Film and photography volunteering in Ghana

Environment

Social responsibility: Before volunteers depart we provide them with a detailed information pack on the area they will be visiting. We try to educate and encourage our volunteers to understand and respect the local cultures and customs and get involved with local communities.

Economic responsibility: For over 10 years we have been providing volunteers to help at charitable projects around the world. A UK charity has now been launched to build on this success by providing financial assistance to overseas causes as well. The organisations we work with are often struggling to fund the work they are doing so every penny raised makes a real difference.

The majority of the fee that volunteers pay goes directly to the project which provides employment for local staff. While volunteers are in-country, we encourage them to buy locally and support local businesses.

Environmental responsibility: One of the main negative impacts of our volunteers travelling, is the carbon dioxide created from flights. We work with a 'carbon neutral' charity to help ensure that an amount of carbon is sequestered through tree planting or the promotion of low energy technologies.

Volunteers are accommodated in simple shared accommodation with low environmental impact. While our volunteers and customers are overseas, we identify and encourage simple steps to minimise their impact on the local environment.

Community

The charity started their work in the community in Ghana in 2006 when they completed their first well which allowed a village of around 300 people to access safe drinking water. Since then they have expanded into helping other villages by building wells and school toilets through community partnership projects.

They actively promote health education through school and community seminars. In 2007 the charity built an information centre, health centre and library which helps to educate the community on health, hygiene, sanitation and family planning while working in partnership with local government staff.

Although education is free in Ghana pupils are required to have shoes and a uniform in order to attend and for some of the poorest families this is not financially possible. The charity works alongside the local Head Masters to identify the families most in need and has provided over 700 school scholarships in over 60 remote villages. Volunteers provide additional English lessons at the local schools.

The charity has built a strong long term relationship with the villagers and has built a new health centre, well and toilets within the community working alongside local partners. Volunteers are welcomed into the village individually by the village Chief including a special drinking ceremony and after this you are under the protection of the Chief during your stay!

This trip has been screened against our policies for working with vulnerable children.