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Healthcare Outreach and Education in Ghana - Accra Region

Healthcare Outreach and Education in Ghana - Accra Region

Purpose
Improve access to quality healthcare
Start dates
Programs start on the 15th of every month
Duration
1 week
Volunteer hours
Up to 5 hours per day
Age
Volunteers aged 18+
Accommodation
Volunteer house
Apply for free
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Who is going?
Group video calls

Once you have secured your place, join regular video calls to meet your Program Manager and other volunteers before your trip.

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This program is ideal for:

Volunteers with an interest in healthcare who are adaptable and open to learning new things. No experience or qualifications are necessary, although this project may be tailored to a range of medical specialties.

Project details

Inspired to make a difference as a Healthcare Outreach and Education volunteer in Ghana? International Volunteer HQ’s Healthcare Outreach and Education project empowers volunteers to join in a special week-long campaign to contribute to the health and wellbeing of Ghanaian people living in rural areas. Volunteers help test and treat local people for malaria and provide other important community health services and education.

What to expect and how you'll make an impact

Ghanian people living in rural towns can’t easily access vital healthcare services that are often based in urban areas. This includes testing and treatment for malaria, a mosquito-borne disease which infects hundreds of thousands of people each year. Volunteers can help to ensure rural people get this essential service along with education around sexual health, hygiene and nutrition.

As a Healthcare Outreach and Education volunteer, you’ll spend the week visiting rural communities and deliver healthcare to as many people as possible. All volunteers will receive training and guidance in administering malaria tests.

If you’re trained in a particular medical specialty, such as dentistry, it may be possible for you to do a tailored outreach, so please include this information in your application.

The project begins on the 15th of each month and runs for one week. Your Program Fee for the week covers accommodation, three meals a day, basic first aid supplies, malaria testing kits, malaria medication, transport and supervision.

Contributes to United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal #3: Good Health and Well-Being

Contributes to United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal #3: Good Health and Well-Being

Good mental and physical health is key to sustainable development and building healthy and happy communities. Now more than ever, we must increase access to free healthcare and health education across the globe to achieve an acceptable standard of living and wellbeing for all.

Why do Healthcare Outreach and Education volunteering in Ghana with IVHQ?

While volunteering on the Healthcare project in Ghana you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:

  • Helping rural communities access vital healthcare
  • Educating local people on important health issues
  • Learning new skills
  • Developing your communication skills
  • Gaining healthcare experience
  • Immersing yourself in the Ghanian way of life
  • Exploring Ghana’s small rural towns

Volunteer requirements

Volunteers need to be 18 years or over to participate in this program, unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. If you are under the age of 18, IVHQ offers alternative volunteer opportunities for teens. Visit our High School Volunteer Abroad page to learn more.

All volunteers are required to pre-arrange a visa to enter Ghana, obtain adequate volunteer travel insurance and provide IVHQ with a criminal background before departure.

Are you eligible to volunteer?

Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.

Apply for free

Not sure which program to join?

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'Who is going' users image
Who is going?
Group video calls

Once you have secured your place, join regular video calls to meet your Program Manager and other volunteers before your trip.

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What recent volunteers said about their IVHQ experience

PC
Peyton Cattoor
18 Sep 2024

This experience showed me the true reason I want to be a doctor. Healthcare outreach has always been important to me, but going to Ghana shed a whole new light on this. I realized how important it is go out into under-served communities to offer healthcare to those in need. I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to reach their full health potential, and even the smallest acts can make a difference in someone's life.

Ghana left a lasting impact on me. I learned so much and left with so many life lessons. This trip, despite only being a week long, truly changed my life! To anyone who is hesitant about doing a service trip, I would tell them that they will regret it if they don't go. I was hesitant, too, but after doing one, I am already looking at where I can go serve next. It is one of the best experiences you will ever have.

...
MP
Megan Palmer
22 May 2024

If you are hesitant to do a volunteer experience abroad, I highly recommend it. It has changed my perspective of the world. Thank you IVHQ.

...
SW
Sareena Wahab
06 Dec 2023

I have always wanted to do volunteering, travel with a purpose, and help others where I can. However, I had a difficult time finding an organisation that met my values and the right programme. IVHQ had so much flexibility with the time period you can stay for and it was very well organised from start to finish. I felt very supported by everyone I met whilst I was volunteering, I had so much fun! I was a little nervous because I was travelling on my own and it’s my first time volunteering and I didn’t know what to expect. If you’re currently reading this - DO IT!!! You will make friends for life, have an amazing time, and get ready to make a positive impact!

...
WH
Wade Hoffstetter
28 Nov 2022

The IVHQ information is so clear and easy to follow to prepare you for your trip. The local team is so kind and accommodating to any needs or questions I had. Elvis in particular is a special person and was an incredible guide during my stay in Ghana. The local food was excellent and always prepared beautifully. Seeing the children’s smiling faces and cheering every time we came onto campus. They clearly love it when we come to spend the day with them! Seeing how little these beautiful people have and still are so full of joy and generosity. For those people hesitant about volunteering, I recommend that you take the plunge. The unknown is half the fun!

...
KC
Kay Conway
28 Oct 2022

I was informed about the volunteering process by IVHQ which gave me advanced preparation. The local team was amazing, they communicated very well and were organized from the beginning to the very end. For the accommodation, I didn’t expect anything different because I was prepared from the beginning from IVHQ. I have no complaints and was already prepared before arriving. My favourite moment from the experience was seeing the impact of services we delivered to the community, I felt the warmth within the community. The staff was amazing; they were so kind and always willing to assist if needed. If you are hesitant about volunteering abroad, change your mind set and give from your heart, also be thankful for making life better for someone else.

...
CW
Carmen Williams
10 Aug 2022

IVHQ did a beautiful job with guidance and preparation, start to finish. I noted the local team to be welcoming and helpful; never found myself needing anything, due to their level of on the ground planning and preparation. IVHQ provided me with the opportunity to learn from those who do it every day how to meet needs and provide care with very limited resources. I thank IVHQ for this opportunity to learn, grow, and ever increase my desire to serve others. IVHQ provided me with the opportunity to learn from those who do it every day how to meet needs and provide care with very limited resources. I thank IVHQ for this opportunity to learn, grow, and ever increase my desire to serve others. Choose IVHQ for your first experience!

...

To read all reviews, visit our reviews page.

Academic course credit

Academic course credit through International Volunteer HQ and Intern Abroad HQ.

Academic course credit

Gain course credit from your college or university and meet your academic requirements when completing a volunteer abroad program with International Volunteer HQ!

Learn about course credit

Location

Volunteer Abroad in Ghana with IVHQ

Location

When you volunteer in Ghana with IVHQ, you’ll get the opportunity to experience the country’s vibrant, diverse culture and get to know the people who are said to be some of the friendliest locals in Western Africa. While Ghana is a rapidly developing country which has seen an economic upturn in the last decade, there are still many places where people face the challenges poverty brings. This is especially true outside of the major cities in the rural areas where volunteers are most needed.

Rural volunteer placements are typically in low-income areas which often lack the funding, labor and resources they need to develop their communities. By choosing to volunteer in Ghana you can make a real difference by assisting with local initiatives that seek to improve the quality of life for the people who live there.

Arrival and orientation

The program orientation begins on the 1st and 15th of every month, or just on the 15th of every month for those taking part in the Healthcare Outreach & Education project. Volunteers need to arrive in Accra on the day before orientation.

After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at Kotoka International Airport (ACC) in Accra. Your airport pick-up is included in your Program Fee.

When you arrive, you will be greeted at the airport by a member of the local team and taken to the volunteer accommodation in Accra. Please note that you will stay in Accra city for one night, unless it is the weekend, in which case you will stay in the city until Monday morning. Once you have completed your orientation, you will move to a rural community in the greater Accra region where you will be placed for the remainder of your stay. Your accommodation is covered by your Program Fee and includes the night before your program orientation.

If you are traveling in Ghana prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up at a prearranged location in Accra on the day before your program orientation.

Orientation is hosted by our local team in Accra and begins on the morning of your chosen start date. This covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program Ghana – an introduction to Ghana, culture and customs, rules and expectations, safety, travel opportunities, and an introduction to project and placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.

After orientation you will be taken to your placement in a rural Ghanian community.

Volunteer schedule example

First Day

On the first day of volunteering, volunteers will be escorted to their placement by a local coordinator and introduced to the placement staff they will be working with. A typical daily schedule would be as follows:

7:30 AM Breakfast at the volunteer house.
8:00 AM Travel to placement to join local placement staff and begin work on your project. There is usually a tea break and a lunch break.
2:00 - 5:00 PM Work at the project usually ends and you are free to relax and use the remainder of the day as you wish.
6:30 PM Dinner at the volunteer accommodation.

Please note this schedule can vary depending on your project and placement.

Weekends

During the weekends, volunteers have spare time and usually just relax or take the opportunity to discover the brilliant colors, music, food, fashion, history and nature that combine to make Ghana a true feast for the senses. Head to the capital city of Accra to see markets, museums and live music, or take a trip to Cape Coast and Elmina where you’ll find the Elmina Slave Castle - the first trading post built South of the Sahara - and pretty, palm-lined beaches where you can relax in the sun. You can also spend long weekends visiting other Western African countries like the neighbouring nations of Côte d’Ivoire and Togo.

Looking for more ideas of things to do in Ghana? Check out our Ghana Travel & Tours page!

Accommodation and WiFi

You’ll stay in a volunteer house with other volunteers. There are separate rooms for male and female volunteers with shared common room and toilet facilities. Living is basic but the majority of volunteer houses have electricity, while only few have running water. Power cuts are common in Ghana and most rural houses do not have running water during times of drought. Pillows and sheets are provided, however it is recommended that you bring your own towels and mosquito nets - or buy them in Ghana.

There is WiFi access available at local cafes and restaurants in a nearby village, which is a 15 to 20 minute walk from the volunteer accommodation. You can also purchase a local SIM card with data for an unlocked mobile phone to keep connected.

Meals

Volunteers in Ghana are served three meals per day. Breakfast generally consists of tea and coffee, and a hot breakfast. A typical lunch and dinner can include meat and vegetables with rice or noodles​.​ If you have special dietary requirements, please let us know ahead of time so that we can make arrangements for you.

Pricing

  • USD

Spots are limited. For a Registration Fee of just US$299 (approximately CA$441) you secure your spot and unlock all our preparation and training tools.

You don't need to worry about paying your Program Fee until you get closer to your start date.

The program fee of CA$1071 for the week covers accommodation, three meals a day, basic first aid supplies, malaria testing kits, malaria medication, transport and supervision. All programs attract a Registration Fee (from US$299) on top of the Program Fee. A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.

Popular add-ons & experiences in Ghana

Take your volunteer experience to the next level with these popular add-ons and experiences. Explore your options below and learn how to book them once you've been accepted onto the IVHQ Ghana program.

Airport Drop-off
Airport Drop-off

Enjoy a stress free ride from the volunteer accommodation back to Kotoka International Airport arranged by our local team.

CA$135
Extra Nights of Accommodation
Extra Nights of Accommodation

Arriving early or departing a few days after your program finished? Book your extra nights of accommodation.

From CA$62

Check what's required to visit Ghana

Safety and support

Safety and support with IVHQ

Safety and support

IVHQ follows best practice and industry-leading health and safety procedures, which are regularly reviewed and optimized as part of the B Corporation recertification.

  • All volunteers encouraged to complete our interactive pre-departure training.
  • All local teams trained on best practice volunteer management & First Aid.
  • All IVHQ programs are required to adhere to IVHQ's Risk Management Policy.
  • All volunteers have access to 24/7 in-country support from our local team.
Learn more about IVHQ's safety

Essential country information

Essential country information

Capital Accra
Population 30.42 million
Languages English
Currency Ghanian Cedi (GHS)
Time zone UTC+00:00

Weather and climate

Weather and climate: Ghana has a tropical climate and the average temperature falls between 21°C to 28°C (70°F to 82°F). In the north, there is a rainy season from April to June and September to November. The rainy season in the south lasts from April to mid-November. The weather is typically humid however, over the dry season, desert winds in the north can create cooler evenings and a drier atmosphere.

Apply to check if you're eligible!

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How to get started

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Pay the Registration Fee to secure your place and upgrade your MyIVHQ account
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