Ghana

Join TEN in the beautiful community of Winneba on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean while engaging daily with children and youth promoting informal methods of education or volunteering in our health program as healthcare professionals.

About Us

TEN’s center in Ghana welcomes individuals passionate about education and healthcare professionals to our center!

Our educational activities empower children and youth to become proactive, making a positive impact on their communities. In our health programs, various healthcare fields come together to share their knowledge, skills, and experiences with the ultimate goal of promoting health, daily functioning, participation, well-being, and an enhanced quality of life among communities in developing countries.

Our Impact and Initiatives in Informal Education

The Books & Things Educational Center:

Our volunteer center in Winneba is a result of collaboration with local organizations. Operating in the afternoons, the center offers experiential and multidisciplinary learning tailored to the diverse learning abilities of children and youth. Activities focus on art, social games, thinking games, a mobile library, and leadership programs for youth. Our aim is to cultivate personal skills and abilities in today's children, equipping them for adulthood.

Local Schools and Teacher's Seminar:

TEN actively engages with around 8 schools in the village each cohort, holding experiential activities in the mornings. Our volunteers join homerooms, facilitating empowering activities on various topics with local students. Additionally, we organize a Teacher's Seminar in Winneba multiple times a year. This special event serves as an opportunity for us to teach the local teachers our educational model methods to create a lasting and positive impact on the local educational community.

Educational-Agricultural Farm:

As part of the TEN initiative, two farms have been established within the schools. These farms provide hands-on experiences and impart knowledge on advanced agricultural practices, including irrigation systems, greenhouse agriculture, composting, recycling, and environmental protection. It's an opportunity for children to learn about sustainable farming and develop an understanding of environmental responsibility.

Enrichment Programs for Volunteers

TEN volunteers undergo pre-arrival and post-arrival training to prepare them for group living and volunteering. The orientation week introduces them to the center, local staff, volunteering sites, and local culture. Throughout the programs, regular meetings cover topics like international development, education, local culture, and perspectives. These sessions process volunteer experiences, provide tools for TEN’s educational model and healthcare professionals, and foster cultural understanding and identity as Jews, Israelis, and global citizens.

Volunteers

Residence: Our volunteers and staff reside together in a communal house. The top floor of the house is designated for volunteers, with communal rooms accommodating up to two-four roommates. The house features a vegetarian kitchen offering a diverse menu of both local and Israeli cuisine. It provides spacious living quarters, including a multipurpose living room for workshops and gatherings, a dining room, a fully equipped kitchen, and bathrooms.

Saturdays and Holidays: Every second weekend, participants have the freedom to explore and travel throughout the country. The program welcomes individuals from various religious and secular backgrounds. All activities scheduled on Saturdays and Jewish holidays are designed to be inclusive for traditional observers. However, every participant has the freedom to observe the Sabbath according to their own preferences.

Hiking and Travel Recommendations: The volunteer’s house is conveniently located just a 5-minute walk from the Atlantic Ocean*! In the capital city of Accra, you can discover the stunning Volta River and its beaches, experience the exhilarating canopy walkway in the rainforest of Kakum National Park near Cape Coast, visit the magnificent Wli waterfalls, explore the unique floating village on Lake Nzulezo surrounded by thick bamboo forests, and immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of Kumasi, home to the largest market in West Africa.

*Keep in mind that swimming is not permitted to our volunteers due to water pollution concerns.

"I have always been someone who strives to use my privilege, both my birth lottery ticket and education to the help others. I am very passionate about leaving a positive footprint on this earth and thought there was no better way than travelling to Ghana, Africa, a place I knew very little of, to use my knowledge and skills to educate students and try provide them with the best possibility to have the life they aspire to have. I would highly recommend TEN to anyone interested in making a positive impact on the world, enhancing their teaching skills, and for those who see the true value in education and it’s benefits in allowing those less privileged to live the life they deserve to live. Take this opportunity of a life time to go to a foreign developing country to grow as a person and to help those you teach grow as individuals and future leaders."

"Last week, we gave a lesson about the Asian continent. One of our methods is having an arts and crafts lesson, in which the children learn about the continent, and they end up with beautiful art they prepare themselves. The children took the art home to show friends and family, and were very keen for the next time. I get so excited, time and time again to see them working and learning, to see how much they enjoy our time together!"

"It was fascinating for me to gain insight into the approach to treating children with disabilities in Africa, especially in Ghana. I discovered significant differences in diagnoses within the cultural and medical context, as well as variations in their treatment. For instance, it was eye-opening to observe how certain diseases manifest without the access to drug treatments that we are accustomed to. Similarly, seeing children with cerebral palsy who have not received developmental interventions over the years provided valuable perspectives on alternative approaches to their care."

"The most memorable one for sure was the one in Wli where we went to the biggest waterfall in West afrika. Just sitting right under the waterfall, the water crashing on your back, surrounded by beatiful nature made me appreciate life more than ever before. The scenery on the way to waterfall was just unbelievable. I will cherish this moment for ever."

"I knew I was going to enjoy the tour but I did not think I would love the city so much. We walked through the streets and I could not stop smiling. Winneba is such a lively city. People on every corner and lovely shops on the streets. We walked around the city and got a lot of compliments. People we did not know stopped to say hello to us, and children ran after us and wanted to talk to us. I hope the tour of the city is just the beginning of an amazing experience filled with self-growth, and learning about this amazing country!"

"I definitely had concerns! Are the students going to be engaged during the lesson? Will they share their ideas? The kids are so reserved in this school, is it even going to work? I had a lot of questions in my head before we started. But we were so surprised: the students enjoyed our activities so much, and they all participated in their own way. One boy, Amos, that was never engaged in our lessons even took the leader role and presented a project-- incredible! "

"What I like about TEN was working with people from Israel and around the world and together engaging in the local communities. Ghana is a country with a very friendly population! In addition, we experience a vibrant society and culture. Volunteer work was for most part really interesting and eye-opening. It's always a pleasure to see the excitement of the children, when we, the volunteers, arrive at their school for their lessons. Living together with Israelis helped me learn and get in touch with beautiful Jewish traditions. For example, I enjoyed celebrating Shabbat, Yom Kippur and Rosh Hoshana."

Check out our volunteer dates

...and clear your schedule!

Cost

The 3-month informal education cohort costs $3000.
This includes:
Secure accommodation, vegetarian meals, clean water, basic internet, transportation during program activities, professional staff, and participation in an ethical, high-quality, volunteer program.
Does not include:
Flights, vaccines, health insurance, visas, and free weekends.

Join us on an unforgettable journey