Many of you have contacted me and have inquired of the costs of travelling to Ghana for our Program. The cost of travelling to Ghana varies....it really depends upon the time of year (for peak season/or off peak season) you are travelling and the length of time you are staying. But I'll try to give you some ball park figures to help those of you that are interested to organize your finances:

Airfare $1400-$1900 During December/January or after May 25th, airfares increase significantly to over $2,000
Visa $80
Vaccinations $200 Health Insurance reduces this to a minimum, and at least get your malaria pills and typhoid shot
Placement Cost $800 Normally for 5 week stay (covers lodging and 2 meals per day) (Flexible)
Transportation $20- From Airport to House and then to Village
Food $80 Meals outside of provided meals (weekly, depends on your eating habits)
Pocket money $50-80 (local transport, for hiring a taxi, drinks, visa prolongation, short trips)
Approximately $50-$80 per week

Medical- and travel insurance Optional. Approximately $100 per month


****first aid kit, insect repellent, etc. (expenses for GGD, vaccinations and malaria tablets are reimbursed by some medical insurances)

****Tour through Ghana (optional) Approximately $150 per weekend (cost varies depending upon where you go and how you travel)



MORE ABOUT COSTS

Where does the money go?

The Girls Institute of Science & Technology keeps the costs of the program as low as possible. We promise you this is not a get rich scheme as the Management staff are non-paid volunteers as well. We don't provide any stipends at all. Outside of the local teachers that make menial wages, anybody you come across has not and will never be paid. The biggest part of the money will go to the host families in Ghana. It is our aim the people in the villages will profit from our presence. To achieve this, we help them by making host rooms and providing sanitary water & toilet facilities; in order to give them the possibility to host visitors and to earn some money with this activity, besides the very small income they have from their farms. With the money paid to Christine Asor in Ghana, she organizes everything necessary for your stay and it gives her an income as well. The host family receives money for board and lodging. I'll give you a hint: Christine Asor makes about $80 per month and has been teaching for 27 years. (Need I say more).

Our highest paid teacher makes about $150 per month. (And we are steadily raising funds to correct this inequity.) So, when we collect your placement fees, we are actually in a position to help these families out. So your permanent place of residence will be in a room at someones house or hostel usually with our staff or PTA staff or volunteer hosts. A hostel in the village is a home that someone owns where they lease their bedrooms. We encourage our volunteers to stay with our families in the village. However, if you choose too, there are local hotels in the school's vacinity that range anywhere from $30-50 per night. We can arrange for this at your request.

We are not Poverty Pimps.....I repeat, we are not Poverty Pimps. We are serious about the work of providing sustainable development to developing nations through educating the youth.


Poorer families are also supported by the ability to welcome a guest. We try to host as many people as possible in the villages because they need the extra income most. This allows your stay to also support the local population who frequently has difficulty obtaining a reasonable income. GIST also has a fund. The GIST fund helps to provide materials, supplies, and further supports the building renovations. For more information, on how to support this fund, feel free to email: gistschool@gmail.com.

I hope this posting helps to answer many of your questions........Have a Good New Year!!! And we guarantee, you can't have a better experience.....

Greetings,

I would like to send a big shout out to the following prospective volunteers. Thanks for shooting us an email:

Maria of Columbia

Cathinka of Norway

Shaneka at UMASS

Carrie in Michigan

Maja & Bojo of Slovenia

and last but definitely not least: Emily of Kentucky State.......Thank you for considering us as your number one Volunteer Destination.......( I'm starting to sound like a travel agent.....not good!!!., but thanks, really!!)

On behalf of YIST-Agogo, Ghana; we send a big welcome and thank you to the Idealist team: Congratulations!!!!!!

Mina Pahlevan Service Learning Administrative Assistant 4 weeks Oct. 25-Nov.25 Agogo, Ghana San Fransico, CA
Pam Flores Service Learning Bio Diesel Fuel Project 2 Weeks Oct. 8-Oct.19 Agogo, Ghana Atlanta, GA
Shaneka Davis Service Learning Program Director-Summer Camp 3 weeks August 12-Sept. Agogo, Ghana Boston, MA
Pam Flores Service Learning Bio Diesel Fuel Project 2 weeks May 20-June 6, Agogo, Ghana Atlanta, GA