GHEI

SHORT-TERM OPPORTUNITIES

Serve and Learn Program Resource Center

Frequently Asked Questions About Volunteering with GHEI

Serve and Learn Program Information

Serve and Learn Program Application

Read past volunteers feedback below.

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.SUMMER 2008 OPPORTUNITIES:
GHEI's Summer Serve and Learn Program also offers volunteers an opportunity to experience the life and rich culture of rural Ghana while helping GHEI to implement its programs. See Program Information Link for more details.

Session I Topic: NEW! Intensive Arts and Science Education to Promote Girl's Empowerment

Because rural girls are the most disadvantaged group in Ghana, they are much more likely to lack education, access to health care and the ability to reach economic self-sufficiency in comparison to rural boys or urban girls. In the classroom they are never given the opportunity to experiment scientifically or enhance their creative expression through art. Both subjects are critical in allowing for deeper learning and encouraging critical thinking. The Ghanaian education system is entirely rote memorization with little opportunity for creativity and student analysis.

Session I Program: July 1 - July 17

Volunteers in this session will implement an Arts and Science Program for middle and elementary school girls in the village. This intensive 2-week session with local middle-school aged girls will give them the opportunity to think in ways they have never been challenged to do so before. Additionally it will give them a level of self-confidence to question the world around them. The science curriculum will be intended to follow that of the local schools by simply complementing it with hands-on experimentation. Since Arts are not taught at all in school the volunteers in this session will have more opportunity to plan the curriculum with general over arching theme of celebrating women in Ghana.

Session II Topic: Malaria Prevention

As in most of the developing world, rural Ghanaians have little access to health care and medications, and die at an exceedingly high rate from illnesses that are either minor or nonexistent in developed countries. Disparities in global health are undeniable: of the 10.8 million deaths each year worldwide of children under the age of five, 10 million resided in low-income countries. The leading causes of death for these children include malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, neonatal causes and malnutrition. Malaria is one of the most prevalent and one of the most preventable of these diseases.

In 2007, GHEI's Summer Serve and Learn Malaria Session created a survey (one member of the group is an epidemiologist) to look at the demographics of the village including malaria risk and ongoing prevention efforts. Based on the malaria risk determined by the survey, 50 families received nets free of charge. A retreatment day was held and 150 nets were treated with insecticide. During the two sessions of GHEI's Winter Serve and Learn, both dedicated to malaria prevention, the survey was once again administered to members of the village and 300 nets were distributed as part of a larger malaria prevention effort.

Session II Program: July 18 - August 3

This session focuses on malaria prevention through education, distribution of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) and retreatment services. Volunteers will work with GHEI's peer educators to collect data on malaria risk and knowledge using a previously designed survey. Using this data, volunteers will distribute ITNs. They will also conduct educational sessions and retreatment services, as needed by the community.

Session III Topic: De-worming and Hygiene

Common intestinal worms threaten the health, growth and development of children in Humjibre. Deworming programs, even independent from concurrent hygiene initiatives, decrease the health concerns related to intestinal worms. "Worms infect more than one third of the world's population, with the most intense infections in children and the poor. In the poorest countries, children are likely to be infected from the time they stop breast-feeding, and to be continually infected and re-infected for the rest of their lives. Only rarely does infection have acute consequences for children. Instead, the effect is long-term and chronic, and can negatively affect all aspects of a child's development: health, nutrition, cognitive development, learning and educational access and achievement." Please see the World Bank website cited below for additional information.
World Bank - Public Health - School Deworming

Session III Program: August 4 - August 20

Volunteers will help coordinate and de-worm children in the village as part of GHEI's yearly de-worming campaign. This will involve helping to determine the most appropriate population and helping to create a sustainable and locally run program to tackle this health issue. Volunteers will also create and coordinate a short supplemental curriculum for health and hygiene for nursery and primary school students to augment the effects of this intervention. In addition to distributing medication, volunteers will be helping to distribute shoes to those children who have none.

Questions should be addressed to the Volunteer Project Coordinator at volunteer@ghei.org

PREVIOUS GHEI VOLUNTEERS SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES

"Memorable experience! The interaction with people and their culture was definitely a simulating experience and helped broaden my awareness. I learned some of the language, experienced the food, and understood the day to day living of a rural village. I learned about the health issues, the social issues, family issues, women's issues, children's issues, teen issues...I must say you will not be the same person when you return home...and a hot shower never felt so gooood!!

"My experience in Humjibre was very affecting. I learned a great deal from the people in our village - especially the women. I was able to meet and work with women, children, adolescent girls and different groups within the community. The community was very welcoming, and the experience opened my eyes to many realities . I was able to conduct research for a maternal health paper that I wrote upon my return. I wrote my paper remembering the way the women in Humjibre sang at the health clinic, and the way that they wrapped their babies on their backs. I have many fond memories of our village and I will never forget
my time in Humjibre."

"Being in Humjibre with GHEI was a real privilege and I would recommend it toanyone that is interested in a genuine grassroots project in Ghana . I met so many amazing people in the Village and making friends and interacting with them made the whole trip an experience that I'll never forget. However, the initial culture shock of being in Africa took me a while to get used to. It was such a new experience, a steep learning curve . But all the experiences teach you something and really motivate you be get involved with non-profit development projects. Humjibre is an amazing place to get involved in that sort of thing. Working with the kids was the most fun; they are crazy and beautiful and always have a smile on their face! It is great! I hope to go back one day, in connection with GHEI once I have finished med school and continue to work with their development projects"
" Working with GHEI has been a phenomenal opportunity. NGO and governmental programs all approach "development work" in very different ways but the GHEI model has had such a positive and permanant impact in the Western region. By emphasizing longterm local sustainability, empowerment, community capacity building, and community prioritized needs the people of Humjibre are able to empower themselves with the knowledge and resources to bring positive longterm change to Humjibre and neighboring villages within the region. Prior to my GHEI experience I approached development work as "what I could do to help". Now I understand that many successful development models foster grass-roots change and empower others to help themselves. I hope you will get involved!"

"While working to empower orphan children in Ghana, I was personally empowered and enlightened. Not only is the student-run, non-profit, community-based nature of GHEI effective and supportive, the people of Humjibre are incredibly welcoming and kind--I was taught so much, and inspired, by their hope and strength. Being in Ghana gave me a comprehensive introduction to grassroots NGO work and Ghanaian culture, as well as a wonderfully expanded global awareness. These lessons and experiences are unforgettable and irreplaceable."

"Honestly I came in pretty much blind, not knowing what to expect. I was unsure of the scope of the project and how influential it was going to be. I knew that I wanted to go into global health, and that this was my first step in that direction. On a very individual level, this experience has exceeded my expectations. In fact, it has changed me. Instead of knowing that I wanted to go into global health, I now know that I will go into global health. But I think that my expectations about how my experience would effect the community were set a little too high. In one week it is hard to make a change, especially one that you can see. But I think that this "disappointment" was caused mostly by my own naivety to the nature of development work, and I am glad to now have a better idea about how things actually work.

"The interactions I have had with the villagers have been incredible. People here are so warm, welcoming, and generous. I feel that people in the village are always looking out for me and helping me out in some small way. I enjoy when people stop by the house to visit and feel welcome to visit people at their homes anytime.

"I was hoping to (and did) gain a better understanding of development work and come up with some ideas for further work in Ghana as I gain skills in medical school. I was also hoping to understand life in Humjibre and make connections with people here, which has been incredible. I think I had aspirations for effecting more of a change than is realistic for a week-long camp. Our kids did, however, learn some valuable knowledge and have a great time with all the games, sports, and activities. Looking back, I am very satisfied with how things went, and am very pleased with the camp and my experience here. I have learned that effecting significant change requires an intimate knowledge of life in Humjibre and takes time."

"For me personally I have a number of memorable conversations with the JSS 3 kids in our camp. To hear about their aspirations and hopes for the future was a wonderful experience for me. I will also always remember the students who have shown personal initiative to get involved in activities here and show leadership in the community. Seeing Mensa, one of the peer educators, doing a condom demonstration for a group of giggling peers was more than impressive."

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