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Improving local facilities by renovating unsafe structures and creating positive learning environments through painting and creative wall displays.
Location: | Abetifi District, Kwahu Mountains, Eastern Region, Ghana |
Availability: | Year Round |
Price: | $59 per week* |
Duration: |
1 – 52 weeks |
Schools we work alongside
Than other similar organisations
Volunteer rating
Working to improve the local infrastructure and educational facilities.
Usually based at our linked project sites you will be joining us as a member of the Facilities Renovation Team. Focusing on improving the safety, security and overall feel of the local project sites. From painting classrooms and creating board displays to roofing a toilet block and plastering a nursery wall. This work will be more manual labour focused still with a lot of involvement at the local schools and organisations with the children.
Schools, educational facilties and clinics once constructed are mostly left to deteriorate over the years. A lot of these buildings have damaged roofing sheets, walls and flooring which are often dangerous and pose a safety hazard for the often young children which are based inside them. We aim to work with local tradesmen to develop these facilties and improve the safety and appearance for all those affected.
Due to the sheer enthusiasm of the school children in Ghana, once we get the basics of the walls repaired at a project site we are then hoping to improve the feel and aesthetics especially at our local schools by painting the classrooms and creating captivating educational wall displays and boards.
Support Staff – Accommodation – House Utility Bills – Pre Departure Support
We charge cost price for this project just so we can cover your stay and employ local support staff to increase loyal employment. This placement includes accommodation in a modern style house for the semi rural area of which we are based with great views and surroundings of the local towns and rainforest. All house utilities are included for your time, you will have use of the kitchen, electricity throughout the house and running water which is a luxury among the area of Kwahu. You will have a member of our local support team living in house or close by depending on the volunteer numbers so there is always someone on hand for any questions or support you may need.
Budget an additional 25 – 60 Ghana cedis per day for transport costs.
Painting projects in Abetifi or Nkwatia usually cost around 30 cedis per day. Renovation & Construction projects in the more rural villages of Hweehwee & Suminakese can be 60+ cedis.
We work with a number of schools within the local community and slightly further out. Volunteers will usually take taxis back and forth to their placement site. It is very easy to take shared taxis in town and they are very reasonably priced. The more remote village schools are usually located down tracks and therefore cost a little bit more to reach. Our team will be able to assist volunteers group together for transport and where to find taxis etc. Volunteers are usually able to head off into the town after school easily to shop for food supplies, grab a cold drink or meet up with friends before heading home and the ease of taxis offer a really flexible experience for the volunteers.
A hands on role you will be directly involved with building, construction and painting work. No matter your current skill level! Either on a more construction side focusing on plastering, skimming, shifting, lifting etc or the renovation side including painting buildings, creating board displays and improving the basic appearance of the facilities through it’s design and decoration.
You will be based at one of our local project sites such as a school, library or clinic. You may work alongside a local skilled tradesman to learn a few basic skills and there will be the project staff on site such as the Headteacher at the school for example. A member of our team will also spend a portion of their day at the project to assist in anyway and offer any guidance should it be needed. Most volunteers strike up a strong bond with the teachers or nursing staff. It is not uncommon to be invited round their homes for dinner at an early stage as a way of saying thank you.
Manual labour experience is not compulsory and we will find a placement to suit your interests, skills and abilities. The greatest traits of a volunteer are enthusiasm, empathetic and the ability to adjust to alternative cultures. You will get the most of our your trip by opening your mind to new experiences and beliefs whilst also bringing your own to the table.
We expect volunteers to visit their placements Monday – Friday, exceptions can be made for long weekends of travel etc but we hope for the children and yourselves to get the most of your placement this is kept to a minimum.
We will be on hand any time of any day to support you in your placement and trip as a whole. There will always be someone you can speak to or get a hold of should you want to discuss anything or require any guidance, from organising after school clubs to changing your placement. Our team living in the volunteer house will also be able to offer advice regarding travel plans and the local area so you will soon feel at home.
Regarding your placement we advise bringing some donations which you can fundraise beforehand with our help. These donations can go towards building materials such as bags of cement, pots of paints, brushes and paying local skilled tradesmen for assistance.
You may also find that it’s useful to bring plenty of school materials, arts & crafts items and some ideas from teaching resource websites for your free time and to share with the local school children and teachers. Basic pens, pencils and cheap paper are available as well as moderate priced photocopying should you wish to bring activity sheets.
MATERIALS FUNDING – PLEASE NOTE:
As our placements are cost price, for the renovation team we will need you to fundraise/donate to cover the materials and local labourers you will be using and working with. You can bring this money with you and we will show you to the local stores so you can take receipts to see full transparency of the items you are buying to use.
Approximate Budgets:
Painting/Decoration – โต400 Ghana cedis per week. (Used to buy pots of paint, brushes and accessories)
Construction/Renovation – โต1000 Ghana cedis per week. (Used to buy bags of cement, iron rods, sand, water and masons etc)
The holidays will not directly affect this placement and the work can continue throughout the year.
The school holidays usually fall three times a year; few weeks around easter, few weeks around August and a few weeks during December.
We currently have 2 x three bedroom volunteer houses located in the peaceful town of Pepease overlooking the rainforest. Later in the year we aim to move to a larger 13 bedroom house in a nearby town.
Bedrooms –
Bedrooms are shared usually between 2 – 4 people. Most bedrooms are a medium size and come with a mix of single, double or bunk beds. All doors and windows in the house are covered by mosquito netting or covered completely however you are more than welcome to bring a mosquito net for your bed although usually not necessary.
Bathrooms –
There are 3 shared bathrooms in the house so offer plenty of space and privacy during your stay. Most of the time we have the benfit of running water which is a local luxury so showers and toilets will work as usual. We ask to consider others when using the water as it’s a valuable commodity in Ghana.
Kitchen –
We have one large kitchen with modern facilties such as gas stove, fridge freezer and a range of utensils. It is a self catered placement however plenty of food stuffs can be bought from the market such as bread, rice, pasta and many fresh ingredients. We also have connections with local people in the town who will be able to prepare your meals or teach you how to cook local dishes.
Living Room –
There is a large living room with sofas, TV and a dining set for use by the volunteers. Evenings are often spent in here and volunteers are welcome to bring DVDs or memory drives with movies to watch although local television channels are provided.
Garden –
Surrounding the house is a fenced garden, this offers privacy for relaxing in the sun or sitting out in the evenings. There is also a washing line space for volunteers to use.
Store Room –
We have a small store room where we keep left over teaching materials and resources for new volunteers to use. You are invited to leave any items you may not use here for the next person to continue the flow. Master copies of activity sheets or lesson plans are a key item we hope to see
keep growing in the store.
Your stay in our house includes the bills for electricity, gas for cooking and running water.
From application to departure you will receive friendly and helpful advice along the way. Starting from connecting to our management team online once we receive your application you will be met upon arrival to Ghana by our support team who will also live in house with you should you have any questions day or night.
We can arrange for one of our vehicles to collect you from the airport and bring you directly to the volunteer house although fuel, airport parking and toll fees must be covered by yourself – payable in US dollars or Ghana cedi on the day. (As of November 2019 this is around 400 cedi | You will be shown the costs for transparency as it’s completely not for profit).
We will arrange this as standard procedure unless you choose to OPT OUT as we would feel much more comfortable with you arriving into a new country that the team are on hand to greet and reliable vehicles made available for you and your luggage.
Upon arrival our Volunteer Support and Driver (Frank & Eben) will meet you outside the arrivals hall at Kotoka Intl. Airport. They will be holding a sign with your name on so they should be easy to spot!
Our placement as standard is self catering however if you are not too comfortable in the kitchen we can also arrange meal packes on a weekly/monthly basis where our support staff or a local member of the community will prepare 2 meals day for you for an additional charge.
We also have Atlas branded tshirts and clothing available so you can look the part at the placement site. Further details are provided once you are confirmed onto our team and these are available to preorder so we can have it ready for you upon arrival.
You will need to arrange your own flights into the airport in Accra which is Kotoka International Airport. We will then arrange a collection for you where our team will meet you at the airport and begin the 3 hour drive to the volunteer accommodation in the Kwahu mountains.
You will need to apply for a short term tourist visa through your local Ghanaian embassy. Although this needs to be processed yourself we will be on hand should you have any questions or require supporting documentation to provide for this.
You will require a yellow fever vaccination certificate to gain entry into the country.
For current vaccination and malaria advice you can visit the MASTA site by clicking here.
For travel insurance quotes you can visit the experts at World Nomads by clicking here.
This is a self catering placement so you are provided in the house with a kitchen with basic items to cook at home. You can easily buy fresh ingredients and drinking water from the local market in town. There are also street food sellers and cheap restaurants providing local and western cuisine for when you’ve had a long day.
You can find the current cost of our weekly fees along with a detailed breakdown of what’s included by clicking here.
We offer the lowest priced international volunteering fees in Ghana and run as a not for profit with no registration fees or hidden charges.
Duration | Cost (US Dollars) |
4 Weeks | $260 |
8 Weeks | $520 |
12 Weeks | $780 |
16 Weeks | $1,000 |
1 week minimum – This is to ensure you have enough time to settle into the country and new way of life. Shorter durations may be considered if you have a set amount fundraised so that we can produce a work plan for you before arrival.
There is no maximum duration and we would suggest staying as long as possible to achieve the biggest social impact possible.
We have volunteers and placements throughout the year, therefore you are welcome to arrive in any month. We are also flexible with being able to arrange airport collections so you are able to arrive on any airline into Kotoka International Airport at any time on any day of the week.
~ Antoine Burillon / Renovation Volunteer
ย I volunteered as a Renovation Volunteer with Atlas Volunteers for 6 weeks from January/February 2019. I discovered Atlas via Volunteer World and was attracted by its various programs and the benefits they bring to the local community in a semi-rural area of Ghana. They are a relatively new charity but are building strong foundations in the areas they work in. They view their social impact as paramount. Overall the experience was fantastic; from achieving and seeing the works progress, chilling with fellow volunteers, traveling up and down the country during time off and just generally experiencing what Ghana has to offer. It was a truly wonderful experience. Atlas and the Ghanaian communities are exceptional hosts. To my fellow volunteers, to the communities I worked in and to the volunteer coordinators and the rest of Atlas โ thank you. This was an experience I will never forget.
– James Thurston / Renovation Volunteer
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Discount applicable when applying to volunteer on our Asian Elephant Conservation programs. Applications to be sent and confirmed by end of October.
Offer Code: AE24100