Learning Giving Experiencing
In almost everything you read about Ghana, people talk about how friendly the Ghanaian people are. It is hard to find a people anywhere in the world as open and as outgoing as the average Ghanaian.
But it’s not just the warmth of the people that draw people to Ghana. Ghana is blessed with miles of golden palm fringed beaches, most completely untouched by tourism. Travel inland just a few miles and you will hit the green interior. A belt of lush green forest runs across Ghana, it once almost covered the entirety of the country before mass logging, but it’s now home to a fascinating collection of birds, plant life and the elusive forest elephant.
Travel yet further north and you will hit the dusty sub-Saharan savannah grassland, which for many is the gateway to journeys further north through Burkina Faso, Mali and the mysterious Sahara desert.
Our base in Ghana is the coastal towns of Cape Coast and Takoradi. Cape Coast is famous around the world for it’s university and it’s heritage. It is home to old slave forts and other colonial relicts.
Once a small fishing village, Takoradi was chosen as the site of Ghana’s first deep water port and has now blossomed into one of Ghana’s most vibrant and liveliest towns.
Our bases Cape Coast and Takoradi are conveniently located close to the beautiful coastal towns and fishing villages, which make interesting weekend visits. The spectacular Kakum National Park is also a short journey away. Here those with a head for heights can take the walkway through the lush green canopy of this rainforest reserve.
Ghana info
Accommodation
During your time with us in Ghana, you will be staying with other volunteers in our house in Cape Coast. It is possible to stay with local families if you prefer but please let us know when you apply.
Whether you are teaching, on the journalism placement or working in hospitals, all the volunteers stay together in the same house which means that you are never too far away from someone to socialise with in the evenings or travel with at weekends. Usually, four to six people will share a room in the accommodation.
The standard of the accommodation will basic (please see the pictures on this page) and not be what you are used to at home so please don’t expect all mod cons, but it will be clean and tidy.
The house has running water and electricity, but please be aware that the water is delivered and stored in a tank above the house so there may be times when it runs out, and the electricity supply is unreliable and may often fail. Ghana’s electricity mostly comes from a massive hydro-electric plant at Lake Volta. It is not unheard of for the electricity company to simply cut supply when water levels in the lake are too low!
Even though there is running water, there will be no hot running water. Most houses in Ghana don’t have hot running water – although some may have small boilers for washing dishes. When temperatures rarely drop below 25 degrees, even at night, you will find that a cold shower in the morning is just what you need!
There will be someone there to look after the house and they will cook your meals which means that if you can’t quite get used to Ghanaian food then they can cook something similar to what you are used to at home.
Cape Coast is centrally located for all our projects in Ghana. Travelling around this fairly small town is easy whether you are teaching or on a medical project, you placement will be easy to reach by tro-tro (small mini bus) or even by walking.
Our staff will be on hand during office hours if you have any general queries and only a phone call away outside office hours if there’s something much more urgent.
Weekends
The cost of the programme in Ghana includes drumming lessons. Music is an integral part of Ghanaian culture so learning a bit about music in Ghana will give you more of an insight into the Ghanaian way of life.
Weekends are free and, depending on how many volunteers are overseas with you, you are based in the same accommodation which means that you can easily go travelling at weekends. Our location in Ghana means that you are close to some of the Ghana’s most popular attractions.
Kakum national park, home to our conservation projects in Ghana is a short drive away. The forest reserve at Kakum is famous for it’s canopy walkway. Those with a good head for heights can literally walk through the canopy of the rainforest thanks to a walkway that spans the tops of the trees. Those without a head for heights can wander the numerous trails that run through the forest, some that have been renovated by Global Volunteer Projects conservation volunteers.
Also within easy reach is the coast. Great if you just want to chill out and relax by the beach and watch the fishermen land their days trawl. The coast is also home to the colonial forts. many of the forts were used during the sinister trade of slaves from Ghana and it’s well worth taking the tour around these forts to learn a bit more about Ghana’s colonial past.
Further afield, you can visit the vibrant capital city Accra or fishing villages along the coast. Time it right and you might be lucky enough to visit one of the villages during their annual festivals.
Further north, you can journey to the capital of the Ashanti empire at Kumasi, visiting the huge market for souvenirs to take home. It’s this market where you’re likely to find the best deals on Ghana’s famous Kente cloth as well as numerous hand carved crafts.
Those with a bit more time on their hands can journey further north to Lake Volta or the game reserve in Mole.
Meet the team
Our office in Ghana is headed by the very experienced Eric Essuah.
Eric has lived in Cape Coast for most of his life and has been arranging projects in Ghana for the last six years. During that time he has built up a number of very strong contacts at hospitals, schools, orphanages, TV and Radio stations and newspapers.
Over the last six years, Eric has built up a wealth of experience arranging worthwhile placements and looking after volunteers when they arrive. Eric is usually the first person you’ll meet at the airport and he does a very good job of helping you get used to life in a new country and very new culture.
Once he’s helped you settle in and find your bearings, Eric is always on hand to help if you’re feeling a little homesick or have any other problems. He’s incredibly approachable and will often go out of his way to make you feel comfortable and to ensure that you get the most out of your time in Ghana.
