Looking to Go to Ghana?

Is anyone out there interested in going to Ghana for a week or two, or three, or more, to work with African children, helping them with their computer skills, or doing art projects that not only actually finance their educations but also assist them in developing self-esteem and a sense of empowerment?

Ellie Schimelman of the Cross Cultural Collaborative is looking for volunteers to come to Accra, Ghana, for whatever amount of time you can spare, to work with the youth affiliated with her art center, located on the African coast. She offers a great opportunity for anyone with computer skills in Word and Publisher, to work with the kids developing their own story books, or for anyone artistically inclined to oversee the kids' handmade paper books project, while enjoying an immersion into African culture and crafts. The kids make beautiful notebooks and journals like the ones in the photo, which are sold to help pay their school tuitions. 

For a very modest fee, Ellie will provide you with room and board at her seaside art center and bed and breakfast while you're working with the kids. Having lived in Ghana for twenty years, she is very familiar with local and regional artisans, and can arrange for you tailored-made arts and crafts trips and experiences with professional African artisans based on your own wants and needs. If you don't necessarily want to work with children, but would love to go to Africa to experience its rich culture and artistic heritage firsthand, Ellie offers yearly crafts tours in Ghana, usually in January or during the summer, as well as the opportunity to simply come and be at her arts center, and plan your own agenda, with her wisdom and assistance if you so choose.

I would also request that, if anyone knows of a market for these notebooks, or would be interested in selling them yourself, please contact Ellie at aba@culturalcollaborative.org. Cross Cultural Collaborative's web site is http://culturalcollaborative.org : take a look at all the wonderful options they offer for travel and crafts adventures in Ghana. And thanks for taking a moment to think of ways we might help these African children continue to sell the lovely notebooks and journals to a wider audience.