ON APRIL 9th 2022, 15 volunteers from Burton Albion Community Trust set off on a trip of a life time as part of Brewers in Ghana 2022, our first trip to the Volta Region of Ghana since 2019 due to the Covid19 Pandemic spending 10 days in the country. Our group was made up of BACT Staff, NCS Graduates, local key partners and members of the local community. Brewers in Ghana 2022 was the first year of our Grant Scheme that provided funding for 10 volunteers to travel to Ghana.
After an early morning meet at Burton Albion Community Football Centre, we set off to Birmingham International Airport to catch our flight to Amsterdam, then on to Accra, the capital of Ghana. After an overnight stay in Accra, day 2 we made our way by minibus to Woe, in the Volta Region to the Young Shall Grow International Volunteer House, our home for the rest of our trip.
The purpose of our trip was three fold. Working with the Young Shall Grow, an organisation that looks after young people from the region who have been abandoned or orphaned and providing them with a safe space to live, eat and gain an education. Secondly, we spent 5 days at Tegbi School. Anna Powell, Community Trust Active Prehab Coach said: “We were welcomed so warmly to Tegbi school, where we would be based for the majority of our volunteer work. We were introduced to children, teacher, school staff, decorators and builders that would assist us along the way in decorating a school classroom block and building a new school canteen from the ground up in just 5 days”. Finally, a visit to a local community where we provided them with Toothbrushes, toothpaste, sanitary products and clothing.
Paul Gaskin, Burton Albion Community Trust Community Engagement Manager and trip organiser said: “After 3 years out of the country, it was incredible to be back. It was amazing to meet Siva, Jida and the rest of the African Adventures team at the Young Shall Grow International Volunteer House.
“Their hospitality and sheer passion and determination to make a better life for the street children from the area is inspiring. Despite being so deprived, they are happy and full of life!. To be able to support Tegbi EP School, and local communities with building, painting and donations made the trip even more worthwhile.
“The volunteers were also amazing. The culture and surroundings are so different to home and they all coped amazingly well and immersed themselves in the trip from start to finish. I would also like to thank Will and Laura from African Adventures for all their help and support in finally getting this trip up and running. We can’t wait to return for our Brewers in Ghana 2023 trip.”
Burton Albion Community Trust would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the sponsors who supported our volunteers on making this trip so successful. Without your continued support this would not have been possible.
