Location
  • Ghana
    • Accra
    • Cape Coast
    • Kumasi
Length
1 to 52 weeks

Program Details

Age Min.
18
Age Max
70
Timeframe
Short Term Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round
Housing
Apartment Host Family Hostel
Groups
Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30) Large Group (31+)
Travel Type
Budget Family Older Travelers Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price
85
Price Details
This price is for a 1 week stay with us. Some education placements require a 4 week minimum duration with us to ensure a high social impact and chance for you to experience a new way of life. The longer our volunteers join our program, the lower the program fees reduce - dropping down to $70 per week.

This weekly program fee covers your pre departure support, accommodation, utility bills, support staff and orientation day.
What's Included
Accommodation Some Activities
What's Not Included
Some Activities Airfare Airport Transfers Equipment Meals SIM cards Transportation Travel Insurance Visa Wifi
Mar 27, 2024
May 02, 2024
22 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Atlas offers the lowest volunteering fees in Ghana and various volunteering placement types providing a high and meaningful social impact. Our projects are located around the Abetifi district which is based on top of the Kwahu mountain plateau and Akwidaa coastline.

The shared volunteer houses and surrounding rainforests offer breathtaking views. We focus our placements across Education, Sports Development, Renovation, Eco Protection and Sea Turtle Conservation.

Our placements run throughout the year and there's always a team of volunteers out with us, so you can plan when fits best with your schedule to join us. As previous volunteers in the local area we set this organisation up to remove the business element out of volunteering and work with the local community to assist in their development, one step at a time.

Ghana is often referred to as Africa for beginners and offers a safe, serene environment for your trip whilst experiencing new cultures and warm welcoming people.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Low Cost - Lowest available weekly fees in Ghana. Starting from only $65 per week.
  • Support Staff - A wide range of support staff will be on hand to answer any question you may have, from drivers to project coordinators.
  • Shared Housing - You will stay with your fellow volunteers in a shared volunteer house overlooking the rainforest - the perfect backdrop to create friends for life.
  • Sustainability - We work alongside the local communities in all our projects to ensure that our impact has a long and lasting affect.
  • Free Time - Weekends are free to travel the local waterfalls, national parks, safari and canopy walks.

Program Impact

You will be working directly alongside the local communities and authorities to provide assistance and further development where we can. Depending on your placement and area of focus we aim just a small travelling distance from some of the most remote communities off the beaten track. Projects and proposals are Ghanaian led to ensure that we are making as strong and relevant an impact as possible.

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Program Reviews

4.98 Rating
based on 80 reviews
  • 5 rating 97.5%
  • 4 rating 2.5%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.85
  • Support 4.9
  • Fun 5
  • Value 4.95
  • Safety 5
Showing 1 - 8 of 80 reviews
Default avatar
Merlin
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing experience!

Where do I even start?! I came to Ghana for the volunteer work with the sea turtles. Unfortunately I was at the end of the hatching period and the eggs that were in the hatchery did not survive the crabs. So this means I did not get to see any turtles, of course that is nature so Atlas could do nothing about it and it just tells me that this project is very pure. But not for a minute did I feel bad about the turtle project because there was already a lot of other things to do for us. We did a lot of very different and fun projects such as recycling in many different ways, we got to clean the beaches (what was very much needed), we spend a lot of time with the kids who live in the village and got to help out at the local school, we also did local farming. Our ‘guide’ from Atlas was Rii and he was very kind and had lots of things for us in mind to do in our free time. He also let us meet a lot of people, other volunteers but also locals. At all times we had one or two, we called them our bodyguards around us so I always felt very safe and these guys really felt like our friends. What we did in our free time let us see a lot of Ghana, we went to a festival (which was real fun!), we went to Cape Coast to learn about the history of the country, we had a cooking lesson from a lady from our village, we learned a bit of Twi (the local language) and we got to do surf lessons. For me it was a really special experience and I will recommend it to everyone! You get to really see Africa and how the life is here and you get to be a part of that and meet lots of very nice people!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Have an open mind, the program was so much more than I could ever imagine! I only came for turtles and instead I got the experience of a lifetime
Pros
  • Great variety of volunteer work
  • In the middle of the local community
  • Meeting amazing people
Cons
  • The crabs who destroyed the eggs
  • End of the breeding season
  • -
3 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Guy
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Abetefi

My trip to Abetefi (Ghana) was a great experience.
The local contact persons of "Build an Education" were a great help to get me settled and well connected with the other volunteers and colleagues.
I was happy supporting the teachers with their reading club, helping the children struggling with English reading and writing.
Next to the volunteering work, there were lots of opportunities to get out and see the country. The local contact persons often joined and were always available to help organizing the trips.
If you're in for some adventure and want to make a difference in the community, I can strongly recommend this volunteering program.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Go with an open mind and expect some hurdles to get settled in. After all, you're in Africa, where there's more time to get things done... :-)
Pros
  • Very friendly, helpful people
  • Less stress to get things organized on time
Cons
  • Not guaranteed that you will do that day what you planned for
  • Less comfort and luxury at the hostel and the school than what you may be used to
22 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Ann
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My second stay with Atlas Volunteers

I came back in March this year to spend another 7 weeks with Atlas Volunteers. First time I came with a friend for three months and I highly recommend this organization if you’re thinking of coming by yourself. It’s so easy to make friends and doing reading club at the local schools is great for anyone who’s interested in working with kids and wants to help them improve their English skills. Despite the work you got more than enough time for amazing free time activities such as hiking, city trips, surfing or exploring new waterfalls! Ghana is such an amazing country with beautiful people. Thank you Sam, Dom, Rii and Frank for your incredible work :)

What was your funniest moment?
Reading fun stories with the kids, dance battles at school, bar nights with lots of dancing, 6 hour hike to a waterfall
Pros
  • You can help the community
  • Work and free time
  • Beautiful people
19 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Lola
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A change of mindset

The people in Ghana are great and really sweet, they are always helpful and besides what everybody would think, really happy with the few things they had. Their energy is contagious!
The country is beautiful, and the people of the program make you feel at home from the very beginning, always taking care of you.
It made me realize the importance of a good conversation and a good time, not so much stress always planning what it is next, if you have food and a ceiling to sleep under, with people you love, all is good.
The volunteers are around the same age what it is great to create connections!
Totally recommended

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Don't go with an expectation, just enjoy the ride. Everything can be different everyday, and feel free to go outside the house and explore and talk with the local people, it is the best way to know them
21 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Lily
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Will be back

The Atlas house is based in a beautiful area, it's safe and easy to get around and there's plenty to do in your downtime. There's lots of projects to choose from, something for everyone. Spending time in the schools is an amazing experience, the kids are so much fun and so eager to learn. The support you receive from Dom and Frank is fantastic, there's always someone to turn to if you need it.
On weekends it's easy to go and explore further afield, if you're there for some time make the trip to Mole, it's worth it!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Just make the most of it, get to know people, speak to locals and those you meet through projects. Everyone is super friendly and helpful.
Pros
  • Location
  • People
  • Variety of projects
20 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Jasmine
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing journey

It was an amazing trip of one month ! I am so thankful for the atlas team and for all the people I met during my stay ! Working, spending time with the children and getting to get to know them, was amazing ! Visiting the country, the different villages and learning about the culture and the people too! I can only recommend atlas volunteer! And I would recommend staying more then one month if you can !

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would stay longer !
20 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Hannah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing Adventure

To put it simple my stay with Atlas was amazing. I tried out a lot of different projects and I can proudly say now that I fell in love with Ghana and the incredible people I met there. There wasn't a minute where I regretted my decision of going to Africa. The scenery is beautiful, the people welcomed me wholeheartedly and I've made friendships, that will hopefully last for a lifetime.
Whenever I needed something Sam and his team were ready to help, so I was able to enjoy my stay to the fullest and help the community as much as possible.
So don't hesitate and pack your stuff and get ready for your adventure with Atlas. It definitely won't disappoint you, I promise :)

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
There were quite some things I didn't expect...
For example is Ghana a much greener country, than I ever thought.
Easter is not just a one or two day long event for your family but it will be celebrated for a whole week in Kwahu with all of your friends. There even is the option for paragliding!
Bat season is something incredible to watch. Although it makes sense, that there is a bat season, it never came across my mind before.
Church isn't boring at all, as I know it from home but similar to a party with a lot of dancing and singing.
Pros
  • Friendly people and a wholeheartedly welcome
  • Lovely kids at school
  • Incredible nature
25 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Jakob Duus
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best thing to do in a gap year

It was an amazing trip. You had a lot of freedom to do whatever you wanted. If there were any problems the team were very quick to help you. The kids at school and the Ghanaian people were very welcoming and it was an experience I will never forget. In your spare time, you could go on small trips to see the beautiful area and in the weekends you could go on trips further away. I did not feel unsafe during my trip in Ghana and it is something I would consider doing again. At last, the other volunteers are very welcoming and you get to learn them very quickly as well with the team behind Atlas volunteers, who lives in the same house as you.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Just do it. I travelled to South America afterwards and it could not compare to this experience. At this program, you are meeting the culture a lot more than if you are travelling normally, so it is 100% one of the best things I have ever done. My advice would be to just be open and not be scared of anything. Everyone is there for the same reason and ready to meet some new people, and everyone is so nice to you (the volunteers, locals and the people in the organisation)
Pros
  • You get closer to the culture than if you travel normal
  • Everyone is so sweet
  • It is something unforgettable
26 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers