Organization for Kids Affected by HIV/AIDS in Ghana

  Ghana

Kumasi

Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks
Dates: Year round

Description: As the number of child HIV victims and orphans has increased, communities all across Africa have responded by opening more hospitals, development centers and schools to care for these children and provide them with any semblance of a normal life. This particular organization opened its doors in 2005 after many of the affected children in the community were not being given adequate physical and emotional support. Their caregivers were not able to provide the necessary supply of anti-retroviral therapy, the source of survival for these kids. Since then, the organization has tripled in size and is working hard to keep up with demand. They are looking forward to further developing their outreach, programming, and funding in order to be most effective in the community and to the children.

Volunteers will help with HIV/AIDS presentations in schools, visiting HIV positive children, organizing periodic meetings with the community around these issues, helping to secure additional funding for projects, and developing new activities in order to reach more people. Materials are limited so volunteers are encouraged to be creative.

Highlights: The project is located near the large city of Kumasi. Volunteers will receive a thorough orientation for a few days in the capital city of Accra upon arrival in Ghana.

Volunteers will stay with carefully screened host families for the duration of the program. All meals with your host family are included in your stay.

Qualifications: Experience or education in counseling, teaching and/or childcare is helpful, but not required. It is also a plus if you have experience working with victims of HIV/AIDS.

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Greenheart Travel volunteers are all ages and come from diverse backgrounds. All are caring, flexible individuals who are interested in an authentic cultural experience rather than a typical tourist experience.

Age Range: 18+

This Program is open to American and Canadian Participants.

Participants Travel to Ghana Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Written Application

Greenheart Travel's Mission Statement: Greenheart Travel is a division of the Center for Cultural Interchange. Founded in 1985, the Center for Cultural Interchange (CCI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of cultural understanding, academic development and world peace. Greenheart is CCI's way of promoting the health and welfare of the earth and its people through cultural exchange, ethical travel, responsible consumerism, and community service.

Year Founded: 1985