PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Atorkor is a beautiful remote eastern coastal village in the Volta region in the Keta District of Ghana, two hours east of Accra. Located on the Atlantic Coast, Atorkor is blessed with lovely long stretches of sandy beaches, a lagoon, a calm and peaceful life, good roads linking to Accra and surrounding towns and villages, a wide variety of landscapes, and some of the warmest and friendliest people in all of Africa. It is a safe, enchanting village and a wonderful place to visit. It has a population of approximately 6,000 Ewe-speaking people.

Economic Situation

There is no major economic activity in Atorkor village. The main occupation for the men of the village is fishing, for which the inhabitants depend on the sea and lagoon. However, the fishing industry has declined considerably due to depleting stocks of fish in the area and archaic fishing methods; overfishing and illegal fishing by large foreign trawlers; and the construction of the dam by the Ghana government, which has almost completely dried up both the river and lagoon. A new vocational center will focus on cultural arts and microenterprise training.

Atorkor Community Healthcare Program

The Atorkor Community Healthcare Program (Atorkor Healthcare) was established to provide affordable healthcare services for the people of Atorkor, as well as the surrounding six villages of a total of 20,000 people who have no healthcare facilities. These people have to travel several kilometers by public transportation to seek healthcare elsewhere, which is costly. The nearest hospital is 27 km away. Atorkor Healthcare covers malaria, heart disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, pediatrics (immunizations and malnutrition), maternal health, and dental health. Atorkor’s healthcare facility has only two resident physicians. In Ghana, the ratio is one doctor for every 15,000 patients; and one nurse for every 650 patients. These factors deter people from seeking early medical treatment, which results in avoidable pain, suffering, and even death.

 Goals of Atorkor

1. To promote, coordinate, and implement economic and micro-credit development programs.

2. To mobilize financial, material, and human resources to develop and improve:

• Education and welfare
• Health awareness, sanitation, nutrition, and primary healthcare
• Employment and training
• Social needs programs
• Agriculture and food safety
• Environmental welfare

3. To foster peace and unity among the people of Atorkor.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AT ATORKOR

Education/Children:

• Help teach Mathematics, English, and Science
• Teach basic computer technology to elementary and junior high students
• Tutor  students with reading and writing
• Introduce best practices and new methodologies to teachers
• Help teach Sports, Music, Drama, and Arts & Crafts, as a means for conveying educational or public health messages
• Assist at the kindergarten, to assist with creative skills, creative arts, music, read them poetry, etc.
• Teach team sports like volleyball,   basketball, netball, football etc as well as track and field.
• Teach sewing and fiber arts like sewing, knitting, crocheting etc.
• Teach creative arts in drawing, painting, mixed media and other arts.
• Work with students in creative writing and drama.

Atorkor School Calendar:

Volunteering at Atorkor School is possible during the following school terms.

• First term: September – December
• Second term: January – April
• Third term: May – July

IT Education

• Teach computer maintenance and basic computer repairs Introduce teachers and students to computers, email, software, and the internet
• Teach how to print, scan, upload and process images and video
• Assist in the library in the maintenance and promotion of the library
• IT administration and maintenance work
• Teach basic web design

Public Health:

• Provide public health awareness programs and community outreach
• Disease prevention, health education, including hygiene
• Conduct health demographic surveys

Medicine: Medical Professionals Only

• Conduct medical examinations and treatment, screenings, and patient referrals

Business:

• Provide basic business and management training to people with very little or no education – who cannot read or write (translators will be available)
• Hands-on coaching for small businesses
• Perform fish farming feasibility
• Raise funds to set up a pilot fish farm
• Analyze existing fishing processes in the village
• Evaluate setting up a fishing cooperative

Building and Construction:

• Help build classrooms for the Atorkor School (when funds are available)

General:

• Help with the production of documentaries
• Participate in cultural preservation and the performing arts

ACCOMMODATIONS AT ATORKOR

Housing

Volunteers are housed in a gated compound residence that has five bedrooms in the main house with two additional rooms attached to the house. There is mosquito protection on all windows and each bed. Volunteers can walk to their daily activities from the compound. This community is also good for groups of up to 17 participants.

Ground Floor

• one bedroom with two single beds
• large communal furnished living room with 2 electric fans and air conditioner
• kitchen
• separate toilet (with WC) and bathroom with shower

Upper Floor

• 1 master bedroom with three single beds and en-suite bathroom
• 3 additional bedrooms:

• bedroom 1 has 2 single beds
• bedroom 2 has 2 single beds
• bedroom 3 has 1 single bed or one double bed
• separate toilet (with WC) and bathroom with shower
• small communal area

2 Attached Rooms

• 2 beds in each room
• occupants use the facilities in the main house

Meals

A caterer prepares all meals and discusses the menu with volunteers upon arrival. Volunteers who have special dietary needs or food allergies should note their needs on their volunteer application so Village Volunteers can notify the Atorkor staff in advance.

Drinking Water

Purified drinking water is provided for volunteers.

Electricity

There is electricity; however, there are frequent power outages. Rechargeable lamps are provided for volunteers. Solar flashlights are also recommended.

Internet Access

Volunteers can typically access the internet from the school in Atorkor, a 5-minute walk from where volunteers stay. Volunteers can have unlimited internet access at the school for a small fee.

When the internet at the school is down, the nearest internet access is in Keta, about 27 km from where volunteers stay. It costs about $2 USD to travel to and from Keta by public transport. (Prices are subject to change.)

Laundry

For $30 USD per month, a volunteer’s laundry (clothing and bed linens) can be done once a week. All volunteers are asked to launder their own undergarments.

ATORKOR: Helpful Hints and Cultural Practices
from Founder Sam Adjorlolo 

Arrival in Atorkor

Travel is an adventure in Ghana. As is so everywhere in this world, one’s budget dictates one’s mode of transportation. There are “trotros” through standard buses to aid-conditioned luxury rental cars. A trotro is the typical low-cost local transportation in Ghana and is seen everywhere, far outnumbering standard buses. They are usually converted small vans and generally have seats for 20. They are always full, have constant loud gospel music, and typically have worn vinyl seats, sometimes absent headliners, dirty or no windows, and no air conditioning. The temperature within a trotro is usually from 85 to 90 degrees. If it is the raining season, expect the humidity to be 100 percent. I will not tell you more. You will discover the rest yourself. You will surely have a wonderful adventure of your lifetime in Ghana.

Depending on your mode of transportation, your journey from Accra to Atorkor will take about two to three hours if all works out fine. Expect a very warm and friendly welcome upon your arrival in Atorkor. The villagers, led by the elders, will welcome you with the traditional “package,” something that will blow your mind for the rest of your life.

Cultural Practices

We entreat you to come with an open mind. Needless to say, there are bound to be cultural differences, and our expectation is that you appreciate and respect these differences. These differences are like nothing you could imagine. But you will survive and eventually enjoy being part of this relaxed and friendly community.

• Greetings are accompanied by handshakes. I mean a lot of handshakes. The award-winning question is: “Do the people, after shaking so many hands, wash their hands in the village?” Perhaps something to find out when you get there!
• You shake hands with your right hand. Please keep your left hand to yourself.
• Never point to people or objects with your left hand. It is considered very rude.
• Be mindful of the language barrier. Not all of the people speak and understand English. Even those who can communicate in English may take some time to understand your accent and vice versa.
• Funerals are held mainly over weekends. Expect a lot of noise from drumming, dancing, and music. Sometimes this can go on overnight. Funerals sometimes come across as more like merrymaking events than mourning ones. You will get to understand this after a few weeks in Atorkor.
• People carry things on their heads – please don’t laugh! There is a reason. Please find out when you get to Ghana.
• The traditional way of spending the night is storytelling within families. Therefore, very little goes on after dusk.

Be Mindful of the Following

• Like most parts of Ghana, mosquitoes abound in the village. You will be told of all the necessary precautions to take.
• Frequent electricity power cuts. Note: the majority of the people in the village do not have electricity anyway. So how will the power cuts affect them?
• The very slow pace of doing things can be very frustrating. I always learn from my folks in the village how to “slow down” in life. I believe you will also take something away from this village community. In some ways, these people are right: why all these time-related stress situations that we create artificially for ourselves?
• There are no ATMs, no banks, and no cashing of travelers’ checks in Atorkor. These are, however, available in selected places in Accra, the capital.

It is our fervent hope that you will have a wonderful experience. We certainly would like to and will therefore endeavor to do our best for you to enjoy Atorkor.

May I take this opportunity to say woezor, meaning ‘you are welcome,’ and akpe, meaning ‘thank you!’ You will have a great time in Atorkor!

Sam Adjorlolo
Founder and Director of ADF