Volunteer Care Projects with Children Overseas in Ghana

Ghana is a fantastic place to spend time volunteering abroad with children in orphanages and day care centers. Bordering the Gulf of Guinea in West Africa, Ghana is a country of rich natural resources and ancient traditions. However, due to the onslaught of HIV/AIDS, which has left many children with no family members to care for them, there is a low life expectancy and high infant mortality rates.

The number of orphans in Ghana is a massive problem for the country's rudimentary social welfare services. In the orphanages that do exist, staff struggle with limited resources to feed, clothe, and educate the children in their care. Staff all too often simply don’t have the time to provide the individual love and attention that these children need so they can have as normal a childhood as possible.

Voluntary care work in Ghana is an ideal way to get involved and help improve the welfare of the children. You can contribute toward this important development work during a gap year or career break, or as a worthwhile way to spend a vacation. Volunteers with qualifications and experience are welcome but you do not need to have either to volunteer. Energy, passion, and commitment to the work at hand are all that you need.

Volunteer ProfileNatalie Raperport

At the orphanage, it was clear how much they relied on help from volunteers, which made me feel that my time was really appreciated and all my work worthwhile. I can’t recommend volunteering highly enough, as it is some of the most satisfying work that I have ever done in my life! Read more...

Voluntary Community Development Work in Orphanages and Care Centers with Projects Abroad

We have various different volunteer options for you in Ghana, working in both orphanages and care homes. We work in a number of areas, from the urban Accra, Ghana’s capital city, to more rural locations, such as the Akuapem Hills. There are also Care placements available in Cape Coast, Koforidua, and Kumasi.

Volunteer with orphans in Ghana Whether you are taking a group out for an afternoon on the beach, helping older children with school homework, or playing a game with the younger ones, you will be an important part in their development. Any extra interests or skills that you have can be put to good use, so please let our local staff know about them when you apply.

Up to five volunteers work in the country's largest state-run orphanage in Accra, looking after around 150 children. Each volunteer is assigned to a particular house, or to the nursery, in order to get to know a small group of the children well.

We also have placements in smaller care homes, day care centers, and a home for mentally and physically disabled children. Volunteers can work with HIV and AIDS patients on our challenging HIV/AIDS Project as well.

Volunteering on a Special Needs Care Placement in Ghana

While we have a placement at a home specifically for mentally and physically disabled children, you may also find that there are some children with disabilities in the orphanages and other care placements sites as well.

In whichever volunteer Care project in Ghana you find yourself, you need to be ready for a challenge. Many of the children are desperate for attention and there will undoubtedly be children present who have health problems and who need special attention due to disabilities. It is in the role of spending time with the children, playing with them, and putting smiles on their faces that Projects Abroad volunteers are most valuable.

Volunteer orphanage work in Ghana

This project is available for less than a month if you don't have time to join us for a month or more. This project has been selected by our local colleagues as being suitable for shorter durations for both the host community and the volunteer. Although you will gain valuable cultural insight and work intensely within the local community please be aware that you may not be able to make the same impact as someone participating for a longer period.

If you would like to get more involved with projects in local Ghanaian communities, you should also look into our exciting Community Building Project, Community Farming Project, and Community Sports Project.