Country of Origin: Germany
Country of Stay: Ghana
Duration of Stay: 8 weeks
June 25th 2009 - August 22nd 2009
Program: Volunteering at a School and Orphanage
Project: Teaching at First Baptist School and Helping Out at Good Sheperd Orphange
Actually I expected to work in the orphanage but during the first 4 weeks I taught in the school because there was not much work I was able to do in the orphanage for instance (I don’t know how to cook Akple). The time as a teacher was really good. I had my own class (stage 4 and 5) and I was free to teach what I liked because the teacher wasn’t often around.
This work wasn’t always easy - no books, music, noisy, lazy pupils, unmotivated teachers but I‘ve done my best and I really loved the kids in my class. Actually they wanted to learn that’s why we started to make extra lessons/classes after school (twice a week). Then it was, for example, easier to train reading or explain something again. The subjects I thought most were maths and English, but I also thought French and Science. One thing you can also do is geography. Ask for world maps, they have them here. You’ll see they like it and they don’t know much above the countries and continents.
Sometimes it’s hard to motivate the pupils but just be creative with games and don’t be discouraged. And it was really good to see some progress when I tried to prepare them for the exams. Trust in yourself, everyone is able to learn with the kids. They are really wonderful and all in all I loved the work in the school.
I also spent 4 weeks here in the orphanage during the vacation. In the morning we had usual classes and the children of the neighborhood came too. So the classes were different every day. It is sometimes difficult to teach the mixed classes, but because of the lesser number of kids it wasn’t for example so noisy. In the afternoons we tried to make a little vacation program. We played sports games and other games with them, made creative things like huts and boats out of sheets, made cakes with them, made salt dough with them and so on. Actually I wanted to take them to the beach but I hadn’t enough time to get permission.
It is also nice to learn (teach them) new songs or dance if you know some. Actually I passed my whole days in the orphanage because I lived here. So I figured out the daily routine after a while and I really loved to participate and live with the orphans. So I helped them sometimes with their work and spent just time with the orphans. The best thing you can give them and they really need is love and attention. BE THERE WHEN THEY’RE HAPPY AND WHEN THEY’RE SAD
In the beginning it could be that there is nobody introducing you and saying to you what to do. Then don’t hesitate to bring your ideas. May be you can also help to organize the new library that opened a few days ago.
CommunityAflao is a really great place to stay. The people are mostly very nice and welcoming but the love to talk to whites (yavoo) what is sometimes annoying. It’s amazing to spend the time at the beach or to go to the market (especially on market days).
- The internet café I used was “ICTCentre” which had very friendly owners, but was a bit slow (Cyberlink in Makavoroad is faster)
- The tailor I used was “God Provides Fashion Home” with good prices and good work. Make sure that you say exactly what you want but don’t be afraid to try the things they sell on the streets, they are really good. I don’t know the names of most things.
I lived in the orphanage so I used to say that I have a huge host family. My room was in the Reverend’s house (with my own bathroom!). It could be that you don’t have much privacy living here, but I enjoyed staying here. Make sure, that you lock things you don’t want to be touched by the kids. The people who are living and working here are all really nice and you’ll meet a lot of people from outside used to coming here. I found some great friends here.
