteers house. It is the largest man made lake in the world. You can hire a boat out for about 2cedi each (less than a pound) for about 2/3hours to watch the sun set. You can also jump into the lake from the boat.
There is a waterfall less than 10minutes away from the volunteer house. It is quite well hidden so you might want to go with someone who has been before. It is best to visit the waterfall either in the rainy season (may-sept) or after it has rained as there is a greater chance of a waterfall. Sometimes during the dry season there is no waterfall at all due to the lack of water.
Volunteers often travel at weekends (often a big group of volunteers will want to go, which makes travelling cheaper) Kokrobite, Cape Coast, (There is Kakum national park which has a canopy walk and a nature walk also Elmina slave castle is at Cape Coast which you can visit)
9 hours away from the volunteer house is Mole National Safari Park where you can go for the weekend, although it is far to travel it is definitely worth it to go on a safari walk and on top of jeeps.
Do bring food, highly suggested to bring little treats for yourself.
Do bring resources for children, they are highly appreciated and go a long way. Not only can you provide better quality lesson with these resources yourself, and give the children and teachers a glimpse of english teaching, you can also leave these resources for the teachers and children to later use.
Good things to bring:
Colours
Stickers
Pencils
Chalk
Sharpeners
All Craft things
Childrens books
Colouring books
When out there things you can buy for the children:
School books
Footballs
These are asked for by many children and are greatly appreciated if provided.
The Ghana Bradt guide is suggested as the best guide to use by Original Volunteers. This has detailed information for any places people may want to visit with contact details of accommation available.
Original Volunteers website - www.originalvolunteers.co.uk
Original Volunteers telephone - 0800 345 75 82
Original Volunteers have a Facebook page where you can meet people who are going out to the various projects and also get advice from people who have come back.
- Take plenty of mosquito repellent!
- If you are worried about being bitten take a mosquito net for your bed as they are not provided, however the windows have mosquitos nets on them.
- Take packet foods such as pasta and sauce, noodles, cup-a-soups, cereals etc - you can buy food out there but these sorts of things are very useful.
- Ghana Badt guide is the travel guide suggested by Original Volunteers which has some really useful information on places you may be able to visit while out in Ghana.
- Marriage proposals are very common!!
-People always want to talk to you in the street and will often randomly come up to you and start a conversation.
- You would get a better rate changing sterling to cedi rather than US dollars.
-You get very dirty out there so take loads of baby wipes and if you are going out for a long period of time washing power is advised so you can hand wash your clothes.
- Ghana is nothing like our western society, just bare that in mind and read up on the country before you go just to prepare yourself for what to expect.
- A direct return flight with BA is around £500
- When booking the flight in January of 2014 BA direct flight cost around £650
- There is a registration fee of £145 for Original Volunteers. (This does last for 12 months, meaning you can go away several times with OV during 12 months but only pay this fee once).
- Airport pick-up is £40 per person (even if you do share a taxi, it is still per person).
- Usually you have to make your own way back to the airport, a taxi can be booked for you for this.
- Different Nurses recommend different vaccines. Malaria tablets are vital for Ghana as it is a high risk country. These can cost from around £15 - £100. Typhoid (free of charge), hepatitis B and yellow fever (around £40) are also essential. Rabies and choloera are recommended but not essential.
- You do need a visa for Ghana, this costs around £50 plus postal fees.
You have to pay for transport to and from your daily activity, to Sunrise School it is usually 12cedi, which is the equivalent of £2:50.
There is also the costs of travelling at weekends, it is better to go in a big group because it turns out cheaper.
The advised price of how much money to take out there does not include weekend away trips or any other activities you wish to undertake on your journey, so plan ahead before you go. Although if you do run out of money there are cashpoints which take English cards where you can withdraw money, it will cost your bank around £2 to withdraw money.
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.