International Volunteering Program Plan-SaveGhana
International Volunteering Program Plan
Program Description:
SAVE-Ghana welcomes international volunteers, visitors and well-wishers. Whether you volunteer for a day, a month or a year, you can make a positive difference in the lives of underserved children, their families, and community. Share your knowledge, skills and passions. And when you return home, share your experiences with friends and family and help us to raise awareness about SAVE-Ghana and the communities in which we work. Help us to spread the word about the collective efforts by Ghana’s children, families, elders and community to bring about a life full of dignity, justice, peace, and hope for all. Read below to learn about requirements, costs, and how to apply.
Volunteer Requirements:
-be at least 18 years old (this can be waived for younger volunteers traveling with families or groups)
-possess good moral characters, cultural intelligence and sensitivity, friendly demeanor, and strong communication skills
-work well individually and as a team member
Preferred Qualifications:
-be able to take pictures and videos to help us document our work
-general computer skills
-good English speaking and writing skills
-good public speaking skills
Preferred technical skills and backgrounds:
-Agriculture
-Entrepreneurship and business development
-Mentoring women entrepreneurs and business owners
-Health care (Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) for young people, child mortality, maternal health, safe legal abortion etc)
-Education and child protection (preventing child and forced marriage, better education governance and management )
-Teaching and mentoring youths
-Statistical and academic research skills
Volunteer Frequently Asked Questions
- What does it cost to volunteer?
The cost to host volunteers varies depending on your length of stay. Below are estimates of what it will cost to host volunteers. These costs are negotiable and should not deter you from volunteering. We are more than happy to discuss an amount that will cover the costs of hosting you that you can afford. The volunteering fee that you pay will cover your housing and utilities costs, food, transportation, phone and internet access, and any sight-seeing and tourism activities you wish to be facilitated by SAVE-Ghana. The amount that covers housing, utilities, and food will be paid directly to the host families with whom you are staying. Any remaining amount will go into SAVE-Ghana’s operating budget and will be used to support SAVE-Ghana’s programs. The volunteering fee is payable to SAVE-Ghana upon your arrival; you will receive a receipt for your records. Before your trip, you can hold fundraisers to raise money to cover the cost of your volunteering trip. We will be more than happy to help you with your fundraising efforts. Many people utilize crowdfunding platforms such as GoFundMe or Indiegogo to raise money for their trips.
Costs per volunteer per amount of time:
Per Day: US$ 45
One Month US$ 1,300
Three Months: US$ 4,050
Six Months: US$ 8,100
One Year: US$16,200
Please note: The volunteering fee does not cover air tickets, travel insurance and any other costs to get to Ghana.
- Why should I pay to volunteer?
The volunteering fee serves three functions: to cover the costs of staying and living in Ghana, to provide income for hosting families, and to support SAVE-Ghana programs. 100% of the money that you spend will benefit the local community.
- Where will I live? What type of accommodations will be provided?
You will live with a host family in the area. We will work with you to find housing with the right accommodations to fit your needs.
- What volunteering activities are available? Can a volunteer program be tailor-designed for me?
You will work with a volunteer coordinator to design a volunteering program that meets your interests, passions and areas of expertise. Below are SAVE-Ghana programs and activities that currently need volunteers:
Administrative support: write, review, and/or edit project and field reports, documents, training materials, publicity materials, fundraising materials, etc
Field Visits: visit the communities and project sites to document SAVE-Ghana’s works and collect interviews and project stories
Education/Training: support SAVE-Ghana staff in provide training to the community in areas such as health, agriculture, village savings and loans associations, child rights and protections, gender equality, etc
Technical support: support SAVE-Ghana staff in these technical areas–extension services to farmers, business development for the women’s savings and loans associations, business and entrepreneurship mentoring for women, action research to monitor the impact and results of SAVE-Ghana’s works; other statistical and academic research
You are more than welcome to suggest projects, ideas and activities that can benefit the community.
- What is Ghana like? Is the area safe?
The Sissala East District is located in the north- eastern part of the Upper West region of Ghana.
The capital of the district is Tumu, where SAVE-Ghana office is located. The people of the area are predominantly peaceful people and co-exist with each other.
The district is made up of different cultures. This dynamic culture has been handed down to the present generation by their forefathers through experience and reflection in an attempt to fashion and harmonise co-existence with the environment. Some of the positive cultural practices of the citizenry are the celebration of the “Naaba Gbiele” festival, which is celebrated once every year. The Sissalas, like any other tribe in Ghana, have their own social gatherings, such as outdooring, weddings, burials, dressings and the like. The Kasena in the eastern corridor and the dagaabas dotted in the district also have their unique cultures which can be harmonised to improve the district development.
There has not been a major change in the ethnic and religious composition of the district. There are five main ethnic groups, comprising of the Sissala’s (88%), Kasenas (5%), Dagabas (3%), Moshies (2%) and 2% comprising of other ethnic groups. Despite this ethnic composition in the district, the people co-exist peacefully. The religious composition in the district includes Moslems-81%, Catholics-10%, Traditionalist-5%, and others accounting for about 4%. These various religious groups in the district notwithstanding, cordial relations exist among these religious groups. The cordiality prevailing amongst these religious groups serves as a catalyst for developmental programmes and projects in the district. Each religious celebration is done with the participation of other religious groups.
In terms of security in the area, the district shares borders with Burkina Faso, which is 29km away from the district capital. As a district that shares borders with another country, there are some criminal activities such as smuggling, child labour, cattle rustling and child elopement, With regard to cattle rusting, it is both done internally and at border crossings. Cross-border movement of cattle has become a yearly activity, especially in the dry season (December-March). Large herds of cattle are moved by Burkina Faso Fulani herdsmen who move into the district and the country in general for grazing and watering purposes in the valleys of the Sissili River and its tributaries. They remain in Ghana till May-June when farmers had already cropped their fields, causing a lot of havocs on sprouting crops.
There are various security agencies in the district. These include the police, Customs Excise and preventive services (CEPS), Immigration service, BNI, GPS, watch dog committees, Assembly members and Traditional authorities. All these agencies have been doing very well in ensuring that total peace and harmony prevail in the district. SAVE-Ghana is well known to the authorities in the area and have good relations with them. Your security and safety will be of utmost importance to us.
- What are some tourism and sight-seeing activities in the area?
Your stay in Ghana will not be all work and no play. You can arrange your own sight-seeing activities, or SAVE-Ghana staff can facilitate them for you. We have a vehicle that in some cases can help you with transportation to the sites. Possible tourist attractions in the area include:
Mole National Park:
“Mole National Park has over 90 species of mammals. Elephant, buffalo, kob, warthog, waterbuck, bushbuck, roan antelope, hartebeest, duikers, oribi, patas monkey and green (vervet) monkey are the species commonly seen at Mole National Park. Aerial surveys of the large mammals have been carried out between 1993 and 2006. Predators in the Park include spotted hyenas, leopards, caracal, civets, genets, jackals and mongooses.” http://www.molemotelgh.com/
Paga Crocodile pond
Paga “is noted for its sacred pond, which is a sanctuary for crocodiles. The crocodiles are said to be totems for the people of Kassena, who reside in Paga and the surrounding communities. It is believed that each native of Paga has a corresponding crocodile representing each person’s soul…The reptiles are normally enticed out of the pond by the whistling of the caretaker and the brandishing of a fowl, which the crocodiles quickly snatch with their snouts. If you are courageous, you can sit on, or hold the beast’s tail for a good camera pose.” -GhanaWeb
Gwollu slave Defense Wall
The Gwollu Slave Defence Wall is one of the site that is very close to Tumu. It attracts 100s of tourist on yearly basis, and it has the potential to be developed further, which can be a major source of revenue for local economic development. Gwollu is the hometown of one of Ghana’s former president (Dr Hili Liman) and is the Administrative District of the Sissala West District, which was recently carved out from the Sissala East District
Kintampo waterfalls
Kintampo waterfalls is one of the highest waterfalls in Ghana . it is also known as Sanders Falls. It is located on the Pumpum River, a tributary of the Black Volta, about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of Kintampo municipality, on the Kumasi -Tamale road. This waterfall, one of the main natural attractions in the area, is hidden in the forest and it is formed by 3 main drops where the longest drop measures about 25 metres (82 ft) in height, and has a number of steps and cascades
Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary
The Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary (WCHS) is a unique community-based approach to protecting and preserving the wildlife and the environment of a 40km stretch area on the Black Volta River in Ghana’s Upper West Region. The river is home to one of the two remaining hippopotamus populations in Ghana, and was created into a sanctuary by local chiefs in 1999. Since then, the project has had marked success in providing Ghanaian and international tourists with a unique and unusual eco-travel experience.
- How do I apply?
Please fill out the Volunteer Application. If you have any questions, here’s how to contact us:
Email: info@saveghana.org
Phone: + 233 -208830901 / 233 243414304
OR USE THE REGISTRATION FORM BELOW: