Light for Children Educational Exchange Program

I have an amazing new opportunity to announce to all TWA followers!

Light for Children, the NGO I was in Ghana with last June to September, has just launched an all new program, the Educational Exchange program! This program is a 15 day trip for high school, college, and graduate students who want to spend time in Ghana volunteering, traveling, and learning about the amazing African culture. This trip will leave over the winter break when college students are home from school and I will be leading it! The trip will include living with Ghanaian host families, working with lots of different children in the area, visiting cultural sites, traveling to different regions, learning Twi, and much more! I am so passionate about this organization and Africa that I can’t wait to show it to as many people as possible. Below is the information for the trip and please email me if you have any questions, are interested, or otherwise!

Come with me on this journey of a lifetime.

LiFoC Ghana Educational Exchange Program 2012

GOAL:

The overall goal of the programme is promoting international understanding.

OBJECTIVES:

• To interact with students in Africa leading to development of understanding of how students in Africa (Ghana) differ from other foreign students.
• To reduce the fear and prejudices that some foreign students entertain on African people.
• To enable foreign students to explore and appreciate African culture, educational systems, economy, religion and history.
• To enhance the ability of foreign students in some of African languages.
• To promote exchanging of ideas and sharing of information on programmes, services and activities of high schools.

ACADEMIC TRIP

The programme is designed for students in the high school (secondary school) to study abroad at a partner public school in Ghana.

The student will have the opportunity to observe classes of partner school and take part in the extra-curricular activities. The excursion component will enable the student to explore historic sites (forts and castle), the national parliament and some educational institutions. The student including their chaperons will stay in a guest house. The duration is 15days.

(There is a sample itinerary attached)

SOCIAL AND CULTURAL IMMERSION

This programme is designed to enhance the intellectual and social development of the student. The aim of this programme is to immerse the students into diverse culture. The student will stay with the host family throughout the programme.

The programme includes excursion to cultural and historical sites in the country including museums, forts and castles and the slave trade routes. At the weekends, the students together with their host families will observe wedding ceremonies, funeral rites and religious rites. The duration is 15 days. They will interact with the students at special schools in the city.

Program start dates: During the winter break 2012 from universities and colleges. Will depart after Christmas and will spend New Years in Ghana. Trip does not conflict with university schedule but might conflict with some high school schedules.

Itinerary

DAY 1

	Greeting by LiFoC staff at the Kotoka International Airport, Accra – Ghana
	Arrival meeting
	Transfer to hostel
	Snack

 

DAY 2

8:00AM	Breakfast
9:00AM	Visit to Internet cafe to send messages to family and friends on safe arrival
9:30AM	Depart for Kumasi (guide will identify towns and villages on the way)
2:00PM	Lunch during the trip
4:15PM	Arrive in Kumasi and meet host family, traditional Ghanaian dinner
7:30PM	Introductory Twi (the local language) lessons
9:45PM	Journaling / Reflections

 

DAY 3

7:30AM	Breakfast
8:00AM	Cultural “do’s and don’ts”, adjustment and safety issues
8:30AM	Depart for town for drumming and dance lessons, debriefing on the bus
12:30AM	Briefing and giving -out booklet on workshop on child preventive sexual assault in basic schools.
1:00PM	Lunch
2:00PM	Exchange money at Forex bureau
2:15PM	City tour, language teacher will be conducting field lessons during shopping and touring (and throughout the trip).  Use of Twi will be encouraged while making purchases and interacting with people.  Destinations included on the tour: Adum (the commercial center of Kumasi) Central Market, the largest open market in West Africa Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
7:00PM	Return to host family
7:30PM	Dinner
8:30PM	Family time
9:30PM	Journaling / Reflections

 

DAY 4

7:30AM	Breakfast
8:30AM	Depart for LiFoC office , debriefing on the bus
9:00AM	Arrive at LiFoC office, overview of and discussion about the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Ghana
10:30AM	Socialize with children who are HIV positive or have been orphaned by AIDS, observe bead-making with the orphans and care-givers at the Art centre.
11:30AM	Students present gifts to the children
12:00AM	Lunch with the children
12:30PM	Depart for school for disabled children
1:00PM	Arrive at school, learn the art of making batik and tie-dye fabric and make this fabric in large quantities for sale to raise money for the orphans (the group will be allowed to keep some of the fabric)
7:30PM	Dinner
8:30PM	Journaling / Reflections
9:30PM	Free time

 

DAY 5

8:00AM	Breakfast
10:30AM	Group discussion with the Exchange partner school in Ghana: “What is the significance of traditional art forms in the preservation of a culture?”  “What is the power of non-verbal communication in cultures of the Diaspora or westerners?” Discussions on world political issues (focus on African politics) and on topics specifically relevant to the exchange partner.
1:00PM	Lunch
2:00PM	Visit to the Manhyia chief palace (this palace is UNESCO world heritage site)
4:00PM	Rehearsal for the school workshop
6: 00PM	Transfer to host family
7:00PM	Dinner
8:00-10:00PM	Self-structured
10:00PM	Bed

 

DAY 6

7:30AM	Breakfast
8:30AM	Final rehearsal for the school workshop
10:00AM	Depart for Bonwire (debriefing in the bus)
11:00AM	Arrive in Bonwire.  Bonwire is said to be the village where Kente was born in Ghana. Kente is a rich hand-woven fabric.
11.30AM	History of Bonwire and Kente, and storytelling
12:30AM	Observation of Kente weaving
1:30PM	Lunch
2:30PM	Depart for Ntonso for observation of design and manufacturing of Adinkra cloth (traditional design)
4:30PM	Depart for Awhiaa to visit the wood carving centre where masks and famous Asante stools are carved
5:30PM	Transfer to host family
7:00PM	Dinner
8:00PM	Discussion: “The Effects of Colonialism on African Spirituality and Religion”
10:00PM	Bed

 

DAY 7

7:30 AM	Breakfast
8:30 AM	Debriefing
9:00 AM	Depart for Nsuta.  In this village very little English is spoken. The group will test their ability to communicate with the Twi that they’ve learned. Staff members will assist with mandatory communication.
12:00AM	Transfer to host family
1:00 PM	Lunch
2:00 PM	Hanging-out with host family
3:00 PM	Observe methods of preparing traditional food over an open fire
6:00 PM	Dinner
7:00 PM	Storytelling and night games with the children.
10:00PM	Bed

 

DAY 8

7:00AM	Join the boys and girls fetch water from a well. The group will go and get water from the local well for their bathing and cooking for the day. The well is about ½ mile away from the house. They will be instructed in how to successfully carry water on their heads from the well to the house. The amount of water will serve the entire house, not just each individual.
7:30 AM	Breakfast
8:30AM	School workshop at the basic schools
12:00AM	Visit to local high school to observe classes
1:00PM	Presentation of Gifts (school supplies, funding, etc.)
1:30PM	Lunch
3:00PM	Football match between the local high school and the group
7:00PM	Dinner
8:00PM	Discussion: “Living From the Land” Group members will engage in a discussion with local youth about what it is to live in an agricultural community. How are responsibilities shared? How does it affect one’s lifestyle? What are the economic implications?
10:00PM	Bed

DAY  9

7:30AM	Breakfast
9:00AM	School workshop at Mampong government cluster of schools
10:00AM	Depart for Kintampo(debriefing in the bus)
1:00PM	Lunch
2:00PM	Tour and showering at Kintampo Waterfalls
3:00PM	Depart to Boabeng-Fema Monkey Sanctuary
4:00PM	Tour of the monkey sanctuary
5:00PM	Departure for Kumasi
7:00PM	Arrive in Kumasi
7:30PM	Dinner
8:30PM	Journaling /Essay assignment /Reflection
10:00PM	Bed

DAY 10

7:30AM	Breakfast
8:30AM	Debriefing
9:00AM	School (classes) observation at the leading high school in the city
11:00AM	Hanging-out at the lake Bosuntwi (the largest natural lake in Ghana encircled by 18 villages)
1:00AM	LUNCH
4:00AM	Transfer to host family
5:00AM	Hanging-out with host family
7:00PM	Dinner dance (farewell party)
10:00PM	Bed

 

Day 12

6:30AM	Depart for Cape Coast
8:00AM	Stop for breakfast
10:30AM	Arrive at hostel in Cape Coast
11:00AM	Discussion
12:00AM	Lunch
12:45AM	Depart for Kakum Forest Canopy Walk
1:15PM	Arrive at Kakum Forest Kakum Forest has one of the few remaining canopy walks in the world. The bridges overlook Kakum Forest and its wildlife. The walks, hanging over 100m in the air may test the bravery of the group, as they cross 7 bridges total.
4:00PM	Depart Kakum for tour and shopping in Cape Coast Cape Coast, formerly known as the Gold Coast, used to be the capital city of Ghana
7: 30PM	Dinner at a local restaurant
8:30PM	Return to hostel
9:00PM	Journaling / Reflection

 

Day 13

7:30AM	Breakfast
8:30AM	Depart for Elmina Castle, debriefing on the bus
9:00AM	Tour Elmina Castle and Slave Dungeons
12:00AM	Lunch and Discussion: “The Mid-Atlantic Slave Trade: The onset, the effects on West Africa and the enslaved.”
1:30PM	Go to Cape Coast Castle
2:00PM	Arrive at Cape Coast Castle and tour Castle Group will participate in a healing ritual, naming our ancestors known and unknown. Cape Coast Castle has, like Elmina, a “door of no return,” but also a “door of return”. Group members will participate in a ritual of returning through the door, bringing with them their ancestors who have been displaced.
4:30PM	Depart for hostel
5:00PM	Dialogue with school children from one of the leading high school in cape coast :“The Responsibilities of Children in the Contemporary World.”
7:00PM	Dinner
8:00PM	Depart for Accra
10:00PM	Arrive in Accra

DAY 14

7:30AM	Breakfast
8:30AM	City tour destinations on the tour will include: W.E.B. Du Bois Center for Pan-African Affairs Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and Museum Independence Square Art Centre for shopping Observation of a Ghana parliament session Beach Accra’s commercial areas During the tour, lunch will be taken at Lebanon Club
5:30PM	Return from Accra tour

DAY 15

7:30AM	Breakfast
8:30AM	Journaling / Reflection
9:00AM	Debriefing
9:30AM	Discussion: “What Did You Bring with You?” “What Will You Take With You?” “How will this experience impact your interactions when you return home?”
11:30AM	Formal goodbyes to LiFoC staff and exchange of pleasantries
12:00AM	Lunch
1:00PM	Last Shopping Trip
4:00PM	Depart for airport
6:00PM	Dinner at the food court of the airport
9:00PM	Depart

• FEE:  1,500 USD per Head
• What fee covers?
• What fee does not cover:

1. Airport meeting and hotel transfer for the first night of arrival.
   Air-conditioned Transportation throughout your stay in Ghana.
2. Three (3) time’s daily local and international meal ,home-stay and hotel accommodation Free internet service in our office, Donation to project, Orientation, placement, assistance and adjustment, program and volunteer co-ordination/ staff support
3.  Escort to the airport after Program. LiFoC shall present a letter of recommendation and certificate to participants after Program.
4. Transportation, food and hotel accommodation during tours.

1. Money for smoking /drinks and clubbing
2. Air ticket
3. Buying gifts/souvenirs for friends and family members back home.
4. Insurance or lost of baggage