Usually recommended: Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Poliomyelitis, Tetanus

To consider:

Diphtheria; Hepatitis B; Meningococcal Meningitis; Rabies; Typhoid; Cholera (only for those at high risk)

Ghanaians tend to wear bright but conservative clothing, as it’s considered disrespectful to expose too much skin. Please be respectful of the culture; we understand you’ll want to dress for the heat, but it’s essential that you dress appropriately. Please also remember that you are volunteering in schools, with young children who may look up to you as a role model.  

If you are swimming at any point during your trip, normal swimwear is acceptable, but please cover up when walking to and from the pool area. 

Volunteers who dress inappropriately risk drawing unwanted attention and causing offense within the local community, and for this reason our in-country staff will ask you to change. If you are unsure about an item of clothing, don’t pack it! 

If you have chosen Building and Renovation, you might want to take:

• Heavy duty gloves

• Old clothes to wear whilst working

• Closed footwear

• Paintbrushes (please check your project work to see if you will be doing any painting)

• All other materials will be provided for you at your partner school

If you have chosen this role, you might want to take some of the following. These can be left as a donation.

• Packs of chalk, colouring pencils & sharpeners

• Cheap exercise books & old textbooks

• Number charts, large story books

• Parachute for games

• Bats, cones, balls, skipping ropes

• Sports kits e.g. football shirts

• Anti-malarial tablets

• Anti-diarrhoea tablets

• Rehydration sachets

• Basic medical kit with plasters (your group leader will carry a first aid kit)

• Anti-bacterial hand gel

• Mosquito net (optional)

Shower gel

Shampoo & conditioner

Sun cream & after sun

Deodorant

Sanitary products

Note: These items are expensive to buy in-country

GREETINGS

Nilyenia / Gbedoname - Hello

Woé zɔ (single) miawoe zɔ (plural) - Welcome

Ndi - Good morning

Ndo - Good afternoon

Efie - Good evening

(D)agbe - Goodnight

Xede nyuie, mia dogo - Goodbye (informal) Nko wode? - What is your name?

Nko nyie nye… - My name is…

POLITENESS

Akpe - Thank You

Akpe kkkk… - Thank You Very Much

Baba - I’m Sorry

Babanawo - I’m Very Sorry

Efoa? - How Are You?

Eeh Me Fo - I’m Fine Thanks

Eeeehh (Ayy) - Yes

Awo - No

Me Lo Kpe Wo - Nice To Meet You Medekuku - Please

Kafla - Excuse Me

Woezo/Akpe Me Lio - You're Welcome

Nkekea Nenyon - Excuse Me

USEFUL PHRASES

Atenu Ado Yevugbea? - Do You Speak English?

Nye Me Se Egomeo - I Don’t Understand Aleke Bena Ewe …? - How Do You Say … In Ewe? …

Fi Kae De? - Where Is …?

Afika Matenu Ayi Ngodo Le? - Where Is The Toilet?

Fe Nenie Ne Xo? - How Old Are You?

MONEY

Ega - Money Medekuku Ehor Ne Nie? - How Much Is This?

Mafle - Want To Buy

Ehor shi! - It is too expensive!

Food

Etsi - Water

Ma Notsi? - Can I Have Some Water Please?

Woe in the Volta Region

Accra

Cape coast

Ho to the Wli Falls north Volta

BRING THE RECORDS WITH YOU OF ALL IMMUNISATIONS YOU HAVE HAD. Yellow Fever is essential.

SOME OTHER WEBSITES YOU CAN USE FOR TRAVEL ADVICE:

• www.travelhealthpro.org.uk

• www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk

• www.masta-travel-health.com

We have a duty of care to advise and inform our volunteers prior to travel, and the following advice does not reflect our beliefs and values as an organisation.

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides specific guidance for LGBTQ+ Britons travelling abroad. It is important for all volunteers to be informed about local laws and cultural attitudes before travelling.

In Ghana, same-sex relationships are illegal, and LGBTQ+ identities are not widely accepted due to prevailing religious and conservative values. In 2021, the Ghanaian Parliament introduced legislation that further criminalises the promotion, advocacy, funding, and acts associated with homosexuality.

While Ghana is not considered an LGBTQ+-friendly destination by international standards, many LGBTQ+ travellers have visited the country safely by respecting local customs and complying with the law.

To reduce the risk of misunderstanding or offence, we recommend that LGBTQ+ travellers avoid:

• Public displays of affection, such as kissing, hugging, or holding hands. (This applies to all couples – same-sex and heterosexual – as such behaviour is generally considered inappropriate in public.)
  

• Discussing topics related to gender identity or sexual orientation in public or unfamiliar settings.
  

• Engaging in conversations about LGBTQ+ rights or activism which may be seen as culturally sensitive or inflammatory.
  

• Wearing clothing or accessories that openly promote LGBTQ+ causes.

  
  

We recognise that this guidance may be challenging. Our aim is to ensure that all volunteers feel informed, supported, and safe. If you have questions or would like to speak confidentially with a member of our team before travelling, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

We recommend having £5 a day to cover the cost of buying bottled water and any snacks or souvenirs you might want. You’ll also need to buy lunch on adventure activity and transit days – full details of this can be found in your trip itinerary.

If you plan to buy souvenirs at local markets, bargaining is part of the experience. Vendors expect it, and it’s all done with good humour. Haggle with a smile, stay polite, and feel free to walk away if the price isn’t right for you. You can check out our downloadable Haggling Guide for tips on how to do it confidently and respectfully.

• Return transport to Cape Coast

• Walking tour of Cape Coast Castle

• Entry to Kakum National Park

• Single-sex, shared accommodation

• Breakfast

• African Adventures Trip Host

Not Included

• Lunches/evening meal (£20 pp)

• Drinking water

• Tips for guides (rec £3 pp)

These are water bottles with filtration systems in. You can also purchase extra filters.

Water-to-Go will make a 15% donation from every bottle purchased towards African Adventures Foundation, which will go towards food security programmes, the construction of important school facilities, and hygiene projects that will benefit children’s health and education.

Day 2- Drive to mall, get Ghanaian Cedi and snacks. 3-4 hour drive to Woe. Stay at the Volunteer House in Woe. All meals provided

Day 3- Volunteering. All meals provided. Evening activities TBC (drumming, beach visit, talk). Volunteer House in Woe.

Day 4- Volta Adventure Weekend. Visit Lake Volta, walking tour at Monkey Sanctuary. Breakfast provided but lunch and dinner not included. Stay at hotel.

Day 5- Breakfast included. Wli waterfall and hike Mount Afadjato. Lunch not included. 5 hour drive to Woe. Dinner at Woe which is included.

Budget £30-40 for food for the weekend trip to Volta

Day 6-10- Volunteering days. All meals included. Stay at the Volunteer House in Woe. Celebration night on the last night.

Day 11-12- Free days- go exploring. Stay at the Volunteer House in Woe.

Day 13-14- Cape Coast Adventure weekend. Travel back to Accra for flight on Day 14 (18th August) Lunch and Dinner not included. Budget £40 for this weekend.

Day 15- Touch Down in UK.

Unfortunately, Rhema Abutia is severely underfunded. In some classrooms, there are not enough desks for the students, so children have to sit on the floor. There is also a significant lack of basic equipment such as textbooks, which can be challenging for the teachers.

Rhema Abutia School's Aim's

- Continue the construction of the new library

Things you can bring:

• Stationery: books, pens, pencils, chalk, sharpeners, flash cards etc.

• Play equipment: Balls, cones, skipping ropes, etc.

• Clothes: Shirts, dresses, skirts, shorts, tops, trousers, tracksuits, shoes, sandals.

• Girls underwear and sanitary towels

 Packs of chalk

 Colouring pencils and sharpeners

 Cheap exercise books

 Old textbooks

 An atlas

 Number charts

 Cut-out shapes or shape blocks

 Cut-out letters of the alphabet

 Large story books

 Board games and jigsaw puzzles

 Heavy duty gloves

 Face masks

 Closed footwear

 Paint brushes

 Footballs, rugby balls and cricket balls etc.

 Bats

 Cones

 Skipping ropes

 Spare laces

 Ball pump

 Sports kits, e.g. football shirts

 Bibs

 Whistle

 Equipment bags

 Football boots

 Shin pads

 Red/yellow cards

 Flags

 Packs of chalk

 Colouring pencils and sharpeners

 Cheap exercise books

 Old textbooks

 An atlas

 Number charts

 Cut-out shapes or shape blocks

 Cut-out letters of the alphabet

 Large story books

 Board games and jigsaw puzzles

 Heavy duty gloves

 Face masks

 Closed footwear

 Paint brushes

 Footballs, rugby balls and cricket balls etc

 Bats

 Cones

 Skipping ropes

 Spare laces

 Ball pump

 Sports kits, e.g. football shirts

 Bibs

 Whistle

 Equipment bags

 Football boots

 Shin pads

 Red/yellow cards

 Flags

Small water bottle 5 ghs = 35p

330ml water 10 ghs = 70p

Small fanta/coke 15 ghs

TYSG Volunteer house Woe

There have been some improvements to the Volunteer house compound since the trip in 2022

The site now has a gated entrance for added security.

There is a new building with 2 x 8 bed rooms with on-suite.

All rooms now have Air-conditioning, Windows and mosquito nets on windows all renewed.

There are a lot of major road works up to/from Accra to cape coast adding to the journey times on coach. I would not expect these to be concluded by next year.

Hans cottage lunch meal ~ per person £15 including a drink

Oasis evening meal now a buffet ~ per person £15 including a drink

Pizza hut lunch on return to voletneeer house ~ £7 including a drink

Hans cottage crocadile tour ~ £35 not inlcuded by African Adventures

Need to allow for tips as well as these are expected I spent ~ £35

Waterfall weekend – this was a cheaper weekend but the locations for lunch and evening meal did not take card so cash will be needed.

Big Foot Safari Lodge evening meal ~ £6

2x African hill hotel lunch buffet ~10

19^th August depart Istanbul 8:10am - 19^th August land London Stanstead 10:15am

• Under 18s must not drink alcohol under any circumstances.

• There must be the correct ratio of adults responsible for young people at all times.

• If you are responsible for young people, you must not drink alcohol.

• If you are not directly responsible for young people and you do drink alcohol, you must still follow the Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults (Yellow Card).

• If you are drinking when ‘off duty’, you should consider how alcohol may affect your ability to carry out your Scouts duties when back on duty. 

• Young people must know who is responsible for them at all times.

share back to dofe@kentscouts.org.uk