WORKING HOLIDAY: Internship & Voluntary Work

1. WORKING HOLIDAY: Internship & Voluntary Work Ghana the preferred destination

2. The Republic of Ghana is bordered by the Ivory Coast in the West, Burkina Faso in the north, Togo in the east and the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean in the south. • The Capital: AccraMain Cities: Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, TakoradiPopulation: 25.9 millionSize: 238,535 sq km (92,098.9 sq miles)Major Religion: ChristianityMain Language: EnglishClimate: TropicalLife Expectancy from birth: men - 60.31 years, women - 61.31years (GDHS, 2014)Dialing Code: +233Emergency Numbers: 191 (Police) 192/999 (Fire) 193 (Ambulance) Facts & statistics about Ghana

3. Currency: Ghanaian CediSymbols: GH₵, GH¢ISO 4217 Code: GHSCentral Bank: Bank of GhanaCurrency Sub-Units: Pesewa = 1/100 of a CediDenominations: GH₵1, 5, 10, 20, 50Coins: 1, 5, 10, 20, 50Gp. GH₵1 Currency

4. Ghanaians can be divided into four main regional groups namely:  Mole-Dagbani, of the Northern Region • Ewe, east of Lake Volta • Ga-Adangbe, of the East • Akan (including the Anyi, Asante/Ashanti, Baule, Fante and Guang), who live across the south and centre of Ghana and comprise more than half the population. Local Culture

5. Ghanaian national dresses include, kente cloth and smock which are source of common identity and pride. these are handwoven into intricate patterns from brilliantly colored silk. Unlike the smock ,men drape the kente around their bodies and women wear both mostly as a two-piece outfit. • Ghana is a multilingual country in which about eighty languages are spoken. Of these, English, which was inherited from the colonial era, is the official language. •  In addition to the official language, which is English, The Akan languages of Twi, Ashanti and Fante are commonly spoken across the country. • There are nine government sponsored languages supported by the Bureau of Ghana languages which was established in 1951. These are Akan, Ewe, Dagbani, Dangme, Dagaare, Ga, Nzemaa, Kasem and Gonja. Clothing & Languages

6. One should always greet people from right to left, and always with your right hand. Your palms should always be properly aligned for greeting people when going right-to-left. Always follow this order, regardless of the age, gender or status of the people you are greeting.Always use your right hand to give and receive items, and to eat. In the Ghanaian culture, the left hand is considered inappropriate. It is a common practice to give money in shops with your right hand while at the same time receiving your purchase into the same hand.Throughout Ghana when visiting villages and towns it’s customary for visitors to pay their respects to the local Chief when they visit. The Chief has been elected to this position usually by a council of elders, however the elders do have the power to overrule a chief’s decision if he acts inappropriately.Ensure that you are not wasteful in any way during your time in Ghana. Every little thing in Africa has value. You will notice that the rubbish bins in homes and hotels are tiny, as not much is considered waste. It’s appreciated to offer anything that has no value to you, to any person, anywhere politely without the recipient feeling offended by your gesture. Etiquette & Customs

7. The constitution in Ghana provides for the freedom of religion, and religious tolerance in the country is relatively high, allowing people to practice whatever faith tradition they desire.Christianity is the largest religion in Ghana with approximately 72% of the population being members of various Christian denominations as per the 2010 census. The major Christian celebrations of Christmas and Easter are recognized as national holidays in Ghana. Additionally, nearly 18% per cent of Ghanaian citizens practice some form of Islam. Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, is observed by Muslims in Ghana and important traditional occasions are celebrated. Religion

8. Greet with a right handed handshake. In Ghana, the direct, “let’s get to business” approach is considered rude. Always exchange pleasantries and enquire about family before beginning to transact any business; this will be appreciated. You should only refer to your colleagues using first names after being invited to do so. While older people generally prefer to be addressed formally, you will find that the younger generations speak to one another more casually. • Initial business meetings in Ghana are about business associates getting to know each another and working out whether a future business relationship is likely to work on a personal level. Therefore you should expect to spend a fair amount of time on relationship and rapport building and you shouldn’t be surprised if no actual business matters are discussed in that first meeting. First Meetings

9. Dress as you would for a business meeting in any part of the world. Timekeeping in Ghana is far more flexible than it is in Western societies and punctuality is not overly important. Therefore you should not expect your meeting to start on time and if you have more than one meeting planned in a day, ensure that you leave enough time to allow your first meeting to overrun, as it’s typical for a meeting to start late and over run.Ghanaians do not like to say no, or to give bad news and as a result, proverbs and analogies are often used so the message is conveyed in a way which seems less blatant or direct. Silence is also not unusual. If someone is not comfortable with a question or if they think their response will not be liked or appreciated, they will say nothing rather than making the other person feel uncomfortable.Business cards are exchanged at meetings without a formal ritual. Present and receive business cards with the right hand, never the left. Business Meetings

10. Address Ghanaians by their academic, professional, or honorific title and their surname until you are invited to address them by their first name only.  • Ghanaian names consist of several given names and surnames based on the language of ethnic groups in Ghana. Children are given a “day name” which corresponds to the day of the week they were born. The day names have further meanings concerning the soul and character of the person. Middle names have considerably more variety and can refer to their birth order, twin status, or an ancestor’s middle name. These names are also used among Ghanaians living abroad and among Africans living in the diaspora who wish to identify with their ancestral homeland. Names

11. Ghanaian business culture is hierarchical and people gain respect as a result of age, experience, wealth and their position within a company. Older people are viewed as being wise and not addressing seniors appropriately is a faux pas in Ghanaian business circles. Senior business people tend to be in charge of making decisions in the best interests of their company.In Ghana, as in other hierarchical societies, managers may take a paternalistic attitude to their employees, which may demonstrate a concern for employees that goes beyond the workplace and professional concerns. This can include involvement in their family, housing, health, and other practical life considerations. Managing Ghanaian Employees

12. In the main cities many people speak English, which was mentioned earlier to be Ghana’s official language.It is ideal to have a car, as there are not too many ways to get around since there is not a reliable public transport system within the cities. Public transport is mainly made up of “trotros” which are basically very cheap mini vans, and also taxi cabs. These are not too expensive, however they are not metered, and so sharp bargaining skills are required. You won’t find buses with designated stops or trains and trams.You need to remember that Ghana is a developing country and what you may have previously taken for granted can be considered as luxury here.Ensure that you take out healthcare insurance. You can also join private clinics at a price. It’s important to remember that if you don’t have the money for hospital, as harsh as this sounds, it could be fatal.Unfortunately, it is hard to get a job in Ghana when you do not have the links to an agency or are not part of a local network. In reality you are unlikely to get the same salary as you are used to, however, you are likely to get some benefits which could equal your salary once these have been taken into consideration. However, even with a lower salary, you should still be able to live comfortably in Ghana.  • Prepare for the weather! Air conditioning and a fan are an absolute must in this all year round tropical climate.  Relocation advice

13. Ghana is a preferred destination to many who wish to volunteer, do their internship and tourist. Some of the reasons are the hospitable and peaceful nature of the people & culture, political stability, very lovely tourism etc. The mouth watering dishes, music, festival and many more are so colorful that it will make you choose Ghana as a destination you want to visit every year.   Why Ghana the preferred destination

14. HELP RESTORE INTERNATIONAL ( HRI) is a registered Non-Governmental Organization which is focused on providing support to the civil society in Ghana. We are here to: help youth grow into healthy, productive adults and citizens, care employs a rights-based and comprehensive approach that considers all the inputs a young person needs throughout their life. Our decades of experience with youth programming spans from girls’ education to health to economic development and more. We address specific and diverse needs of young people, ensuring they have access to the information, resources and support they need to escape poverty for good. HELP RESTORE INTERNATIONAL Ghana has been confirmed by United Nations under Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). We have been Granted Special Consultative Status on 27th July 2012 at United Nations Headquarters New York USA and also has partnership with World Bank Group since 2012. • We have also resolved to give diasporas opportunity to experience Ghana through our working holiday program i.e. non paid internship and voluntary work. About HRI

15. HRI has a wide range of opportunities for students who need time abroad to complete their academic course work and want hands on internship abroad in Ghana. In Ghana more opportunities are given to such students. Since internship forms part of students academic orientation, we carefully select placement that will help our interns fulfil their mandate and get value for the trip. They can also come along with their academic papers to be signed for them.  Internship

16. It is worthwhile and heart fulfilling to give back to society your time, energy, money etc. once in a lifetime. Our organization provides diasporas the platform to volunteer in Ghana as an important avenue for learning and direct exposure. The program can be accessed by high school students, university students, professionals , retired people and others interested in volunteering. There are no massive restrictions because we believe everybody can offer something for the benefit of others. One’s academic qualification is not a barrier to volunteering. We only require people to have interest , passion and a good state to mind to volunteer. However, in technical areas like health, education etc. placement is done based on competence. Voluntary Work

17.  Placement to various field is based on self interest, experience, qualification and competence. The following are the field placements: • Health • Education • Religion • Social Work • Others Placement Areas

18. Volunteers responsibilities varies from volunteer to volunteer based on their level of education, year spent at school (second year in the nursing or medical school), their experiences and the likes. Responsibilities or Pre-Med volunteer is different from the nursing /medical students and for medical professional like Doctors, Physiotherapist etc. but in general, we make responsibility for volunteers’ flexible to meet their interest and course of study to benefit them. Responsibility

19. The number of hours spent at work ranges between 6-8 hours of work a day, but some volunteers may opt for more working hours. Working Hours

20. Host FamilyThis type of accommodation is the most preferred by volunteers. Because it gives the volunteer opportunity to be an integral part of a local family where these local host families will be responsible for their feeding, room and security. Unlike hotel where you are on your own, host family provide volunteers with more than what hotel offers. • Apartments The use of apartment is one of the accommodation used by some volunteers, this type of accommodation is not commonly used by volunteers during their short stay with us in Ghana. But preferably volunteers staying for long time like three months or more might opt for this kind. We provide a bed, a place to cook any food of your choice, cleaning and laundry. This option allows them to have more privacy,  Accommodation

21. Monthly price quotation

22. Address : P.O.Box 406, Agona Swedru, Ghana Location: Opposite Town hall, Stadium Junction, AgonaSwedru Tel: +233 24 4879878, 233 244844320,+1(516)-707-0294 Website: www.helprestoreinternational.org Email : info@helprestoreinternational.org helprestore@outlook.com HRI Contact