Rural Orphanage

  Ghana

Rural Areas

Durations of Program: 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 9-12 weeks
Dates: All year round

Description: This rural orphanage seeks to promote the general well-being of orphans, abandoned and needy children by providing a home situation, attention and care, quality formal education, and employable skills.

The orphanage runs alongside a mainstream school where the orphans are educated. Focus is on healthcare, in particular on HIV/AIDS prevention. The school board are also keen to educate girls and to keep them in education throughout their teenage years.

Volunteers applying to this should be aware that it is set in very rural settings and that both the school and orphanage, like most organizations in Ghana, are Christian.

Current Placement Opportunities

-An Orphan's Care Assistant is required to help the children throughout the day. This can entail getting food ready for them, helping them wash and brush their teeth, dressing the little ones and just generally giving them love, attention and a smile. Volunteers should be aware that the kids get up early!
-A Teaching Assistant is required to help teach at the school and also to provide the children with extra educational support and attention.
-A Health Education Program Officer is required to run educational workshops & seminars on health issues such as sanitation and STDs. Particular focus will be on HIV/AIDS issues. The ideal volunteer will also be able to teach basic first aid.
-An Sports Teacher is required to organize games for the children and to generally encourage the boys & girls to play and implement teamwork strategies.
-An Assistant supervisor is required to oversee and coordinate the staff's daily duties. You will also be required to draft reports and help with the general administration of the orphanage.
-A Project Administrator is required to assist the headmaster and administer day-to-day affairs of the school. The ideal candidate will also help with fundraising plans & projects.
-An kitchen assistant is required to prepare meals for the orphans and teach them the importance of a healthy, balanced diet.
- A Library Assistant is required to supervise and check the issuing of books and putting systems in place to make the library more efficient. It is also hoped that the volunteer could help find donors in the developed world who are willing to give books to the school.

Highlights: The roles will be quite hectic with a minimum working day of 8hrs required and early starts. Volunteers must have an interest in child welfare, be compassionate and loving. The orphanage is very rural so volunteers must be prepared to live with shortages, be flexible and tolerant to deal with these different living conditions.

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 18-64 yrs

This Program is open to World Wide Participants.

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Resume
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Ikando's Mission Statement: Ikando looks to support local community organisations through the placement of international volunteers. We seek to offer volunteers affordable, quality and skill specific placements with organisations that require their help. We believe our volunteers can be catalysts for change within these organisations. Ikando aims to communicate through its volunteers the positive story coming out of Africa.

Year Founded: 2004

Ikando is a Christian based organization. We do not require our participants to be of the same faith. Our volunteers will not be involved in religious proselytizing.