Smiles a plenty await
you in Ghana
Provide much needed support & care to children in Busua
-
Duration
1-24 weeks -
Accompanied age
5+ -
Minimum age
17+ -
Start dates
1st & 3rd Saturday -
From
£160
-
Duration
1-24 weeks -
Accompanied age
5+ -
Minimum age
17+ -
Start dates
1st & 3rd Saturday -
From
£160
Ghana childcare volunteers
Quicklinks
Are you ready to take on a new experience where you can explore the real Africa, make lots of new friends and make a real difference to the lives of underprivileged children? Your time and effort at nurseries and kindergartens is vital and you will provide an important contribution to the children’s daily lives.
As a volunteer you will become a big brother or sister to the children, working alongside local staff to assist with teaching and caring for the children that attend everyday. You will be involved with the operational running of the day care centre where you can give extra support and attention as well as one-to-one time that so many children are deprived of.
You’re sure to feel right at home in this wonderful country, where you will experience a true Ghanain welcome and be fully integrated into a friendly and hospitable culture. This exciting and rewarding programme is perfect for someone with a big heart and who has the desire to do something meaningful with their time abroad.
Background to the childcare programme
Ghana is often referred to as the friendliest country in Africa and this is no more noticeable than in the smiling children! You will always find them dancing and singing in the street and running over to welcome you.
In 2007 the government of Ghana introduced two years of compulsory kindergarten education along with many other legislations. Although this saw enrolment levels hugely increase and is a great step in the right direction, this in itself brought on many problems. On average there are now 52 children per class, meaning the facilities and care provided continue to suffer and in some circumstances are actually getting worse.
Although there are a growing number of kindergartens in Ghana, they are all full to bursting point. The children that are lucky enough to attend, are greeted with severe overcrowding, no educational resources or games and no real support or care being provided. The few staff that are present have generally had no formal training and children are left to their own devices for the most part of the day.
The main focus of kindergartens is not only to provide care and support, but to also provide the educational foundations to prepare the children for later life. Despite English being the national language of Ghana, many communities in the more remote and rural areas are unable to speak or read it. The little education that is currently provided is taught by rote memorisation. This style of teaching gets the children to repeat words without actually understanding their meaning and does little to promote independent thought and self-confidence - just enough to pass exams.
By introducing you and other volunteers from around the world, we hope to provide vital extra help to the staff and to ensure the children all get the care and attention they so desperately need and want. Not only this, but a new style of teaching and engagement will boost their confidence and the energy and creativity that you bring will help them understand the basic concepts of English - ensuring they have the best chance for their future.
Where will I be volunteering?
The childcare programme aims to assist and help kindergartens and nurseries in and around Busua - where our volunteer accommodation is located. Our childcare volunteers are primarily based at Busua Nursery School and Future Leaders Academy, but during busier times you may also be placed at one or two other centres around the village. You are more than welcome to split your time between several kindergartens, but we do ask that you commit at least one week per placement.
Busua Nursery School - The government run nursery school was established just over 10 years ago (in-line with the 2007 government legislation) and is the only free to attend nursery for under 5's in the area. Located next to the primary school, you will be able to spend your days playing with the children outside while getting to enjoy the sunshine. Every day over 50 children aged between 1 and 5 years old make their way to the centre, with only one teacher in place to try and look after and teach them - an impossible task!
Future Leaders Academy - Due to the lack of government facilities in the area, Future Leaders was setup in 2016 to try and take some of the burden away from the overcrowded Busua Nursery School. Although it is regarded as a private organisation, which children have to pay a small fee to attend, The Mighty Roar, our local team and other volunteers have sponsored many of the children to attend. Not only does this ensure they get some form of education, but it also means their parents can do their best to work and earn some much needed money.
Future Leaders has over 200 children attend every day and although you will be primarily based within the youngest class (children aged between 1 and 5 years old), you are more than welcome to assist across the whole centre.
What is my role?
You will play a huge role in being an extra pair of hands and eyes to help provide care to children who need it most on any given day. You’ll be involved in a variety of activities, where your primary role will be a carer, ensuring all of the children get the attention they deserve. On top of this, you will be playing games and sports outside, helping with feeding the children, tidying and cleaning the class and teaching basic English like the alphabet, colours, animal names etc...
You will be instrumental in keeping the children engaged and happy, where you will join in with games and other fun activities and hopefully introduce some of your own new ideas along the way. You can be sure that the children and community will be extremely grateful for having someone there to support and care for them.
During your free time we would recommend planning and creating some exciting and engaging lessons or games. By introducing some structure throughout the day, you will be able to keep more control and ensure the children are enjoying their time. We encourage you to get as involved as possible by helping with all of the day-to-day activities, where you will find that you will get to know many of the children and their routines - making your time here even more special!
At times you may find that you are left in charge of the classroom, with the teachers being absent for part of the day - a common occurence across Ghana, with or without volunteers. This may seem daunting at first, but with the support of other volunteers and our local team, as well the planned lessons you have created, this will be your time to shine!
What will a typical day look like?
You will typically be volunteering at the kindergarten Monday to Friday from 8am to 12pm, although you are more than welcome to stay later if preferred. Every day will be different, but as you get to know the children and their routines, as well as develop special relationships with them, you will soon reap the rewards and benefits.
If you are volunteering at the Busua Nursery School, then you will make the short walk down the hill (2 minutes) with other volunteers and more than likely children who are waiting for you. Future Leaders Academy is located on the outskirts of the village and involves a 5 minute drive. This will be arranged for you, but the costs are not included within the programme fee (expect to budget around £2 / $3 per day).
After a quick tidy up of the class, you will be ready to welcome the children - who all make their own way, no matter their age! You will then follow the basic structure of the kindergarten for the rest of the day, teaching simple English, assisting with meal times and playing outside during breaks.
Once the kindergartens have finished for the day (around 2:30pm), all volunteers (across all programmes) always meet at the beach, where there are plenty of things for everyone to see and do.
Where will I be staying?
Ghana is one of the most secure and friendly destinations where you can relax, get to know the locals and explore this beautiful country at your leisure. You will be staying within our volunteer accommodation that is nestled up in the hills overlooking the small village of Busua. Offering far-reaching views out across the sea and surrounded by palm trees, this quiet spot is the perfect place to call home.
The small village community of Busua (where everyone knows everyone) will welcome you with open arms and you will be made to feel like a local from day one. Most of your time will be spent on the picturesque beach, that offers golden white sands with palm trees lined along the whole bay. An up and coming tourist hotspot for surfers, you will be able to cool down in the blue waters of the Atlantic and even try your hand at surfing. During your free time you can laze in one of the many hammocks, relax in one of the several beach bars and restaurants, join in with a game of football with the children, play drums around the bonfire or go for a swim at the local hotel.
Other things to consider
Top returning destination - Ghana is our top destination for volunteers returning to help again in the future. We believe this is due to the amazing village of Busua and the local community that live there. Situated on the most stunning beach, the community will ensure you feel at home from day one. On top of this, the feedback provided by volunteers suggests that Ghana offers some of the most rewarding and worthwhile volunteer projects, where you can make a real positive difference.
Helping on multiple projects - Whilst in Ghana, you will also have the opportunity to get involved with our teaching (no additional cost) and medical (small extra cost) programmes, which are located in the same village.
Cultural differences - It is important for volunteers to join our programmes in Ghana with an open mind and understanding of the differences in culture. The methods of discipline used often differ greatly from what you may be used to back at home and although we do not condone the mistreatment of children, physical discipline does occur.
Resources and donations - Resources can be very limited on our programmes in Ghana and we would really appreciate any additional support that can be provided. It would be amazing if you could bring any materials associated with your project, including pens, paper, colouring books, clothes and anything else you think will aid your time on the programme.
Weekends and free time - You will have every weekend off from volunteering and this is the perfect time to explore everything this beautiful country has to offer. You are more than welcome to simply relax around the accommodation and enjoy the nearby beaches, but most volunteers will use this time to travel and see the country. Further down this page you will come across many suggestions and ideas on where you could go. Alternatively, if you are looking to see as much of the country as possible during this time, travel with other volunteers and be accompanied by one of our local team members, then you may be interested in one or more of the organised weekend trips we run.
Further Information
