The Glory of Ghana

The Glory of Ghana: The town of Ho is the home base for your Globe Aware program. Ho is the capital of the Volta region, a city close to some of Ghana’s most beautiful natural treasures. This is the ancestral home of the Ewe people. Sites you’ll explore in your free time and through organized activities include a famous Kente weaving village and open market, the tallest mountain in Ghana, the largest waterfall in West Africa, and more.

Globe Aware works with a local grassroots organization which seeks to help fellow Ghanaians improve the conditions of the vulnerable and deprived through education and other integrated rural development programs. Their mission is to assist rural and urban dwellers in times of natural or man-made disasters by positively impacting education, health, environment, and empowerment of women through cultural diversity programs. Most of your time will be spent in one of the nearby smaller rural communities. There are about 45 different villages in which we work, all within about 40 miles of Ho.

The beautiful area, combined with the history of the Ewe people of Ghana, makes it a place many always want to stay. But despite the natural beauty, Ho and surrounding communities face various challenges ranging from lack of clean water in rural areas to a workforce needing to be more trained in the use of modern tools such as the internet, something many there view as a necessity if Ghana is to progress. There currently needs to be more teachers or facilities to offer free education to all children, many roads are not paved, and the republic is still heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. This is a lovely place to offer your much-needed hand, for, as Lonely Planet writers state: "If an award were given for the country with the friendliest people in West Africa, Ghana would be a strong contender... you'll swear the wind and waves off the Gulf of Guinea have infused the land and people alike with equatorial warmth."

Work Project

Volunteers will work with a locally organized group with projects in numerous surrounding villages. Projects are focused on supporting rural communities through various objectives chosen by the local community. With larger groups, these projects include building school blocks for kindergartners, instruction, or improvement of washrooms and facilities that the children use (often times current conditions are extremely unsanitary.) Most of your time will likely be spent on one of the nearby smaller rural communities for whom you will be helping meet the hygiene needs as part of our Water Sanitation and Hygiene Project. Efforts in Ghana have a great deal of support in the local communities, and volunteers will be cherished and appreciated as they help the people of Ghana, on projects that are important to them, and learn to see and experience their culture in a way that few rarely ever do.

Projects vary depending on the number of volunteers, which projects were finished (or not) with the prior group, what priorities have changed, weather conditions, which supplies are available, and often the interest and fitness level of the volunteers. For these reasons, specific projects are often not fixed until the week prior to your arrival and can even change upon arrival.

SAMPLE GHANA ITINERARY

Food and Lodging

Volunteers are settled together in large home stay facilities in the community in which we are working. Accommodations usually include running water, showers, flushing toilets, and some access to electricity (enough to recharge digital cameras, but the government has instituted rolling blackouts). Hot water cannot be relied upon but is occasionally available. Some of the needier communities in which we work only have access to scoop showers; if this is an urgent issue for you, please check with us ahead of your program. Traditional and delicious Ghanaian meals served to you will include specialties such as Jollof rice (rice, tomatoes, spices, with beef or vegetables) and a variety of other fish, fruit, and vegetables. Ghanaian food is perhaps surprisingly spicy and diverse. There's something delicious for everyone, and for the adventurous the local dishes like Banku and Fufu offer a very unique culinary experience. Bottled or boiled water is provided.

Leisure and Activities

We visit the largest waterfall in West Africa and learn about Ghana's unique Kente tradition of weaving, the "cloth of kings." You will experience African dancing and drumming lessons. You are likely to playing futbol with other volunteers and community members. We make a visit to the old colonial town of Amedzofe, where you can take in the view from the tallest mountain in Ghana. You'll have time to explore all this and enjoy the people of the Volta region as part of your free time and in organized activities. You can choose to watch butterflies, go fishing, and almost certainly participate in some dancing in the streets. You will also become part and parcel of a slower pace of village life.

Arranging Your Airfare

Globe Aware representatives will meet you at our meet-up location at a central hotel in Accra at 11:00 AM on the first Sunday of your program. From the airport, it is roughly a $5-$10 USD taxi ride. The drive to Ho will take around 3 hours. At the end of your week, we will drop you off in central Accra. It is the responsibility of the volunteer to get themselves back to the airport from there. Please do not book flights out of Accra earlier than 11:00 AM.

Safety and Security

Ghana is a safe and stable nation. Cast aside all the prejudices and stereotypes you might hold about Africa. Ghana has never fought a war. Incidents of crime are very low outside of Accra and Kumasi, the two major cities. At independence, Ghana had huge currency reserves and, in the eyes of many world economists, a very bright future. But Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first president and independence hero, along with his supporters, spent a lot of the money helping other African nations gain independence. Ghanaians aren't angry but rather proud of that legacy. That spirit is alive and well in Ghana and, especially if you're coming from a large or midsize American city, you're likely to feel as safe as or safer than home while you're having fun and helping people. But, as always, you should exercise caution. VERY IMPORTANT. A yellow fever vaccination and the accompanying yellow vaccination card signed by the office that provided the vaccine are required to enter almost all African nations.

Regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and measures we are taking to keep our Globe Aware community healthy and safe

Regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and measures we are taking to keep our Globe Aware community healthy and safety

As you undoubtedly know, the coronavirus COVID-19 is current pandemic impacting the whole globe. At Globe Aware, the safety and security of our community and volunteers has always been our top priority. Since the outbreak began, we have been monitoring the COVID-19 situation closely including the travel advisories issued by the U.S. State Department and information updates issued by the Centers for Disease Control in the U.S. and the World Health Organization in Switzerland.

The State Dept has issued an alert recommending against any international travel. This spring, many borders are closed or closing. There is no known end date for these alerts, and the situation is rapidly changing. This situation is SERIOUS but it is also TEMPORARY. Authorities during this pandemic call for social distancing, enhanced precautions worldwide, and for travelers to avoid contact with sick people, monitor health for fever and cough,and be vigilant about hand washing. As of March 2020 there are far more confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States than in any of the countries where we operate, other than China, where have currently suspended our China program. This is clearly an evolving situation and we will continue to watch closely. If there is a need to make any changes to our programs or itineraries, we will certainly communicate with you immediately. The safety and health of your children is obviously our first concern.

The majority of cases are considered mild, those 70 and older and particularly those with underlying health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease are considered at higher risk. Very few children have been effected.

The State Department, the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization have issued regular updates to increase public awareness about lowering the potential risk of spreading the virus. The CDC, WHO, and U.S. Department of State have provided specific advice for international travel, enhanced entry screening procedures at airports nationwide, and detailed guidance to help minimize the spread of the virus in the general public.

Globe Aware, like the airlines, follows the lead of the CDC and State Department recommendations.

The World Health organization has declared this is a pandemic effecting the globe, so whether you are traveling or not, the CDC recommends that Americans:

• Avoid sick people
• Try not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth without washing your hands
• Wash your hands often

Globe Aware’s group insurance policy with Axis addresses the medical care of anyone who might become sick, and would attempt a medical evacuation if medically mandated. For those concerned about trip cancellation/trip interruption, additional coverage can be secured through a variety of sources, including, but not limited to: Nationwide Prime and HTH Gold. In these latter examples, they offer cancellation coverage such that in the case the CDC issues a travel warning to your destination country or region during your trip. Note that in order to be eligible to purchase trip interruption or quarantine coverage, you must also purchase trip cancellation coverage. A good source you can use to evaluate options is: www.squaremouth.com

In view of this we are for the time being making a temporary exception to our cancellation and rebooking policy so that you can be free to postpone your program at any time up until 19 days prior to the planned program start date, without incurring any cancellation fees. You will be issued a credit for future programs valid for 24 months, which can be used on any of our programs. This temporary exception to our standard cancellation policy is applicable for all volunteers who currently have registered and for all new reservations made through June 30, 2020. After this window, your supplies and food have already been purchased on location, accommodations will not reissue credit, therefore rebooking credit will entail deduction of $375 of the program fee.

The process to receive this temporary exception to our cancellation/rebooking policy is as follows:

Notify your intent to postpone by sending an email to office@globeaware.com notifying your original program date and intent to cancel. If you do not receive reply within 24 hours of a business day, call 214-824-4562 to ensure you have received email notification acknowledging receipt of your cancellation.

We hope you will choose to join us as planned. We will continue to update you on any changes in itineraries or circumstance that may be relevant. In the meantime, we hope that this temporary exception to our policy will help put your mind to ease.

A: In order to reserve a spot on a Globe Aware adventure, you will need to send a 50% deposit with your completed application. Your entire balance is due 70 days prior to the start date of the adventure of your choice. We accept most major credit cards (American Express, Visa, Mastercard), money order and personal check.

Refund/Cancellation/Transfer Policy
Take care in choosing your program location and dates. If your plans change, you can cancel. You will get a 100% refund, less a non refundable $500 of the deposit, if you cancel at least 70 days prior to the program's start date. After 70 days, it costs us to replace you because we have sent advances from your contributions to the community. You may elect to apply 100% of the deposit to another program if you transfer to another program within twelve months of the original program start date (no handling penalty or fee will be assessed), if we have not yet sent funds for field costs.  If you would like to transfer a second time, there is an additional $150 change fee in addition to any difference in the minimum contribution fee. Other than this, the deposit is never refundable, unless Globe Aware has to cancel a program. In the rare and unlikely event that Globe Aware has to cancel a program, you will receive a 100% refund, including your deposit.

If you cancel 31 to 69 days prior to the program start date, you will receive a 60% refund of the balance of the minimum contribution fee. If you reschedule you receive no refund however, you will have one year from the original program date to apply the funds to another program. Again the deposit is not refundable.

If you cancel less than 30-7 days from the program start date, you will receive a 25% refund of the balance of the minimum contribution fee. Again the deposit is not refundable.

If you cancel less than 7 days from the program start date, you will receive no refund of the minimum contribution fee. By this time the money has been implemented into specific project for the program. Again the deposit is not refundable.

A: The minimum contribution fee for your program covers the cost of your meals, accommodation, on-site travel (but not airfare), emergency medical evacuation, medical insurance, donations to the various community projects, your orientation package, volunteer coordination, program development, country manager expenses, community team recruitment, logistical support and project consultants.

A: Globe Aware is a public charity, a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt corporation under the U.S. Internal Revenue Service; it is not a private foundation. Not only is your entire minimum contribution fee tax-deductible (to U.S. tax payers), but all other expenses related to your Globe Aware volunteer work are also tax-deductible (such as your airfare, trip cancellation insurance, and other such expenses). These expenses are tax deductible because as a volunteer you are doing the work of Globe Aware.

If you are unsure of your own personal limits on deductions related to your income, it is best to seek counsel from a professional tax advisor. The IRS allows deductions where "there is no significant element of personal pleasure, recreation, or vacation." This means that if you plan significant deviations before or after the Globe Aware program, you may need to seek professional counsel on portions that may not be deductible.

A: The minimum contribution fee for your program covers not only the cost of your meals, accommodation, on-site travel (but not airfare), donations to the various community projects, your orientation package, volunteer coordination, program development, country manager expenses, community team recruitment, logistical support, medical emergency evacuation, medical insurance are included and project consultants. Your entire contribution is used to support Globe Aware sponsored programs and development. By spreading the costs across a number of our programs, Globe Aware is able to assist in projects that would otherwise not be able to exist. No funds are collected from any religious or political organization. Less than 12% of your program fee goes toward overhead and administration.

Administrative Support

Direct Program Costs

Excerpt from: HOW TO LIVE YOUR DREAM OF VOLUNTEERING OVERSEAS
by Joseph Collins, Stefano DeZerega, and Zahara Heckscher
published by Penguin Putnam, Inc, 2002.

Prospective volunteers are surprised to learn that many programs charge their volunteers a fee to participate. At first, this can seem ridiculous - Why should you pay money to work for free? Aren't you already forgoing income you could be making? Here are a few things to keep in mind while trying to understand why the vast majority of programs charge international volunteers a fee:

• The local organizations and projects with which you volunteer overseas have limited resources and are seldom able to subsidize your trip or cover the costs of hosting you. (These costs include housing, feeding and transporting you, among numerous other things.) If they did have the financial resources to pay an international volunteer, it would almost certainly be more beneficial and cost-effective to hire a local person instead, someone who already knows the language and culture and is likely to stick around.
• Identifying appropriate host organizations overseas and working with them is time-consuming, takes resources, and requires an experienced and professional staff.
• The process of preparing, training, transporting, housing, feeding, and supervising volunteers is not cheap. Additional services such as health care, re-entry assistance, travel medical insurance, and more, all add to the expenses of a program.
  The costs of recruiting volunteers, producing literature, answering the phones, sending mailings, developing a web site, and interviewing potential volunteers are significant.

Arranged Volunteerism: "Why pay money to volunteer?"

• Source: American Association of Orthodontists

September 4, 2024

As a second-generation orthodontist, Dr. Drew Lombardi had an orthodontic practice in Fort Lee and Jersey City, New Jersey for 40 years until his transition to retirement in October 2023. Considering how to spend his time in retirement, Dr. Lombardi was eager to use his professional knowledge to give back to people in need.

“When I was in practice, as a way to serve the community I performed dental screenings in local schools and participated in the AAO Donated Orthodontic Services program (now Gifted Smiles),” says Dr. Lombardi. “As a retiree, I liked the idea of doing humanitarian work in other countries – but the issue you encounter is that organizations with overseas programs want general dentistry services and long-term commitments, because that is what people in very poor regions need.

“It was difficult to find something fitting my skill set, or welcoming to an orthodontist,” adds Dr. Lombardi. “I didn’t wish to personally do the restorative work myself on these young children, not having done it in 40 years.”

After contacting a few non-profit service organizations, he connected with Globe Aware, which focuses on international volunteerism for individuals and groups such as health professionals, construction workers, educators and business experts.

Globe Aware volunteers bring a variety of skills to places where they are needed. The organization arranges volunteer experiences, for one week or longer, in countries such as Peru, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Romania. Working with Globe Aware, Dr. Lombardi developed a plan to help children using his knowledge of dentistry.

“I went to Cuzco, a large city in Peru, and the starting point to reach Machu Picchu, which gave us access to rural areas of Peru where many residents lack awareness and resources for oral health,” he says. “Globe Aware’s local coordinator served as my interpreter with knowledge of both Spanish and the native Incan (indigenous) language spoken in the rural communities. Globe Aware hired a driver and we traveled to villages located up to two hours away.”

As Dr. Lombardi had expected, in conducting dental screenings at schools he found many children with severe dental problems, including rampant caries, abscesses and need for extractions. Living conditions usually included a lack of running water in homes and a cultural preference for beverages such as sweetened tea and soda, in the students’ water bottles that they brought to school. Many adults were unaware how these choices impacted children’s dental health.

Starting the Process of Improved Oral Health in Rural Villages
“Through Globe Aware, I networked with dentists in nearby towns and arranged to pay for the needed services for those I identified as having the most severe dental needs,” says Dr. Lombardi. “It does take time to gain trust from everyone you meet in these communities. When we would ask to have children brought to school on a Saturday morning for transportation to a dentist, not all of the kids showed up. When we followed up to ask why, responses included that some of the parents could not take off work, or that the kids had to take the sheep to the mountains.”

Oral health presentations that Dr. Lombardi offered at schools with the help of his interpreter included distribution of toothbrushes and toothpastes. He found the students enthusiastic and receptive to his information and the dental care products. Many students did not own toothbrushes.

“Before the school presentations, Globe Aware’s coordinator, Rocio, took me to a Walmart-like store where I purchased cases of toothbrushes and toothpaste to give away,” says Dr. Lombardi. “It turned out that these gifts were helpful in convincing many boy students to be examined.

“It will require regular effort over a long period to get the rural communities committed to both oral hygiene and visiting dentists,” adds Dr. Lombardi. “I found it very rewarding to start the process of educating people in the villages and educating the school principals and teachers. For the teachers, I brought thank-you gifts of popular U.S. magazines, which they enjoyed.”

Following his introduction to international humanitarian work in Peru, Dr. Lombardi spent two weeks in the Galapagos Islands. That portion of his trip included volunteer work in sea turtle conservation, also through Globe Aware.

Dr. Lombardi suggests that the approach he used for humanitarian work could work well for retired orthodontists as well as those in practice who are interested in spending a vacation doing humanitarian work.

“It was very exciting to me to find a way to use my knowledge of dentistry to help young people in a very poor region,” says Dr. Lombardi. “I really appreciated Globe Aware’s help, organization and flexibility that made this possible.

“The main reason I wish to share this, in addition to helping Globe Aware gain exposure, is to inform other AAO members that we DO have skills to share internationally,” adds Dr. Lombardi. “Our years of experience in dentistry, and ability to screen and examine patients quickly, permits us an opportunity to take that on the road internationally – and without doing dental procedures that we haven’t done in 40 years!”

Dr. Lombardi points out that the need for help is massive. Many young children in numerous countries have great need, no access to dental care, and no knowledge of the impact of lack of oral hygiene, especially when combined with heavy sugar intake.

“For AAO members, there are enormous rewards from doing this work,” he says. “Just going and teaching dental hygiene, warning of the negative effects of all those sugars, and their direct cause of dental pain leading to a lifetime of future trouble, is a wonderful and rewarding experience. By helping me partner with local dentists, Globe Aware helped me bring much needed assistance to this problem. By paying for the local dentists to do the work, I helped start a ‘dental home’ for the children with the greatest needs. And while I did this work alone, some might consider including staff or family desiring international service experience.”

• Source: CEO Weekly

Nelly Chavez
March 9, 2023
CEO Weekly

Once upon a time, if you wanted to lend a hand abroad, options were limited. Lengthy commitments like the Peace Corps asked for more than a casual stint overseas, and shorter programs usually targeted the summer schedules of students or missions aligned with church activities. But what about the rest of us, the everyday folks itching to make a difference in a brief but substantial way? Enter Kimberly Haley-Coleman, the visionary behind Globe Aware, who has been transforming voluntourism with week-long service trips that beckon to those hungry for purposeful travel without the need for any special skills.

Now, what’s the secret sauce behind these expeditions that have expanded to 26 countries and feature in major media organizations? It’s about inclusivity and impact. Imagine being part of a group that installs concrete floors for single mothers in Guatemala or assembles wheelchairs for landmine victims in Cambodia. Corporations are catching on, recognizing not only the positive PR but also the boost in employee morale as they help build classrooms or homes—acts of service that double as a non-taxable benefit.

These journeys aren’t just about hammering nails or mixing cement; they’re gateways to a profound change in perspective. Kimberly Haley-Coleman sums it up best. “These experiences are absolutely transformative and make you see humanity in a new light.”

Picture yourself stepping into a new culture not just as a visitor, but as a participant. Globe Aware cradles this vision, offering organized yet flexible itineraries. A volunteer vacation here means about 35 hours of collaborative work, coupled with 3-4 optional cultural or leisure activities to deepen your connection to the locale you’re serving in. And they’ve thought of everything—safe drinking water, medical insurance, a bilingual coordinator, and all the necessary project materials and supervision. Hey presto, you’re ready to dive in without fret or fuss.

This isn’t your average travel gig. It’s an adventure with a soul, sanctioned by Globe Aware’s status as a nonprofit with no religious or political affiliations. It welcomes solo travelers, families, corporate groups—anyone with a pulse and a passion for global camaraderie.

Photo Courtesy: Monica Stevens
The transformative nature of these trips percolates through each participant. Busy professionals find a respite filled with gratitude, gaining a deeper reverence not only for what they have at home but also for the real wealth that pulsates within a foreign culture—the human connections formed and the shared smiles that need no translation.

Ready to be a globe trotter with a cause? You can connect with Kimberly and Globe Aware on platforms like LinkedIn or float in a sea of inspirations by tapping into their social media presences on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. For the auditory learner, Kimberly’s insights come alive on podcasts, readily streaming on Spotify.

Photo Courtesy: Monica Stevens
Voluntourism under Globe Aware’s wing is more than a mere feel-good phenomenon—it’s a tightly knit fabric of service and cultural exchange that tugs at the core of what it means to be human. It’s an opportunity to embrace a world where your vacation leaves a footprint, not of carbon, but of compassion and constructive change.

So, as the sun sets on the traditional ways of lending a hand abroad, and with Kimberly Haley-Coleman’s Globe Aware as your beacon, the door is wide open to redefine what it means to travel with intent. Your next holiday could be one where joy isn’t just discovered but delivered by your own hands. Isn’t it time to pack your bags with purpose?