"I can honestly say that I get so much out of volunteering in the construction project.

I love helping people and feel I was born to care. It is very satisfying to know that you are helping people to cope with their condition.

I have made many friends and I am not just sat at home. We are up and out all over and I love organising things.

My orphanage stay at the All nation children’s home was very great. The staff members are so friendly and they really care about the children. They really like their work and that made me happy. They gave me such a great time in Ghana. The children are just the best. They are so happy, thankful and enthusiastic. I have only positive things to say about the orphanage and Ghana. I stayed with my host near the orphanage. I liked it very much.

The children deserve the best. (Ghana staff of Samba Africa Voluntary Organisation) is very co-operative; he helped me a lot to change the place where I am now. After the S.A.V.O orphanage home program, I did samba tour project. I enjoyed the program very much. I appreciate that all the Ghanaian people are really concerned for our well-being.

I had a lovely time with my host family. They really worked hard to make me feel welcomed. Foreigners are used to having space between people, but Ghanaian people are very friendly, touching each other. I really enjoyed the painting and other work. I had a wonderful time in the orphanage and plan to return to Ghana again.

I would wholeheartedly recommend volunteering in Ghana with the Samba Africa Voluntary Organization to anyone interested in a year out or spending time in Africa. Volunteering and staying with local family enabled me to come to a far greater understanding of the country and its people than I would have had if I had just been traveling and staying in hotels, and enables you to give something to the people you meet. My hosts, Grace and Botchway and children made me feel like I was a part of the family and introduced me to the neighborhood- before I knew it was a member of their community. You will also receive a lot back in friendship and warmth.

Ghana is a great country to visit and its people are its great strength. I have never felt so immediately welcomed anywhere else I have been. Kumasi is well located in the centre of the country with many opportunities to visit tourist sites and national parks; even if you can only get away for a weekend while working there is a lot to see.

I would also like to wholeheartedly recommend the Samba Africa Voluntary Organization, a dedicated charity committed to the development of Ghana. Daniel Darkwa as he prefers, is a considerate, fun and charming guy who will do all he can to help you out during your stay.

After the S.A.V.O language and cultural orientation program, I did  Teaching project for twelve months. I taught in a primary school. It was an amazing experience to learn and be part of another culture quite different to my own. The experience helped me to realize what I want to do with my life, which prior to Ghana I had very little idea of what I wanted to do. I met many beautiful people; they were very hospitable and also very kind.

The country of Ghana is full of history and rich in beautiful landscapes. I traveled Ghana quite extensively and found traveling around to be some of my most memorable times.

HOST FAMILY:

My host mother  were excellent.
I together with 5 other volunteers were treated as family members and we felt like been in our home country. I really love and remember their hospitality. God bless my host Family.
For further information for potential volunteers who want to travel to Ghana contact me for any queries and would be ready to assist you.

I have just recently completed the two-week Language and Cultural program for Ghana. The first week we had 7 Twi language and history lessons with Tony, a qualified teacher in Ghana. The first two lessons composed of Ghanaian history, primarily regions and beliefs. The next 5 lessons were Twi language lessons which at times I found to be quite irrelevant when we were learning the parts of the body; however the majority of the lessons found to extremely helpful. I also feel as though the Ghanaians appreciate our attempts at speaking their language. The second week two other volunteers and myself traveled to Bonwire, where we were lucky enough to stay in the queen mother’s house. Unfortunately, we did not get to meet her but we spent the week with her nieces and nephews who taught us a lot.
We spent a day at the family’s farm and learnt to differentiate between the crops that are mainly consumed in Ghana such as Yam, Cocoyam and their leaves and Cassava. We found the day to be very enjoyable especially eating and drinking off palm leaves.

We also walked back to town carrying logs on our heads, which the people found to be quite amusing but we loved it. I now have developed a lot of admiration for the women who carry large materials on their heads and carry a baby on their backs.

While we learnt a lot during the day it didn’t stop in the night. At night we were exposed to Akpeteshie which is a local alcohol which as Daniel claims to be 99% alcohol” was extremely potent.

We also learnt how palm wine was extracted from the palm trees and of course learnt how the famous and local cloth of Kente was woven. It is an extremely tedious process however; the final product is well worth the hard work.

It was a very enjoyable week and Bonwire is a very beautiful and quite small town that when the time came we did not want to leave.

On arrival in Ghana I felt very lost and overwhelmed. However, on completion of the language and cultural program I felt a lot more in tune with my surroundings.