Winneba, Ghana
Volunteer in: Winneba, Ghana
About the Center
The Project TEN Center in Winneba, Ghana opened in January 2015. Located in a fishing town, about an hour away from the capital city of Accra, the center opens its doors to groups of participants throughout the entire year.
Join our team of volunteers to support the local population's needs and take an active part in developing the region. You will be engaging with the community of Winneba, implementing much-needed educational, agricultural and public health projects, ranging from basic literacy, to sustainability and agricultural development.
The TEN Center in Ghana is maintained by a Center Director and Project Coordinators. The Coordinators are year-long volunteers at the center, many of whom are alumni from short and long-term program tracks. The center staff is available 24-7 for anything you need during your trip.
While living in the center, you will engage in unique volunteer projects and educational activities, giving you hands-on experience while developing skills and connections that will remain with you for a lifetime. You will have the opportunity for self-exploration while forming your identity on a personal and communal level.
Accommodation
The center is located near the town’s main road. Participants live in shared dormitories with 2-6 people per room. The facility contains bathrooms, communal kitchen and dining room, and a shared common living room.
Men and women have separate dormitories.
Food
The food supplied by the center is strictly vegetarian, locally purchased to ensure freshness. While we maintain a kosher-style kitchen, there is no local kashrut authority and therefore products are not supervised.
All meals are prepared by the center volunteers.
Shabbat and Holidays
The program welcomes religious and non-religious participants. All of the activities organized on Shabbat or Jewish festivals are suitable for those who observe religious practices, however each participant is free to observe Shabbat in their own way.
Each week we arrange kabbalat Shabbat activities and share a festive meal.
Explore Ghana
Participants of the TEN Center in Ghana will have a unique opportunity to explore the local areas and attractions, including the city of Accra, an elephant safari, the incredible rope bridges of the Kakum Natural Park, and the fascinating Kumasi Flea markets. In addition to the daily volunteer projects and learning components, volunteers will get a chance to explore the flavours, music and unique local culture. Tour the country, experiencing sites of historical and cultural significance, and hiking the beautiful landscapes. Participants will have the opportunity for additional travel during free weekends.
Safety and Security
The safety and security of our participants is always our number one priority. Our centers are approved by the Jewish Agency’s Security Department and are regularly monitored by 24 hour security guards.
In addition, we ensure that all of our directors are first aid trained, with immediate access to a full first aid kit. Hospitals and medical centers are located in the town, and a car is always available for transportation.
Project TEN is committed to continually reviewing and updating our safety procedures in order to protect volunteers and staff from harm.
Volunteer Projects
The TEN Center in Winneba, Ghana operates projects in three main areas: informal education, sustainable agriculture and public health.
HEALTH
- Education for children regarding personal hygiene, and soap-making workshops.
- Educate to hygiene, healthy and risk redacted way of life.
EDUCATION
- Operating a community informal educational center which invites children from all over the area from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds to various after-noon activities.
- Creating outdoor classrooms built from coconut trees to provide basic educational programing for street children.
- Facilitating after-school sports programs for children with an emphasis on soccer as an empowerment and educational tool.
- Volunteering in the after-school and evening programs: tutoring, teaching, cultural programs and more.
- Teaching computer skills (hardware/software) to young people ages 6 to 17, to strengthen their employment skills and independence.
AGRICULTURE
- Developing a community farm and teaching about nutrition and how to create self-sustaining agriculture practices.
- Experiential learning with children regarding agriculture, biology and nature.
Local Need
Winneba is a historic fishing town in the Central Region of South Ghana. It has been a main source of transit for children and women trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation. It is estimated that over 242,000 young people are engaged in forced labor in Ghana, many below the age of 15. It is also estimated that over 1 million of Ghana’s 6.3 million children below the age of 15 are excluded from school. Poverty, lack of education, and poor law enforcement are key reasons for child trafficking and forced labor in Ghana.
The most critical need in Winneba is to protect and improve the lives of young people and their communities affected by child trafficking and the worst forms of child labor.