State School for the Deaf

The State School for the Deaf aims to give formal education to hearing-impaired children in Ghana. The school seeks to equip its students with basic literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills. Furthermore it teaches its students important skills such as carpentry, farming, and dressmaking, enabling the students to be participants in the socio-economic life of this developing nation. The school is amazing, and has a really happy, vibrant and positive environment.

The World Health Organisation estimates that 80% of the world's 278 million deaf people live in developing countries and 25% became deaf as children. Only 10% of deaf children living in developing countries receive any education at all. Hearing impairment and deafness are serious disabilities that can impose a heavy social and economic burden on individuals, families, communities and countries. Children with hearing impairment often experience delayed development of speech, language and cognitive skills, which may result in slow learning and difficulty progressing in school. Both children and adults may suffer from social stigmatisation and isolation as a result of hearing impairment.

The school uses Ghanaian sign language which is similar to American sign language. Volunteers with other sign languages are also welcome and in our experience adapt well to the different sign language.

Available Positions

Grounds Men (or women!) Grounds men are required to help with the upkeep of the grounds, farmland and animals. No formal experience is required, but would be appreciated. Code: SDS01 Request more info | Apply

Classroom Assistant Volunteers will help supervise the children and check their work. Ideally volunteers will have working knowledge of sign-language and must want to help the children. Code: SDS02 Read More | Apply

Playtime & Sports Assistant The assistant needs to be outgoing & proactive, should organise games for the kids, create lesson plans & generally encourage the students to pursue sport. Code: SDS03 Request more info | Apply

Requirements:

• You must be at least 18 years of age upon application.
• You must have a background of relevance to the individual position and have a strong interest in helping disadvantaged children.
• In order to maintain the sustainability and high performance of this project all interns are required to complete a detailed hand-over document for successive interns.
• You will need to be flexible and tolerant, show initiative and enthusiasm to face the many hurdles and challenges that you will encounter.
• Volunteers must have a strong interest in disabled rights.

Documentation Requirements:

• A completed application form - required for application.
• A personal or professional reference given by an employer, teacher, lawyer or doctor. This reference must include detail of the context in which the referee knows you, verifying your CV and stating that he/she knows of no reason why you should not volunteer. The referee should also provide their contact details in order that Ikando can contact them prior to your departure to confirm the reference given. This reference should be emailed by the referee to info [at] ikando.org.
• A copy by email to info [at] ikando.org of your travel (including medical) insurance certificates.
• Information on your travel arrangements (flight number, airline, arrival and departure time and dates). We always recommend volunteers who book online to email us their booking.
• A copy of the photo page of your passport to be emailed to info [at] ikando.org.

All Documentation must be sent to us at least two weeks before arrival.

Important Details

Project Duration	Minimum Duration 2 weeks - Maximum Duration 26 weeks (can be extended in-country)
Dates	You can volunteer at any time throughout the year, excluding August (school's summer break).
Pricing	£ 481 for 2 weeks, £87 per week thereafter. For prices in your local currency click here.
Deposit	£ 150 (included in total price)
Location	Adjei Kojo-Ashaiman (Accommodation in Accra and travel to location with the School Bus)
Airport to fly into	Accra Airport (ACC) - (also known as Kotoka International Airport)
In-country Budget	From $50 on a tight budget to $150 p/week if you wish to explore Ghana. Read more...

Click here for more information on our pricing.

What’s included in the project fees?
• Accommodation
• Welcome pack
• $100 Donation to the school
• In-country introduction to life in Ghana.
• Airport pick-up & drop-off
• 24/7 Emergency support.

What’s not included?
• Flights & Visa
• Vaccinations (please speak to your local GP)
• Insurance (required)

Health and Safety
Ghana is one of the safest countries in Africa. In the Global Peace Index it is ranked above the US. It is the perfect introduction for first time volunteers to Africa. It has a democratic electoral process and a stable economy. Our ten-strong team in Ghana is there to ensure your health and safety at all times and you'll have emergency support 24/7.

Accommodation
The volunteer will be housed in our accommodation in the centre of town, with it possible to walk from the accommodation to nearby shops, communication centres, bars and restaurants. The spacious accommodation with a fully furnished kitchen is well maintained and has live-in staff to ensure you are well looked after. The surrounding garden and balconies overlooking Accra are perfect for chill out sessions with fellow volunteer housemates.

Food
Food is not included in our placements as in our experience volunteers prefer to cater for themselves. We have a fully furnished kitchen and our staff will show you where you can do your shopping. Western-style supermarkets and the bustling markets can be found nearby. A weekly vegetable & fruit shop can cost as little at $10, however shopping at the western-style supermarkets can be quite dear as most goods are imported.

"Quarshi (Ikando Staff) will introduce you to a woman named Felicia who sells mangos and bananas. Her mangos may very well be the sweetest in town. And, you will love shopping in the market." Elise Wray.

Airport Pick up
An Ikando member of staff will be at the airport arrivals to meet you and take you to the Accra accommodation. Please be aware that arrivals is located outside the airport, just keep an eye out for a sign with your name on it. Please ensure you send us your flight details two weeks before arrival.

Flights
Volunteers must arrange their own flights to Accra Airport (ACC). Please be aware that you should aim to arrive on the day your placement is due to start. If you are unable to do so please just check first with your volunteer coordinator whether the new dates also work for us. The following airlines fly into Accra:

• Alitalia (Lagos, Rome-Fiumicino)
• British Airways (London-Heathrow)
• Delta Air Lines (New York-JFK)
• EgyptAir (Cairo)
• Emirates (Abidjan, Dubai)
• Ethiopian Airlines (Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Lagos, Lome)
• Ghana International Airlines (London-Gatwick, Dusseldorf)
• Kenya Airways (Nairobi, Freetown, Monrovia)
• KLM (Amsterdam)
• Lufthansa (Frankfurt, Lagos)
• South African Airways (Johannesburg)

Volunteer Visa

You must obtain a volunteer visa for travel to Ghana. Once you have secured your placement we will send you a letter confirming your placement for your visa application. Your visa must be obtained at least ten days prior to traveling.