Volunteering in Mpraeso, Ghana
Donation protected
Hello!
So this summer I have decided to volunteer in Ghana for a month, more specifically in rural communities close to a small town called Mpraeso with an organisation called Original Volunteers. During my time in Ghana, I will be working with several different projects, from schools and hospitals, to building projects such as water systems, toilet blocks and classrooms. This has been something I have wanted to do for years, but going straight to university after A Levels, I haven't had the chance until now.
I wanted to give a little bit of background of the country, before going into why I am raising money and where the money will be going. Ghana gained independence from Britain in 1957, and was the first Sub-Sahara African country to do so. The country is now considered one of the more stable countries in West Africa, despite being preceded by a military coup following independence. Economically, Ghana is not the poorest of the African countries, with a GDP per capita twice of the very poorest on the continent, however the country still relies heavily on international assistance in both technological and financial terms.
The reason I chose Ghana was because of the projects I will be able to take part in, as well as the famously vibrant and hospitable nature of the country that I hope to experience. The official language of the nation is English, but there are of course many different languages spoken, one of them being Akan with over 61% of the population speaking it. Hopefully I come back with lots of new linguistic knowledge ;) Not only do I want to experience the culture of the country that I have read so much about as I wait to depart in 2 months time, but I want to be able to contribute to the communities I am working in with your help.
I want to emphasise that the money I am raising is not funding my trip, it is going directly to the region I will be working in. With the money you hopefully are able to donate, however little or large, I will personally purchase the materials needed to fund the building projects I will be taking part in, and materials to be able to plan and teach lessons, as well as provide resources that schools will be able keep for years to come. Of course when I come back I will share the experience and highlight exactly where your money has gone to.
I wasn't aware of exactly how far an amount of money that may seem small to you and me can go. For example, a woman called Emma Hodgkins taught a pupil through Original Volunteers who had an abscess on his head the size of an egg. She proceeded to take this child and his sister (who had the same issue - ring worm that had spread to their heads) to the doctors. There they were treated, and then went back to school. Throughout this experience, she learnt that £2 can insure a child's healthcare for a whole year, which led her to raise money to ensure the entire school for a whole year through a page whilst she was in Ghana. If I am able to contribute a fraction of what Emma managed to accomplish in her time in Ghana, I would be hugely proud and thankful for any help I can get.
My departure date for Ghana is the 29th July (2018), so I am eagerly awaiting the trip! The trip lasts a month, and I am incredibly excited for what I will be able to accomplish with the organisation. When I come back I will definitely share my experience, hopefully in the form of a video despite my horrendous editing skills! Thank you again for any money you are able to contribute to this page, as you can tell, as little as £2 can change a person's life.
Best wishes and many thanks,
Martine x
P.S. If you want to read more about Emma and her plans, here is the link. Hopefully we can follow her direction!
https://www.originalvolunteers.co.uk/emma-hodgkins-volunteered-ghana/
So this summer I have decided to volunteer in Ghana for a month, more specifically in rural communities close to a small town called Mpraeso with an organisation called Original Volunteers. During my time in Ghana, I will be working with several different projects, from schools and hospitals, to building projects such as water systems, toilet blocks and classrooms. This has been something I have wanted to do for years, but going straight to university after A Levels, I haven't had the chance until now.
I wanted to give a little bit of background of the country, before going into why I am raising money and where the money will be going. Ghana gained independence from Britain in 1957, and was the first Sub-Sahara African country to do so. The country is now considered one of the more stable countries in West Africa, despite being preceded by a military coup following independence. Economically, Ghana is not the poorest of the African countries, with a GDP per capita twice of the very poorest on the continent, however the country still relies heavily on international assistance in both technological and financial terms.
The reason I chose Ghana was because of the projects I will be able to take part in, as well as the famously vibrant and hospitable nature of the country that I hope to experience. The official language of the nation is English, but there are of course many different languages spoken, one of them being Akan with over 61% of the population speaking it. Hopefully I come back with lots of new linguistic knowledge ;) Not only do I want to experience the culture of the country that I have read so much about as I wait to depart in 2 months time, but I want to be able to contribute to the communities I am working in with your help.
I want to emphasise that the money I am raising is not funding my trip, it is going directly to the region I will be working in. With the money you hopefully are able to donate, however little or large, I will personally purchase the materials needed to fund the building projects I will be taking part in, and materials to be able to plan and teach lessons, as well as provide resources that schools will be able keep for years to come. Of course when I come back I will share the experience and highlight exactly where your money has gone to.
I wasn't aware of exactly how far an amount of money that may seem small to you and me can go. For example, a woman called Emma Hodgkins taught a pupil through Original Volunteers who had an abscess on his head the size of an egg. She proceeded to take this child and his sister (who had the same issue - ring worm that had spread to their heads) to the doctors. There they were treated, and then went back to school. Throughout this experience, she learnt that £2 can insure a child's healthcare for a whole year, which led her to raise money to ensure the entire school for a whole year through a page whilst she was in Ghana. If I am able to contribute a fraction of what Emma managed to accomplish in her time in Ghana, I would be hugely proud and thankful for any help I can get.
My departure date for Ghana is the 29th July (2018), so I am eagerly awaiting the trip! The trip lasts a month, and I am incredibly excited for what I will be able to accomplish with the organisation. When I come back I will definitely share my experience, hopefully in the form of a video despite my horrendous editing skills! Thank you again for any money you are able to contribute to this page, as you can tell, as little as £2 can change a person's life.
Best wishes and many thanks,
Martine x
P.S. If you want to read more about Emma and her plans, here is the link. Hopefully we can follow her direction!
https://www.originalvolunteers.co.uk/emma-hodgkins-volunteered-ghana/
Organizer
Martine Hornseth
Organizer
