Volunteer in Africa

We get lots of short-term inquiries: "I'll be in Ghana for 3 weeks, how can I help?"

First off - THANK YOU for being interested in helping!

However, there is little that someone we don't know can do for us in a short time without lots of preparation.  It is difficult to work for an organization you don't know, in a strange land. So if you're available short term and we don't know you, your help can only be as an independent visitor.

The Independent Visitor:

An independent visitor can bring tools and sell them to repairers. Ten years ago most Ghanaian mechanics had never seen these tools. They are now becoming more widespread, (thanks to VBP) but they still haven't reached some remote places in Ghana, and much of the countries outside of Ghana. Most mechanics have to go to Accra for replacement tools and they are often expensive. Those who already use these tools will be happy to see you. Those who don't will be curious, at least.                                                                                                                                                                                                   
You can organize and run your own bike repair clinics wherever you go. Our curriculum is free to use and modify, and we'll be happy to advise in more detail. 
Bicycle counts and basic infrastructure research are also helpful. We're building a database of this, and would love your help. It is truly amazing to learn how localized bike use can be. We've gone into areas that seem to be naturally conducive to bike transportation, and found almost no bikes. We find pockets where women ridership is common, and where certain types of bikes dominate.
 
We really don't need short-term help with our bicycle repair workshop programs. Our Ghana partners have their teams and their ways of doing things, and at times seem even to resent outsider's efforts to help. It's a cultural thing. On the other hand, you are welcome to attend a workshop. 
Please be advised that you, an independent visitor, are in Africa on your own, not as our guest, and no one associated with VBP will have any obligation to take care of you in any way, unless of course, you are having an emergency! The point is, we want our programs open and transparent, without additional obligations!!

 

The Contracted Visitor:


Two month range:

If you've already spent enough time to learn how to communicate in African English, we would still need to get to know you before we can connect you with any of these opportunities. But, they do exist!

Helping women learn to ride. 
This is a job for a female volunteer. We find that many women who sign up for and attend our programs don't know how to ride. Even once they own the bike, often they still don't learn to ride, and the bike falls into the hands of others, usually male. We need volunteers who can help orient women to bikes before the repair programs take place. This will send women and girls into the bike workshop with more confidence. You will be working directly with the workshop organizer, usually a Peace Corps Volunteer.

Base-line Studies
We need someone to go to Sierra Leone, study and report the bike infrastructure.
If we're going to be part of a major intervention, wouldn't it be lovely to be able to measure our impact?

Research/Reporting
Someone to visit people in Ghana who've received bikes from our programs. Are the bikes helping as much as they should? What is holding them back from their best use? How have bikes changed people's lives? A prominent publication recently asked for an 800 word story about anyone who'd gotten a bike from VBP. We didn't have it. This could be a great story for a writer.

Six-month to one year:

If you're serious about making an enduring contribution, think of staying in Africa up to one year. This is the kind of time needed to start new programs with new people, get them trained, competent and confident at what they do.

For a welder, and engineer type. Its common to find people who use their heavy old roadster to carry heavy loads, but don't think mountain bikes are strong enough. How do we get to the truth? Someone is needed to design and carry out a plan to test mountain bikes and their load carrying capabilities, and at the same time study the roadster.

For an engineer/crafts person, consider the Village Bicycle Seat Project. 
It is said in Ghana, and its true, that bicycling can harm sexual performance in men. Is there someone who could design, build and teach rebuilding of seats which take pressure off that special spot?

Any startup program is going to take a longish term commitment, like one-year. By start-up I mean finding and training the right people, working out bugs, and streamlining programs to stand-alone or have smooth transition hand-off.