AYIAG 2 WEEKS CULTURAL PROGRAMME

 This 2-weeks Ghanaian language and cultural lessons is uniquely designed to help volunteers acclimatize themselves with the Ghanaian culture, people and environment which may be new to them in their first 2-weeks of arrival in Ghana.
Most volunteers love applying for this project aside their chosen projects because of its interesting and educative aspects.

This Program takes place in Kumasi, a historical city of the Ashanti region during the first 2-weeks of their arrival in Ghana. The Program help volunteers to prepare well for their chosen projects.

FIRST WEEK (TWI LESSONS)
Volunteers would be taking through a week of Ghanaian Twi lessons with a professional Twi teacher. Lessons would involve:
History of Ashanti’s, Kumasi and Ghana.
Culture Ghanaian names and dates of birth
Social and common words used in daily activities.

LEARN AFRICAN DANCE, DRUMMING AND LANGUAGE IN AFRICA

DRUMMING AND DANCE
Ever wondered where that wonderful, natural African rhythm comes from? Join our skilled drummers who will teach you many of the African drumming beats, such as Kpacha, Gahu, Bamaya, Kete and Fume beats. You will be introduced to the different drums, all made locally. You will have the opportunity to get a drum specially made for you, to take home and demonstrate your new-found skills to family and friends.

Feel the rhythm of Africa . Watch and learn the colourful and exuberant traditional African dancing. Learn to move to the beat with traditional dancers.

LANGUAGE

Enhance your experience in Africa by learning the local language which would give you a great opportunity to interact with Ghanaians and so better understand the people and their culture. The major local languages spoken in Ghana are Hausa , Ga , Ewe,Twi and Dagomba. Through an exciting and interactive course you will learn the basics of these wonderful and expressive local languages. Language, games and interaction with native speakers will reinforce your formal learning.

REACHING OUT TO THE MOST UNFORTUNATE ONCE THROUGH VOLUNTEERISM-A REAL SERVICE TO HUMANITY.Join africa youth in action, Ghana and creat history for yourself!!

Location: Kumasi
Note: Based on the volunteers experience and request we can arrange a combination of work with the NGO's project and one of the other external projects.

Typical work:

• Weekly visits to the 'HIV positive children/children orphaned by AIDS' that are a part of the program
• Work actively together with local volunteer in the NGO to determine how best each child can get assistance-from the organization
• Write reports on the children's progress to their ‘adopters' in Europe and US
• Spend time in the afternoon to help the children with school studies
• Join the children on their visits to the HIV clinic where they pick up their ART (Anti-retroviral therapy, it stops HIV from spreading in the body)
• Participate in HIV/AIDS prevention meetings at schools and institutions
• Work at one of the HIV clinics in Kumasi (filing, counting drugs, interacting etc)
• Participate in different HIV/AIDS related committee/NGO meetings
• Join local volunteers when they travel and visit different Support group meetings for 'people living with HIV/AIDS' (PLWHAs)

THE TIME IS NOW!!!

The nations particularly the villages are in dying need of teachers. Many elementary schools in the remote villages have at times only one qualified teacher handling the school. Because many rural folks are unable to speak and write the english language, they are unable to assist the few teachers posted to the village. This has called for a great need of volunteers who can speak and write english to assist these communities.

Volunteers shall teach basic english and mathematics, others may include sex education, family planning, introduction to computers, games and physical education. You don't need to be a certified teacher to volunteer. If you can read and write and is 17years and over, you are qualified to volunteer as a teacher. Please seriously give it a thought and apply today to volunteer. The age of the students a volunteer will handle depends on the class but for Basic, ranges from 10-15years and Vocational ranging from 15-21years.
We are looking for more volunteers, the role of the volunteer goes far beyond assisting teaching. Children are attracted to school by the presence of volunteers and your presence also is a proven moral booster for parents and the limited teachers as well as a great inspiration for students. Help us at least to keep the children in classrooms.

Volunteer's responsibilities

1. Prepare lesson notes
2. Organize learning materials
3. Develop a teaching method
4. Teach classes through lecturing, discussions and demonstrations
5. Discuss output and methods with fellow teachers and supervisor
6. Access the performance of the students through work assignments, etc
7. Organize recreational games with students

Program objectives

·  First to help us keep the children in the classrooms and interested in coming to school each day.

·  To compliment the effort of stakeholders to offer proper education to all as a policy of mitigating poverty, violence and crime

·  To help the deprived acquire better and competitive education to pursue further studies and jobs aside the farming and hunting persistent in such areas

·  To encourage the children and their parents to attend school. Due to the lack of teachers, students' performance has been nothing to help them pursue further studies or some other jobs. After the elementary education, the end up in the same old form of sustenance so the parents and even the youth see school attendance as a waste of time and chose to rather follow their parents to farms and hunting. By offering volunteers into these communities, lack of teachers will be managed whiles quality education shall be offered these children

·  To create an enlightenment and evolution of the cultures and traditions practiced by the communities to accommodate norms and policies that will open them up for development. This will be made so through the exchange of culture that will take place between the volunteers and the residents of the communities/villages

·  To help AYIAG offer scholarships to brilliant but needy students in such communities for further studies through the reports of volunteers

·  To enable AYIAG receive proper problem assessment of the villages/communities to further enable us direct the right programs into the communities

·  To offer volunteers a pure experience of the culture and traditions of the communities. The communities in the cities have seen their cultures transform into a cosmopolitan thus the experience of true culture and traditions of the people is found in these villages only.

·  To offer the volunteer an opportunity to make a positive contribution into the live of a disadvantaged to satisfy his/her social conscience.

·  To promote twin-city relations between the communities of volunteers and that of the deprived but rich in culture. Program Duration and DatesProgram is opened to volunteers all year round. Volunteers can spend from two weeks to as six months on the program. A night in the capital upon arrival (sometimes due to problems like your luggage being left behind by the airline, staying in Accra or Nairobi may be go beyond a day), orientation by Elghana to offer volunteers education on the culture, traditions and sensitivities of the people in the community of work, basic local language syllabus and how to go about things in the community in terms of food, water, socialization, etc. The pre-departure information will be enough an orientation for participants who intend to spend a month or less on a placement

Who can volunteer?
Anybody can volunteer in this program as long as you are 15 years or more, regardless of your profession, skill or experience. All you need is the will to contribute to the lives of these communities. You can volunteer as a group or an individual. Your service is highly needed.

How will you benefit from volunteering in this program?

1. You will discover more about yourself which will definitely help you in making many vital decisions
2. You will experience a true and pure culture of a different kind in this same world
3. You will enhance on your knowledge on life, society, politics and problem solving skills and approach.
4. You will be proud of yourself for doing something very positive in your own means to change the life of someone.
5. It shall be such a great adventure and break
6. It will definitely be something new for you which you shall keep and treasure with passion
7. Another opportunity to find a lifetime friend very far away from home and with a different perspective of life which offer us some good at times, especially when we want somebody to speak to about problems and ideas for solutions.

Cultural Immersion and Volunteering Program for Groups

We have specific and detailed programs for these groups, medical students, midwifery/nursing students, keniosology students, social work students, high school students and college students. please contact us for the details. Below, you can have an overview of the programs skeleton.

Group programs always turn on your heat and offers such a great memorable fun, that is never forgotten. So exciting, so educative so memorable that whatever you learn and encounter, you do not need an extra effort to have it stuck in your memory. Group programs are tailored for professionals, students in pre-med, medical school, nursing colleges, history studies, keniosology interns, high schools, etc
This comprises an opportunity for the participant to discover Africa, people and customs whilst involved as a volunteer or intern.

Program runs for a period of 2 weeks to 3 months. With the cultural immersion program for groups? following activities are in wait for you;

1. Every Weekend: You get to travel to various places of interest in such a great funfair in the company of your group, offering you the opportunity and fun to share experiences and cultural shocks.
2. Two days in each week: You also get to assist local teachers in basic deprived schools in teaching basic English for conversation and reading. It is a great fun discussing lesson notes and teaching skills in groups before splitting to teach various classes.
3. Five hours each week: Learning the history and local language is part of the program.
4. One evening every two weeks: cultural activities and social outings are also organized to familiarize the participants with local cultures and social life of the people in both the deprived rural areas and the small cities.

Surely this is a no miss program for a group interested in discovering the heart of Africa.

Brief overview of the cultural immersion Program:

1. Destinations offered : 23 destinations in Ghana and Kenya;
2. Number of participants : Between 5 and 16 people per group;
3. Age limit: 16 years and over;
4. Dates: Programs take place during the winter, the summer and the autumn
5. Length of stay: Minimum of 2 weeks and maximum of three months in all periods;
6. Cost includes: airport pickup upon arrival, orientation, accommodation with a host family in the chosen village, three meals a day for seven days a week, supervision, course materials and certificate of participation and letter of attestation.
7. All groups are accompanied by a staff from our office;
8. This program is open to youth of all nationalities;
9. There is no selection process: We require the group leader to contact us, we shall request for all neccesary information.

General itinerary of the program
This is dependent on the group, the kindo f project they are involved in, what their goals are.

1. two hours a week language, cultural and history classes
2. Volunteer work in community organizations such as schools, clinics, orphanages, etc. for not less than fourr (4) working days a week and working for an average of 6 hours a day;
3. One day a week practical cultural immersion accompanying local people to farm, attending church service, attending a traditional marriage ceremony, attending a funeral, visiting birthplace, etc.
4. Participating in a communal work in a village once in every two weeks
5. Guided tours to places of interest in the country to be picked by the group. Tour is embarked on during each weekend.

How to apply
Interested persons should elect a liaison who will communicate with a staff from our office in arranging all the needs of the group and asking all questions any member of the group may have.
A group should be at least five or more in number and should have similar core objectives.

Heads of schools, departments and faculties of various learning institutions are welcomed to contact us to discuss and plan a group project for a class or group.

Cost:
Cost of the program depends on the objectives to be met by the group, the professional resource persons who are required to be involved in the program and the other demands. Generally the group programs cost are $100.00 less than the individual applicants' fees and may reduce further depending on the number of persons in the group. A group should not be more than five in number.

Cost does not include:
Transportation and entrance fees to places of interest, sleep-over cost during excursions, drinks and other activities of participants not stated here.

BE A FRONT RUNNER ON HIV/AIDS  COMPAIGN
AIDS is responsible for over 3 million deaths in Africa. Despite major investments in AIDS prevention, the rate of HIV infection in many African countries is still rising. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has exacerbated poverty and malnutrition. Families hit by AIDS see their food production cut in half. UNAIDS and WHO estimate that 7 out of 10 people newly infected with HIV live in sub-Saharan Africa. Of all AIDS-related deaths since the epidemic started, 83% have come from Africa.

The impact of AIDS is deepening and getting worse as the economy continues to struggle; the need for action now to prevent its further spread is urgent. HIV/AIDS projects in Ghana aim at the effective control and management of HIV/AIDS, and provide support for those affected by the disease

As a volunteer you can help care for people with HIV/AIDS. Casualties from HIV/AIDS related deaths are reversing the quality of life in many communities. HIV/AIDS is continuing to spread and is increasing poverty. The level of intervention is at its lowest and prejudice is at its highest. Volunteers work at special clinics for AIDS patients providing care and support and directly with local community based organization providing support, couselling and programs for people living with HIV/AIDS. There is a lot to learn and experience working on these projects

Volunteer's responsibilities

Program for volunteers - Healthcare
With greater efforts to improve health service delivery, especially the health of women and children, an emphasis is placed on improving the quality of reproductive health services and on preventing and reducing the impact of widespread communicable diseases, bridging gaps that prevent efficient and effective delivery of health services, and fostering partnerships that lead to improved health in Africa. Government and non-governmental organizations run a number of different health facilities, hospitals, maternity clinics, children's hospitals, HIV/AIDS wards, and alternative-medicine clinics in many cities and small rural villages.

In the health project, volunteers support the local doctors and nurses. Work ranges from observational to basic assistance, depending on level of knowledge, experience, and skill. As a volunteer you can work with a health center within a local community by observing and assisting with a local medical practice. Access to basic healthcare is often one of the most challenging issues that low-income and neglected populations face. Community level intervention and local health clinics offer services to local families at minimal or no cost. With the introduction of a medical insurance in Ghana, attendance to healthcare facilities have skyrocketted making the support of volunteers indispensible. Working on health projects offers a wonderful opportunity for volunteers to become familiar with the challenges and health issues of developing countries.

Health care professionals, students, and non professionals are needed at the small village clinics. The working conditions may not be what you are used to. The equipment is quite basic and the amount and variety of medicines are very limited. Volunteers record attendance, patient history, temperatures, perform patient examinations, provide pre-natal care, assist in deliveries, offer education to clinic patients and community groups on ways of preventing diseases affecting them most. Examples might be how to treat an unsafe water before use, how to prepare a balanced and healthy meal, the practice of hygiene, etc. If you are a medical doctor, nurse medical student, nursing student or pre-med student, your assistance is highly needed.

Under the healthcare program, volunteers are stationed at local health centers. The health center might be manned by a qualified and trained doctor, medical assistant or nurse with the support of one or two ward assistants. Surgeries and deliveries are done at all these centers but major surgeries are limited to the listed hospitals.

Volunteer's responsibilities

1. Taking care of patients reporting for out-patient care or on admission
2. Changing bandages and monitoring recovery
3. Checking blood pressure
4. Distributing foods
5. Weighing babies
6. Helping with first aid treatment
7. Observing the expert in diagnosing a patient
8. Recommending treatment
9. Performing minor, major or specialist surgeries, etc. Many healthcare centers also run different programs on health education, basic prevention, nutrition, and sanitation. Volunteer job might cover these areas

Program Objectives

1. To compliment the effort of stakeholders to send proper improved basic healthcare to poor in their own communities as a policy of mitigating poverty.
2. To offer health care and education as the basis for improving the livelihood of the underprivileged communities
3. To offer staff support to the insufficient staffs of the rural healthcare.
4. To offer traditional healthcare providers an improvement in their health delivery to efficiently support the modern ones.
5. To offer volunteers an opportunity to discover practical and innovative healthcare practice and first aid application with little or no resources.
6. To create a bond between the volunteer and the local community or healthcenter so that in the near future, the volunteer can return to assist in a higher capacity when knowledge or resources has grown for the volunteer
7. To promote cross cultural understanding.

Who can volunteer? Medical Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists, medical and sciences students and pre-med students can volunteer in this program. You can volunteer as a group or an individual. Your service is highly needed. However you should understand that you will not do anything that may stigmatize any of the people you meet in the course of your work. You need to have an open mind and a willing heart.

Program Duration and Dates Program is opened to volunteers all year round. Volunteers can spend from two weeks to six months on the program. A night in the capital upon arrival (sometimes due to problems like your luggage being left behind by the airline, staying in Accra and Nairobi may be go beyond a day), orientation by AYIAG to offer volunteers education on the culture, traditions and sensitivities of the people in the community of work, basic local language syllabus and how to go about things in the community in terms of food, water, socialization, etc. The pre-departure information will be enough an orientation for participants who intend to spend a month or less on a placement

How will you benefit from volunteering in this program?

1. You will discover more about yourself which will definitely help you in making many vital decisions
2. You will experience a true and pure culture of a different kind in this same world
3. You will enhance on your knowledge on life, society, politics and problem solving skills and approach.
4. You will learn and acquire innovative and new skills of health delivery and first aid.
5. You will be proud of yourself for doing something very positive in your own means to change the life of someone.
6. It shall be such a great adventure and break helping you know what you are capable of in straineous or disaster conditions
7. Another opportunity to find a lifetime friend very far away from home and with a different perspective of life which offer us some good at times, especially when we want somebody to speak to about problems and ideas for solutions.

OPERATION SAFE THE ENVIRONMENT A POSITIVE YOUTH CALL,BE A FRONT MEMBER

A wide range of environmental projects are available to support this goal and they include: forest restoration by incorporating analog forestry methods into farms; sustainable collection of native forest seeds from community seed sources; sustainable collection of seeds and other products for the development of handicrafts; setting up a fair trade market and to sell products produced by local farms; assisting scientists and students with current conservation research projects; and maintenance work. There are also opportunities to initiate your own project.
Morever the aim of this wildlife refuge provides a fabulous location for school groups and independent researchers. An extensive trail system, a large protected bay and pristine beaches, and high densities of many groups of terrestrial and marine animals makes this an ideal setting for high school, college, and graduate students to conduct their class or thesis research trip project is to promote sustainable management of natural resources among local community members through conservation efforts.

Natural Forest Conservation Projects
This project is extremely important in terms of preserving the biodiversity of the cloud forest and protecting local watersheds. The work focuses on protecting existing forests through reforestation, monitoring human activity and its impact, and environmental education. Volunteers can participate in the following activities: forestry program (restoring degraded areas and sustainable wood production), sustainable agriculture, community involvement, research, eco-construction (environmentally-friendly building practices), and environmental education. No particular skills are needed but prospective volunteers should have an interest in conservation.
This project is seeking volunteers for its ecological projects for periods of one to six months. It includes: the re-vegetation of hillsides using native plants to reduce erosion and create habitats; promoting the use of sustainable practices; renewable energy development; and environmental education. An interest in ecological sustainability and knowledge of regional plants is helpful but not necessary. Willing hands and a desire to help restore a damaged biosphere are the most important requirements.
Volunteers who are also interested in the nursery type of conservation are also welcome.

As a volunteer in this project, you would be expected to involved with the following activities.
• Tree Nursery
• Transplanting
• Picking of seedlinings
• Filling of the seed bags
• Watering of the nursery
• Fetching of water

2-WEEKS COMMUNITY WORK AND TOURS) 2009

Do you want to have the most exciting and interesting holidays that can never be forgotten? 
Do you want to combine community volunteer work and travel / sightseeing?
 
Then come to Ghana, the jewel of Africa where there are so many unique tourist attraction centres, magnificent rainforest and the exotic beaches. 
Relax and enjoy yourself in this wonderful part of the world. 
Above all ~ Akwaaba~ you are most welcome.

Our uniquely designed Community Voluntary Work and Travel program enables people to travel to beautiful and exotic Ghana to do a 1-week community volunteer work (support to vulnerable children and community development in Ghana), cultural immersion and travel 1-week to some of the unique tourist attractions in Ghana for sightseeing.

This program offers people a unique opportunity to give a helping hand to poor communities in Ghana by way of joining a community project for 1-week ,this includes :
Orientation about the local culture, history/religious issues. Orphanage Work, HIV aids education/ Presentation, Teaching, HealthCare project, Conservation, community construction project.
After one

week of community volunteer work, Participants begin 1 week tour to some of the unique and popular tourist attractions centre across Ghana.

PROGRAM ITNERY 2009
 
DAY 0: Airport pick up and hotel transfer. Participants rest the first night in Accra. 
DAY 1-6: Travel from Accra to Kumasi the next morning, orientation in the office which covers safety issues, climate expectation, host family conditions, working project etc. 
After breakfast volunteers will be transferred to their various project sites. Whiles there, they would be orientation by local project staff, discussion of job responsibilities and other issues? 
The 7days work consist of care giving, teaching English, sanitation, cleaning, washing, playing games, draw pictures,painting,construction,conservation and some extracurricular activities and community development.

DAYS 7 -14 (GHANA TOUR PROGRAM)

DAYS 7-9: ASHANTI TOUR:  
Participants will visit some unique and popular tourist attraction centre of the Ashanti region. 
A visit to Bonwire the famous historical town of Kente colorful clothes. 
A visit to the Ashanti palace museum, Ntonso Adinkra village, Ahwiaa Craft village, Military museum, the national Cultural Center, the central market, Owabi bamboo forest, Bobbie forest and Lake Bosomtwe,One of the biggest and natural lakes in the world. Participants may spend a night at the luxurious hotel near the Lake (Kessben Hotel) 
Participants will be transferred to Cape coast on the 13TH DAY after dinner. 
Meal(s) Include: Breakfast, Dinner 
Overnight at Kessben Hotel or Similar

VOLUNTEER AT MANPONG ORPHANAGE HOME

A volunteer's responsibility depends on the needs of the orphanage and the skills and interests of the volunteer. Most of the orphanages aim at the provision of education opportunities to orphans; therefore, in most cases, volunteers teach basic conversation english to the children. Volunteers also help in developing creative programs such as art, music, dance, sports, etc. Additional help on day trips, sanitation, cooking, and administration might be requested.

One of the most wonderful opportunities that work in an orphanage can give you is the chance to share your love and skills with poor children. Many volunteers have deemed the work life changing. By offering attention and love to children, you are making a real difference in the life of a young person. Whether you have a background in childcare or simply enjoy sharing love with kids, a smile can offer something meaningful to the life of kids deprived of love and care.

As a volunteer, you can help care for children in orphanages. Children are an integral part of all societies around the world and providing adequate care for them is an important part of everyday life. As an international volunteer this type of placement provides an opportunity for active hands-on work as well as a unique cultural exchange opportunity. Many orphanages are community initiated and operated by local community members. Often government support and staff are minimal; therefore the institutions are not provided with the necessary resources to optimize the children's care. The orphanages rely upon volunteers to support their long-term sustainable initiatives through simple tasks and creative energy. Sharing your time with the children, you will be offering them the family love which they have not been privileged with, you will be presenting to them a reason to live as normal as you and us.

You may be assisting with daily routines helping cook and feed the children, playing with them, and devising games for their leisure after school and on weekends. Through all that you do, the individual attention and love that you give the children will last in their memories for a lifetime. The single most important factor in the development of young children is relationships with caring adults. Whether you have a background in childcare or simply enjoy caring for young children, a smile or hug can be a meaningful and long-term contribution.

In addition, the dialogue and interaction with local staff provides a rare opportunity for you to share ideas with them and build morale. The most important attributes needed for these placements are an open heart and a love for spending time with children. In some placements you will quickly pick up on the daily routine while in others you may need to be more creative in coming up with ideas.

Volunteer's responsibilities

• Helping the children in conversational english and assignments.
• Supervise the children to clean up and dress up
• Supervise their studies and assignments
• Share their food; sit by them to see them eat
• Prepare them for schools, check their dresses
• Design, teach, organize and play games (educational and environmental).

• To offer support, care and family for the orphans and vulnerable
• To develop their mental and moral sense of belonging and responsibility
• To create a platform for volunteers mentor the children and offer them cross cultural exposure

Program Duration and Dates Program is opened to volunteers all year round. Volunteers can spend from two weeks to as six months on the program. A night in the capital upon arrival (sometimes due to problems like your luggage being left behind by the airline, staying in Accra or Nairobi may be go beyond a day), orientation by AYIAG to offer volunteers education on the culture, traditions and sensitivities of the people in the community of work, basic local language syllabus and how to go about things in the community in terms of food, water, socialization, etc. The pre-departure information will be enough an orientation for participants who intend to spend a month or less on a placement

Who can volunteer? Anybody can volunteer in this program as long as you are 15 years or more. It is regardless of your profession, skill or experience. You can volunteer as a team or an individual. Your service is highly needed. However you should understand that you will not do anything that may stigmatize any of the people you meet in the course of your work. You need to have an open mind and a willing heart.

How will a volunteer see his/her contribution after the program?

• You will see how valuable your love has been shared among the children
• You will realize how important the knowledge you have about care or recreation, no matter how little, has been in the creation of joy and hope for many young ones.
• Your contribution to the development of the children will be well counted years to come.

How will you benefit from volunteering in this program?

• You would discover more of yourself
• You would have gotten for yourself more love.
• Your experience and understanding for children will grow
• It shall be a great holiday break in an environment of pure love