4 - 52 weeks
from € 1.250
Ghana

Voluntary work in midwifery and obstetrics in Ghana

  • Urban everyday life
  • Many volunteers on site
  • Day tour included

There's a lot going on in Ghana's hospitals - especially in the maternity ward. Expectant and new mothers need care and medical attention. Depending on what previous knowledge you bring with you, you will be individually involved in the work process and can provide support in various areas. Get involved as a volunteer in midwifery and obstetrics in Ghana and gain important professional and intercultural experience.

Location icon Accra
Minimum age icon from 17 years
Icon Duration 4 - 52 weeks / from €1.250
Departure days icon Wednesday, Sunday
Sustainable Development Goal 3 - Health and Wellbeing
health and well-being

Ensure a healthy life for all people of all ages and promote their well-being.

Project ID : FA-GH207

As a volunteer
Ghana

4 - 52 weeks / from €1.250
to the cost overview

Obstetrics Project Ghana

What's the matter?

Ghana's population is very young. So you can imagine that the maternity wards of government hospitals are very busy every day. While there are no modern treatment options in rural areas, city dwellers can go to one of the hospitals. Rural women giving birth either rely on traditional African medicine or travel long distances to seek medical care. Child mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa are therefore only falling very slowly, as is the case in Ghana (HDI 2017).

The maternity wards are usually relatively well equipped. There, births with no complications can be carried out by midwives without any problems. In the event of incidents or complications, a specialist will be consulted. The hospitals offer the pregnant women prenatal care and appropriate follow-up after the birth of the child.

Your tasks as a volunteer

The activities of your volunteer work in Ghana in the field of midwifery depend entirely on your previous knowledge. Especially at the beginning you should ask a lot - especially if you are not sure if you have understood everything correctly. With growing routine and depending on your previous knowledge, you will then be assigned more tasks.

As soon as it is offered to you, you can also be present in the delivery room during births and surgeries. You are not allowed to help with the births, but you will take on the first important tasks. The doctors, midwives, carers and nurses on site always decide when you can be present at births.

When there are no births, you will help with the preparation and follow-up of the birth as well as with the maintenance of the delivery room and the instruments. Don't be afraid to share your existing expertise in a respectful manner and show appreciation for local practices. The intercultural and professional exchange with the specialists is very important and in this way you enrich everyday life on the maternity ward.

As a rule, you agree fixed working hours with the on-site staff right at the beginning of your stay. These should be limited to around six to eight hours a day from Monday to Friday. If you want, you can also put in an evening or night shift or a shift at the weekend on site.

Accommodation Catering

Volunteer House in Accra

Since 2024, volunteers have been accommodated in the new Volunteer House in a great, central location in Accra. There's always a lot going on here: you live in the house with other volunteers and interns. There are four bedrooms available to you, each room offering space for four to eight volunteers. Three bathrooms with showers and toilets, two balconies and a large garden can be used. There is also a washing machine and the house is air conditioned with ceiling fans. Our cook will take care of your physical well-being both in the morning and in the evening.

The garden invites you to relax. There you can listen to music, read and exchange ideas. Or organize a game evening – there is a large selection of board games! Ama always organizes small social events for the residents.

All of Accra has a very well developed mobile network with 3G data transfer for e-mail or Skype. Accommodation and meals (breakfast and dinner) are included in our services both in the volunteer house and in the host family.

Location

Accra

Ghana se w Akwaaba! Welcome to Ghana! This culturally and scenically diverse country will immediately cast its spell on you. The Ghanaian way of life - the friendliness and open-mindedness of the locals - makes it easy for you to settle in quickly!

The bustling Ghanaian capital Accra, with around 2,3 million inhabitants, is located in the south of the country, directly on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. If you work in the metropolis, you can dive deep into the African urban jungle, but also get a taste of the coastal air.

In addition to traditional markets and a colorful variety of African delicacies, skyscrapers and modern shopping centers await you. Despite its size, the best way to explore the city is on foot. On the way through Accra you will always notice exciting contrasts. For example, the still existing castle from the early days of Accra, which today serves as the seat of government and is monitored in a state-of-the-art manner. Or the fishermen who continue to fish the sea the old-fashioned way and earn their living that way.

The capital may be climatically hot and initially overwhelm you with its crowded streets. But no matter whether you are in the center, in the west of the city or near the beach, Accra will convince you with culinary experiences and an excellent nightlife. So grab a few volunteers and go on a discovery tour together!

Your free time in Accra

After work and days off, you have enough time to relax and explore the area. Accra itself is a fascinating city and truly a place of contrasts. Modern shopping streets and skyscrapers meet traditional fishing settlements and old fortifications. Get acquainted with the diversity of the city on a walking tour, visit the mausoleum in Kwame Nkrumah Park and lose yourself in the hustle and bustle of the huge Makola market.

The imposing Christiansburg, also known as Osu Castle, awaits you on the coast. The former seat of government of Ghana is one of many European forts along the Gold Coast, reminiscent of a time when Ghana was a trading center for gold, ivory and slaves. Today the castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
For those interested in culture, a visit to the newly renovated National Museum and the cultural centers Alliance Francaise and Brazil House with their weekly evening program is always worthwhile.

If you ever get tired of the hustle and bustle of the big city, we recommend a trip to one of the nearby beaches. Here you can relax between golden sands and palm trees during the day before heading out in the evening to be part of the lively nightlife.

But even further outside the city limits of Accra, Ghana still has a lot to offer that you should not miss. A special highlight is the Kakum National Park, where you have the opportunity to walk between the crowns of the jungle giants on a treetop path that is unique in Africa and marvel at the beauty of the rainforest from a height of up to 45 meters.

On-site procedure

Arrival in Accra

Once you arrive in Accra, you will be picked up directly at the airport by one of our RGV team members. The airport transfer is included in the services. We will take you to your accommodation, the Volunteer House - where you can first look around and set up. Your onward journey to the final project location, should it be in the Volta Region or Cape Coast, will take place after the orientation program.

Orientation program in Accra

Before things really get going and your project work in Ghana begins, our team will prepare you for your assignment on site. During the RGV orientation program you will usually be accommodated in the RGV Volunteer House. The program usually takes place over two mornings.

You will receive information about your tasks and activities in the project as well as the customs of your host country so that you can settle in well in your new environment. For example, you can explore the city with the team, buy a local SIM card or learn certain rules of conduct.

Ghana Volunteer Project

Your first day in the project

Your placement is always as close as possible to your accommodation. Each project position has different working hours (5-6 days a week), which will be discussed with you right at the beginning of your assignment. On the first day you will get to know the employees and the work processes and you will be briefed on your tasks.

Our team is your number 1 contact for the entire duration of your stay abroad in Ghana. If you have any questions or problems, you can contact our team at any time!

Pricing

  • base fee
    € 1.250, -
    4 weeks of participation
  • extension week
    € 145, - / week
    up to 48 weeks respectively

included
Services

Before departure

  • Individual advice and support from our trained RGV team in Munich
  • Organization including placement in the project and coordination of your stay on site
  • Assistance with preparation: visa, health care, travel insurance, etc.
  • Non-binding flight advice
  • Travel ABC with packing list for your travel preparation
  • RGV t-shirt

On site

  • Orientation program with the team on site
  • Support and guidance from the on-site team
  • RGV 24h emergency number
  • Project t-shirt to wear during on-site activities
  • Airport transfer on the agreed arrival and departure days
  • Accommodation in volunteer house or with a host family
  • Meals: Breakfast and dinner
  • Impressive day tour
  • Local SIM card (to top up yourself)
  • Depending on the accommodation: Free WiFi or at least 1 GB mobile data volume

After return

  • Participation confirmation of your voluntary commitment
  • Reflection course on your experiences abroad
  • Evaluation sheet and optional feedback discussion
useful additional services

not included
Services

  • Round trip
  • Private expenses on site
  • Excursions with microlight flights
  • Travel and cancellation insurance
  • Visa and Vaccinations
  • All nights outside your agreed accommodation
  • Public transport and extra transfers
  • Daily drive to the project
  • Drinks

Individual Recommended additional offers
& must-haves

Picture must-haves

Would you prefer to stay in a single room? Are you vegan or do you have special requests for food? Or do you want to do some cool trips with other volunteers in your free time and explore the country?

With us, you benefit from a variety of optional additional services that you can add individually to your booking, depending on your preferences.

Flight booking icon
" Round Trip
Cheap flights with our flight partner thanks to volunteer rates.
Flight offers with maximum flexibility

Would you like to receive a cheap flight offer for your stay abroad that is perfectly tailored to you? After you have successfully registered, you can have a non-binding offer created.

The excellent rates for volunteers, students and young people are a great advantage. Arrival times and flight time changes can also be sent directly to RGV upon request, so that our RGV teams in the destination countries are always informed about your arrival times.

These special tariffs give you special added value:

  • maximum flexibility for rebookings and cancellations
  • generous baggage allowance
  • Additional discounts on one-way flights: The new volunteer tariffs include attractive discounts to reduce your financial burden on one-way flights (e.g. for stopovers, project or country combinations).
Insurance icon
" Insurance
Benefit from the 4 in 1 ERGO travel insurance.
The 4 in 1 insurance cover for volunteers and internships abroad

You can easily book the long-term travel protection of ERGO Reiseversicherung after you have registered. You will receive the links to this automatically after a successful registration.

The following building blocks are included:

  • Health Insurance
  • Comfort protection: accident, liability and interruption insurance
  • Travel insurance

Accra Team
site

Our team in Ghana has been welcoming RGV volunteers since 1999. AMA leads the RGV team in Accra and accompanies our participants during their stay. She is supported by Mom Mina and other helping hands like Alfred, Emos and Teresa.

Mama Mina set up the location in Ghana together with RGV. Ama is your direct contact person on site and always has an open ear for you. Mina continues to be the good soul of many projects and devotes herself to our street children project.

Volunteers talk about their experiences Joint commitment - big impact!

Testimonials

Internship as midwife in Ghana

My work consisted of looking after the pregnant women, recording their data and examining and treating them together with the midwife. The staff welcomed me well from day one.

More testimonials
Browse our magazine

RGV FAQ
to the project

What are the project fees used for?

Although we are a non-profit organization, there are costs associated with volunteering abroad. Find out here, why volunteering requires money and what your project fee is used for.

Which visa do I need for Ghana?

For Ghana you have to apply for a visa in advance. It is best to get information from Foreign Office about the currently applicable entry regulations.

The visa should be applied for no earlier than three months before the flight to Ghana, otherwise it will expire. This is valid for up to 90 days and costs €110. You can then extend the visa on site with our team leader without any problems, should you stay longer.

We will send you the necessary documents, such as a letter of invitation, as well as other important information in good time after your registration.

What vaccinations/ health precautions do I need for Ghana?

Proof of yellow fever and current Covid vaccination is required to enter Ghana.

You can get general information about recommended health care and vaccinations online Center for Travel Medicine as well as on the side of Foreign Office.

What language skills do I need for the project?

In order to be able to communicate well with the team on site, you should definitely have good English skills.

What are the requirements for the midwife project?

Participation in this volunteer project is only possible with prior knowledge or appropriate training. Without prior knowledge you can become a midwifeInternship complete.

Otherwise, openness, team spirit, reliability, discipline and physical and mental resilience are important.

This project is for female participants only.

In addition, a bachelor's degree including a certificate and a list of grades is required and a test must be taken at the local hospital. This test can be repeated once for a fee. If the text is not passed again, you can take part in the project as an intern; the internship fees will apply.

What do I need to bring with me for the midwifery project?

If possible, bring your own disposable gloves and hand sanitizer. If you already have work clothes from the hospital, you are welcome to bring them with you.

What do I have to consider as an LGBTQ person?

Please be aware that homosexual acts are considered undesirable in many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and are even punishable by law in some places. In general, people who are identified as queer are often exposed to hostility.

For example, get information from Foreign Office about the exact regulations in your destination country.

General FAQ about volunteer work

Ready to volunteer in Ghana? Start your adventure abroad with Rainbow Garden Village!

Rainbow Garden Village has been offering volunteer work and internships abroad since 1999. What started as a small student initiative in Ghana has now grown into an organization with over 250 projects around the world.

You can be sure that your work as a volunteer will be an unforgettable experience. Bring your commitment and your knowledge to do good locally - and at the same time benefit from the unique experiences that will promote your personal development.

Become part of our RGV community!
We look forward to you.

RGV Your way
to the volunteer

1
Choose your volunteer project and register online.

2
We will review your application and confirm your participation.

3
Prepare for your assignment online or in our preparatory seminar in Munich.

4
Here we go! During your volunteer work, we will support you at any time with our on-site team.

Gallery Impressions &
Impressions

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