Ansh Johri who volunteered in Ghana on one of our 2 week summer specials for high school students last year was kind enough to send along a post with some advice for all the volunteers heading to Ghana especially the high school students going for the 2 week specials. Do any other alumni have some advice they would pass on? - Will

By Ansh Johri

Ghana. A barren wasteland. A desolate and far away country. A rundown environment full of starvation and poverty. That is what the unsuspecting may initially perceive upon hearing the name of an unknown land. How wrong they would be. Far to the contrary, Ghana is a place full of culture, full of life, and full of jocularity. Amidst all its uncertainty, Ghana is a paradise.

I must admit, after deciding to go on the two week Care and Community special to Ghana, I was unsure of what to expect. After all, I had heard that the village of Kwamoso, in which I would be staying at during the first week, had no running water or electricity. However, after speaking with alumna of the program, I came well prepared.

First and foremost – bring toilet paper. Don’t rely on the other volunteers to have you use theirs. The toilets are dirty, just like many others around the world. Without toilet paper, you may have to hold it in for a whole lot of days.

Also, you may wish to bring a flashlight. While staying in the village of Kwamoso during the first week, you probably won’t have access to any electricity at all. During the night, it gets pitch black, probably darker than you’ve ever seen in the great outdoors. Although your hosts and/or volunteers may have spares, it’s always nice to have a flashlight of your own just in case.

There are so many stories of malaria outbreaks killing thousands at once. Don’t worry; nothing so drastic will happen in your stay. However, it’s highly recommended, to bring a mosquito net. There are actually not too many mosquitoes in Ghana; you may have seen more where you live. However, these are ferocious thugs. The sparse mosquitoes suck on your blood during the night, increasing your risk of malaria. So a mosquito net would decrease such risks.

We have all heard misconceptions that insist all African countries are hot, a conception not entirely true for Ghana. In the nighttime, temperatures may fall beneath the comfy zone, so you may want to bring a blanket or something warm to wear.

Playing card at night

Although Projects Abroad will keep you busy for most of the time, during the night, you will have some freedom. The highlight of my trip is sitting there with the rest of the volunteers in the dark illuminated by only a couple of candles. We played cards, told stories, and interacted with our Ghanaian hosts. Therefore, it’s prudent to bring entertainment devices, such as cards, books, and sports equipment (a tennis ball may suffice).

Even if you pack everything listed above, you may be unprepared for the general environment, especially if you have never been to a third-world, or rather “majority,” country. However, all you need to do is sit back and really try to understand your surroundings. I know, it may sound a little corny, but really try to notice this new world around you. It’s almost like a jigsaw puzzle; once you start understanding every piece by piece, you’ll finally appreciate the larger picture. So now that you have a better idea of how to prepare for a journey that will undoubtedly remain in your minds forever, go out there and visit the country where you, the people, the roads, the trees, the hills, the bugs, and even the houses without electricity or running water, all become one.

Team preparing for a game

By David Flaschner - Academy Director, Ghana.

Having volunteered at Cantonments Football Club for three months at the start of the year through the Projects Abroad Sports program, the chance to continue working with the boys was too good to turn down. I took on the role of Academy Director with a great deal of excitement and a healthy dose of fear - sure, I’d coached football before, but never actually been in charge of a club. What was I letting myself in for?

We set out to provide a coherent structure and quality coaching for boys aged 7 to 18 as well as an excellent opportunity for volunteers to work with some of Ghana’s brightest young talent. We’re still in the early stages, but from the reactions of our first few volunteers and my own personal experience, we’ve achieved much, much more.

Training starts early - 7:30am sharp on Monday morning where we put our senior players through their paces with Head Coach Amando’s grueling conditioning session. Volunteers are welcome to take part, but in my experience, it’s tiring enough just watching them from the sidelines! Thankfully, the players are given the afternoon off to recuperate, but the programme is back in full swing from Tuesday, with further sessions every morning incorporating small-sided technique games, tactical drills and match practice in preparation for the weekend league matches.

Player cleaning his kit at the Team HQ

Most of our volunteers prefer to work with the junior players and we have Under 10s, Under 12s, Under 14s and under 17s to choose from. Each team has a dedicated pair of coaches who are happy to run the whole session and have you observe or take a more back-seat role, depending on your preference. I am always around during training to lend a hand, along with my assistant Rama, who originally founded the club 8 years ago. Our aim is first and foremost to educate the children, but anything we can teach you or you can show us along the way is an added bonus. These training sessions run at the more civilized time of 4:30pm, leaving you time during the day to work on training plans or just explore Accra to your heart’s content.

Of course, the real fun begins on match days - this is, after all, what we train for! Our teams are renowned for playing exciting, attacking football so we draw a decent crowd both home and away. Volunteers are welcome to referee friendly matches and supervise from the bench during league play. Our seniors play in the Ghanaian Third Division and the juniors are part of the Colts First Division. This means that there is always a home and away match at the weekend, providing plenty of opportunities to visit different areas of Accra and experience the sights and sounds of a vibrant football scene. Obviously, we realise that not everyone wants to give up their weekends for football matches, so no demands are placed on volunteers to attend. All we care about is you having a good time while you’re here in Ghana!

Some future national side players?

So after a long week of training and matches, the only thing left to do is relax with a satisfying Ghanaian meal. That’s where Cantonments provides something a little bit special. Most of our boys grew up and still live within 5 or 10 minutes of our pitch, meaning there is an incredible community atmosphere surrounding the club. We frequently hold meals for volunteers and staff cooked by our resident chef Lydia (Rama’s mother). Previous volunteers (including yours truly) have also attempted to cook for everyone with some pretty decent results so far. This is just one example of how Cantonments differs from many other clubs in Ghana. There is always someone around, day and night, so if you want to just hang out at Rama’s house and help the kids with their homework, or go with Coach Kofi to buy supplies from the market, the choice is yours. In return, we are able to provide a football education for over eighty boys, keeping them fit and healthy and hopefully offering them a chance at a glittering career and a future full of opportunity.

There will be a record amount of volunteers in Ghana this summer taking part in a wide variety of projects across the country. Most have heard of Accra, the capital, or read about Kumasi in a guidebook. But the Akuapem Hills? Where is that?

Of the four regions our volunteers work in the least well known would probably be the Akuapem Hills, a rural area an hour and a half outside of Accra. But once they are there they fall in love with it! Since having a visual helps with going to any new place, I have posted two videos that will give volunteers headed there this summer a sense of the area and will hopefully bring back some memories for alumni. Enjoy!

The drive from the Projects Abroad office in Accra to the Akuapem Hills. Every volunteer in the Hills will make this drive after they first arrive in the country.

A great video of an assembly at the Holy Hills school in Kwamoso, Akuapem Hills. I just love all the smiles and energy of the kids!

Jessye with kids in Kwamoso, Ghana

By Jessye Crowe-Rothstein, Program Advisor

Over the past weeks I have been privileged to visit Accra, Cape Coast and the Akuapem Hills. I have met many volunteers and spent time visiting placements and getting to know our wonderful staff members in all of these regions. There are vast differences between the three regions I have visited, and volunteers thinking of coming to Ghana will find they have opportunities to visit a large range of environments. I spent my first week here in Accra, which is the very busy capital city of Ghana. Although many volunteers live within the city center we also have placements up to an hour away in many directions, so many volunteers find themselves in smaller towns yet with access to the big city. There are tons of volunteers in the Accra area this summer and it is a very social place, with opportunities to get together with other volunteers most evenings. I also went to a lively quiz night, which Tom hosts at our central office every Tuesday night. Volunteers tested their knowledge about Ghana, geography and many other various subjects.

Cape Coast made for a lovely weekend destination, and we were able to visit the famous slave castle as well as spend some time relaxing on the gorgeous beaches in the area. The past week in the Hills has been really fantastic, and quite a contrast from Accra. The Akuapem Hills region includes many small towns where our volunteers participate in a huge variety of placements. The landscape here is absolutely beautiful and the volunteers who are living here really can become a part of the communities in which they are based. For those who are looking for a slower pace of life, the Hills would be a great place to come and volunteer.

Tonight we are heading back to Accra for the end of the month party, a huge gathering in Accra which volunteers from all four regions will be attending! It has been a real pleasure to have the opportunity to visit Ghana and to begin to understand why it is our most popular destination!