Accra, Ghana
About the Volunteer Work
For our first cohort in Ghana, who will begin their service-learning on January 19, 2015, we seek just 10 pioneers who themselves will develop the volunteer opportunities for years and years of cohorts to come. You won’t just be participating in TEN, you’ll be building it. We seek volunteers with an entrepreneurial spirit, who will build up this TEN program from scratch and incorporate their vision, values, and ideals into the DNA of the new center.
The new center in Ghana is being developed in partnership with Habonim Dror and the local NGO “Challenging Heights.”
You will work with “Challenging Heights” to develop the volunteer opportunities. Challenging Heights was founded by, and is headed by, Mr. James Kofi Annan, who himself was a survivor of child trafficking and child labor before rising to graduate from university, become a bank manager, found Challenging Heights, and win numerous international awards.
Challenging Heights promotes the rights, education, and health of children, in order to ensure them a secure, dignified future. The organization aims to deliver social justice interventions to children, women, and underserved communities in the coastal and farming communities of Ghana. This includes rescue, rehabilitation, and reintegration of children who have been trafficked into the fishing industry, and creating community awareness on these issues in order to prevent trafficking and re-trafficking of children. Challenging Heights also contributes to policy and spreading awareness and public discourse on issues affecting Ghanaian children. Additionally, the organization runs a school for more than 700 children who are survivors of child trafficking or who are at-risk of child trafficking.
Challenging Heights has identified needs for particular programs, but these programs do not yet exist. The first TEN cohort in Ghana will work to build these programs with local partners:
- Helping women in the shore communities to run businesses: creating programs and identifying areas for growth.
- Building after-school sports programs that teach sportsmanship, tolerance, and self-empowerment.
- Developing a community poultry farm and teaching community members about nutrition and how to raise poultry with self-sustaining business practices.
- Volunteering in the after-school and evening programs at the Challenging Heights school: tutoring, homework center, teaching, cultural programs, music programs, etc.
- Teaching computer skills (hardware/software) to young people ages 16 to 24, to strengthen their employment skills and independence.
What is Project TEN?
Investing in Social Change
"תן", pronounced "Ten," is the Hebrew word for "Give."
It is also the name of a Jewish Agency initiative that is revolutionizing the Jewish meaning of giving.
The Jewish Agency's Project TEN: Global Tikkun Olam harnesses the energies and passion of Jewish young adults from Israel and around the world, who spend three months working and learning together in onsite service projects in vulnerable communities throughout the world and in Israel.
By highlighting the Jewish values that speak directly to sustainable development, social justice, and leadership, Project TEN serves as a unique immersive service-learning framework for volunteers wishing to engage in sustainable development as they themselves develop – forming an extensive Jewish identity-building experience. Volunteers in each of our development centers are carefully chosen from all over the world, connecting the global Jewish family to one another and to Israel. Read more
Life at the Center
Life at the Center
The TEN center in Accra is located near the town’s main road, near shops and a restaurant. The center is a large, closed compound with six bedrooms, bathrooms, and a dining/common room. The volunteers will board together with 2-4 in each room, and the atmosphere will be kibbutz-style.
Participants will cook breakfast together, and then go out to their respective volunteer projects. The first cohort will be engaged in building the program, creating the partnerships and volunteer frameworks necessary for future cohorts. Starting with the second cohort, the volunteer projects will involve hands-on work with vulnerable populations. In the afternoons and evenings, participants will prepare lessons and materials for the next day's education work, and spend time in social and Jewish-learning activities. Shabbat will be celebrated together, with some weekends free for traveling.
The water in Accra is clean, but we do not recommend drinking it from just any source. Safe water will be provided at the center, and bottled water is available at stores.
Wireless internet is provided for free in the rooms, though we advise against bringing expensive gadgets with you.
Center Staff
We are accepting applications for the positions of Center Manager, Educational Coordinator, and Project Coordinator for the TEN center in Accra. Job descriptions are below. To apply, send your CV to dafna@tenprogram.org.
Center Manager
Requirements:
- Suitable professional background experience in management of projects/ institutions/ educational organizations/large companies
- Dedication and interest in social and civil involvement, Jewish and Israeli topics and deepening the connection between them.
- Ability to build and lead a team
- Experience in working with a variety of different organizations and the ability to develop personal and professional relationships with leading personalities.
- Experience in work with volunteers and in managing volunteer projects
- Ability to develop and implement complex projects including control and management of budgets
- Experience in managing projects involving young people living together (e.g. summer camps) including the instilling of values, developing interpersonal relationships and feeling of community, and concern for practical issues such as health, security, safety, etc.
- Professional experience and recognized success in informal Jewish education, including training and leading groups
- Communication abilities, human relations, teamwork, and excellent management skills
- Excellent level of English (most of the verbal and written work will take place in English)
- Ability to work under pressure in an intercultural and changing environment
- Ability to work independently, and to develop and implement programs
Preference will be given to those who can commit to staying in the position for 2-3 years.
Advantages:
- Master’s degree in a relevant field (education, Jewish studies, social work, sustainable development etc.)
- Experience in leading varied groups (religious and secular, Israelis and non-Israelis) and/or familiarity with the Jewish world and all its aspects
- Has lived for some time in Ghana and/or has knowledge of additional languages relevant to Ghana.
Education Coordinator
(This is a one-year volunteer position, with all expenses covered.)
Requirements:
- Professional experience and recognized success in informal Jewish education, including training and leading groups
- Knowledge of Jewish literary sources (classic and modern) – Zionist sources and contemporary Israeli culture
- Rich experience in managing volunteers
- Ability to generate cooperative processes with a young audience
- Communication abilities, human relations, teamwork, and excellent management skills
- Excellent level of English (most of the verbal and written work will take place in English)
- Ability to work under pressure in an intercultural and changing environment
- Ability to work independently, and to develop and implement programs
- Can leave in the near future to the destination country (Ghana)
Advantages:
- Master’s degree in a relevant field (education, Jewish studies, social work, sustainable development etc.)
- Experience of leading varied groups (religious and secular, Israelis and non-Israelis) and/or familiarity with the Jewish world and all its aspects
- Has lived for some time in Ghana and/or has knowledge of additional languages relevant to Ghana.
Projects Coordinator
(This is a volunteer position, with all expenses covered.)
Requirements:
- Background in instruction, support and guidance
- Background in volunteer work and social activism
- Communication abilities, human relations, and teamwork
- Excellent level of English (most of the verbal and written work will take place in English)
- Ability to work under pressure in an intercultural and changing environment
- Ability to work independently, and to develop and implement programs
- Advantage: background in international development or knowledge of the field
- Can commit to at least 1 year
- Can leave in the near future to Accra
Program Dates
The first cohort in Accra will start on February 16, 2015 and end on May 19, 2015.
The next Project TEN groups in Accra will take place on the following dates:
- June 1 - August 27, 2015
- Summer Track I: June 1 - July 30, 2015
- Summer Track II: July 1 - August 27, 2015
- September 7 - December 3, 2015
(Dates may change slightly; contact our staff at ten@jafi.org for updates).
Cost
The cost for a three-month Project TEN track is heavily subsidized, and it includes volunteer, social, and learning activities; transportation between the center and your volunteer placement; Internet connection; trips and excursions; and food and lodging. Cost is just under $10 per day, and a total of $900 for a three-month program.
The cost does not include your airfare to the target country, health insurance, visa fees, or vaccinations.
Upon acceptance to the program you will be given instructions to reserve your place with a $75 registration payment through this website, which is included in the total of $900 per track, and not in addition to it. The balance will be paid prior to arrival.
For information about the Pay It Forward Fund, which might subsidize up to 50 percent of your participation costs -- with your pledge to pay back the scholarship to provide aid to future volunteers -- please go to our cost section.
Ghana Culture and Economy
Ghana is a constitutional democracy. Compared to all but a handful of other countries in Africa, it is considered well-governed, stable, and economically successful. It is one of the few countries in Africa with a free press.
Almost all (98%) of the residents of Ghana are Black Africans, but Ghana is otherwise very diverse, with 75 ethnic groups and more than 100 linguistic groups. About half of Ghanaians are of the Akan ethnicity, with the next-largest groups being Dagbani, Mole, Ewe, and Ga-Adangbe.
The official language of the country is English, and it is spoken by more than two-thirds of Ghanaians, but you may hear a variety of indigenous languages on the street. In Accra, you’ll hear the languages of Ga, Twi (pronounced “chwee”), Ewe (pronounced “ayvay”), and Hausa.
More than 70 percent of Ghanaians are Christian, and 17 percent are Muslim.
Accra is the capital of Ghana and its largest city, with a population of 2.27 million in the city itself, and a total of about 4 million in the greater metropolitan area. It is located on the coast and serves as the country’s economic and administrative hub, with a wide range of hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, banks, department stores, and industrial centers.
The city has significant middle- and upper-class populations, but also neglected inner-city neighborhoods that are overcrowded and lack sufficient infrastructure. The poorer populations of Accra face many challenges in areas such as education, social services infrastructure, and environmental protection, toward which Project TEN volunteers can assist.
Practical Details
Visas: Visitors to Ghana from most countries (including the countries from which TEN attracts participants) must obtain a visa in advance from a Ghanaian diplomatic mission (such as in Tel Aviv or Washington, DC). For more details on how to obtain your visa, speak with the TEN coordinators after your acceptance to the program.
Vaccinations: For entry to Ghana you must provide proof of vaccination against yellow fever. As with any international travel, it is prudent to speak with your doctor beforehand about making sure your vaccinations generally are up-to-date, and to determine any specific vaccines you may need based on your specific travel plans (for example, if your itinerary includes countries other than Ghana before or after the TEN program). The website of the Centers for Disease Control (http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/) can help guide you about the questions to ask your doctor.
Climate: The temperature in Accra varies little over the course of the year, ranging from 24 degrees Celsius (76 Fahhrenheit) in August to 28 C (83 F) in March. Note that the winter months, around February-March, are warmer than the summer, but that they are also drier, so they feel cooler. The main rainy season is from April to mid-July; there is a second, weaker rainy season in October. Rain usually occurs in short, intense storms that cause flooding.
Time Zone: Accra is in the UTC +00:00 time zone (Greenwich Mean). It is 3 hours behind Israel, and 4 hours ahead of New York (most of the year).
Dialing Codes: The country code for Ghana is +233.
Currency: The currency of Ghana is the Ghana cedi (GHS or GH?). One cedi is worth one hundred pesewas (Gp). As of September 2014, the value of one cedi is almost equal to an Israeli shekel (.97 of a shekel), or 27 American cents (.27 dollar).
Electricity Supply: Ghana uses 230 V electricity at 50 Hz. The common types of plugs are Type D and Type G. The vast majority of TEN participants will need both a power adaptor (for appliances that do not already accept 230V) and a plug adaptor. We recommend you bring a multi-outlet plug adaptor. A reminder that we suggest minimizing the expensive gadgets you bring on this program.
Sites of Interest
During your three months with Project TEN you will be working very hard at your volunteer service, Jewish learning, and other responsibilities. However, we know that you might be interested in touring the region. If you want to arrive in Hyderabad early, or stay after Project TEN, and visit the sites on your own time, you are welcome to do so.
In Accra:
- National Museum: Set in pleasant grounds, the national museum features excellent displays on various aspects of Ghanaian culture and history. The displays on local crafts, ceremonial objects and the slave trade are particularly noteworthy. (Review by Lonely Planet.)
- Makola Market: There is no front door or welcoming sign to the Makola Market. Before you know it, you've been sucked by the human undertow from the usual pavements clogged with vendors hawking food, secondhand clothes and shoes to the market itself. For new arrivals to Africa, it can be an intense experience, but it’s a fun Ghanaian initiation rite. (Review by Lonely Planet.)
- Labadi Beach: This is where Accra residents love to congregate and party at weekends. It does get extremely crowded, and the pumping music, food smells and heat can all become a bit too much but there is no denying that this is typical Ghana-style partying. Labadi is about 8km east of Accra; to come here, take a tro-tro (minibus) at Nkrumah Circle in Central Accra or along the Ring Road. (Review by Lonely Planet.)
- Bojo Beach: quieter and rated cleaner than Labadi, this beach is the place to go for relaxation. (Recommended by TripAdvisor.)
- Jamestown Lighthouse: For a great view of the city and the busy and colourful fishing harbour (haze and pollution permitting), climb to the top of the old Lighthouse near James Fort. (Review by Lonely Planet)
- History of Slavery Walking Tour: Discover the history and heartbreak of slavery in Ghana on this poignant 3-hour tour of Accra’s former slave forts, and its museums dedicated to the history of slavery. With a knowledgeable guide, explore two former forts whose cramped chambers once imprisoned countless slaves. See the dungeons of James Fort; view chilling slave-era artifacts at Ussher Fort Museum; and visit the poignant Brazil House Museum of History while learning about this horrific human trade and how it still impacts on Ghana today. (Review by Lonely Planet.)
- Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park: Pleasant park and memorial museum dedicated to the leader of Ghana’s independence movement. (Recommended by TripAdvisor.)
- Marvels: Miniature golf and other outdoor and indoor games, ice-cream, pretty gardens, and a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere. (Recommended by TripAdvisor.)
Outside Accra:
Ghana's varied geography includes savannas, woodlands, forests, a coastal line, springs, cave systems, mountains, estuaries, wildlife parks, and nature reserves. The country is a wonderful destination for backpackers, hikers, and cyclists, and offers many sites where you can learn more about the rich cultures of West Africa.
Helpful phrases in Twi
How are you? – Eti sen?
I’m fine. – Eh ya.
What is your name? – Ye fro wo sen?
Good morning – maa chi
Good afternoon – maa ha
Good evening – maa jo
Foreigner – oburoni
How much does this cost? – Wa ye sen?
What is the fare? – Wo bay jay sen?
Reduce it. – Te so.
Sorry – Koo se
Thank you – Me daa si
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Questions
For any questions, please write to us at ten@jafi.org