Caring for infants and children

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Caring for infants and children who are at-risk or have limited resources can have a lasting impact on a child's development and is one of the most rewarding placements available for volunteers. The children are delighted to see new and smiling faces, and love the games, songs, and rhymes that volunteers help to organize. Simply holding infants, sharing your affection, and providing individual attention is important to their future well-being.

The staffs appreciate the help with daily routines such as feeding and clothing the children and playing with them. Whether you have a background in childcare or simply enjoy caring for young children, a smile or hug can be a meaningful and long-term contribution. The most important attributes needed for these placements are an open heart and a love of spending time with children. Dream Ghana Foundation does not require any particular qualifications from volunteer teachers, although anybody who is teacher-trained, or nursery nurse-trained for the pre-school children, would undoubtedly bring particularly valuable skills. The reality is that all the children are desperate to learn, and anyone who has completed their education at school or college in a developed country can make a valuable contribution.

Youth Care / Street Children Volunteer Program in Ghana :

Volunteers show great heart as they help local projects to improve the living conditions of the most disadvantaged children in Ghana.

Even though Ghana is a growing economic power since there is a wealth of natural resources, there has been a larger disparity between the rich and the poor. A large amount of the population lives below the poverty line and this is even worse for children. Without proper care, their health declines, they lack access to sanitation, they are homeless, and there is a high infant mortality rate as well as a low life expectancy. The social welfare services in Ghana are struggling to care for these street children. Children centres were created to help with the effort, but many are understaffed and lack resources such as adequate food, clothing and education. Child labour, neglect and physical abuse are all issues affecting the street youth in Ghana. Many of these children often turn to criminal activities which leads to substance abuse.

Dream Africa Care Foundation works with a local projects in Ghana that provides support, care and the teaching of valuable life skills to underprivileged children. Volunteers will have a direct impact on the lives of these children and will contribute to their happiness by teaching, advocating personal hygiene, play games and being a role model for a bright future. While this is a challenging volunteer opportunity, the emotional rewards are immeasurable.

TYPICAL ROLE OF THE VOLUNTEER:

* Teaching English and other subjects such as math’s, science & health
* Organizing entertaining and artistic activities that augment learning in a fun manner (e.g. games, dancing, sports, art, music etc.)
* Teaching children invaluable life skills such as gardening, cooking, painting, building & sewing
* Helping the children prepare meals and serving them at the right time
* Promoting personal hygiene
* Assisting local authorities with daily tasks such as fundraising.
* Helping with the construction and building works.

Highlights

• Assist a Ghana-based organization provide aid to children from poor families.
• Teach children English, other subjects, and personal hygiene.
• Live and work in Ghana, and explore its culture.

Qualifications
No formal qualifications or previous teaching experience needed. All we require from our volunteers is enthusiasm, compassion and a dash of patience in order to make this opportunity truly worthwhile.

Our projects are located in several regions in Ghana, West Africa.
Ghana is an exciting and popular country to spend time in.
The country was once a British colony know as the 'Gold Coast' but became independent in 1957. However, English is still the official language.
Ghana is renowned for the friendliness and warmth of its people and provides you with a wonderful introduction to Africa. It is politically-stable, safe, affordable, and rewarding to visit.

We have volunteer coordinators who will be responsible for you and the other volunteers, your well-being while volunteering with us is our priority. We make sure your trip is safe and our in-country coordinators will provide whatever support you may need at any step along the way. We have a very good support system in Ghana that will give you orientation and all the in country support you will need.

The project:

Our projects run throughout the year so you can volunteer with us any time that is suitable for you. Our minimum volunteering period is two weeks and the maximum of one year. You need to send us your application form at least three weeks before your intended trip to Ghana to volunteer with us. This will give us enough time to send you all the necessary document and information you will need for your visa. You can choose to stay either with a host family or in a volunteer house together with other volunteers from all over the world.

VOLUNTEER GET THE WEEKENDS OFF TO GO ON TRIPS AND EXPLORE GHANA; Ghana has so much to offer volunteers with its rich culture, festivals, food, art & craft centers, castles & forts, long sandy beaches, national parks, waterfalls, rain forest and other interesting places to visit. Volunteers who come to Ghana experience these even more fully by getting an insider's understanding of the country. Every weekend we organize trips for our volunteers to travel throughout Ghana to experience the Ghanaian cultural and explore. We have a lot of projects all over Ghana so you can choose to volunteer in the capital city Accra or in the Ghanaian country side.

Our program is an excellent opportunity to combine adventurous foreign travel with a worthwhile job as a volunteer. You will improve your transferable skills such as team-working, presentation and communication. Above all, this is an unrivaled opportunity to gain an insight into a completely different culture and way of life. Our projects are not all about work, volunteers get opportunities to explore this beautiful part of West Africa. Elmina and Cape Coast Castle, Kakum National Park and Nzulezo Stilt Village are all within few hours from the community you will be staying in, Ghana offers an array of varying cultures and landscapes including national parks and stunning rain-forests.


Cost:
We are a local NGO with limited resources, so as a volunteer you have to buy your own flight ticket to Ghana, You can choose to stay with a local host family or stay in our volunteer house with 16-other volunteers from all over the world, this is an opportunity for you to make new friends and interact, and the volunteer houses are located in very safe areas in Ghana.

We have volunteer coordinators, who will be responsible for you and the other volunteers, your well-being while volunteering with us is our priority. We make sure your trip is safe and our in-country coordinators will provide whatever support you may need at any step along the way.

The only cost involve in this project is your food, we have a cook in the volunteer house who prepares three meals a day for all the volunteer, If you are a vegetarian or have any allergies this is taken into account when we arrange your placement. Medical Volunteers pay a flat rate of $400 each for a month for three meals a day, the cost also covers your accommodation, transportation from the airport, orientation and 24 hour support from our staff. ,laundry, drinking water, toiletries and wireless internet access 24-hours a day in the volunteer house so that you can keep in touch with friends and family back home, Our aim is to provide cheap and affordable volunteer opportunity to people like you so that you can help make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate in Africa. There is no any hidden cost, apart from the $400 for your three meals a day. You only pay for your food when you arrive in Ghana and start your project. 50% of the money you are paying for food goes to feeding and educating the children in our orphanages.