Ghana
Teaching, Care Work, Health & Physiotherapy
Destination Profile GhanaCapital: Accra
Surface Area: 239 thousand sq km
Population: 23.1 million (2009)
Official Language: English
Exchange Rate: A$1 = 1.1877 Cedis (Jul 2009)
Placement Options
Teaching:
Teaching placements are available where students teach English in the local schools during school term period. Class sizes vary from 20 to as many as 40 kids. There is a syllabus that you will follow, so lesson plans need to be developed accordingly. Most of the children you will be teaching have a basic to medium level of English. School runs for five days a week with Saturday and Sunday off. Ghana is renowned for music so students should be prepared to sing with the children. There is plenty of drumming and dancing. The school kids in Ghana are vivacious and friendly.
Care Work:
Students working in an orphanage will undertake basic care and social work with orphans, helping them with homework and general maintenance of the orphanage. The days are rarely structured and so students need to be flexible and proactive to manage their own placement.
Health and Physiotherapy:
Students choosing this option need to be studying a health related discipline. Nursing, medical or health science students may shadow staff during procedures at the chosen hospital. This may include working in different departments and where possible we can match interests and experience. Generally Ghanaian policy stipulates that students have observer status only. Students are not allowed to perform procedures on patients and students will be supervised at all times by local staff. An elective placement in Ghana offers invaluable clinical experience and insight into nursing practice in a tropical, resource-poor setting. To profit from this experience, nursing students must be flexible, self-sufficient and able to direct their own learning. Interested applicants need to provide a copy of their resume, two letters of recommendation and proof of nursing student status.
Accommodation
Students will be staying with local families. Ghanaians are renowned for their kindness and generosity. You will be fully accepted into the family, helping out with cooking the local foods and entertaining the children. You should be prepared to eat food that is very different to what you are used to and many houses may have a bucket shower. Based on past feedback from our students in Ghana, the family experience is the most rewarding part of the placement.
Free Time Suggestions
There is less organised travel in Ghana, but students tend to travel in groups on weekends using their local travel guides. The local tro-tros (mini buses) are cheap and are an easy way to get around. Some good options are: Cape Coast, the beaches at Busua and Butre, Kumasi the second largest town in Ghana famous for its enormous market, the treetops walk in Kakum National Park and Boti Falls in the wet season. During the final week of the placement students tend to do some independent travel around Ghana visiting some of the more remote towns like Tamale and seeing the wildlife in Mole National Park.
