West Africa Program
(Ghana)

Program Duration

This is an eight-month program, running from September through April.

Four weeks will be spent in the Toronto area during which significant time will be given to community building among the group members, articulating personal and group goals, prayer and faith sharing, cross-cultural living, introduction to on-going projects with the urban poor, and learning about the history, politics and economics of West Africa. There will also be workshops on communication skills, consensus decision-making, conflict resolution and going cross-cultural.

In West Africa

The group will fly to Accra, Ghana, and then travel by land to Suyani where they will receive an orientation to the life and culture of Ghana. Then they will travel north to Tamale where they will spend several weeks learning enough of the language and culture of the Dagomba people to enable them to live for a month in small rural villages. There will be an opportunity over the Christmas season for the group to spend some time in rest and relaxation after which they will begin project work for the final three months in Africa. There are a variety of projects available; Dr.David Abdulai’s medical clinic, a food program for the poor in Tamale, teaching in mission schools, working with street children in Accra, etc. Some may travel to Burkina Faso to assist in a L’Arche home in Ouagadougou.

Follow-Up

After a week at home re-uniting with family and friends the group will spend four weeks inthe Toronto area reflecting on what has been learned and experienced and evaluating the acheivement of personal and group goals. Presentations and workshops will be prepared to share insights and perspectives gained with school, college, church and community groups. This is how the program helps develop a growing community in Canada committed to more just and constructive relationships with the developing world.