Volunteer Experiences and Testimonials

Volunteering through IVHQ Ghana provided me with the most inspiring and life-changing experience of my life. My mother was a bit apprehensive about sending her 20 year-old-daughter across the ocean to a new continent where I did not know a soul, but the support and preparation IVHQ provided did a lot to quell her fears. I spent 2 months living and breathing everything Ghana. The kids in the orphanage were amazing, and I can honestly say that I have made friends for a lifetime. I am from America and my best friends that I made in the volunteer house came from England. Four of us still speak on a daily basis, and it’s been almost six months since we’ve left the program! You will connect with the other volunteers on a level you could never imagine—you go through amazing times and you go through all of the frustrating times that go along with living in a new culture. But the amazing thing about IVHQ is that it connects you to other volunteers so you go through everything together. An amazing community formed in our volunteer house.
A typical day involved waking up to get the kids in the orphanage fed, bathed and ready for school. Then we had breakfast around 8 am, which included bread, Ghanaian pancakes, rice porridge, and fresh fruits on any given day. We had mornings free while most of the children were at school, and we took this time to explore the town, finish up laundry, complete chores around the house, purchase things such as medicine or school supplies for the kids, or travel to the Accra mall via tro-tro for comforts from home such as pizza and potato chips—or “crisps”, for all of those English readers out there ;) Lunch would be things like noodles, chicken and rice, beans and rice—lots of delicious traditional Ghanaian food! Then we picked the kids up from school, helped with homework and played with them until dinnertime (very similar to lunch food, but it always rotated), and then we headed back to the orphanage until 9 pm. The volunteers would then stay up and talk/get to know each other. Those were some of my favorite times—developing deep relationships with the other volunteers. It’s amazing how IVHQ connects you to these other people that start out as strangers and then turn out to be your best friends. Don’t worry about connecting with people, especially if you’re a shy person. There’s a reason why you all decided to volunteer in Ghana, and that connection will provide you with enough in common to develop deeper bonds.
Ghana is a great country for traveling as well. The volunteers went away on the weekends and we traveled via tro-tro (like a bus system). We went to so many beaches, hung out with monkeys in the jungle, walked on top of the forest canopy, swam in the biggest waterfall in Western Africa and so many other fun adventures. Travel was very convenient throughout the country. I was even lucky enough to experience a real African safari at Mole National Park, and came within feet of a wild elephant. It was AMAZING!
Though we loved to travel, it was hard leaving the kids so we didn’t travel every single weekend. I fell in love with all of those lovely children. They were honestly the best, and though it sounds incredibly cliché, they taught me more about living than I could have ever taught them. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to spend two months of my summer experiencing this amazing country and amazing people. My dorm room in college is covered in pictures and souvenirs from this summer, and not a day goes by when my heart does not ache for Ghana.
If you’re looking for a volunteer abroad program, IVHQ Ghana is the perfect choice. I spent a lot of time researching the Internet for programs, and for the amount of money you’re paying and the support you get from IVHQ staff, this is the best offer for your money. You can stay for as little as a week or up to six months. The choice is yours! I had a personal emergency on one of my nights in the volunteer house, and the IVHQ support staff immediately rushed to the volunteer house at 3 am to help me out. They were there very quickly and provided amazing guidance and support. I’m very grateful for their kindness, expertise, and concern during my time of need. IVHQ Ghana is definitely the way to go if you’re looking for a good program in which you will experience a new culture, be surrounded by loving supportive volunteers, and also have the comfort of knowing that your program staff will always be looking out for your best interest. I will definitely be back next summer. So much love for IVHQ Ghana!

Orientation was really good it prepared me for what I needed to know about Kenya and how to handle situations along with what to expect from everything.
I think the local staff did an excellent job the staff there are amazing and caring for their volunteers and always willing to drop everything and do what they can to help with to the best of their ability.
I got to know the people so well and really form relationships and now them personally. I can see areas in which I made a difference and that the people really did care for me and loved me as a true friend.
My favorite moment was walking through the streets speaking with the people getting to know them becoming familiar with my surrounds and becoming part of the culture and part of the community.
I have really enjoyed this experience and time that I have spent in Kenya and IVHQ was what made it possible to get to my dream destination.

I'd always wanted to volunteer but I never thought it would be SO easy; IVHQ gives you all the info you need to get ready (vaccinations you need, what to bring, culture, how to get a fundraiser going... everything) and keep in touch by email leading up to your departure date to make sure you are prepared and answer all your questions. In country, they visit each program to make sure everyone is happy in their placements and they make themselves available 24/7 by phone call in case something comes up that you need help with. Every member of the IVHQ staff is exceedingly friendly, helpful, kind and supportive!
Our accommodations were great. We were given three (big!) meals a day and Auntie B was very sweet about making vegetarian meals for me (as well as everyone else's dietary preferences, no matter what they were). The food was great and filling, there was even instant coffee at the breakfast table every morning. I loved that the volunteer house was a quick walk to the orphanage in our program (pink program!) and that we lived among the locals, fully exposed to the culture. Everyone in Ghana is so welcoming and they love obronis (foreigners) and go out of their way to greet you or show you where to go if you're lost or joke around with you. I made some friends there who I still talk to on an almost daily basis. The kids in the orphanage are amazing and I think about them every single day, I fell so in love with all of them that it HURTS not being able to see them! I loved dancing with them and their cuddles and helping them with school work and painting their faces to look like "pussycats" and seeing them running towards me with big smiles and arms stretched way out going "SA-RAAAA" and carrying them to bed at night and racing beetles up twigs and how they find everything hilarious... I could go on and on. I loved every minute so much, even though I felt every emotion in the book while I was there. I only stayed for two weeks but I'm going back in 2013 for at least a couple months, and just about every volunteer I've talked to is planning to go back to or has gone back once or twice. If you're thinking about going to Ghana with IVHQ, all I can say is DO IT!!! The only danger is that you'll never want to leave! :)

My experience in Ghana was amazing and life changing. I loved every minute of it. I volunteered for 2 months and I want to go back for longer! The kids are so adorable and sweet! They instantly captured my heart! Along with the Ghanaian culture and the people, all so kind and helpful. It would be impossible for me to forget such an amazing experience and the people that I met along the way. I can’t wait till I go back and see the kids that I grew to love in such a short time.