Only 360€ per week!
Physiotherapy
Accra - Ghana
Broaden your experience within your expertise and help the community in Ghana.
During this program you will work at community clinics and sports organizations in Ghana-West Africa to provide physiotherapy treatment to local patients and to Ghanaian athletes. You will get the opportunity to work together with other educated physiotherapists, as well as teaching Ghanaian physiotherapy students. A worthwhile project for career breaks, internships and holidays.
Program
Living
Ghana
Program Description
The physiotherapy placement will allow you to contribute to an important area of community and sports development. You will provide the hands-on assistance and care that is usually unavailable to many injured locals as well as dedicated athletes. This will be a great experience for a future career as a professional physiotherapist or, alternatively, it will give you a better understanding of the hurdles many physiotherapists and medical professionals have to overcome in developing countries.
The community clinic is understaffed and underfunded. Many of the patients' conditions reflect the problems in Ghana: lots of strokes due to hypertension, car accidents, and a high proportion of crush injuries to the hand and tendons from cutting and grinding machinery. A hand injury in Ghana usually means no compensation and no income, and only those that can afford the two pound fee per session have treatment. There is also a lot of facial palsy from otitis media, which is treated with electrical stimulation. The clinic does have equipment, including a hydrotherapy pool, but it has a long way to go before the clinic can cope with the needs of the local community..
You need to be self-motivated and prepared for some long and frustrating days. However, as a qualified physiotherapist, you really can make a positive impact to an often overlooked area of medical care.
The physiotherapy project requires physiotherapists who are already qualified or who have had some experience in the area (at least to second year degree standard). Physiotherapists work in two main areas in Ghana: clinical and sports institutions.
Please be advised that the daily transportation costs to and from your program are not included and must therefore be paid by yourself throughout the course of your stay. Those costs may range from 2 – 5 Euros per day.
Aims & Objectives
- Improve the village children’s educational prospects and widen their cultural interactions
- Provide you with new valuable experience for your future career
- Assist the local clinics and the sport organizations with a some extra hands
Schedule
Monday
- Breakfast
- Introduction
- Lunch
- Introduction
- Dinner
Tuesday to Friday
- Breakfast
- Physiotherapy
- Lunch
- Physiotherapy
- Dinner
Note: This schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances.
Participant Criteria & Requirements
Standard Requirements
Minimum age: –
Maximum age: –
Minimum English level: Basic
CRB required: On Signup
Passport copy required: No
Resume copy required: No
Required qualification: Degree in Physiotherapy
Additional Requirements
It is a requirement that you MUST have a yellow fever vaccination and must obtain a certificate as proof. You may be asked to produce this certificate at the point of entry into Ghana and can be refused entry if you don’t have one. There may be other vaccine recommendations listed that you may want/need to get before starting.
Additional Equipment
No specific equipment required for this program.
Location
Accra is the capital and largest city in Ghana, with a population of over two million. Accra stretches along the Ghanaian Atlantic coast and extends north. Our accommodation is located in Teshie, a coastal suburban town on the east side of Accra. It is a quickly growing suburb that’s getting bigger and bigger every day. Teshie is rich in its diversity and has its own train station for easy transport.
About the Accommodation
During your stay here in Ghana you will be accommodated at our center here in Accra. The accommodation is located within a gated community. Rooms are generally dorm style and are separated between male and female. Programs are located about 20 – 40 minutes away from the house and participants are responsible for their own transportation costs to and fro. Staff remains on site 7 days a week to assist participants.
Food Arrangements
Typical Ghanaian dishes mixed with western food will be served at the accommodation. Typical ghanaian food includes rice dishes, beans, fruits, vegetables, chicken, beef and fish.
Facilities
It is close to all amenities with the closest shops within a 15-20 minute walk. ATM is 15 minutes away by taxi. Restaurants and bars are 20 minute taxi ride.
Activities & Events
No scheduled activities outside the program.
Sights & Surroundings
Cape Coast
Lake Volta
Elmina Castle
Manhyia Palace
National Museum of Ghana
Kwame Nkrumah National Park
Accra Mall
Bojo Beach
Aburi Botanical Gardens
Transportation
From this location we do not provide free transport to other locations.
Quick Facts
Name: Republic of Ghana
Population: 27 million
Capital: Accra
Language: English
Currency: Ghana cedi (GH₵)
Time zone: GMT (UTC +0)
Country Information
This multicultural nation is in the western region of Africa, south of the Sahara. Bordered by the Togo in the east, Burkina Faso in the north, Ivory Coast in the west and the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean in the south. Ghana's President is both head of state and head of the government. They now have one of Africa's strongest economies, which together with their democratic political system have made them to a regional power in West Africa.
This country has succeeded in keeping its culture alive for centuries making it an amazing place to visit. Its diverse geography and ecology ranges from coastal savannahs to tropical jungles. Once known as the gold coast, Ghana is the second largest producer of gold in Africa and today Ghana is also the second largest producer of cocoa beans in the world.
Climate
Geographically speaking, Ghana is located only a few degrees north of the Equator, giving it a warm climate that is relatively mild for its latitude. There are two main seasons, but to be on the safe side, expect everyday to be hot and the humidity to be high. During rainy days it usually just rains for a short while, but occasionally it can rain for the entire day. Temperatures tend to hover around 22-30°C.
Wet season
The north experiences its rainy season from April to November. The south experiences two rainy seasons each year. The heaviest rain there is from April until June, and a lighter rain is possible during September and October. Rainfall ranges from 80 to 215 cm a year. You can still expect to experience hot days, in both the north and the south.
Dry season
Hot winds from the Sahara desert blow into the northern part of Ghana in late December and continues until mid-February, this is called Harmattan. Some years this can be pleasant, as it dims the sun and decreases the humidity. Other years a bad Harmattan day will look like a big London fog, except it’s dust. The Harmattan is more intense in the north and this is a perfect time for wildlife viewing as animals congregate at the water holes during this period. Since the coast is in the south, you will likely find even more humid weather than in the north.
Culture
There are over 100 ethnic groups living in Ghana. The largest are Akan (45%), Moshi-Dagbani (17%) and Ewe (14%). The Ashanti tribe of Akan are the largest tribe and one of the few societies in West Africa where lineage is traced through the mother and maternal ancestors. They were once famous for their luxury and wealth rules, but today are more known for their craft-work.
The bond of family is very strong in Ghana and it is the primary source of identity, loyalty and responsibility. Family obligations take precedence over pretty much everything else in life. The entire family shares loss of honour, or the pride of success, which makes the culture a collective one. People are respected because of their age, experience, wealth and position. Therefore, you can always see preferential treatment for the eldest member in the group.
Gastronomy
The centuries old culture of Ghana has even managed to be reflected gastronomically! Most Ghanaian dishes are often served as thick stews or sauces with meat. It is common that dishes include home grown ingredients or local crops, even soups will contain some of the local groundnut or palm nut. Some stews and soups are tomato-based as tomato is another popular ingredient in the country. Most meals also include a starchy component such as boiled yams, rice or cassava as well.
Transportation
There are quite a few ways to travel in Ghana, although not all drivers are licensed. Insurance and registration stickers are displayed in the front windshield of all vehicles, so use your judgement on the condition and appearance of the vehicle and the driver. Keep in mind that most of the road accidents in Ghana are caused by tires that are in bad condition, so choose wisely!
Buses are recommended for long distance journeys. They provide the best balance between safety, price, speed and comfort. Be prepared to pay a bit extra for luggage. Tickets for the buses can be sold out, sometimes days in advance, so book your ticket ahead of time whenever possible. All taxis in Ghana have orange corners for easy recognition. Always ask for the price before jumping into the car, then offer him the half of that. After that, you can work together through negotiation to find a happy medium.
