Visitors and volunteers are always welcome.
Why visit? It’s the perfect opportunity to visit a successful small-scale project in Africa, an ideal base for exploring the surroundings (waterfalls, the Boabeng Fiema Monkey Wildlife Sanctuary), or simply because the Clear Mind residents love visitors and will greet you with open arms. Being warmly received and pampered by Kwame, Charles, Adjoa, Kojo, and the others may be your biggest contribution to making your visit to Ghana a success!
The residents are more isolated than the average Ghanaian because of their disability, and so they are more dependent on whoever ‘approaches them and talks to them’. If visitors react positively to the residents, this contributes to their well-being and further development.
Clear Mind offers three self-contained guest houses, each with two beds, running water and a toilet. The two houses in the vegetable garden are more secluded, further away from the bustle of the car wash. The third guest room is situated among the residents’ rooms, which is an experience in itself.
Visitors can have breakfast at Clear Mind, but other meals can be arranged upon request. The dishes on the menu are always local.
In terms of costs, staying overnight at Clear Mind is always affordable. Although we do have a recommended price for accommodation, guests with a limited budget, such as students, can decide how much they want to donate, which does not necessarily have to take the form of a financial contribution.
Volunteers and visitors are expected to adhere to a code of conduct that benefits our residents. Because we do not recommend the use of alcohol among our residents, we kindly request that visitors consume alcohol in private.
Volunteers and students on work placement are welcome. For volunteering and work placement opportunities, contact the volunteer coordinator by email at info@clearmindghana.com. Any specific research opportunities and tasks will be discussed beforehand. Beyond that, at Clear Mind, volunteering involves offering personal support to our special workers through a buddy system. Many of our clients have trouble expressing themselves, don’t always know how to dress correctly and don’t always understand the grown-up world around them. Greeting or visiting someone, practising sports, exercising, cooking, going to church, and playing a game are the kinds of activities a volunteer can help with to support this group, with creating happiness being the greatest contribution of all.
Practical information:
You can draw cash from the ATM in Techiman, an hour’s drive by taxi from Nkoranza, provided your banking card has worldwide coverage.
Ghana has a tropical climate and is situated near the equator, meaning that the sun rises and sets at six o’clock every day, with perhaps a few minutes’ difference between summer and winter. The temperature seems higher than the thermometer may indicate because of the high humidity levels. (Except in the dry months of December and January). The lighter the clothing, the better; cotton is preferable over synthetic materials. Mosquito nets are not only pleasant to sleep under but are also crucial in helping prevent malaria. For more details on the climate, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Ghana
Location and accessibility:
Nkoranza is a mid-sized Ghanaian city in East Bono province, formerly Brong Ahafo. It is centrally situated in Ghana, about a day’s travel from the country’s capital, Accra. The distance between Accra and Nkoranza is about 500 km and can be travelled by car or bus. The journey (with a private vehicle) takes at least ten hours because of poor roads and traffic jams in the larger cities.
You can eventually go anywhere in Ghana with buses and local transportation, but you must be patient!
Clear Mind can arrange to have visitors picked up by car. The driver collects visitors from the airport, brings them to a pre-arranged hotel in Accra, and drives them the next day to Nkoranza. The costs for this service are between 150 and 200 euros, not including the accommodation costs.
You can also fly into Kumasi or Sunyani, followed by a four-hour drive. Flying is more expensive, but it is a viable option.
