As part of our ECO-Tourism philosophy, Green Turtle Lodge is committed to working with the community, helping advance development in our local area. One way to fulfil this ideal is to bring volunteers into the community to work alongside local people on urgently needed projects.

The local community have expressed an interest in bringing in volunteers to help in various areas where they feel there is a need. At Green Turtle Lodge we are in a position to facilitate this: Our time and experience in Ghana, our strong relationship and connections in the community and our numerous talks with thousands of volunteers who pass through Green Turtle Lodge mean we have learnt a great deal about what volunteers want and what makes a successful volunteer package.

When we decided to start bringing in volunteers, we wanted to do it only if both the volunteers and the community would gain from the experience. We want to ensure a win-win situation.

Our Mission Statement

The Volunteer

The Community

Our Projects:
1. Turtle Conservation
2. Construction
3. Teaching
4. Medical Placements
5. Football/Sports Coaching
6. Student Research

Who Can Volunteer?

Length of Placement

Accommodation and Food

Cost

Contact Us

MISSION STATEMENT
We aim to create a relationship between our volunteers and the local community that is mutually beneficial. Our belief is that volunteering can have a positive impact on the local area and can provide the volunteer with the experience of a lifetime. It is important to us to involve the local community in the development and management of all our volunteering projects and to ensure that the community benefits financially, socially and environmentally. Go Back

The Volunteer
At Green Turtle Lodge we are aware of the needs of the volunteer and have tailored our package to create a satisfying, enjoyable and worthwhile volunteering experience. It is our belief in the importance of, and our commitment to the following four areas that make our projects the best choice for volunteers.
1. Feeling valued on the placement
Our placements are designed so that the volunteer comes in as an extra pair of hands and adds something new to the project. No volunteer will be replacing or taking the job of a local person. Our volunteers do not sit on the sidelines; you will be getting involved and getting your hands dirty. You should not underestimate the motivation and interest that is created by having foreigners in the village, taking an interest in their life and culture. For example, pupil and staff attendance improve in the schools when a volunteer is present.
2. Our extensive support
Throughout the project we have a comprehensive support structure in place. This is to ensure that volunteers get the encouragement and advice they need, to give and receive feedback, to provide ideas and an opportunity to meet other volunteers with whom they can share experiences and help each other. We are a small organisation meaning we have more time to spend with volunteers and provide the necessary support for each individual.
3. It is money well spent
Why should you pay to be a volunteer? We are running projects that couldn’t happen if it wasn’t for the commitment and financial support of volunteers. You will be volunteering in a developing country in a remote rural area where the majority of people live on less than a dollar a day and do not have the expendable income to fund community projects. Therefore, without the support of volunteers, these projects could not take place. Our volunteers work only in one area: Akwidaa Traditional Area in the Western Region of Ghana. In this way we concentrate the money and the work of the volunteers in one area, maximising the benefits of all the projects.
4. Volunteering should be fun
Volunteering should be a huge challenge as well as being tremendously rewarding. We strongly believe it should also be fun! You are paying for an adventure and an unforgettable experience. You deserve to enjoy it and have a great time. Our volunteers placements are set in a tropical paradise: A fishing village at the end of a deserted stretch of palm-lined beach with a backdrop of tropical rainforest. Volunteers stay on the beach at Green Turtle Lodge. This means that at the end of a hard day’s work you return to the relaxed atmosphere of the traditionally styled guesthouse to rest and unwind and mingle with a diversity of interesting people. Go Back

The Community
At Green Turtle Lodge we have been working since 2003, on development projects in the community. So far we have raised over £5000 from guests coming through the lodge. Our strong relationship and connections with the community have led to a true understanding of what people in the community want and what is most required. As a result, our volunteering programme begins with the community and ensures their involvement in all projects, at every step along the way.

Working closely with the community, we have created a Tourism Development Committee which acts as a two-way voice for the community, representing their needs and views in terms of development and other issues. Meetings with this committee, as well as discussions with the chief and whole village forums, have identified areas that would benefit hugely from the work and financial input of volunteers. By listening to the community, we are not charging in with Western ideas and building things that the community does not want. Instead, we are responding to their requests and what they feel they need. In return, the community wants to work alongside us and our volunteers.

We have experienced the joy and excitement the community feels when foreign visitors are present. Local people are extremely proud to host people from overseas in their village. Many, especially the young people, are fascinated to hear and learn about other cultures. Volunteering is a wonderful opportunity for this kind of cultural exchange. Go Back

 

1. Turtle Conservation
There are three types of sea turtle nesting on the beaches in Ghana: the Olive Ridley, the Leatherback and the Green Turtle. All of these turtles are endangered species. It is very important that we protect these fascinating creatures from the dangers they face. Ghana Wildlife Society is worried that “given the current rate of killing the turtles, they will soon be extinct.” Fishermen and other members of the local community who may come across the turtles are not aware of the importance of protecting them. This unfortunately means that sea turtles are killed and the meat is sold or the eggs are poached from their nests.

Therefore, as a volunteer, you are extremely important. You play a vital role in the protection of the sea turtles and thus in the conservation of the wildlife of Ghana.

What does it involve?
As a Green Turtle Conservation Volunteer your responsibilities are diverse. They will include beach patrol, research and education. You will also be involved in the Green Turtle Lodge Eco-Tourism Project.

Beach Patrol
The conservation area, Akwidaa Beach, is a five kilometre stretch of palm fringed beach. Female sea turtles emerge from the sea at night to lay their eggs. This is a very vulnerable time for the turtle. As a volunteer you will patrol the beach to monitor turtle nesting and to prevent the female from being disturbed whilst laying. Volunteers will be paired and put with a local member of the turtle beach patrol for one of the night patrol shifts.
Research
You will be involved in data collection and analysis. It is important to monitor the different species of sea turtle laying on Akwidaa Beach. For example, which type of sea turtle is most commonly found on our beach, how this compares to previous years and to other beaches in Ghana. You will also be involved in mapping and recording where and when each type of turtle lays its eggs.
Education
Conservation of the sea turtles will only ever be effective if we get the community on side. Killing turtles and poaching eggs must stop. Fishermen and villagers must be taught why they should not kill turtles and be given an alternative income or source of food. Part of your role will be to co-ordinate workshops with the local fishermen and visit schools in the area to educate the community on the importance of protecting sea turtles. There will be opportunity to be creative here with projects such as drama or story-telling, designing posters or signboards.
Eco-tourism
You will be based on Akwidaa Beach at Green Turtle Lodge where tourists can pay to see the magnificent female turtles nesting and the fascinating passage of the hatchling turtles back to the ocean. You will be the expert on hand at this time. The money tourists pay to see the turtles goes directly into the Turtle Conservation Fund. This money is used for turtle conservation only. For example, money from the fund is used to pay local members of the turtle beach patrol, to buy materials such as paint for sign boards or batteries for night patrol torches.

Training
You do not need to have any previous training or experience of conservation or other similar projects. You will be given an induction at Green Turtle Lodge. This will include orientation to the local area, information about Ghana and Akwidaa Traditional Area and information about turtle conservation and turtles in Ghana. You will meet the chief of Akwidaa village and be given an introduction to the local language. You will have access to resources and information about sea turtles in Ghana.

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2. Construction
Akwidaa is a fishing and farming village where the majority of the community lives a subsistence life-style. The village has no electricity or running water and inadequate sanitation. There are insufficient toilets and school buildings in the village. The local government and community do not have funds to support the construction of these facilities.

As a volunteer, you are extremely important. You are not only helping with motivation and initiation of the construction projects but your money is essential. It is only with your financial donation that these construction projects can go ahead. You will have a great time and the village will get a new building.

What does it involve?
You will be involved in the construction of one project, such as building a block of toilets or a library classroom for the local school. You will be expected to take part in many aspects of the construction. It is manual labour and it will be demanding and challenging. But, you don’t need to have muscles like Arnie or Madonna. Nor do you need to have any previous construction experience. You simply need to be keen and motivated and be willing to work hard.

You will be working alongside skilled local labourers, taking direction from them and observing their handiwork. As a Green Turtle Construction volunteer, you will be expected to work hard throughout the project. Examples of your daily jobs or activities are digging foundations, collecting sand and mixing cement. You will also have the chance to learn new skills such as carpentry and masonry. Working alongside people from the community means you will make new friends from a different culture, perhaps a friendship that will last beyond the length of the construction project. There may also be opportunity for creativity when it comes to painting and furnishing the buildings.

 

Do they really need this construction?
At Green Turtle, we want to be sensitive and respectful to the needs of the community. We want to take the lead from the local people. They are the ones who know best what they need.

We have been working closely with the community and together have created a Tourism Development Committee which acts as a two-way voice for the community, representing their needs and views in terms of development and other issues. On behalf of the community, this committee has decided that what are needed urgently in Akwidaa are first, toilet blocks to improve sanitation and then library classrooms for local schools. Therefore, these are the first projects we will be working on with our volunteers.

Training
You do not need to have any previous training or experience of construction or other similar projects. You will be given an induction at Green Turtle Lodge. This will include orientation to the local area, information about Ghana and Akwidaa Traditional Area. You will meet the chief of Akwidaa village and be given an introduction to the local language.

Please be aware that construction projects cost money and take time to organise. Therefore, our construction placements are not always as flexible as our other volunteer placements. We can, however, be more flexible for groups of volunteers. Please contact us (greenturtlelodge@yahoo.co.uk) if you are a group or an individual who is interested in volunteering on a construction placement.

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3. Teaching
At Green Turtle, we passionately believe that all children should have access to good quality education. Schools in rural areas such as Akwidaa Traditional Area, often do not have enough teachers. This is because of lack of funding or because newly qualified teachers prefer to move to the bigger cities where there are more job opportunities and the pay is higher. As a result of too few teachers, classes are often very large with some classes doubling up to be taught by only one teacher. This means the teacher has to divide their time between up to sixty children of varying abilities.

Many children in the classrooms of Akwidaa are of the first generation in their family to be educated. These children are seen as very valuable to the family. Although they have had very little formal education themselves, and despite the fact that they could use their children to help with farming, the parents of children in Akwidaa really do seem to appreciate the importance of education. Parents, and the community as a whole, are always very supportive of the schools. Although they have very little money themselves they give donations to the schools and many have even helped with construction of school buildings.

Why are volunteer teachers needed?
As a volunteer teacher you are extremely important. You will help reduce the sizes of some of the classes, thus improving the access to education for those you are teaching and those remaining with their class teacher. Rural areas like Akwidaa are very proud to host foreign teachers in their schools and so volunteers serve as a huge motivation to teachers, pupils and even parents. Having volunteer teachers in a school can help improve both pupil and staff attendance.

What does it involve?
Our volunteer teachers do not need to be qualified teachers. You do not have to have any training or previous experience as a teacher. You do need to be eager and keen to work hard. You will be expected to have plenty of energy and enthusiasm. From your own education and experience you will be able to bring new ideas and innovative teaching methods to the classroom.

English is widely spoken throughout Ghana. The official language for teaching is English. It is a good idea to learn some basic greetings in the local language but you will be expected to teach in English.

As a volunteer teacher you will be working with groups of children and helping them with their maths, literacy, science and other curriculum subjects. You will be attached to either a Primary or Junior Secondary School, teaching subjects in which you feel confident to help pupils. We believe it is very important that our volunteers do not come in and replace a Ghanaian teacher. You are not here to take the job of a qualified, local teacher. We feel that the best way you can benefit the school is to give extra lessons to children who are underachieving or to those high performers in the class. Whilst your pupils will benefit from your input in the classroom, you will also gain hugely from the experience, learning from the teachers and pupils and learning about a different culture in which you are working and interacting.

There is opportunity for individuals to vary their role in the direction that suits them. We are happy for the teaching role to be a flexible one and expect volunteers to use their initiative. If you have a special interest in a subject such as sport, art, music or drama, we encourage you to promote this in your school and perhaps run after school clubs in these subjects. You will not be expected to stick strictly to nine-to-five hours, Your hours will be flexible to allow for lesson planning.

Training
You do not need to have any previous training or experience of teaching or other similar projects. You will be given an induction at Green Turtle Lodge. This will include orientation to the local area, information about Ghana and Akwidaa Traditional Area. You will meet the chief of Akwidaa village and be given an introduction to the local language. You will have access to resources and information about lesson planning and curriculum details.

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4. Medical Placements
Akwidaa village has a simple clinic which cares for a population of approximately 4000 people. The building is new and in good condition, however, there is a shortage of equipment and medicines. The more serious and urgent issue is a lack of qualified staff. There is a small team of keen and passionate staff but only one is a qualified nurse and there is no doctor. The clinic struggles to fund visiting doctors and also many doctors are not willing to visit such an isolated and rural clinic. The most common issues that the clinic deal with are malaria and supporting pregnant women and young children.

This clinic is critical to the health of many people in the village. Although there are larger hospitals in the nearby town, many people will not travel as they fear the big town hospital and can not afford the transport, costs and fees.

We have received several qualified doctors, nurses, midwives and medical students over the last few years and all have been hugely beneficial and warmly welcomed by the staff at the clinic and people in the village. They have not only provided clinical assistance but have been involved in staff training and organising health education sessions with specific groups of the community such as Traditional Birthing Assistants.

Training
We welcome both qualified medical professionals or students who have not yet completed their training. You will be given an induction at Green Turtle Lodge. This will include orientation to the local area, information about Ghana and Akwidaa Traditional Area. You will meet the chief of Akwidaa village and be given an introduction to the local language.

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5. Football/Sports Coaching
Football is huge in Ghana. In Akwidaa village there are several adult and junior teams. We even have a Green Turtle Lodge team. The standard of football in Ghana is very impressive and games are often very physical and fast.

We have been approached by several of the local teams expressing interest in getting some coaching. Very few of the teams and players have any experience of coaching of skills and tactics. We are looking for volunteers who have experience of coaching, whether as a coach themselves or through their involvement in a football team as a player, to come and help. You will need some knowledge of skills and techniques but most importantly bring enthusiasm and encouragement to motivate the teams. You main role will be a coach for a specific youth side but you will also be needed to help organise games and tournaments locally.

Your fee will include a donation towards equipment such as balls and shirts. Most players in the village play barefoot but are always desperate for boots so we encourage any volunteers to collect as much second-hand kit to bring with them as possible. It may be a good idea to approach your old school for donations. In Ghana there is a strong tradition of visitors bringing gifts so any kit will be hugely appreciated and a good way to begin your relationship with the players you will be coaching.

Other sports
Football is definitely the most popular sport in Ghana but the schools also play volleyball and athletics. There are regular inter-school matches and tournaments. If you are interested in helping to coach a school team, this can also be arranged. If you can bring the necessary kit, you are welcome to introduce different sports to the school such as rugby or netball.
Training
You do not need to have any official coaching qualification but you should be able to demonstrate specific skills and knowledge in your chosen sport that will enable you to coach enthusiastic athletes. You will be given an induction at Green Turtle Lodge. This will include orientation to the local area, information about Ghana and Akwidaa Traditional Area. You will meet the chief of Akwidaa village and be given an introduction to the local language. You will have access to some resources and information about football coaching.

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6. Student Research

We have strong relationships throughout the community and also local government authorities. We are very keen to assist any students with any research involving our local community or environment such anthropology, community health care, eco-tourism, rainforest studies. Please contact us with your ideas and we will let you know if we have the necessary contacts/knowledge to help you.

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Who Can Volunteer?
We feel that everybody has something to offer our volunteer placements. You might be a school group, youth group, scout or guide group, church group, an individual on a gap year, someone in search of a career break or a professional willing to share your skills.

We are willing to adapt any placement to suit the needs and experience of any individual to maximise the benefit to both the community and the volunteer. Go Back

Length of Placements
Again, we are flexible. We are willing to arrange placements for any time from one week to one year. Contact us and tell us how long you would like to volunteer for and on which project and we will create a package to suit you. Go Back

Accommodation and Food
All Green Turtle Volunteers will stay at the Green Turtle Lodge in simple dormitory style accommodation or private rooms. This is a relaxing beach-side environment where you can chill out and meet other young people. All meals will be taken at the lodge restaurant and are included in the price. Go Back

Cost of Placements
Volunteering costs money. You are paying to take part in a project that has been organised to help the local community. These projects cannot happen without the financial input of the volunteer. For example, the village needs and wants toilets but cannot afford to build them. The construction volunteer's money is used to buy the materials and pay skilled labourers to complete the toilet building. This building project cannot happen without the volunteer. It is the money the volunteer pays in addition to the work they do on site that is needed to complete the project.

At Green Turtle we have no UK office and all staff are based in Ghana. All communication with volunteers is done via email. All these things help reduce the costs and mean that more of your money goes directly towards the projects themselves.

Included in the costs:

• Accommodation for duration of project
• Food. Three meals per day from the restaurant at Green Turtle
• First night stay in Accra
• Transport from Accra to Green Turtle
• Transport back from Green Turtle to Accra
• Structured support from English and Ghanaian project staff throughout project
• Donation to project. A percentage of the money you pay as a volunteer will be a direct donation to that project.

  Not included in the costs:

• Flights
• Travel and Medical Insurance
• Visa
• Vaccinations and medical treatment
• Spending money

  We are keen to tailor placements to suit each individual so costs will depend length of stay and type of project. Please contact us by email and we will work out a placement and costs to suit you. Below are some examples of costs of projects to give you an idea.

  Examples

  Teaching or Football Coaching for 4 weeks: £700

  Teaching or Football Coaching for 8 weeks: £1100

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Contact Us.
If you are interested in volunteering in any of our projects or want further information please contact us at greenturtlelodge@yahoo.co.uk Go Back

Green Turtle Lodge