HIV Public Health Careership - Ghana

Ghana is often held up as an example of African democracy and development, and in HIV/AIDS awareness the same holds true. The current adult HIV/AIDS prevalence is around 2 per cent and currently considered stable. Yet almost half of a million people continue to suffer from the disease and the fear and stigmatization of HIV-positive people hinders prevention and treatment programmes.

A local Ghanaian NGO is seeking interns to help with the training of peer educators, serve as community field officers and provide assistance to the local community-based organizations to educate communities and curb the spread of HIV-AIDs. This placement is ideal for people interested in public health, HIV/AIDS education and awareness-raising and community empowerment.

You will work on a variety of HIV-AIDs projects that aims to:

* Contribute to the reduction in HIV transmission via training peer educators
* Educate groups that indulge in risky behaviours which drive the HIV epidemic.
* Implement behaviour change in five districts in Ghana
* Help reduce the stigma associated with AIDS

Communities which will be targeted include commercial sex workers, migrant workers, second hand cloth traders and mining workers as well as out of school youth.

You will work through community-based organizations to reach the most at risk groups. The yearly targets of the project are as follows:

* Reach 2,000 in-school youth with comprehensive information on HIV and AIDS
* Reach 20,000 out-of-school youth with comprehensive information on HIV and AIDS
* Distribute 300,000 male and female condoms to most at risk populations and general population
* Offer counselling and testing services to 5,000 people
* Reach 220,500 from the general population with messages on preventing the transmission of HIV and rejecting misconceptions about HIV and AIDS.

You will have the opportunity to work in all aspects of the project. As well as gaining knowledge about HIV/AIDs, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the vibrant Ghanaian culture.

Learning the local language, enjoying the home-cooked food of villages and towns around Ghana, taking African dancing, drumming, and pottery or weaving classes will all add up to a unique and memorable volunteer experience. Various activities, tours, and expeditions around Ghana can easily be arranged for before or after your placement. You will be offered all information and booking details when you arrive.

You will be met at Accra international airport by a project representative and taken to the Project HQ in central Accra. You will be given a 1 day orientation as well as a brief language lesson. You will then be taken directly to your project location to begin your placement.

Accommodation is with a host family, where you will have your own room, and eat your meals with the host family. The families have been carefully chosen by the project coordinator and will make you feel at home!

* Min. age 18

* Min. 4 weeks commitment

* Able to work in a hot climate 

* Reasonable physical fitness

* Motivation to work AIDS related issues

* Adventurous, flexible, a good communicator, & culturally sensitive 

* Good Spoken English 

* Full travel & medical insurance

* Necessary vaccinations

* Necessary flights & visas 

Fee:

 £650 GBP Project Fee for the first month (£250 for each additional month)  + £249 GBP Placement Fee
 

What's Included:

Project Fee includes all food, accommodation, airport pickup, orientation, language lessons, 24 hour support and project activities.

We charge a flat, one-off Placement Fee of £249 GBP per person per project. This covers our costs for promoting the project and providing our services. We offer full pre-departure support (for all necessary flights, visas and vaccinations) and ongoing assistance throughout your placement.
 

What's not included:

Flights, insurance, visas (if applicable) and vaccinations. Full assistance will be provided in getting all these sorted.