The next humanitarian mission is currently being planned. Expected timeframe: November 2026
Who is interested in providing hands-on help on site for a while:
on the construction site
or in nursing/healthcare?
Marina Keul and Peggy Griewel look forward to hearing from you!
We recommend a medical check-up before your first trip!
Passport
Visa (Tourist Visa)
You can apply for a visa online via:
The cost for a tourist, business, or volunteer visa is €156. This includes consular fees, return shipping, and processing fees.
Tourist visas start at €110 plus fees. Enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope for return postage.
The Ghana visa application form is also available for download on the above websites.
Vaccinations
Entry is not possible without a yellow fever vaccination.
Please have your general practitioner check your complete vaccination status for all other vaccines!
First Aid & Travel Pharmacy
Personal medications
Perenterol Forte 250 or similar (diarrhea medication) – 1 tablet per day
Electrolytes (to replenish essential nutrients in case of diarrhea)
Malarone (malaria prophylaxis) for 1 day before to 7 days after the trip (€5.00/piece); alternatively Atovaquone from Ratiopharm at the same dosage (€2.70/piece). Some health insurance funds reimburse this medication—apply with proof of humanitarian deployment.
Mosquito spray for skin and clothing
First-aid kit
Packing List
Pocket knife
Earplugs (the neighbor’s rooster crows all night)
Flashlight
Headlamp
Portable travel mosquito net (pop-up)
Adapter / Type G travel plug for the hospital
Travel sleep sheet / sleeping bag liner (optional, see accommodation note)
Travel laundry detergent
Construction Site:
Work pants (preferably short) + plenty of old T-shirts
Backpack / fanny pack for cell phone
Lunch box, camping cutlery if needed
Required:
Safety shoes / work boots
Headwear / hat
Useful:
Work gloves
Cleaning gloves and cleaning supplies (cloths, sponges, brushes, scouring powder, etc.)
Permanent marker (Edding)
Utility knife / cutter
Scissors, silver duct tape
Cable ties
If you still have space in your suitcase:
Shoes to leave behind
Extra shirts/shorts to leave behind
Lodging
The guest house has 6 residential units, each with 2 bedrooms.
Double beds are preferably assigned to 2 people (e.g., couples, friends, mother/daughter, etc.).
If more rooms are needed, a second hotel will be used.
The walking distance from the hotel to the clinic is approximately 15 minutes.
You can also travel to and from the clinic by taxi or shared rental car with Dr. Okae. Minor transport costs apply.
Note: The mattresses at Eved Guest House are good, but unusually hard (very hard!) for Central European backs. For blankets, an uncovered wool blanket is provided (pack a sleep sheet/liner if you prefer otherwise). Clothes drying racks are available, making it easy to wash items in the evening—travel detergent is recommended. The guest house offers Wi-Fi and German power outlets. Rooms feature air conditioning, mesh window screens, and ceiling fans.
Catering
The booking includes a generous breakfast and dinner.
All volunteers will be provided with food and water on the construction site.
Breakfast usually consists of eggs, toast, fruit, and porridge. Bringing a few treats (e.g., jam, cured sausage) is recommended.
Apartments include refrigerators and kettles. If you dislike instant coffee, bring a package of ground coffee and a French press if needed.
Fresh fruit is served for lunch on the construction site. Recommended snacks to bring include muesli/energy bars and crackers like TUC (the saltiness is great while sweating!).
Dinner is hearty. Effervescent tablets (vitamins, electrolytes, magnesium, calcium…) are useful additions. Ample bottled drinking water is provided.
Hospital Transfer
Walking distance to the hospital takes roughly 15 minutes.
Taxis or shared rides with Dr. Okae in a rental car are available. Minor transport costs apply.
Location on the map
Our clinic is located in Wachild Estate in Sapeiman, a residential suburb of the Greater Accra Region.
The premises sit directly on the access road to the estate and are easily accessible via the unpaved exit off the central Accra-Kumasi Expressway.
Ghana is located in West Africa and has a land area similar in size to the United Kingdom, with whose history it is closely linked through colonial times. The capital of Ghana is the metropolis of Accra and the second city is Kumasi. The official language of the country is English.
Health in Ghana
Many people still die in Ghana because of insufficient or poor medical care.
Children and women often die in childbirth, life expectancy is only 63 years in total.
Malaria is still the most common cause of death in Ghana. This disease is the cause of death in 33% of children under 5 years of age and in 40% of those treated in outpatient clinics.
The travel distance to a doctor or even a hospital are sometimes several hundred kilometres. Then the patients usually have to wait a whole day at the hospitals with many other patients to be treated finally, even if they are in severe pain. Some of the injured have to wait for hours for treatment and usually lie or sit on the floor. Only a small portion of the population has health insurance. Medical care is therefore unfortunately a luxury.
(Source: Federal Office for Migration and Refugees 2014)