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The Childhood Academy was founded by an inspiring Ghanaian woman, Candida Gertrude Gator Agbovi and the husband John Agbovi in September 2007 in the Ga West Municipality of Greater Accra. It began with just four pupils and a staff of two. by August 2010 there were 160 pupils, aged between one and eight years old, and four staff.
The main occupation in the local community is farming and until the centre was founded there was nowhere for parents to leave their children safely whilst they worked on their lands. This led Gertrude to set up the centre at her house, something for which the local community is incredibly grateful.
Marlene from Austria worked at the Getty Childhood Academy in 2010
I spent nine weeks in Ghana and it was a great experience! Six of the nine weeks I was working for the Getty Childhood Academy not far away from Pokuase, our home. My main occupation was taking care of the younger children. I played with them and gave them a lot of attention. Another one of my duties and responsibilities was teaching the older children, mostly Mathematics and English. At the beginning the teaching was very hard for me, but I got used to it very easily and in the end it was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed working there, the children are awesome and I miss them a lot. Also the staff there are really great. Gertrude the headmistress is a truly inspiring woman who does a great work!
For another two weeks I was working at an orphanage Hayford is building at the moment. Another volunteer and me visited children who were possible candidates for the orphanage and their caretakers. It was a really difficult job because we saw really poor children with very sad stories. But it was nice walking through the small villages, talking with the elders and other people and to seeing how they all lived there. We got a very good insight in the Ghanaian way of life. In the end we chose ten children for the orphanage and another twenty who should receive sponsorship.
Then I did one week of traveling. I went with two other girls northbound to see the Mole National park. It’s a huge area with many animals to be seen, at least if you’re lucky. And we were very lucky! We saw monkeys, antelopes, warthogs and most impressing elephants. It was amazing to see these huge and powerful animals in the free nature. We even saw them swimming in a water hole, fantastic experience! On our way north we also saw the cities Kumasi and Tamale and the Lake Bosomtwi near Kumasi.
Even at the weekends we had a lot of time to travel. I drove to the Volta region to see the amazing waterfalls and a monkey sanctuary, I visited Cape Coast and Elmira, two villages next to the sea which are famous for their slavery castles and did a lot of trips in and near Accra. All in all there is a lot to see and I recommend you travel around during your stay!
One last thing I can tell you is not to be too nervous. There is no doubt, it’s an adventure, but people in Ghana are very friendly and helpful. I never felt unsafe. In addition Hayford is a great help, he is very supportive and you can come to him with any problem that should occur. Volunteering is a great opportunity to do something valuable and to get to know a country which is so different from our home countries.
Available Opportunities:
Pre-School Teacher
A pre-school volunteer is required for children below the age of 5. Teach the children basic reading, numbers, music and drama.
Health Care Volunteer
You'll be required to teach the children about health issues such as hygiene, sanitation and STDs. The ideal volunteer will also be able to teach basic first aid.
Care Assistant
A volunteer is required to help the children throughout the day at school. This includes helping them to change clothes, feeding them and taking them to the clinic or hospital when there is the need.
Volunteer requirements
At least age 18 (no maximum age limit);
Good English
Strong interpersonal and communication skills
Strong commitment to values and principles of volunteerism
Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment
Ability to adjust to difficult living and working conditions
You will need to show initiative and enthusiasm to face the many hurdles and challenges that you will encounter
Volunteers must have an interest in child welfare, be compassionate and loving.
Further details
Documentation Requirements
Completed application form - required for application.
Current CV (Resume) - required for application.
Information on your travel arrangements (flight number, airline, arrival and departure times.
What’s included in the project fees?
Accommodation
Meal(Dinner)
What’s not included?
Flights & Visa
Vaccinations (please speak to your local GP)
Insurance (required)
Accommodation:
Volunteers working on VPWA projects live in Greater Accra and Eastern Region. Please confirm your project location with our coordinator. Volunteers live in shared rooms. Couples are adviced to inform us if they wish to share a room in advance. The rooms have comfortable beds with pillows and covers, so there is no need to bring sleeping bags. The volunteer apartment has a kitchen with fridge, as well as toilet and shower facilities.
VPWA do not charge to provide below service
Application processing, interviews, pre-departure information and administrative works prior to arrival.
Placement
24/7 emergency support
Orientation prior to beginning of work
Airport pick-up only
The following services may also be offered based on availability
Basic TWI language orientation
Mobile phone SIM card number sent to you ahead of departure, so that you can inform family and friend’s your number in Ghana
Internet use at VPWA operational head office
Certificate of Recognition given to hardworking volunteers, as well as the opportunity to serve as VPWA ambassador in your city, college or community
Health and Safety
Ghana is one of the safest countries in Africa. In the Global Peace Index it is ranked above both the United Kingdom and the US. It provides a perfect introduction for first time volunteers to Africa. It has a democratic electoral process and a stable economy. Our team will ensure your health and safety at all times and you'll have emergency support 24/7.
Flights
Volunteers must arrange their own flights to Accra Airport (ACC). Please be aware that you should communicate your arrival date and time to Volunteer Coordinator. The following airlines fly into Accra:
Alitalia (Lagos, Rome-Fiumicino)
British Airways (London-Heathrow)
Delta Air Lines (New York-JFK)
EgyptAir (Cairo)
Emirates (Abidjan, Dubai)
Ethiopian Airlines (Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Lagos, Lome)
Ghana International Airlines (London-Gatwick, Dusseldorf)
Kenya Airways (Nairobi, Freetown, Monrovia)
KLM (Amsterdam)
Lufthansa (Frankfurt, Lagos)
South African Airways (Johannesburg)
Visa
You must obtain a volunteer visa for travel to Ghana. Once you have secured your place on the project and made a deposit. We will then send you a letter confirming your placement which you can use for your visa application.
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