Film and Photography VolunteeringGhana

Volunteers live in the heart of an African village and play a vital role in the charity’s life changing development work. To read more about the charity click here.

Use your photography or film skills to promote community achievements and produce media to directly support the charity’s community initiatives. You may be asked to help capture images of the local people, the village and local lifestyle. You will be given a specific project to complete by the charity on arrival.

Current photographs and films are needed for promotional purposes including the charity website, sponsorship, fundraising and other literature, with the vital role of engaging supporters and donors. They are used to publicise the charity as well as providing a means of feedback for current donors so they can see the project developments, helping to form an important link between supporters and the community.

The charity also creates locally produced films to educate the community on health and social issues, so volunteers work with the local team to help with scriptwriting, casting, producing and editing short educational films. The team then tours schools in the local area and uses the films to educate children, teachers and the community. The films may even be shown on a large screen using a generator; a big local event!

“We love our volunteers and the community welcomes them with open arms! They are a key part of the charity and the team in Ghana. They help the local team assist and reach more communities by giving their time and energy”
Neil, Charity Director

Other roles

The charity also needs Community volunteers and it's possible to combine the two roles.

If you have specialist skills, the team can create a bespoke volunteering placement for you and maximise your impact. This includes builders, carpenters, mechanics, electricians, doctors, nurses, healthcare professionals, teachers, project managers and marketing specialists. Just get in touch to find out more.

Typical day

In your first few days in the village you will have an amazing introduction and welcome ceremony with the Chief, Elders and the community as well as an induction for your role and living in Ghana.

Volunteers normally work 5 days a week with 2 days off. Working days generally start at 8am and finish at 4pm. The filming takes place in and around the community and transport will be arranged when needed. The school and kindergarten are located within a few minutes’ walk of the volunteer accommodation.

On your days off, there are lots of fun free time activities to do.

Other volunteers

There are usually 1-5 volunteers, with a maximum of 20 when there are larger groups.

Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) award

This placement has been approved by the DofE as meeting the requirements for the Residential section of the Gold Award.

Child Protection

Pod is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults - please see our Child and Vulnerable Adults Protection Policy. All volunteers are required to have a criminal records check, which we will arrange with you.

Local support

You will be supported by the friendly and experienced local team. Aikins is the Operations Director and grew up in the local community so is a great source of advice and help for volunteers.

Volunteers live in the heart of the community, opposite the village primary school, in shared dormitories.

There is an outside communal area and kitchen where volunteers can cook, eat and socialise; there is also an inside kitchen with a fridge and a social area next door to the volunteer bedrooms.

There is intermittent mobile internet access in the village.

Meals

Volunteers visit the local market weekly to buy food and take it in turns to cook meals for the rest of the group. A member of the local team is also available to offer any help you might need with cooking or to teach you a few Ghanaian meals!

Here are typical examples of the food you will have: 

• Breakfast – toast, spreads and porridge 
• Lunch and Dinner – you will be provided with basic ingredients for you to use such as pasta, rice, potatoes, beans, noodles, sauces, fresh local fruits and vegetables. Meat is a luxury in the village and is rarely eaten

Vegetarians and vegans are welcomed and can be catered for.

Volunteers buy bottled drinking water.  

You will need to fly into Accra (ACC).

You will be met on arrival at Accra Airport and stay one night in Accra, before being driven to the village which takes about 2.5 hours.

Location and free time

The projects are based in a friendly village in the heart of rural, tropical Africa. The village is home to 400 members of the community and most are subsistence farmers. It is a very welcoming community and they love having volunteers helping in the village. Culturally it is very important to take time to greet the members of community and talk to them.

Volunteers usually spend afternoons reading in the hammocks and evenings relaxing playing card games, enjoying a weekly meal with a local family, visiting the vibrant local market or making a trip to a local bar once a week.

In their free time, volunteers can explore more of vibrant and friendly Ghana. Whether that’s Shai Hills nature reserve, historical Cape Coast and Elmina Castle or the tropical Volta Region – there is plenty to see! The nearby city of Koforidua has a weekly bead market that draws bead buyers and sellers from all over the region and is a popular place for volunteers to visit on a day off. Boti falls and Umbrella Rock in the Yilo Krobo District of Ghana and Aburi Botanic Gardens are also popular destinations, or for the more adventurous, Kakum National Park has a canopy walk through the treetops. These activities are best booked locally once you are at the project.

Climate

The Eastern region of South Ghana has a year-round tropical climate, being hot and humid throughout the year. The dry months are from November to March and in July and August, with the heaviest rains typically falling from April through to June. Temperatures are typically around 25-30˚C, reaching up to 38˚C on a hot day and lows of 19˚C on a cold night. Even during the rainy season, Ghana can still enjoy averages of 5 hours of sun a day and downpours are usually powerful but shortlived.

Travelling in Ghana before or after your placement

Ghana is widely regarded as one of the most friendly and safe destinations in western Africa. It is an ideal destination for first-time visitors to Africa. In the heart of West Africa, it is an exciting country to volunteer in and experience traditional life in a beautiful relaxed environment. Popular activities in Ghana that you might like to combine with your project include:

• Exploring the fascinating local sights such as Umbrella Rock
• Visiting Accra and learning about the history of the city
• Exploring historic Cape Coast 
• Visiting Larabanga Mosque and Mole National Park 

For more information on Ghana and some of the things we loved when we visited there please see our Ghana country page. This also features all our other Ghana volunteering projects as you might like to consider combining this project with one of the others we offer to make a trip of a lifetime! 

Mareike 

"The beauty of Ghana and its people is a paradise for a photographer. Since social media activities can be an important and influential tool to present milestones of ongoing projects, I can highly recommend bringing your film and photography skills to the astonishing landscape of Ghana, to contribute to the development of a great community in the middle of nowhere by capturing and sharing what you experience. Your support will be appreciated very much!

I love the fact that my film and photography footage has been used and will be used in the future on both, website and social media channels of the project, which is my contribution to making a difference."

Kamaria 

"From landing in Accra being greeted with the friendly face of Aikins, I knew that this project was where I was meant to be. I can honestly say that it was one of the best experiences that I have had. The culture of Ghana is one of a kind, they are so friendly and welcoming to every individual.

I was given mainly video projects to work on within the two weeks I was there, where I was able to understand the Ghanaian culture and get to know many people in the community. It was a very laid-back and stress free environment to volunteer in. After the two weeks had ended I felt like I could have stayed for months."

Lucie 

"Pod were recommended to me by a friend. I checked out the site and thought the pre-trip information was great, made me feel very at ease, so I stuck with them and wasn't disappointed.

Whilst in Ghana I felt very looked after, I felt part of a community. The accommodation was comfortable, the team were amazing and very helpful. I had an amazing time volunteering. I feel enriched with being around a new culture and such amazing people.

It was an amazing experience overall and would do it again! It's something I would recommend to anyone as a life must! Go for it, you will have a great time!"

Grace 

“I had the most wonderful time volunteering at the Film & Photography project. The people were incredibly friendly and welcoming and I felt like I was part of the team. The month I spent volunteering in Ghana was the most rewarding experience of my life. The amazing people working for this project improve people’s lives every single day and I’m so happy to have been a part of that.

I had a fantastic time working with the children and making films for the project. I also loved the opportunity to fully immerse myself in a culture completely different from the one I know, it was a truest eye opening experience that I would recommend to everyone."

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