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Ghana Make A Difference

**THESE ARE PAST PROGRAMS. FOR A LIST OF CURRENT PROGRAMS, PLEASE VISIT THIS WEBSITE.**

Program Details

Come on a service trip of a lifetime! Interested? Click here to fill out the interest form!

This WSU Service trip consists of three main components:

  1. Construction and Building Sciences
    1. Using plans inspired by WSU students and developed into working construction drawings by architect, Troy McOmber, you will be assisting locals in building a new school! The GMAD are currently learning in a converted chicken coop. The children at GMAD have been rescued from forced labor trafficking or abandonment.
  2. Medical/Health Professions
    1. GMAD has been organizing and hosting medical missions in Ghana for the last four years. Due to the pandemic, there are many in Ghana awaiting life changing surgery. In an attempt to keep up with staggering demand, there will be back to back missions in October. There is work to do in December; specifically pre and post operative care, medical screenings in nearby villages, physicals, and prepping their medical clinic for future surgical missions.
  3. Social Work
    1. You will have an incredible experience accompanying and learning from Solomon as he goes into nearby villages doing work and community outreach among the most vulnerable in Ghana, or assisting Peter as he primarily works with the children at the GMAD shelter.

Selection Criteria:

Participants must:

  • Be 18 years of age or older.
  • Be a high school graduate or above.
  • Participants seeking academic credit for the program must be able to read the required text and participate in discussions.

**Limited to 55 participants -- 30 WSU Students/Alumni, 8 Faculty/Staff Advisors, and 17 Community Members. Individuals will be selected for this trip in the order they sign up and pay their deposit.**

Destination:

  • Ghana, Africa

Program Dates:

March 3, 2022- March 13, 2022

Cost

Students: $3,475

Faculty/Staff: $3,175

Community: $3500

Suggested Payment Schedule:

  • Deposit: $500
  • November 5, 2021: $600
  • December 3, 2021: $600
  • January 7, 2022: $600
  • February 4, 2022: $600
  • March 2, 2022: Rest of Balance

Must be paid in full by March 2, 2022

Payments can now be made online! Visit this website for instructions on how to pay your deposit online and future payments. Charges should show on your account within 24 hours after registration. As always, you can pay with a credit card as well. To keep our trip costs low, we encourage the use of ACH Bank Transfers, or payments by cash or check whenever possible.

Included: Round trip flight tickets to Accra; transportation; lodging at the GMAD home in Ghana; food; one night in Cape Coast with meals and transportation, entrance fees to Slave Castle, Global Mamas workshops, and Kukum National Park; t-shirt; water filtration bottles; travel insurance.

NOT Included: Passport and visa; immunizations and malaria medication; spending cash for snacks and souvenirs at the Art Market.

Itinerary

  • March 3--Depart to Ghana
  • March 4--Arrive in Ghana, go to GMAD 
  • March 5--Service day
  • March 6--Service day
  • March 7--Service day
  • March 8--Kakum National Park canopy walk, tour slave castle, Cape Coast Coconut Grove Hotel
  • March 9--Play on the beach, cultural class at Global Mammas, drive back to GMAD
  • March 10--Service day
  • March 11--Kids and culture, free day
  • March 12--Service day
  • March 13-- Go to Art Market, fly home

 

TRAVEL ADVICE: Here are some links for up-to-date Ghana travel advisories. We encourage you to check these out before traveling to Ghana.

U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention
U.S. Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs

 

Academic Courses

Students who participate in this study abroad program will be able to register for up to 3 (three) semester credits through Weber State University in 

  • BDC 4830 - Directed Readings
  • NRSG 4830 - Directed Readings
  • MLS 4830 - Directed Readings
  • GEOG 4950 - Ghana: Community Engaged Learning
  • SW 4830 - Directed Readings

Program Directors

  • Jeremy Farner - Trip Leader (Construction Management)
  • Jacie Johnson - Co-Trip Leader (PoC with GMAD)
  • Julie Rich - Safety in country, pre-trip training
  • Shauna Morris - Interior Design of Classrooms
  • Shawna Code - FM Outreach for GMAD
  • Ron Goch - Outreach Coordinator for donations & Student engagement in country
  • Sally Cantwell - Medical outreach coordinator
  • Kendal Beazer - Lab outreach coordinator

 

Trip Cancellations

If Weber State cancels a trip for any reason, all participants will be refunded 100% of funds paid to the school. If a participant withdraws from the program for any reason, they are subject to the refund policy found on the first page of the application.  Deposits are always non-refundable, unless the program is canceled by Weber State.  No refunds will be issued 30 days prior to program start date. 

Refunds will NOT be given to students due to COVID-19 concerns. Before programs were canceled last year, every student was given the option to withdraw from programs without penalty due to COVID-19. This year students are applying, cognizant of the pandemic. Weber State will not intentionally place students into high risk situations. We will work together with Program Leaders and Departments on canceling should the destination demonstrate increased risks, be they from COVID or any other concern. As such, students must abide by the standard refund policy.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Study Abroad Office at (801) 626-8711.