PROJECT/WORK: The only renowned and solitary surviving Technical Institute, located in the project community is in a serious need of rehabilitation. The St. Paul’s Technical Institute was established in the year 1968 by Divine Word Missionaries, a collection of catholic priests from various countries to give the teeming youth of the community and its surrounding villages and towns vocational and technical skills for social and economic development of the people. VOLU is being called upon by the management of the school to assist them renovate the old structures of the school. The school, which has churned out over 2,000 men and women since its inception, is begging for renovation to bring it back to its former glorious stage.

As a result of the steady growing number of children at the kindergarten division of the school, management of the school deems it expedient to expand the facilities to make room for other children who attain school-going age to gain admission into the school. In this arrangement, VOLU has agreed to mobilize and organize hard-working volunteers to come to the aid of the school in the provision of the facilities. During the project implementation, volunteers will be divided into various working teams and tasks will be rotated amongst them. some groups will have the responsibility of general renovation works on the old and dilapidated structures such as ripped-off leaking roofs and affix roofing, plaster and paint the buildings.

Other groups will be engaged on the construction of the proposed kindergarten school block for the little children. The volunteers will have the privilege to consistently interact with the children either inside the classroom or after class periods. Any volunteer who may express interest in engaging himself/herself in teaching at the technical school or the kindergarten department will be allowed to do so. Parents and guardians have, in anticipation, signalled their willingness and eagerness to collaborate with the volunteers to carry out the assignments. Volunteers will be digging foundation trenches, mixing cement-mortar/concrete and conveying building materials from store house to the construction site during the period. Volunteers, who may not have the technical skill, will be encouraged to try their hands on laying of cement blocks and painting works among other assignments.
 
LOCATION: The main work will be carried out in a school called St. Paul’s Technical Institute situated in a town known as Kukurantumi in the Akyem District. Kukurantumi is located in the eastern part of Ghana in the Eastern region. The population of the town is estimated at 21,000 inhabitants and the people are predominantly farmers while few segments of the people engage in ’white-color’’ jobs such as teaching and clerical duties. The community is one of Cocoa growing communities in Ghana and continues to contribute in no small measure, to the socio-economic advancement of the country. Food and general agricultural products are abundant and commonly grown in the entire area of the project community.
The volunteers will be privileged, either for the first time to experience the mysteries of a sacred thick tropical African forest. Kukurantumi is positioned in the midst of a forest zone of the Eastern region and experiences consistent relief rainfall. Volunteers, who perhaps will be interested in knowing something new, will be guided to explore around the forest and witness production and processing of Cocoa beans, the raw material for the production of Chocolate.

Our host, the Chief and elders of Kukurantumi are adequately prepared to receive the volunteers and integrate them into their cultures throughout the project life. During their stay, volunteers will be taken through some cultural activities to be organized by the indigenes of the town in a bid to expose our foreign counterparts to the rich cultural heritage of the Ghanaian society. Fun games, tale telling, drumming and dancing activities may be organized as part of entertainment programmes outlined for the camp. This camp is going to be full of excitement and fun, a remarkable period indeed!!!

LANGUAGE: Volunteers will be encouraged, as much as possible, to communicate freely in English for the purpose of harmonization and in the interest of inter-cultural relationship. However, proficiency in English is NOT pre-requisite or qualification for participation.

ACCOMMODATION: The school has far advanced and secured a very decent residential accommodation for the use of the volunteers during the implementation of the projects. Electricity will be made available 24-hours daily and fully equipped kitchen of the institute will also be at the disposal of the campers. Water is not flowing through taps, therefore, water will be supplied from the school’s bore-hole which is the main source of water supply. Mattresses will be made available volunteers but the rooms will be shared among volunteers. Volunteers will cook their own foods; ingredients for the preparation of the meals will be provided adequately and every volunteer is expected to participate in the cooking in turns. Sanitation and hygienic condition of the camping environment will be very paramount to the health needs of the camp and that all campers will be indulged in keeping the immediate environment clean and safe.

The school environment is very congenial and pleasant looking, more importantly the greenery nature of the entire compound is very attractive. The flora of the palm and other trees species planted in and around the school give a conducive atmosphere for camping. Volunteers may come along with their indoor game items to entertain themselves and others. Warm sleeping bags may be used but not seriously recommended as humidity of the area is very congenial.

PARTICIPATION FEE: All volunteers participating in this camp will be required to pay a fee of 250 Euros towards the successful running of the camp. The fee forms part of feeding, picking up from the airport and general administration cost of organizing the project.

ADDITIONAL INFO: Internet service facilities as well as posting of mails are available in Kukurantumi; however exchange of currency will be difficult as there are no commercial banks present in the town. Volunteers could transact their financial businesses in the capacity of the project location called Koforidua. Koforidua being the chief administrative city of the Eastern region is abound in lots of commercial activities. Volunteers can buy art and craft works when they visit Koforidua just about 45 minutes journey from Kukurantumi.

Volunteers will organize excursions to many of the tourist attractions available in the region such as the Boti Waterfall, Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Plantation at Mampong, the famous Aburi Botanical Gardens, to mention a few.