The Ghana Project: Information Pack 2017

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1 The Ghana Project: Information Pack 2017 Do something meaningful with your summer. Join us in Ghana and gain first-hand experience of working with communities in the developing world. RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT WORK You will take part in a project that is focused on education, micro finance, women and youth empowerment or health. Placements will be centred on your individual skills, talents, and interests. Everyone has something to give whether you re a leader in a youth movement, an artist or a football coach, you will use skills that you didn t even know you had and apply them in northern Ghana to make a lasting difference in a small community. A JEWISH EXPERIENCE Act on core Jewish values and actively pursue tikun olam. Experience Ghana in a safe and familiar environment, being able to keep Shabbat, keep kosher and explore your Jewish identity. Experience living a communal Jewish life in a unique setting.

2 PERSONAL GROWTH Gain CV boosting skills in teamwork, project management, leadership and communication, as well as working across cultural and language barriers. See how change happens in local communities in the developing world. Get to know Northern Ghana, its vibrant culture, cuisine and wonderful people. A learning and doing experience: familiarise yourself with the community you will be working with, so that you can respond effectively to local needs in a responsible and sustainable way. We believe that your impact must extend past the trip, and we will help you to achieve that when you return to the UK. It s a fantastic experience to be pushed out of your comfort zone and into a whole new amazing culture. Most importantly though, it s the real life application of tikkun olam and pursuing justice. Lucy Cohen (Ghana, 2014 & 2015)

3 The Ghana Project with Tzedek 2017 Dates Application deadline: Friday 31 st March 2017 Orientation Seminar: Wednesday 5 th Thursday 6 th April 2017 Programme period: June August 2017 Action Day: Sunday 10 th September 2017 The Tzedek house in Ghana will be open throughout June, July and August You can chose from either of the start dates below, and can chose how many weeks you would like to volunteer for (minimum 4 weeks). Starting dates: June 5th 2017 July 3rd 2017 You will need to be available to attend both an orientation seminar in April and our post trip action day in September. The programme runs in Tamale, the capital of Ghana s Northern Region. To apply, you ll need to fill in our application form and answer a few questions. If we feel you could be appropriate for the programme, we ll then invite you for an interview either in person or via Skype.

4 Why should I volunteer? Tzedek's vision is of a Jewish community actively involved in the reduction of extreme poverty. We believe that by spending meaningful time with the organisations and individuals who are working hard to eradicate extreme poverty in our lifetime, and through seeing first hand how communities are living through the realities of poverty you will be in an incredible position to help inspire our Jewish community to play their part. Many of Tzedek s partner schools and organisations rely on voluntary support, both from within Ghana and from around the world. With your unique skills, interests and experience, we will connect you with one of our partners to ensure you can add value to and support the work they are doing in Tamale. Rabbi Tarfon taught: "It is not your responsibility to finish the work, but you are not free to desist from it either" (Pirkei Avot 2:16) Why can t I do less than 4 weeks in Ghana? We want you to have a meaningful and memorable time in Ghana, but we also want to ensure that you really can add value to the organisation or school you are placed with. The more time you spend with our partners, the more involved and informed about their work you will become and the better placed you will be to support their work. If you volunteer for less than 4 weeks, by the time you ve settled in it to both Tamale and your host organisation, it would be time to say goodbye again! Why do we interview participants? We interview everyone before accepting them onto our programme. This is ensure a few things: 1. That your skills and experience mean you ll be able to add value in your volunteering placement 2. That you are open minded, patient, and have the right attitude for volunteering in Ghana 3. That you ll be able to return to the UK and inspire others to action

5 What will I be doing in Ghana? Participants are placed with Tzedek s partner organisations for internships of 4 to16 weeks, based on your skills, experience and interests. You ll be placed in a school, a clinic, or another Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), working with that organisation s staff and the communities they are involved with - learning about and contributing to on-going development projects. See below for examples of what some of participants have done in the last few years: Yoni Cohen volunteered with Tzedek s partner school Ambition for the Needy an amazing school staffed almost entirely by volunteers, and with very few resources. Ambition has no bathroom, computers or extra stationary and often there are not enough teachers for each class. When Ambition breaks for the summer, there are no provisions for the community s children. Yoni was able to support the school through assisting the teaching of English, maths and science across some of the younger year groups. When term ended, Yoni helped to organise a holiday club for the children, where they were able to engage in productive and creative activities including improving their football skills! David Gold, a 4 th year medical student, volunteered at the Shekinah Clinic. A small clinic serving 20,000 patients, some have to wait for 2 weeks before getting an appointment and can travel 60km by foot to get there! Patients who come here can often not afford the 5 required for malaria treatment. David was able to support the work in the outpatients clinic assisting with making an accurate diagnosis for a patient with very limited resources at hand. Working in the Shekinah Clinic allowed David experience medical situations completely new to him, and greatly added to his experience as a medical student.

6 Raz Benson volunteered with human rights advocacy organisation THUHDEG, who work with the most vulnerable in Ghana s Northern Region, including women who have been accused of witchcraft and cast out of their communities. With a very small team, Raz was able to greatly support THUHDEG s administrative work, developing and carrying out a survey which would reveal what the women in the communities THUHDEG works with need support with the most. Lucy Cohen volunteered with GIGDEV, a vocational training centre for young women who are no longer in formal education. The women here, often with children, are taught hair dressing, tailoring and computer skills, so they are able to confidently enter the working world. Lucy supported GIGDEV s work through teaching the women basic English every morning a skill which is extremely important in business in Ghana. There are many volunteering placements available to suit your particular skills, experience and interest. See the following example of Eli Gaventa: Eli Gaventa, a photography student, volunteered in Tamale for Tzedek, producing a series of films and professional photographs for our ongoing educational and fundraising work in the UK. Eli spent time with many of Tzedek s partners in the region, documenting the work they are doing to help people lift themselves out of extreme poverty. These films are used today by Tzedek to help raise awareness about projects Tzedek supports, and to encourage further fundraising to help out partners continue their work in Ghana and around. the world.

7 Where will I be living? Tzedek will be renting a house in Tamale for all of our volunteers. This accommodation will have access to running water and electricity (most of the time!), a communal kitchen and living spaces. The house will be basic, and you will likely be sharing a bedroom with another volunteer. Each volunteer will have their own bed, with bed posts to hang up your mosquito net. The Tzedek accommodation will be in a secure compound with watchmen on site 24 hours a day. How will I keep kosher and observe Shabbat? The Ghana Project is a Jewish programme. We enable our participants to keep fully kosher and observe Shabbat, if they so wish. Although it is not possible to obtain food under Rabbinic supervision, food that is vegetarian and/or prepared under your own supervision will always be available. Volunteers may, of course, bring nonperishable food with them, and you can buy cheap utensils very easily. It will be possible for all volunteers to observe Shabbat according to the level of halachic practice that they ordinarily keep. The same is true of any festivals and fast days (such as Tisha b Av) that might fall during the volunteer period. Our Programme Coordinator will be available to support any participants with issues regarding their observance. What is there to do in Tamale? When you re not volunteering, you ll get a chance to explore the sights and sounds of Tamale, a vibrant and bustling city. In the evenings you can try out Tamale s many bars and restaurants, meeting other members of the international community and meeting new people from Tamale and beyond. Optional trips to visit Tzedek s partner projects outside of Tamale will be organised by your Programme Coordinator. On your weekends you can also leave Tamale and visit some of Ghana s spots of natural beauty including the Kintampo Waterfalls and Mole National Park. Each week, members of your group will work with your Programme Coordinator on educational sessions. These sessions focus on specific international development issues and how they relate to our Jewish values. You re topic will be based on your placement and the issues raised throughout your volunteering experience, and will be supported throughout by the Programme Coordinator.

8 What does the Programme Coordinator do? The Programme Coordinator s role is to support the safety and well-being of participants, and to set up and coordinate your placements in Ghana. He/she will facilitate educational sessions and conversations, and support your personal development. If any problems arise within your volunteering placement, the Programme Coordinator will work with you and your placement supervisor to solve any difficulties. And the Coordinator will ensure that you are orientated when you first arrive into Tamale, and will be on hand 24 hours a day to answer any questions you have whilst in Ghana. How will I be prepared for my volunteering experience? You ll be given a thorough pre-departure orientation in London by former volunteers and experts in international development. The Orientation is important for a deeper understanding of the programme, an introduction to the Programme Coordinator and to the work that you ll be doing in Tamale, Ghana. Together we ll discuss our expectations of the programme and how to be responsible volunteers. We ll learn about some of the cultural differences between the UK and Ghana, and look at how to be culturally aware whilst overseas. On arrival in Ghana, you are met by our Programme Coordinator who will give a local induction and introduce you to your placement. They will give you continued support throughout your time there. The cost of the orientation is included in the price of The Ghana Project. And what happens when I get back? In September we will be hosting our Action Day - which will take place in London, to de-brief about your experiences, discuss the next-steps with Tzedek and further volunteering opportunities as well as your first reunion and a chance to catch-up with each other. We hope that alumni of the programme will continue to be involved in Tzedek s work, sharing their experiences with the UK Jewish community and helping us fundraise for all our projects in Africa and Asia. We will work with you to help run educational sessions or run awareness raising events about your experiences with your community/university/movement/workplace. Through our alumni network, you ll be connected to other individuals who are passionate about international development, and be invited to all of Tzedek s alumni network events including speaker nights and film screenings.

9 How much does the programme cost? The fee for a six week experience in Tamale (Ghana) is 2,500. This covers: Clean, basic accommodation in Tamale (with 24 hour security, and facilities for keeping kosher) UK pre-programme orientation seminar UK post-programme follow-up seminar Basic travel insurance A full-time programme coordinator in Ghana & staff in the UK to support you A meaningful placement during your time in Ghana Educational evening sessions For a four week experience, the fee is 1,900. Other costs which you are responsible for will include: Ghanaian Visa Vaccinations and anti-malarial medication Flights (to and from Ghana, and within Ghana) Food & drink (and tips) Transport to and from the airport of departure in the UK Transport within Ghana Any activities not included in the itinerary Can I fundraise some of the programme fee? Absolutely. We can offer you plenty of guidance and support to fundraise any of all of the fee. We want to ensure you to get to share your skills and passion in Tamale this summer. If you would like to fundraise part or all of your fee, just let us know. For any questions regarding financial implications of The Ghana Project, please call Ben Salamon in Tzedek s office.

10 Sounds great! But am I right for this programme? The ideal candidate will have: A positive and open approach to working as a volunteer A commitment to learning, sharing and developing personally An inventive and flexible approach to solving practical problems using limited resources The self-confidence to be sufficiently independent and to deal with people and challenging circumstances with calmness and humour Commitment to international development and Tikun Olam I contributed what I could as I was teaching street children, but what I received from my trip to Ghana was priceless. I discovered a fascinating country, made wonderful new friends - but most importantly, this trip changed my perspective on the cosy life we live in Europe. Michael B (Ghana)