Ghana: Children of Africa Program for Teens

During the summer of 2023, I attended my second GLA program. I went to Ghana where for two weeks, I worked in a school with a group of other like minded youth from around the United States. We worked in a classroom teaching and we helped to build a floor in a building that was to become an office. I loved my experience. It went above and beyond my expectations. My dream is to lead a life of service working in the non-profit sector with feet on the ground. Ghana was a great way to start this. I loved working with the children and other kids on the program and the GLA staff was amazing. This program helped define what I want to do with my life, and, as cliche as it sounds, was truly the experience of a lifetime. The service was fun and rewarding and we were truly immersed in the culture, something I believe that is uniquely GLA. We were able to meet people who hold leadership positions in the village and get hands on cultural activities such as Batik cloth making and bead making. GLA is one of the best experiences I have ever had and I encourage everyone who has the opportunity to go on this trip, to do so.

My son went to Ghana for two weeks this summer. (Previously he went to Thailand and Costa Rica with GLA.) This trip seemed to have the biggest impact on him. (In fact, it was the subject of his college application essay!) The Ghana trip immersed him in a community that was the least familiar. Drinking water out of plastic bags and taking cold showers was one thing, but it was really seeing the village - the homes, clothes, food, technology, etc. - and meeting the people (kids and adults), that had him evaluating what makes people happy, what creates meaning in life. He saw firsthand that our way of life (middle-class American) is not the 'best' or 'right' way of life. This challenged his assumptions and, in turn, taught him that many popular assumptions might not be completely correct. It really opened his mind, which I think is so important as he heads off to college. He loved working with the kids and was amazed at the rigor of their education. I truly think that his travel with GLA has been one of the most valuable things we have done to shape him into a confident, open-minded, worldly young man.

Global Leadership Adventures is hands down AMAZING.....My experience in Ghana was absolutely incredible and I can honestly say it has changed my life forever. Ever since I was a little girl I have always had the dreams to help those in need and to travel. But I was often told I was too young and to wait until I am older and more mature. GLA believes that anyone can become a leader it doesn't matter how old you are. I am so incredibly happy that I decided to do this trip at 14 years old because it completely flipped my life around in the best way possible.

While in Ghana we were able to participate in so many amazing cultural experiences including Ghanaian dancing, Bead markets, and we were even able to attend Church.
The service aspect of the trip was also a part that left me absolutely speechless. We worked in classrooms of children ranging from babies to 6th grade helping with their overall care and also very important academic skills the children would need to move on to their next grade.
But the truly most impactful part of the trip for me was park time. We did this every single day of the program for at least 2-3 hours. This was the time everyone made the deepest connections with the children of krobo that I will cherish forever.

An aspect of the program I wasn't expecting to be as impactful as it was. Was the teens I got to experience the whole thing with. I can truly say that each one of them will be my lifelong friends and I am so grateful to GLA for giving me that.

I will be returning to the same program next year and plan to until I age out of GLA. I would encourage EVERY SINGLE PERSON to participate on this program and honestly any program GLA has to offer.

Since I was young, I've always loved to travel and do volunteer work. When I found GLA online I was ecstatic to complete both of the things I love to do at once, the only problem was picking a country (because of the variety of countries they offer, which I LOVED) and the price. The great thing was GLA offered grants and scholarships that enabled me to travel to Ghana, so don't let the price stop you from enrolling all you have to do is talk to a GLA representative. I picked Ghana the 21 day Children of Africa trip because of the motive of education and cultural immersion. Once I enrolled GLA had helpful tips on packing and what to expect which really prepared me for my journey, even a webinar to further prepare the students and parents. Throughout the whole process GLA was available to answer questions and keep both me and my mother informed. Once we arrived in Ghana the staff was outside the airport waiting for our arrival to welcome us to the country, all the students checked in with the staff and were given a way to communicate with there parents that they made it safely. From that point till the very last day the staff was hands down AMAZING. The trip was everything I ever hoped for: culturally immersing, exploring the sites, interacting with the locals, playing and teaching kids, etc. The trip exceeded my expectations, it was truly life changing being able to share a passion of travel and service with people from all over the world your age. I will never forget this experience.

Hi! I am a Global Leadership Adventures Alumni and I had an amazing trip with GLA. I choose Ghana: children of Africa and this was the best experience of my life. In Ghana, we lived in a house that was in the village I volunteered in. There wasn't ever any moment that I felt unsafe. At the age of 15, this was not only my first time traveling into Africa but my first time traveling alone. I feel that I have grown a lot, everything from no longer having a single story of Africa to knowing how to check in my bags. I didn't know much about the culture. shortly after arriving we got a little history and visited a host family to learn how to speak some Krobo. The program staff were very supportive and were always there to talk if you needed anything. a million words can't begin to explain the love, joy, and so many more emotions from this trip.

Hi! I am a Global Leadership Adventures Alumni and I had an amazing trip with GLA. I choose Ghana: children of Africa and this was the best experience of my life. In Ghana, we lived in a house that was in the village I volunteered in. There wasn't ever any moment that I felt unsafe. At the age of 15, this was not only my first time traveling into Africa but my first time traveling alone. I feel that I have grown a lot, everything from no longer having a single story of Africa to knowing how to check in my bags. I didn't know much about the culture. shortly after arriving we got a little history and visited a host family to learn how to speak some Krobo. The program staff were very supportive and were always there to talk if you needed anything. a million words can't begin to explain the love, joy, and so many more emotions from this trip.

Hi! My daughter has gone on 3 absolutely amazing GLA trips! She has had so many beneficial experiences! Each trip she has gone on I have felt so safe with her leaving! The communication and help I received from the GLA staff made such a difference. I had many questions the first trip she went on and they were always there to answer them! One of the best parts was seeing the blog of what they were up to each day! Coming back she had so many amazing stories to tell! I completely recommend GLA!!!

Last school year, I decided on a whim that I wanted to go on a service trip abroad and began my search online for a well-qualified program that would meet my desires. I came across Global Leadership Adventures, and with reviews such as these, I made the decision to trust my travels with this organization. Throughout the application and admission process, the GLA staff was super helpful with any questions me or my mother had and could answer anything I threw at them by email within a day.
I left Virginia not knowing what to expect but once I met up with other girls in New York, some more in Amsterdam, and everyone else in Ghana I knew these next few weeks were going to be the best of my life because I was already becoming such good friends with the people on my trip.
Everyone from the people on the plane, the GLA hired staff, and the members of the Krobo community were so welcoming and positive which was a great start to the trip. This was by far the best experience I've ever had from playing with the kids, participating in local traditions, learning at the krobo girls high school, building bricks, and teaching the kids English.
The goodbyes were the only bad thing about this trip because the kids wouldn't let go and it was hard to make them do so. Ghana will forever hold a special place in my heart.