At GHEI we envision a future where children - free from illness and illiteracy - can realize their full potential, a future where healthy, educated young people will lead their communities out of poverty. Our health and education programs work hand-in-hand to achieve this vision.
Whether preventing childhood illness or promoting learning success, we are committed to finding the most innovative solutions to the health and education needs of our communities, even if it requires challenges established limits.
Our success is firmly rooted in the idea that local capacity leads to sustainability. Therefore, we recruit, train, and employ people directly from the communities where we work. GHEI invests in our local team for the same reason we invest in the children and young people we serve: we believe that to invest in an individual is to empower a community.
Programs
Volunteer in West Africa this summer with Ghana Health and Education Initiative! GHEI’s Summer Serve and Learn volunteer program offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience in international development work. Our work is grounded in the communities we serve, and by volunteering you will gain profound insight into life in rural Ghana.
This summer we will be offering two 16-day sessions, Malaria Prevention, Girls’ Empowerment and Children's Enrichment. These innovative, self-paid, programs offer participants the opportunity to develop and strengthen their skills in cross-cultural communication, project design and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and community outreach.
Participants will be immersed in a rural Ghanaian community and work alongside local staff members in support of GHEI's health and education programming.
The Summer Serve and Learn volunteer program offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience in international development work in Africa. Our volunteers take part in 16-day sessions working alongside local staff to reach common goals.
Our programs are each designed to complement our year-round programming and the skills and expertise of our volunteers. By volunteering, you will have the opportunity to learn from the local community and gain profound insight into life in rural Ghana. You will benefit from Twi language lessons, discussions on pertinent topics and cultural exchanges such as meeting the village chief, a drumming and dancing workshop, and traveling to sites at the historic Ghanaian cities of Kumasi and Cape Coast.
Applicants from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply!
Malaria Prevention
While malaria causes more deaths in children under 5 than any other disease in Ghana, many of these deaths are preventable. For the same group, sleeping under an insecticide treated bednet can reduce mortality from all causes by 15-30%. However for various reasons, usage rates are low.
During this session, volunteers will partner with a team of local community health workers to evaluate bednet usage and collect basic health indicators for the Humjibre community of over 4500 people. Volunteers will be responsible for ensuring the accuracy of data collected, entering and managing the data and running basic statistical analysis. The process will provide volunteers with an excellent introduction to global health.
Girls’ Empowerment
Empowering one girl can have a powerful effect; if she is given the opportunity to pursue her education, she is more likely to earn a better income and have fewer, healthier children when she is ready. Educating females ensures the health and education of future generations and is considered to be one of the most successful paths out of poverty.
In this session, volunteers will work with local staff to run an intensive 2-week empowerment camp held annually for local junior high school girls. While learning about the role of girls and women in this context, volunteers will develop workshops that will impart knowledge and confidence to the girls and give them the opportunity to think about themselves and their futures in a new and broader context.
Children’s Enrichment Camp
Access to quality educational experiences at an early age is critical, but unfortunately children in places like rural Ghana rarely have such opportunity. Students are left in overcrowded, poorly lit and minimally furnished classrooms where teacher absenteeism is notoriously high and interventions are unavailable to those students who need them.
During this session, volunteers will team with local staff members to run a holistic children’s camp. Volunteers will be responsible for managing and designing programming with local staff, helping students to make gains academically and reverse summer regression, and to give children the opportunity to grow in a safe learning environment. Program goals include improving skills in literacy and numeracy, non-violent communication, and cultivating creativity and critical thinking through art and purposeful play. This is an excellent opportunity for teachers, social workers and others interested in working with marginalized youth in a low-resource setting.
How to Apply
Applications require a completed application form, current resume/CV and one letter of recommendation.
Our volunteer fundraising fee goes directly to the cost of your session and directly to ensure GHEI Health and Education programs continue to benefit the people of Humjibre and the people in all the nearby communities that we support.
All important costs will be taken care of once you arrive in Ghana, including transportation, meals, housing, and guided tours and events. You will be provided with a generous stipend for food and entertainment while you are away from Humjibre.
