Volunteers are always welcomed at Future Kids Foundation. The children love volunteers teaching them about life outside of Ghana, helping them with their homework, and of course getting a little bit of extra attention!
Below is what life was like for Nicholas, a volunteer from Switzerland, who spent six weeks living with the Bello family and volunteering in Kpando in 2009.
Living the Ghana life
My time spent living with Bernice & Ken Bello in Kpando, Ghana, will stay with me forever. Not only because of the amazing experiences gained from living in Africa, but also for the kindness and warmth of my foster family, the Bellos.
Bernice – or Bennies as she likes to be called – is your typical African “Mama”; all she wants to do is take care of you. She brings you into her home, prepares for you delicious home-cooked local dishes, takes you out on excursions ensuring you see the best side of the region and making sure you have the total African experience during your stay. She is an open, loving and smiling person, always willing to help and answer your questions. You, in some way, become part of the close-knit Bello family while in their home.
Your integration into the community depends on your personality, but I definitely was aided by living with a local family. They were able to teach me basic words and phrases in the local dialect – Ewe – that was a great way to start a conversation with local people. Once someone hears a “yevo” – white man – trying to buy a bag of water in Ewe, firstly they laugh with you about the trouble you have pronouncing the words. Then they ask you how long you have been there and the conversation is started, which is a great way to make new friends in this small community.
At the time of my orphanage volunteer experience in a small village in Ghana’s eastern Volta region, Bernice Bello had not yet started her children’s home. However it sure felt like it! My six-week stint in her home coincided with visit of at least 15 family members from Accra, which brought the total of 10 year-olds and under to 7. There never was a dull moment to say the least. Upon arrival, the children are shy and afraid of this unknown person showing up at their home. But within a few hours, the older kids very quickly start warming up to you and begin asking you questions about yourself, your family and your home. The younger ones have one objective and one objective only: to have fun and play with you. You must be ready to be climbed on, sat on, tickled and pinched by cute little kids on a regular basis.
I still remember the time when Bernice took me to a typical Ghanaian wedding. We all got dressed up in typical colorful clothes – a mix bright colors like green, yellow, purple and orange – and went to the venue. The bride and groom show up – 3 hours late because that is Ghana time – and the festivities begin; ceremony, dancing, eating and speaking with people. Bennies was always available for any questions I had about customs or what I had to do. I feel very privileged to have had such an experience and I have the whole Bello family to thank for it.
I am so glad that Bennies now has her children’s home open, she really is perfect for it. Taking care of people, children or volunteers, is what she does best.
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