Volunteer in Construction & Renovation in Ghana

This was a very well organised trip and the staff were always there for me when I needed they. I was made to feel very welcome and found the programme to be just as it was described to me prior to going. I would definitely recommend volunteering with IVHQ.

My experience with this program was truly meaningful and life-changing. I felt welcomed by the community and learned so much through hands-on involvement, especially from the children, whose gratitude and respect left a lasting impression on me. The program was well-organized and supportive, making it easy to adapt and fully engage. Overall, it was a rewarding experience that helped me grow personally while making a positive impact. The support from the program staff and coordinators also made a significant difference. They were approachable, organized, and always willing to help whenever questions or concerns arose. This support system made me feel safe and reassured, especially while navigating a new environment. Knowing that guidance was always available allowed me to fully immerse myself in the experience without fear or uncertainty. Overall, this program exceeded my expectations. It was not just a volunteering opportunity, but a life-changing journey that helped shape my outlook on the world and my role within it. I would highly recommend this program to anyone considering volunteering, especially those who are hesitant or unsure. While stepping into a new culture can feel intimidating at first, the growth, connections, and unforgettable memories that come from this experience are absolutely worth it. This program has left a lasting impact on me, and I will carry the lessons I learned here with me for the rest of my life.

Program Organization and Support: well-organized program that provided clear instructions and guidance; prompt and reliable communication from the organization, including pre-trip information, airport pickup, and in-country support; efficient and effective program coordination. Accommodation and Living Conditions: Comfortable and clean living arrangements. Personal Growth and Development: new skills gained; increased empathy; improved cultural understanding; improved ability to work in diverse teams. Cost and Value for Money: transparency regarding program fees; good understanding for how volunteers' money is allocated; program's offerings aligned with the price paid.

Had the best time volunteering in Ghana! IVHQ has a great program in which I got to live close to the locals, work on a meaningful project in which I felt like I made a difference, and make a lot of new friends! By volunteering I got a unique insight into the culture in Ghana and since we had weekends if I also had time to explore the country. The team was helpful, project was great, and location was ideal. Over all a fantastic experience and I would recommend it a lot!

I must say that I have been to many place ( over 30 countries), but had never volunteered before. I did my research, read about different programs, and thought that IVHQ was the best fit. I was right! They were amazing, and very professional all of the way! I would for sure go on another trip with IVHQ, as I can say now, that they were the best!!

I recently did a random out of the blue 2 weeks volunteering in Ghana and can say it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Due to having to go back to work was the reason the time was so short but even in that short period you really have just a completely different life experience. I cannot imagine to think how I would have felt after anything more than a month...hopefully next time I will succeed in that. Firstly there is so many countries you can chose from and then once happy your offered several different programs which is totally up to you, I however chose a construction program in Ghana. Firstly I wanted to see Africa which even with a job that takes me round the world I actually hadn't visited at all yet and secondly I see a lot of volunteering being done through teaching but thought to myself, this sort of volunteering can't go on unless schools are built for these children?!?!?! From the pickup to the airport to the day we left I cannot say I ever felt unsafe, unsure or at all worried about anything. The IVHQ team out there was fantastic and I would 100% one day like to come back and see them all again one day. Tina who takes care of you at your accommodation out in rural Ghana was fantastic and sometimes her son Felix comes to help. He is such a nice bloke and really likes to come and get to everything about you. Ben collected us from the airport and was then the gold coordinator who makes sure everything is in order for your day to day work activities! Godfred was our foreman who you work with and although sometimes a man with little words you can still clearly tell he is a great person and does so much for the communities around him. There isn't anything he can't fix and will give you help and guidance in whatever your doing (I really hope he can continue to get work even without the IVHQ program as he deserves it). Finally was the big cheese, the cool as a cucumber the one and only Evans....Evans is the travel coordinator who makes sure after a rewarding but hard weeks work you get out with all the other volunteers and go visit, climb, swim, party, eat and whatever else at the weekends so you can also experience other parts of the beautiful Ghana. Everything is reasonably priced and massively massively worth it without a doubt. Any questions you have he has the answers straight away and is always keen to come check if your ok and having fun. Looking forward to seeing that funny guy one day again. This is a bit shorter and sweeter then I wanted to make it but Im planning on writing a bit of a lengthier blog on IVHQ's actual website if anyone would also like to read that. This was more about a review towards the guys who looked after me so I just want to say a final time that they were all amazing people and would hire them all in a heart beat. Praying to see you all again sometime. Mikey O'Connell - UK - 27th Feb - 14th March 2018

I traveled on this volunteer project as part of a 9 person crew sponsored by our employer's Gives Back program. Our placement in this project was fantastic! Although we were on a limited time schedule (1 week), with support from Benjamin, Godfrey, and Ebow, we were able to tear down an old washroom and build a new one for the elementary school children. We also had a group that was working on plastering the outside of a new computer lab that was under construction. Tina and Felix kept us well fed for all the hard work. The children and staff at the school were great as well, with a highlight of the trip being a soccer (football) match with us and the children. If you are just considering doing a project like this, stop considering it and just do it! You will not regret it and it will give you a whole new perspective on life!

The best decision of my life, I came with 0 expectations but left feeling like I have evolved as a person everyone that I meet I have been great friends with and still staying in contact with, the work is refreshing and a smiler way of life is so amazing. I 100% want to go back as soon as I get the money. MASSIVE THANKS TO GILES, EVANS, FELIX, TINA, EDDIE, BEN and PRINCE. For an amazing month. Take it easy

I had the opportunity to volunteer in the gold program which included construction, childcare, and teaching. All programs were amazing but construction was definitely the most rewarding. It was awesome to be able to help out the community and meet so many local Ghanaians. Our leader, Evans, was incredible. I was with a group of 10 students from my college and he made sure that we were always happy and took such good care of us. You can tell he really cares about his job and is very intelligent. The other administration/leaders of the gold program were also great. I would highly recommend this program, it is a once in a lifetime experience!

I was apart of the program for 4 weeks and can say it was a truly amazing experience. From when I signed up to IVHQ I was given support of things I needed to prepare before flying out. Once in Ghana, to be able to live in a small village area and really immerse myself into the culture was exactly what I wanted and the Gold program provided that. We were able to interact with locals everyday and understand their way of life. We were given the opportunity on the weekends to travel around of the country which was incredible, with support of how to get there and where to stay provided by Evans and Giles. I was lucky to be placed with other volunteers that I got along with and that really made the whole experience greater as none of us had done something like this before and took it all in together. Overall it is a trip that I will never forget and would definitely recommend to anyone who is thinking about going.

The Ghana Gold Construction program was a truly incredible experience. I enjoyed every minute of it. I met amazing people from all over the world and learned so much from the Ghanaians and the other volunteers. Volunteering abroad is completely different to anything else you will ever do and I would highly recommend the construction program in Ghana if you are considering volunteering abroad. I definitely plan on going back some day, hopefully, sooner rather than later!

The opportunity to explore and live in Ghana was truly amazing. I was with a group of 12 people from my college and we stayed in Ghana for 3 weeks. We were placed in IVHQ's Gold Program this includes doing construction, childcare, and teaching. I was able to participate in all three of these of things during my stay. There is no greater feeling than to see a project you have been working on completed and we were able to finish painting one of the schools near Asempayne. Godfred worked extremely hard and directed us, so that the project could be finished in a decent amount of time. I enjoyed doing childcare and teaching. It is while doing this that I was able to connect with our cook, Tina, and learn more about her and how to make the meals. I was also able to connect more with the kids and through them I was able to get insight on the village of Asempayne and the daily schedule of the people that we lived amongst. On the weekends we did excursions to places like Elmina and Cape Coast castles, the monkey sanctuary, and the a hike to Wli Waterfalls, the tallest in West Africa. Evans was our guide through all these excursions and he did an amazing job of taking care of all us. We always had enough water and he was wiling to answer any questions we had. I truly enjoyed working with IVHQ because I was able to experience the many different aspects of Ghana and now I am able to carry backs stories and memories that will be with me for a lifetime. I would highly recommend IVHQ and this program to everyone!

My experience with the IVHQ Gold Program was absolutely incredible. All of the employees of IVHQ were incredibly accommodating, especially Evans which is who we worked the most closely with. He made sure that we were always comfortable and that we had everything that we needed and more. Evans also went on all of our excursions with us and helped us with everything that we could possibly need. Benjamin was also great and very helpful. Godfrey, the foreman, is also great. Giles, who runs the volunteer guest house that you stay at is incredible as well, very personable and easy to talk to. Overall, everything was amazing and I think that's everyone should have an experience like this at least once in their lifetime. The relationships that I made and the experiences that I had are ones that I will never forget. I highly suggest that people go on this trip!

The IVHQ Gold Program far exceeded any expectations I had going into the program. My experience was slightly different, as I was traveling with a class (a group of 12) and not individually. As someone who travels semi-frequently, I was more than prepared for things to move slow and patience to be required when things did not go according to plan. However, IVHQ was amazingly organized from the moment we stepped off the plane. Evans was there waiting for us to arrive when we stepped outside of the airport - immediately he was able to help us get money exchanged and ride with us to the volunteer house. The actual volunteer work is challenging, but worth it. Doing construction during the day, playing with the kids back at the house after working, talking with Tina, Giles, Prince - they're memories that will be with me forever. The weekends were incredible, Evans spent all weekend with us on our trips and made sure that everything was perfect. The hotels were amazing, the trips and things we saw showed us another side of Ghana that we wouldn't have seen if we didn't travel on the weekend. Evans could not have done a better job being our guide on the weekends, so a big shout out to him! I can't emphasize enough how incredible IVHQ staff was - Giles, Tina, Godfred, Evans made the experience extraordinary and will all be missed! Advice to people thinking about it: Just go! The IVHQ gold program becomes your family away from home. If the program could accommodate a group of 12 and exceed expectations, then you have nothing to worry about (:

I am a full time student in university so only was able to volunteer for a week due to exams, but it was the most eye opening week of my life. Not only did I get to do what I signed up for (construction and renovation) I was able to meet new people from all around the world, be truly engaged and emerged in the lifestyle of locals and learn more about myself during it all. One thing I took back with me is that life is what you make it. Observing the locals I lived with that don't have much be so happy really stuck out to me. I realized a positive mentality can go a long way and produce a happy life. This experience also help to realize my purpose which is to help people. I study Law in university, but after this experience i really wan't to use this law degree to really make a difference. So instead of leaning towards being a commercial lawyer I want to be a Human rights Lawyer, or an Immigration Lawyer. Before going to Ghana I was very weary on how I would adapt, whether I would feel lonely or not or if I would just enjoy the experiencing. Upon arrival and being picked up those worries went away. All the staff members are so nice and make you feel so welcomes which makes such a difference. So much more I can say, but I'll just finished with this. By watching the news you may think you understand how the world is or what people are going through, but actually being there, living it is an experience that could change your life and is like no other.

I spent 2 months at the Gold Program and I couldn't have asked for a better placement! Everything is very basic, no running water, bucket showers, hardly any reception but I truly loved it! And the work was fun too, exhausting sometimes but always rewarding. I feel like I learned for a lifetime in Ghana, not only how to use a shovel or carry water on my head but also to be patient (public transport!:D) and to appreciate all the little things. It was the perfect combination of working and traveling and the local IVHQ staff was always happy to help with organizing accommodation, transport etc. when we went on weekend trips. Apart from that I met the most amazing people from all over the world, some of them definitely friends for life! To everybody who reads this and is thinking about volunteering: DO IT and think outside the box, you'll never regret! :)

Really didn't know what to expect going into it but it was the perfect balance between work and play! On the Gold program we were living in a remote area which was surrounded by very friendly locals and children that were always excited to see you. Little things like using the pit toilets and bucket showers really do make you appreciate everything back home. During my time out there we worked on a few different projects which involved plastering a soon to be staff room for a community outreach centre, making bricks for future projects and painting a local school. Before I left we also began working on a flower bed around another local school to spruce it up. Pretty much every weekend we would venture out and explore Ghana which included Cape Coast, staying in Accra for Independence Day, hiking at Wli Waterfalls and going on a safari at Mole National Park which was one of the best experiences I've ever had hands down. Shoutout to Evans who helped every one of us along the way and Benjamin who sorted any issues that any of us had throughout our stay! I would highly recommend volunteering in Ghana, I've made so many good memories and had the pleasure of sharing them with such a sound group of friends!

Working with the IVHQ in Ghana gave me a new perspective on life. I had the privilege of working face to face with the natives. Additionally, we had the best time touring the different cities and experiencing everything Ghana has to offer

I've really enjoyed this volunteering trip. I would like to start with the placement, although it is quite basic with bucket showers etc i feel this has given me a really insight to how the locals live. The area in which we stayed was surrounded by friendly locals including adults and children who are always excited to see you. The food prepared by Tina was amazing. I would say it's better than all the restaurants we went too. We tried to keep busy every weekend which meant exploring Ghana. First weekend was spent at Cape Coast which was mainly under Evans supervision which I was so glad of, this was the first week with everyone and Evans made everyone feel like they've known him and each other for a lot longer because of his warming personality. Cape Coast was organised by IVHQ, as for the other weekends we had the choice of where we wanted to go. Every weekend we either contacted Evans or Benjamin and they were able to tell us the best way of transport, where we needed to be regarding catching bus's/ Tro's or taxi's for the journey too and from the weekend destinations. They also booked us rooms at the hotels/hostels that we stayed at making things a lot easier. If there was any problems they were both at hand to help. Our programme coordinator was Benjamin. He checked up on us often to see how we were getting on and if we had any problems. In which there was a couple in which was sorted within a few days. During the week we were under supervision of Godfred. He helped us with building at the volunteers placement, building & painting at the local school. Overall i am so glad I chose this programme and very grateful for the staff for how much at home I felt.

I just got back from my 2 Month program in Ghana doing Construction and Renovation near Koforidua in the eastern region. I had an overall amazing experience with IVHQ. We worked on multiple different projects around our community which involved painting, brick laying, mixing concrete and mortar, digging gardens for a school, and much more. On my program (Gold) we had a constant flow of new volunteers every 2 weeks with great people. I made so many friends and got to share so many great memories with them that I while remember forever. On the weekends we organized trips together and with the help of the staff, especially Evans Nkansah, who helped us by booking hotels for us and telling us how to get to certain places and giving us great tips, it made for a bunch of amazing weekend. It was very sad to leave after being there for two months but I came back happy knowing what I have accomplished for myself and the community we helped out. A big thank you to Evans and Benjamin for making my trip as amazing as it could be. They will always go out of there way to help you with whatever you need and they really care about giving the volunteers an amazing time in there country.