Ervaringen (oud)vrijwilligers

Sanne van Deudekom ( October - November 2009)

I think being in Ghana is one of the most exciting, instructive, special, fun, useful and beautiful experience I’ve ever had. When you just arrive in Ghana you really get your cultural shock, everything is so different from Europe. Just the culture, the accent they speak with, the way of working, just the whole way of living is so weird to see at first. But I was surprised about how quick I felt at home and how fast I learned to live like them. I think I already turned into a Ghanian girl in the two months I’ve spend there.

When Voluntary Childaid showed us the projects, I almost immediately knew that I wanted to help at the Nakpanzoo Primairy school. That was because you could see that they were the poorest school, they had short of teachers, the youngest kids were just staying in a crappy old wooden building and it was just sad to see. So that’s why I choose (with Julia and Maaike) to go to this school to help them out for 6 weeks. The first week was just a disaster. They just putted us al for a class in our own, without telling what to do with the kids, without a lesson plan and with kids who didn’t speak English. We were happy that we could talk about that with the head teacher and that we decided together that we should do P1 with the three of us. First that was also a big shock when we found out that the class contained 78 children! And they hardly understood or spoke English, almost none of them could write and still there was no lesson plan. But we just bought books for them and bit by bit we learned how to deal with the class. We just got a real structure and it was so touching to see how happy the kids were with us and that we could really make a difference because the kids really learned things! Just the look on their faces when they learned how to write a word is priceless. Then when we also could arrange it that we could build another classroom for the youngest kids. That was a lot of work, but with the help of Francis and people from home we did it! It is so cool to know that there is a classroom in Ghana which is ‘build’ by you, with your name on it! The painting was a lot of fun and I think it just ended as a beautiful classroom.

In the end I’m just really proud of everything that we achieved in the time we’ve been in Ghana, I’m glad that we could help out in our way and I’m sure I’ll never ever forget this wonderful experience. It was a trip that made me see and learn so much more about the world and I think I got out of this adventure as a better and more grownup person.

Jolanda de Jager ( Februari - April 2008)

Twee maanden ben ik in Tamale geweest met Voluntary Childaid. De organisatie is klein maar het is super geregeld. Als er iets was hoefde je maar te bellen en er kwam iemand om je te helpen. Ook de eerste week, een orientatieweek, was erg fijn. Het klimaat is zo anders in Ghana dat het fijn is om een weekje te wennen terwijl je bij veel andere organisaties meteen aan het werk gaat.

Ik heb in Tamale Childrens home gewerkt. Wat ik echt heel leuk vond. Er wonen ongeveer 30 kinderen de meesten tussen 0 en 6 jaar. Het wonen in een gastgezin is ook superleuk. Je krijgt echt wat mee van de Ghanese cultuur en je komt in een rijk ghanees gezin, dus geen inheemste stam! Ook krijg je gewoon eten en hoef je echt niet altijd Ghanees te eten.

Mijn tijd in Tamale was uiteindeljk een supertijd!. Door de week werken en in de weekenden reizen met andere vrijwilligers. Wel moet je niet teveel verwachten van jou bijdrage als vrijwilliger. Als je weggaat met het idee: ik zal daar eens wat aan veranderen! krijg je een zwaar frusterende tijd. ( Waar je ook komt te werken). Ga erheen om de kinderen wat extra aandacht te geven en dan krijg je een fantastische tijd!

Jolanda de Jager

Netherlands

Leo Graham - Dullaert ( February - April 2008)

I have been working with Voluntary Childaid for two months as a teacher in Tamale. I have really enjoyed my time in Ghana. Graham, Dorcas, Francis and Rachel have all made me feel extremely welcome. My placement at Fou Motorisa School was very challenging and rewarding; after seeing that some children were desperately far behind others I was given the freedom and flexibility to teach them English separately which proved quite effective.

The trip to the coast was great fun and thank you to all who organised it. Finally I would like to say that my hostfamily ( Joyce, Sammy, Jemimah, Kerzia and Junior) have been absolutey wonderfull. They have been so kind and considerate and genuinely made me feel like a member of their brilliant family.

Thankyou to you all.

Leo Graham- Dullaert

Isabell Kashammer (January - February 2007)

I stayed in Ghana for six weeks. During this time Voluntary Childaid took good care of me. They picked me up at the airport and organized the whole journey to Tamale including a guidance through the market of Kumasi. The first days in Tamale Voluntary Childaid showed us round the different projects and introduced us to everything in the town. They visited me several times at my hostfamily to check if everything was all right. I had to change hostfamily, which was disagreeable but the new hostfamily I moved in was great. I had a very good time with them. The atmosphere was warm and friendly, so I realy felt home in their house.

The school where I teached was a provisional building, which was not very practical. The organization of the school and also the working morale of some teacheres were not understandable to me. Even if it was difficult sometimes I do not want to miss the experience of teaching at this school. I can just recommand to everybody to make the experience of travelling, working and living in Ghana.

Isabel Kashammer

Switserland

Jette Damen and Annemijn Schoemaker December - March 2007

Ever since we came to Ghana we have had such a great time. The country, the culture, the people ... it is all breathtaking. And although it does take some time to get used to being in such a different place and culture it is all definitely worth it in the end.

Our experience with Voluntary Childaid have also been good and our New year trip with all the volunteers and staff will definitely be one we will never forget! We have made friends for a lifetime and it wil break our hearts when we will have to go back to Holland again...

Jette ( 22) and Annemijn ( 19) from Holland

danique Berger ( February - April 2008)

experience of Voluntary Childaid

I already had the feeling in Holland that Childaid is a trustworthy organisation. When we arrived in Accra, Graham and Dorcas were there for us to pick us up and bring us to out hotel. Everything was very well and with care organised. When at any time during the day problems apeared, Childaid was there to help us.

Experiences of my workplacement

Although they are working a lot of volunteers, I did not have the feeling that my efforts were not usefull. There were always things to do. Some of the staffmembers are really friendly and it was a pleasure to work with them. On the other hand there ar also staffmembers who I did not like when I was working with them. They were such ungrateful to you. They had comments on everything. Besides sometimes I had the feeling that some of the donations are not coming in the right hands.

Last but not least , I would advice voluntary childaid trying to get workplacements at the other orphanges in Tamale. In my opinion they have less volunteers and donations and I think they will be happy with it.

Experience of Host family

Since the day that I walked into the house they were always friendly and carefull. Beacuse of them, I know a lot more about the Ghanian life than before, they took me to a lot of Ghanian traditions.

I would also like to say that the food I got was really delicious. They often made something western for me although I tried ot eat the Ghanian food. The people of my host family gave me trustworthy and safe feeling. They did not bother me in the things I did. I hope they same the same thing about me!

Danique Berger

Holland

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