Start Date: Year Round
Age: 18+
Skills: No skills, but those who loved culture
Language: English (basic level)
Nationality Restrictions: No restrictions.
Time Commitment:
Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
Highlights
Stay with other volunteers in a rural setting
Discover Ghana’s incredible natural beauty and wildlife
Make positive and lasting impacts on a rural Ghanaian community
Make memories and new pictures you will never forget
Description
”Akwaaba” means welcome to Ghana the land of gold, and the gateway and heart of West Africa! Ghana’s history started almost 2000 years – mainly trade in gold, salt, kola nuts and ivory existed among Ghanaian’s and sub African states, this brought Europeans to the shores of Africa and to the country formerly called Gold Coast.
Samba Africa Voluntary Organization invites you to come on an unforgettable trip to the land rich in history, culture and tradition. Meet Ghanaians – noted for their warmth, hospitality and friendliness. This Program takes place in Kumasi, a historical city of the Ashanti Kingdom of gold during the first 2-weeks of your arrival in Ghana.
Volunteer Activities
Volunteers will experience sites steeped in history and bustling markets with exquisite arts and crafts.
Sambas cultural immersion project offers many volunteers the opportunities to explore the villages and experience the cultural attractions assisting them to obtain knowledge of facts about the local culture and customs.
Participants will also get to know an ancient way of cooking / preparing meals, palm wine tapping, farming with a local host family, joining a community durbar, weaving of the colorful / popular kente cloth. Volunteers will be taking through trip sessions to the nearby villages. Samba Africa Voluntary Organization encourages all volunteers to apply for this project alongside their chosen projects in Ghana. This project would be supervised by a well-trained SAVO staff.
You are encouraged to bring out issues, discuss and gather as much information as possible
Typical day
Program line-up!
7 -14:00
First week (Twi lessons) Volunteers would be taking through a week of Ghanaian language (Twi) lessons with a professional Twi teacher. Lessons included: History of Ashanti’s kingdom (golden stool), and Ghana. Ghanaian local names and dates of birth Social and common words used in daily activities.
DAY 1
Orientation
Welcome to SAVO-Ghana. Major facts about Ghana and the projects, host family, culture and profile of the region and necessary health precautions
DAY 2
Class Begins
The manners of Ghanaian greetings, conditions, age, introduce and identify people; phrases qualify and quantify people and objects, numbers etc. Visit the market and interact with the local community in free time.
DAY 3
Class Continues
Colours, Weather, feelings, family, making request and commands with informal future tense, training, shopping and bargaining
DAY 4
Class Continues
DAY 5
Sight Seeing
A visit to the historic attraction centers, Ashanti palace museum, military museum, craft shop and principal streets etc.
DAY 6
Class Continue
Parts of the body, physical expressions, etc
DAY 7
Closing
Closing of Ghanaian language and culture program
SECOND WEEK (VILLAGE STAY)
Volunteers would be transferred to a local historical village of Bonwire. During the village stay, volunteers would be staying with a local host family where they would have the advantages of practicing their language lessons with host families while observing the rural village life of Ghanaians and Africans.
Additional Info
After the participants arrive, there will be a Program orientation (of at least 2 days)
Program Orientation takes place the day after arrival day. It includes introduction to Ghana, introduction to the work program, and introduction to the living and working environment.
Transportation costs during orientation are covered by SAVO, culture, lifestyle of the people, food, safety measures etc.
Introduction to Ghana:
The following areas are covered: communication, transportation, safety, travel opportunities, the culture of Ghana, survival language, health matters, socially accepted behaviours, and work ethics in Ghana.
Introduction to the work program (including the expectations of the institution and the host project) for volunteer/internship program participants.
Introduction to the Living and Working Environment:
The participants will be shown how to take bus from home to work place, to town, to the nearest supermarket, to the nearest internet cyber, to the nearest ATM, etc.
The participants will be given a print out of the completed program detail form (including 24/7 hotline for support, work place address, work phone number, typical duties at work, host family address, host family phone number, useful contacts and other program details).
Free-time activities
Weekends, are free days to volunteers. You may choose to travel out of town to see the many interesting sights and sounds in other parts of Ghana or hang out with your fellow volunteer(s) and/or locals in the neighborhood. (At their own expenses)
Weekend trips available include visits to Mole National Park in the Northern Region of Ghana. This National Park offers a great Safari-like experience and is one of the biggest Elephant Sanctuaries in Africa with the chance to spot Lions, Leopards & Antelopes in their natural habitat. Volunteers can also take a trip to Cape Coast in the Central Region of Ghana to relax in the beautiful beaches and see the famous Cape Coast castle, the Kakum Canopy walkway and Elmina castle, where slave trade begun.
Programs Fee
| DURATION OF STAY (WEEKS) | FEES ($) |
| 2 | 700 |
| 4 | 1400 |
| 5 | 1500 |
| 8 | 1600 |
| Extra week | 100 |
What’s Included?
Airport pickup upon arrival
Hotel and meals in Accra upon arrival, before transfer to project site
Transportation to project site first day
Accommodation
Utilities
Meals – Breakfast, lunch and super.
Certificate
Info on Airport Pickup at Kotoka International
On the day (or night) of your arrival, SAMBA AFRICA VOLUNTEERING (SAVO) staffs will be at the Accra Kotoka International airport to welcome you and transfer you to a hotel with air-conditioned rooms and restaurant only in the night of your arrival, Orientation and transportation to your assigned placement will be done the next morning following your arrival day but arrival in day time you will be transported to your destination (Kumasi).
Accommodation
Accommodation belongs to the host-families. There are always other people in the house as well; and they would be willing to give you some assistance. You would be placed in the same location with another volunteer – unless you specifically state that you like to be stayed alone. Participants coming as couple or pair will not be placed with other volunteers in the same bedroom. Volunteer have their separate room – with a lock and key. It is advisable to come along with mosquitoes nets.
Bedroom (Double) Bedroom (Single)
Bungalow Guest Family
Food & Beverages
Host families will provide volunteers with breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.
Breakfast is usually ready by around 7am; however volunteer can eat later if you prefer to get up late. Lunch is usually packed by your host family in a lunch box so that you can eat at your project if you wish. Dinner is usually served around 6pm.
If you have special eating needs, you can inform us. Even though special eating needs are not something we can guarantee, we will do our best to meet your needs.
What’s NOT included?
Visa, flights, travel insurance or vaccinations, Internet are not included in the program fees.
Airport
Kotoka International Airport (ACC) in Accra. We assist you to find cheap flights to Ghana.
Travel Insurance
Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft – travel insurance for Ghana provides security and is a plus to have.
Vaccines
If you are intending to volunteer in Ghana you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Ghana.
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