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VOLUNTEERS AND INTERNS
KJF volunteer/Interns program provides an unique opportunity for individuals to work along
side like-minded people who strongly believe in doing well and contributing to the less fortunate in developing countries.
Unlike many other volunteer organizations, is a well established non-profit corporation which plans and implements various
projects especially in Northen Region of Ghana (West Africa) annually.
We also collaborate with non-governmental
and governmental institutions in the Ghana. You are welcome to work with us.
Our volunteer/Interns
Program is designed for participants to work alongside
their counterparts in various capacities in underprivileged communities in Ghana as well as on the KJF Ghana projects in the
Nothern region.
When in Ghana,
Our international volunteers follow programs already
structured by organizations and institutions they are volunteering for, and assist temporarily in the implementation of these
programs.
After orientation, participants are paired up with their counterparts in the classrooms, clinics, and businesses
for two-week periods. Special arrangements are made for those who request to stay for longer periods of time.
When you
join our program, you will work with native people who understand your culture and will help you gain knowledge of theirs.
We assure you a happy and fulfilling trip of a lifetime.
Volunteer / Interns
Program provides opportunities for doctors, college
students, dentists, nurses, teachers, medical, dental and nursing students, other, entrepreneurs, retirees, administrators,
fundraisers, homemakers and others.
Volunteers/Interns are placed with King James Foundation or in institutions collaborating
with KJF. There are both short and long term volunteer/Intern opportunities.
DOCTORS/DENTISTS:
Many hospitals, rural clinics and universities in Ghana
are in need of medical doctors and dentists with various specialities to provide services based on their background and experience.Doctors
can provide general medical care services, HIV/AIDS/STI services, and gynaecological care. Dentists can provide dental services.
In addition, doctors and dentists can teach university students subjects related to their areas of expertise.
Volunteer
doctors and dentists who choose to work in hospitals and clinical settings may work under poor conditions and with limited
resources. Equipment may be outdated and drugs may be in limited varieties.
NURSES:
Ghana is currently experiencing a severe shortage of
nurses in both urban and rural clinics. Nurses with backgrounds in public health are needed to help support Ghana pilot anti-retroviral
drug program. Nurses will work in selected hospitals to provide care for patients on the aforementioned drugs and help monitor
their progress. Other nurses may provide basic nursing care, pre/post natal care, infant vaccinations and assist doctors during
surgery. In addition, they may teach health education in schools and travel to different regions of Ghana during our outreach
program to provide basic medical care such as blood pressure, blood sugar checks, eye screening and HIV/AIDS/STI counseling
and testing.
MEDICAL NURSING STUDENTS:
Medical and nursing students may assist doctors and
nurses in the aforementioned areas. Medical students in residency programs will work under the supervision of native Ghanaian
doctors.
TEACHERS COLLEGE STUDENTS:
Based on their backgrounds and experiences, teachers and college students can
teach mathematics, English, science, health education, art, music, poetry, etc., in primary, elementary, secondary and vocational
schools. Teachers and college students interested in special education can work with blind children and children with mental
disabilities. Please note: College students may apply for an internships with our organization.
HOMEMAKERS,
RETIREES, ENTERPRENEURS &OTHERS:
Homemakers can teach home science in primary, elementary,
secondary, and vocational schools. Home science consists of teaching school age children how to cook different dishes, prepares
western desserts, needlework, home management, etc. Learning these skills prepares students for employment in the tourism
industry or to become caterers. Retirees, based on their various experiences and specialities can be placed in the areas of
teaching: medicine, agriculture, construction and business. Others not retired, but with similar experiences, can be placed
in the aforementioned areas as well.
ADMINISTRATORS &FUNDRAISERS:
Volunteer administrators and fundraisers can provide
training in program management and fundraising for community projects and health institutions in Ghana. In addition, they
can also assist with the day-to-day operation of organizations.
Various kind of volunteers/interns are welcome.
WHAT TO EXPECT ON A VOLUNTEER/INTERNS TRIP
TO GHANA
KJF staff members will pick you up at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra.
After a day of rest, volunteers/Interns will be send to the project site at which is more than one hour drive
from Accra (capital city Ghana). Volunteer/Interns will receive orientation concerning programs and organizations / communities
for which they will be volunteering in Ghana. Volunteers will also receive additional information about Ghana, its people
and culture.
ACCOMMODATIONS, MEALS, TRANSPORTATION
Volunteers/Interns serving have 3 options for where
he or she want to stay and the options must be selected before arrival.
1. Host family with modern/local facilities
2.
1 Bedroom and the facilities are ceiling fan,beds, a closet and hangers.
3. a tourist class guest houses and hotels.
Volunteers/Interns
may decide to share rooms with the same sex.
Volunteers/Interns have 3 options for meals:
1. Prepare his/her meals
2. Eat at the recommended hygenic restaurants in the community.
3. Meals to be prepared for Volunteer/Interns
1.
Budgets for selected options will be send to the volunteer/Interns.
2.There are International standard grocery shops in
Accra which interns/Volunteers can get meals or any stuffs from their various countries of origin. .
A TYPICAL DAY IN GHANA
On a typical day most volunteers wake up around 8:30
am, which leaves time for a quick shower and breakfast before leaving for work around 9:30 am by bike or taxi (paid by KJF
of Ghana). Some volunteers rise much earlier than that, preferring the "cool" (usually no cooler than about 25 degrees Celsius
or 72 degrees Fahrenheit) of the early morning to jog or walk. Breakfast can be bought in shops in the community, example
like eggs, toast with butter, jam or cheese spread, crackers, fresh fruit (pineapple, watermelon, apple, etc.), juice and
instant coffee or orange pekoe tea. If you prefer brewed coffee, you should bring your own coffee and filters. You should
also bring any herbal teas and or your favorite breakfast cereals if desired, as these are hard to find in Ghana.
Once
at the office, school or clinic, you will meet occasionally with your supervisor to review your goals, and to pose any questions
or request supplies.
Lunch time in Ghana is 12:30 noon to 2:00PM ,Lunch is the big meal of the day in Ghana and type of
continental lunch meals in Ghana are includes rice, chicken, plantain, a vegetable salad and bread,Spagheti,Pasta etc and
Ghanaian dish like banku, Fufu,Kenkey with soup or sauce.
The day usually ends at 5:00pm, Dinner time start 6pm 7
pm. Volunteers/Interns are free to spend their evening as they wish. Depending on location volunteers may have access to TV,
DVD and VCR. Saturdays and Sundays are normally non-working days. Volunteers can use this time to tour interesting and historical
sites, such as Ghana slave castles and forts, spend time relaxing at our nice local tropical beaches, visit arts and crafts
centers and large open African market places. Volunteers are responsible for all expenses incurred during leisure time activities.
Every Volunteer/Interns have last week as touring week before departing.
Please note: We are able to accommodate
most special dietary requests. If you have food allergies or if you have dietary restrictions or vegetarian, please let us
know so we can accomodate you.
SUGGESTED THINGS TO PACK:
Although you will be with us for two weeks, you do not
need to pack many clothes for your trip. Our staff is able to wash your clothes at any time. Bed sheets, pillows, towels and
soap are provided for you. It is recommended you bring long, light pants (women may also wish to bring long skirts) as opposed
to shorts. Shorts are not appropriate work attire in Ghana, and bare legs are also more likely to attract mosquitoes.
For
women, we recommend packing 3 or 4 light, comfortable pairs of pants and/or long skirts, and a week worth of comfortable,
light tops. Though tank tops are not usually worn at work, they can be worn in conjunction with a light blouse. T-shirts are
worn everywhere. The weather is always warm in Ghana (around 30 degrees Celsius or 86 degrees Fahrenheit) and most of the
offices, schools, and the clinics are not air-conditioned. Breathable clothing is best and light long-sleeved tops are recommended
in the evening. Sleepwear should also be light and comfortable, as bedrooms are not air-conditioned.
For footwear, it
is recommended you bring breathable, durable and comfortable hiking shoes or boots. It is not recommended you wear sandals
or have bare foot when working in the field during outreach. Just as sandals/exposed foot are not recommended in the West
when working in hospitals and clinics, we too will be working with "sharps" for finger-pricks with VCT or in clinical environments,
and therefore recommend closed-toe shoes. However, you may wish to bring a pair of sandals or flip-flops for wearing around
the house in the evening.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD BRING?
If you are coming to do clinical work, it is a good
idea to bring your own stethoscope, otoscope, ophthalmoscope and blood pressure cuff with you. You may, also, want to bring
a box of non-Latex gloves, since Latex is still widely used in Ghana. If you have any drug samples (hydrocortisone cream,
broad-spectrum antibiotics, etc.) or anything that can be used or given away at field clinics, you may wish to bring those
as well. You can also contact us for specific needs before you come.
If you are volunteering as a teacher, you can bring
teaching materials such pens, pencils, markers, flip charts and writing pads for yourself and perhaps for your students.
If
you are coming to do administrative work and have your own laptop, you may want to bring it with you. You may also wish to
bring a supply of either CD-Rs,Digital Camera,Video Tape,Laptop, or floppy disks and any electronic machine for recording
and filming. since these are very costly here.
Homemakers can bring a few sewing materials, seasonings and foodstuffs
to demonstrate their work. Those working in other areas can bring relevant materials in their fields for demonstration purposes,
etc.
You will get access to internet in the district capital. (NOTE: When taking a taxi in Ghana, you should always negotiate
a price with the driver BEFORE you get in the vehicle. If you're not sure how much a trip should cost, ask one of our staff
for a good rate, and try to negotiate with your driver down to that price). For your protection, the computers at internet
cafes cannot access secure sites or sites with firewalls. If your email server is through an university or other secure site,
you will have to bring your laptop with you to access your email. Please note: Most internet services are concentrated in
the bigger cities of Ghana, people living in rural areas have no access to the internet. If you are placed in a rural area,
you may have to travel to a big city or the district capital to send and receive emails.
Please note: The power supply
is 220 V and battery chargers require transformers. Most laptops are already equipped to handle 110 - 220 V. You may wish
to bring a power converter if you are coming from North America.
You may also want to bring your favourite videos, novels
and magazines with you, as well as any textbooks, notebooks or journals you may need. Old textbooks are valued in Ghana, and
we would be happy to receive any donations.
LOCAL CURRENCY
The local currency in Ghana is the "cedi". You cannot
buy cedis outside of Ghana. The exchange rate is: 1 U.S. Dollar = approximately 1.0985 cedis(for small dollar bills $1
to $20)1,020 Ghana Cedis (big dollar bills $50 t0 $100) (currently 2008). Euro--E1--17,200 cedis---GBP--1--20,20 Cedis
Visa
cards are widely accepted in bank machines in Ghana for cash advances. MasterCard is rarely accepted, and American Express
is hardly accepted at all. Using either your Visa card or bankcard in a local Ghanaian bank machine is easy, safe, secure
and convenient. Please note that most of the bank machines in Ghana operate on the "Plus" system, not "Cirrus" or "Interac".
or Travellers Check are welcome.
HOW MUCH MONEY SHOULD I BRING TO GHANA?
It is always a good idea to bring at least some cash
(U.S dollars) with you to Ghana, even if you are planning on using your Visa or bankcard to withdraw money when you arrive.
We will show you the best places to exchange your currencies ("forex"). However, you might want to exchange a small amount
(U.S. for example) at the airport, in case you need to purchase anything before we take you to the Foreign Exchange (usually
the afternoon after you arrive). We will meet you at the airport, so there is no need to worry about taxi fare to your residence.
Although American Dollars are the easiest currency to exchange, there are places to exchange Euros and Canadian Dollars,
the exchange rate is good. Also, bringing larger bills will earn a better exchange rate than smaller bills.
Budgeting
approximately - 50 U.S. Dollars per week should be enough money to moderately shop, take taxis, and use the internet cafes,
etc. almost anything can be bargained and telephone cards come in cedis denominations.
There are Western Union offices
throughout and, if necessary, money can easily be wired to you from home.
P.S.Volunteers will have opportunity to
tour all the tourist sites in the country based on their request,and also will depend on their time of stay. Hotels from $30,$50,and
above per night.
Contact us for more help.
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