"My 2 weeks in Ghana have given me an amazing experience. I really enjoyed
my stay in this wonderful country. My host family was very nice, caring
and helpful to me at all times. I never once hesitated to ask them
anything. The work I did teaching and coaching football to the children, I
really loved. I am very passionate about football and I love working with
children so it was a perfect fit for me. I looked forward to every single
day of work. I experienced the great Ghanaian culture through visiting
museums and places, eating from the wonderful Ghanaian cuisine but mostly
through the main characteristic of Ghana: the friendly people. Whilst
being in Ghana I have made good friendships with school staff, school
children, my host family and my resourceful OGVO guide. Overall to sum
everything up, it was an amazing, unforgettable experience for me and one
that will surely be one of my greatest life experiences too. I sincerely
thank OGVO for making my time in Ghana, a good one!"
Robin Fleskens, The Netherlands
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“Great place for students! I learned a lot and was very impressed with all the doctors. Dr. Addison, Dr. Mawuse, and Dr. York were particularly excellent, and please thank them for letting us follow them around!
Being with a host family is a wonderful experience. Thank you to everyone for helping us.
FRANK & OGVO – FRANK IS AMAZING!! Frank took very good care of us, and made sure we were safe and happy. Frank made the experience of being in Ghana very good!
Frank is fantastic, and I really appreciate everything he did”.
Mindy Eklove, Canada
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“Frank was very helpful throughout our whole trip in guiding us through Kumasi at first, and accompanying us on our weekend tours to Cape Coast and Mole National Park. Thank you for showing us around!
Always easy to reach / contact. We were well prepared from all Frank’s emails before we arrived, they were very thorough.
Frank was very generous with his time and energy; he worked very hard to make sure we were comfortable.
We were very grateful for Frank’s help and support at EMINA HOSPITAL when our friend became ill. This would be a good place to bring any volunteers who get sick in the future. Overall, OGVO is a wonderful organization”.
Alessandra Stepanko, Canada
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“As a westerner coming to Africa for the first time, Ghana has provided an
excellent introductory experience to the continent. While the spirit of
Africa is certainly alive and well here, Ghana's people are welcoming, and
give off a certain friendliness and hospitality that is not to be found in
other African countries.
The host family experience has been an interesting and rewarding change
from the typical familial arrangement in Australia. Where I come from, the
family unit is much smaller, and there is far more emphasis on the
individual to attend to their own needs. Here in Ghana, the family unit is
large and fluid, with people of all ages coming and going from your place
of residence during the time you spend here. There is a communal spirit
that exists within the house which is not to be found in Australia, and
even as a temporary member, you are expected to contribute positively to
family life.
The work experience has been the best aspect of my time here in Kumasi.
Volunteering as a premedical student in a local clinic has given me so much
experience that I would have never been able to achieve in my own country.
The work is diverse and challenging, but the friendliness and
professionalism of the staff made learning the new skills much easier.
The cultural experience was confronting at first, as it is so different to
life back home in Australia. After a period of adjustment though, you'll
find yourself feeling saddened at the prospect of leaving. There is such a
distinct identity to each of the regions within Ghana, and a level of
cultural awareness that is unrivaled in the developed world.
As a voluntary organisation, OGVO is operated in a professional and
diligent manner. The coordinator is dedicated to making your time here
positive and worthwhile, and any needs you may have are always quickly
attended to. The friends you make while here are many and varied - it isn't
hard to make friends as Ghanaians are so friendly!
Overall, I would highly recommend the volunteer experience and OGVO in
Ghana. Even though it can be tough at times, it provides such a valuable
experience and a lifetime of awesome memories. It would be impossible to
return to your home country without a refreshed perspective on yourself,
others and life in general”
Alexander J. Godfrey, Australia
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“What made me go for OGVO were the fast and friendly replies from Frank
before my journey. And I think the welcome in Accra and the help to get to
my village was nice, so I would recommend and tell people about OGVO.
I like the friendliness of people, Collins was very helpful, I enjoyed the
sanctuary quite a lot, very nice forest; Ghana is very different from home
and naturally there are things I really like and things less so. For
instance I think there should have been a bike ready when I arrived now I
paid 85 cedis for a bike I could use 1 day.
But then again when I needed help I got it, it was interesting to “learn”
something as basic as to take a shower village style and just live a
simple life.
Something that could annoy me sometimes was that people expected me to pay
for them all the time, beer, transports, foods etc. And you should inform
the coming volunteers that they are gonna teach earlier than the first day
in village! All in all though I’m happy I went to Ghana and experienced
that!”
Hannes Olsson, Sweden
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“Ghana has been quite an experience for me. I have learned a lot about the African culture and can now spread my experiences with other people I know.
The trip did not start like we expected when my luggage was lost, but once I reached my host site and my family everything was better. I first visited Adehesee School where I would be volunteering in the school.
The students were very excited to see a new person; they all had to come greet me. The first couple week’s was full of children wanting to meet and shake my hand. The head Master and Proprietor were very friendly and helpful from the very beginning.
Then, I was able to meet my host family. They were so kind and excited to have another person staying with them. We would spend hours just sitting and talking about our different cultures.
The culture and the town were also import aspects of the experience. The food was so different then I was used to. Some of it was really good and others not so much. You must try everything though, it could be really good! I lived in a small town outside of Kumasi. It is a smaller town but had everything that is needed. The people are so friendly around town; they will all want to meet the new person. Random children will run up and grab your hands and just smile. The adults are friendly as well and greeted me every morning on the way to the school.
In the school I was able to decide what I wanted to do. I taught some English classes, but my favorite was teaching swimming. This was my favorite part of the trip because most the kids had never been in a pool before let alone learning how to swim. They were so excited and eager to learn, and the water was really refreshing after a hot day. Overall this has been a good experience learning a new way of life that I will never forget. You will make lifelong memories!
” Joshua Busick, USA.
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