Volunteering in Ghana (Part 1)

The streets of Accra

My first time volunteering in Ghana for 2 months was one of the best experiences of my life. I immediately fell in love with the place: the warmth of the people, the energy, the colours, the sense of freedom. The exhiliration of being in an unfamiliar environment, knowing nobody and being completely lost was incredibly liberating. The bright, hand-painted shops and homes of Accra reflected the energetic, entrepreneurial soul of the city. It made me feel alive in a way I hadn't felt in the concrete greyness of England. And although this romanticised first impression faded, it was replaced by a strong sense of purpose. I woke up each day feeling like I could make a difference -  it felt like what I did really mattered. That was the best feeling of all.

I first applied to volunteer with Dream Africa Care Foundation in the summer of 2014. I was interested in working with an NGO in the future and I wanted some experience. On a more basic level, I hated how unequal the world was and I wanted to make a difference in changing it. I understood that there were more cost-efficient ways of doing this than travelling to Ghana, but I decided that if I focused on teaching I could make my trip ethically worthwhile if not exceptionally altruistic. I chose Dream Africa because it was a local non-profit NGO that would understand local needs, rather than one of the expensive gap year companies that often work for profit and seem more focused on providing a positive volunteer experience than making a real difference to the lives of others.

My new environment was such a refreshing change from a miserable year at university where everything felt so meaningless. Nobody seemed to care about anything other than deadlines, relationships and getting drunk. My passion for my degree was completely gone and I felt like I was wasting my time. It was a refreshing change to be around people that were committed to helping others. Some of the kindest, most amazing people I have met were those who were there when I first went to Ghana. They helped to make my time there so special.

Most of all though, the children I worked with completely stole my heart. It was overwhelming how friendly, intelligent and hard-working most of them were. It was a joy to teach them because most of them were so willing to learn. I felt like I was making real progress in English and Maths, especially with the higher ability students. I went to bed feeling tired but more satisfied and fulfilled than I had ever felt at home. It wasn't just that I was doing something that mattered but also that I mattered. I had something to offer others: I was worth something to others.

The weeks fell into a routine of teaching at the orphanage during the day, and sometimes teaching football in the evenings. On the weekend, we travelled on trips, relaxed, went drinking, and generally had a good time. The time seemed to go so quickly and before I knew it, the summer was over, the friends I had made had flown home and now it was my turn too. I knew for certain I would come back and I told the kids at the orphanage that. They had made such a strong impression on me. They had ignited in me a strong sense of purpose to try and help them as much as I could.

I returned sooner than I intended. A week after I flew home, I missed Ghana immensely and my time there had left such a strong impression on me that I decided to my dissertation on Ghanaian independence. I booked a 3-week trip back to Ghana in Spetember which meant I was back there about a month after I had left. I was so happy to see the children and the staff at the orphanage again and they told me that I was the first volunteer to return for a second time.

Whilst I was there the first time, Olivia was the volunteer I got on with the best and she came back again just like me but a few days afterwards. We had such a great time together that second time. Other than when I had to visit the archives. we spent all our time together. We organised a trip to La Palm Resort's swimming pool. La Palm is a luxury hotel in Accra and the staff kindly gave us a large discount to use the facilities. It was a perfect day and the kids loved it. At the weekends we'd go out dancing until 5am. We just had the best time together. We were both so happy and in love.

Even with everything that happened afterwards, I still look back fondly on that summer in Ghana and the amazing time I had. The attachments I made and desire to help the children in the orphanage never left me. I worked hard at poker, my source of income that had funded my previous trips, in order to help as much as I could when I returned next summer. I wanted to return for a long time. My time there seemed far more worthwhile than anywhere else. There was nowhere else I wanted to be.