Down a dusty road in the Volta Region of Ghana, the Royal Praise School supports children in kindergarten through junior high school. The school faces many challenges, including a very small teaching staff, overcrowded classrooms, and inadequate facilities for learning. With the majority of the students living below the poverty line, families often face the difficult decision of continuing education or dropping out of school to earn an income. Girls are particularly impacted, with female students leaving school an average of 2 years earlier than their male counterparts. Through our global education and health programs volunteers are making a direct impact at Royal Praise School on the quality of academic programming, activities, and sanitation facilities, that leads to increased attention and advancement to secondary school.
Volunteer work takes place each weekday morning for 4-5 hours, and Cultural & Learning Activities are provided most afternoons. These activities provide unique insights into the local community and culture, and include language lessons, reflection sessions, excursions to local points of interest, guest speakers, cooking lessons, and dance classes, among others. Volunteers have free time available most evenings and all weekends to explore the local community and country.