Ghana-Specific Preparation for One-Week Volunteers
Volunteer-Written Advice
Advice From Recent Volunteers
"I learned that if you fully immerse yourself in your work, you will see positive results. I woke up almost every morning excited to pursue the day's activities while in Ghana and I feel as though that really helped me become a better volunteer because I was passionate and eager to do the work. I kept a positive attitude and saw how much more I got out of each day."
"My "words of wisdom" would be definitely get involved with this organization. It is fantastic and the experience of a lifetime. You learn so much, not just about global health, but about yourself."
"My advice for future volunteers is to put everything into the trip . You get out of it what you put in . Don't be afraid to try new things . Look for opportunities to try local foods . If you can leave feeling comfortable with the culture, you have gained something really special."
"I learned the importance of sustainable practices within an international organization . I can't imagine working with an NGO or similar organization that didn't have its core staff located within the host country . I now realize how essential this is to the success of the organization . I also learned the necessity of communication . Even small efforts, such as learning a few Twi phrases, can indicate your dedication to the local culture . This will encourage the patients and local people to speak with you and enjoy your company."
Pre-Departure Preparations
Preparation
Pack clothes according to the time of year during which you will volunteer. For instance, June and July are during the rainy season. The temperatures are slightly cooler (in the 80's generally), and it rains fairly often. Information about weather patterns in Ghana can be easily found and should be consulted when packing. When choosing clothing color, darker colors will look clean longer, while lighter colors will absorb less heat from the sun. You will want to decide whether you want to do laundry less often or be a bit cooler in the sun's rays.
Eyeglasses
If you're in Ghana during the summer, or shortly after the summer, you might see an abundance of eyeglasses collecting in Accra. With the very large number of volunteers participating in Ghana during the summer each year, the eyeglass supply fortunately becomes well stocked. Accra is the eyeglass hub, and the eyeglasses are distributed to each of Unite For Sight's partner eye clinics by Jerome and other Crystal Eye Clinic staff. As the Fall and Winter months progress, the eyeglass supply begins to dwindle. Fortunately, a larger number of volunteers participate during January (winter break), which re-inflates the supply and enables it to last until the next summer. All of the eyeglasses that you personally bring will not be used during the exact time when you are in Ghana, but the glasses are very much needed and used long after you depart.
How should I bring the eyeglasses?
You should put all of the eyeglasses into a large plastic bag (such as a garbage bag) and then put the garbage bag into a suitcase.
Do not wear your Unite For Sight t-shirt during your travel to Ghana because this will make those at the airport aware that you may have eyeglasses.
If you have any difficulty with customs, request to find Jerome, the Crystal Eye Clinic nurse who will be picking you up at the airport.
If you’re able to bring some of the glasses in your carry-on baggage, that would be ideal.
Arrival in Accra
What happens when I arrive in Ghana?
You will be arriving at the Kotoko International Airport, which is located about 20 minutes away from downtown Accra. You will be picked up after going through customs and immigration. A staff person (most likely Jerome) will have a small sign with your name on it, or a sign that says Unite For Sight . When you leave the baggage claim area, keep walking all the way outside. If you don’t see the sign or the clinic staff, please go back to the arrival hall and sit down. If your flight happened to arrive earlier than scheduled, for example, Jerome may not yet have arrived. The staff will definitely come for you. If you have problems with customs or immigration, please come to the arrival hall down stairs and talk to the clinic staff. Jerome will bring you to your lodging location and introduce you to Ghana. You do not need to book any reservations, as those arrangements will already be made for you. Remember also that you will submit $10 to Jerome for the costs of airport pickup (fuel, mileage, and airport parking). This $10 also covers the expenses for your airport drop-off at the end of your program.
Remember that baggage can be lost by the airline, so pack as many essentials as you can in carry-on. When you arrive at the airport, some Ghanaians at the airport will try and help you with your bags. Do NOT allow them to help. Politely decline, as they expect some sort of tip from you. When you arrive at the lodging site, you may pay for your lodging in U.S. cash or in Ghanaian Cedis.
Ernest Awiti (optometrist ) and Jerome Yevugah (nurse and volunteer coordinator)
Lodging
Volunteers find that the accommodations are quite nice, and there is usually air conditioning . If the power goes out, they will put on a generator once it is dark. There is wireless internet, and it is therefore possible to use a laptop in the rooms. Remember that Ghana is a developing country, and the Internet connection doesn't always work.
Overnight Outreach Lodging
While in Ghana, your central "hub" will be in Accra, Ghana. You should budget based on lodging each day in Accra since Accra is the most expensive lodging location among the locations where you will be staying. However, it is also possible that you may be stationed for multiple days in an outreach location with Crystal Eye Clinic, such as in Elubo or Jasikan. Often, Crystal Eye Clinic has two weeks per month where they are based in Accra, and the other two weeks are in Elubo or Jasikan.
Unite For Sight provides the funding needed to (1) locate patients who could benefit from eye surgery all over Ghana, and (2) sponsor the patients' eye surgeries at Crystal Eye Clinic in Accra. Unite For Sight enables the ophthalmic nursing staff from Crystal Eye Clinic (Dennis, Ernest, and Jerome) to go do outreach in places more than 4 hours away from Accra, to screen more patients for eye diseases and refer them to the clinic.
Elubo (Lodging place Takoradi. Outreache communities are Tarkwa, Inchaban, Kwesi Mintsim and Agona Nkwanta)
Hotel Name: Ciliko Guest House
Town: Takoradi
Electricity: Present (stand-by generator when there is power outage)
Internet: None
Cell Phone Reception: Present at the hotel and all the other communities
Prices: Option 1 60 GHC (Air-conditioned, bigger beds)
Option 2 50 GHC (Air-conditioned, standard double beds)
Option 3 40 GHC (Ceiling fan, standard double beds)
All the the above options can contain a maximum of 2 people per the hotel’s policy. Meaning, volunteers can pair up and share the total cost. We buy breakfast each morning on our way to outreach. Volunteers are encouraged to carry more snacks and energy bars since we attend to an average of 350 patients each day. We stop for dinner on our way to the hotel after the long days of work.
Jasikan and Worawora
These communities are twin towns.
The journey to Jasikan takes the team across Lake Volta. During some times of the year, it can be very cold in Jasikan at night. For example, a volunteer during January says "it was so cold in Jasikan, that we woke up every morning shivering and piling on every piece of clothing we had." However, during the day, it can still be very warm. The guest house in Jasikan does not have air conditioning or running water.
A volunteer writes:
For the first time, I became very conscious about my water consumption for brushing, bathing, and even using the toilet (we had to fill up the toilet box each time in order to flush it…do you even know how much water goes into one flush?! It is INSANE!).Between the three of us, we shared a large barrel of water per day. I was actually very proud: despite being three girls and being mildly obsessed with bathing, we all managed just fine!But the best things about the hostel were that there was no internet, very little phone signal, an awesome living room area for us to chill in at night, and that it only cost 6 cedis/night to stay there (1.4 Ghana cedis = 1 USD). We all had no choice but to play Michael Jackson songs, attempt to do the moon walk, teach Ernest and Bibi how to bhangra, and to play never-ending Uno and Ghanaian card games. The only downside to the guest house was that there were, what sounded like, 50 roosters and goats around the building which started their symphony at the glorious hour of 4 am every day.
Traveling to the different villages allowed us to taste a variety of local Ghanaian dishes. Some of the things we ate included okra “banku” (a massive ball of cooked fermented maize and cassava dough eaten with by hand, dipped in okra or meat soup), jollof rice with pepper, “kelewele” (fried plantains with lots of pepper and spices), cocoa porridge in a bag, fried yams with pepper sauce, and “waakye” (spicy rice and beans). The food was so amazing, and was prepared by the local villagers for us. I’m glad I had a chance to sample some of the local cuisine. Eating banku with our hands was definitely a unique experience that we will all remember.
Hotel Names: Credit Union Guest House (CUH), Catholic Guest House (CGH), Nestella Guest House(NGH)
Town: Jasikan (CUH and NGH), Kadjebi (CGH)
Electricity: Present but not reliable (Occasionally goes out for some minutes)
Running water: Present (caretakers provide us with water when the taps are not running)
Internet: None
Cell Phone reception: Not Reliable. Where necessary, we move to areas where there is good reception to make calls.
Prices:
CUH GHC 30
CGH GHC 40
NGH GHC 35(option 1)
GHC 30 (option 2)
All rooms have no air conditions. Ceiling fans are, however, available. A maximum of two people can share a room.
We buy breakfast, lunch and dinner from the villages. It is also recommended that volunteers go along with snacks and energy bars since getting lunch in the villages is sometimes difficult.
Why is Accra more expensive than the other locations where I may be lodging?
Just as the expenses are much higher in New York City or Philadelphia than in rural Pennsylvania, the expenses for fuel, rent/land, water, electricity, staff, maintenance technicians, etc. are much higher in Accra than in the other locations in Ghana. The higher operating costs incurred by the hotel in Accra for fuel, water, rent/land, electricity, staff salaries, food, etc. are simply passed on to the hotel occupant. When not lodging in Accra, you will lodge in more rural locations such as in Kumasi, Takoradi, Jasikan, etc. Those other hotel lodging locations have much lower operating costs due to their location outside of the capital, and the lodging expenses that you will incur are therefore much less expensive.
Mosquito Nets
Make sure that you bring a free-standing mosquito net. They are easy to order over the internet and have delivered across North America, Europe and Australia. There will be nowhere to hang up any other type of mosquito net at the accommodation. Look at the Packing List Suggestions for the commonly used mosquito nets that volunteers bring.
Most volunteers diligently apply mosquito repellent at dusk because if the mosquitos like you, you will most likely get bitten whenever you are not moving and outdoors in the evening.
Food and Water
Always make sure food is warm to avoid food poisoning, be it a chop bar or a restaurant!
Food choices tend to be limited. There is a lot of rice, beans, and carbohydrates. Volunteers recommend bringing enough food to have enough for a few good snacks each day. Some volunteers find it extremely helpful to bring small packages of nuts, as they have a lot of protein, and are quite filling.
You should not eat or give/receive things with your left hand because the left hand is used for bathroom activities while the right hand is used for all other activities.
Culture
Ethnocentrism is the belief that one’s own way of life or culture is superior to others. Part of being an effective volunteer requires setting aside ethnocentric ideas of superiority and learning to understand local attitudes toward health care. When you first arrive at your worksite abroad, you will be a stranger to the local staff and the community at large. As a visitor, you will need to work to earn the trust and confidence of those around you. To prove your competence and trustworthiness, you must demonstrate dedication and commitment to hard work and empathy towards community members.
One of the first cultural differences volunteers notice about the developing world relates to the notions of time, timing and timeliness. Compared to the Western lifestyle, the pace of life in developing countries is much slower, punctuality is less highly valued, and schedules and appointments are understood to be flexible. Ghanaian time is exceptionally "relaxed", and schedules are pretty much merely suggestions. Most volunteers enjoy the flexibility, but it's probably the biggest thing to get used to. In your home country, making others wait is probably considered disrespectful and rude. When you are abroad, however, you can expect to do a lot of waiting. Don’t be insulted if others make you wait; it is not because they are being rude, or because they think you are insignificant. Rather, it is simply a symptom of a culture with a more relaxed attitude towards timeliness and schedules.
Certain physical acts, such as holding hands, are quite common, and you should not be surprised if new friends want to hold hands with you. This is a platonic display of friendship and will often be used to make you feel welcome to the group. However, ultimately you should never feel pressured into any kind of contact you do not feel comfortable with, especially from people you don't know, or people who are trying to sell you things. Feel free to be firm in letting people know that you don't want them to touch you. Additionally, you may find that strangers, after talking with you for only a minute, will ask you for your phone number. This is common, and you should feel free to say that you don’t have your own phone in Ghana, if that makes you more comfortable.
People in Ghana can come across as very flirtatious and friendly. Don't be afraid to assert when you feel uncomfortable; most people will be happy to get out of your space if you tell them you don't appreciate certain things they're saying or doing.
Ghanaians refer to any foreigner as "obroni". This is not a derogatory term and should not be considered as such. But you can also refer to them as obibini.
The staff at the partner clinics is extraordinarily welcoming, helpful, and dedicated, and you will likely become good friends with staff members. As an act of friendship and generosity, a staff member might, in some instances, offer to buy you something, such as a soda during an outreach, or a snack on the ride home. In these situations, it is best to politely decline, just as you might do at home if a friend offered to cover your costs unnecessarily. Ghanaians are known for being particularly hospitable and friendly, and if all volunteers accepted their offers of a free snack here and there, it would take a toll . Staff members work incredibly hard to assist the volunteers and make sure that we enjoy our time in Ghana; they invest a tremendous amount of time in this job, and it is quite unnecessary for them to pay for us out of their own pockets.
Pay attention to manners, gestures, and speech cadence and patterns . It's great to pick up polite phrases, such as beginning a sentence with "Please..." when you want to address someone with respect.
Language
Most people in the city of Accra speak at least some English, with the second most common language being Twi. Make an effort to learn the basics in Twi. The local people greatly appreciate volunteers learning even a few words. However, don’t be surprised if patients still cannot understand you when you use your Twi phrases. Sometimes another Ghanaian will help translate for you, and you might think that he or she is repeating exactly the same Twi words that you were using, but is suddenly understood! Remember that just as it is often hard for Americans to understand English speakers with thick accents, the same is true when the situation is reversed. Some volunteers found that when you need to speak in English, adopting a slight British accent can help Ghanaians understand you better!
How are you: Etteh-sane
Fine: Ey-yeh
I'm doing fine: Mey-ho-yay
...and you?: Na-won-so-ay
What is your name? Wo-deen-deh-sane
Thank you: Meh-da-see
Please/sorry: Mah-pa-cho
Do you speak English? wo-ka bro-fo
Good morning: May-chay
Good afternoon: May-ha
Good evening: Mah-jo
Cover your left eye: Kata-wh en-ee binkoom
Cover your right eye: kata-when-ee nifa
Clothing
General Guidelines
You should NOT wear short shorts, tank tops, or anything sleeveless or with straps.
Do not let your stomach show.
You should not wear shorts above the knee.
You should bring sneakers and sandals.
Do not bring expensive clothing or anything that you do not want to get ruined by sand, dirt, mud, sweat, bug spray, or sunscreen.
Do not bring scrubs, a white coat, or other clothing that would lead community members to misunderstand the clothing and believe that you are a doctor. Eye care professionals, however, may bring scrubs.
Outreaches and Leisure Time Attire
You can and should proactively prevent bug bites by wearing clothing that covers your legs and arms. This is much better than having exposed skin, applying a lot of bug spray, and still getting bug bites. You can largely prevent bug bites entirely by wearing closed shoes (i.e. sneakers), long pants (i.e. light cargo pants), a t-shirt, and a very light long-sleeve blouse or jacket.
Much of your time will be spent in village outreaches. For the village outreaches, it is advised that you wear long pants in order to help you avoid bug bites on your legs. You should proactively prevent mosquito bites. Cargo pants for both men and women are ideal for outreaches because they are light weight and comfortable. Another alternative for women is knee-length or longer skirts or capris, though exposed skin will make you more vulnerable to bug bites. Bugs especially tend to be common near the ground. While capris don't tend to be much lighter than cargo pants, capris do open you up to bug bites on your legs.
We advise that you wear a t-shirt and bring a very light long-sleeve blouse or jacket. If there are a lot of bugs, you can simply wear the long-sleeve blouse or jacket, which will keep your arms covered, preventing bug bites. However, if you feel too hot, you can easily remove the blouse/jacket and just wear the t-shirt. If there are not many bugs around your upper body, you can also simply not wear the blouse/jacket.
Closed shoes such as sneakers are strongly advised for outreaches because it will help prevent bug bites on your feet. Remember that bugs are especially common near the ground.
Eye Clinic Attire
In addition to your time in the village outreaches, you might also spend time at the Crystal Eye Clinic. While in the eye clinic, you should dress as you would in any clinic or hospital in your home country. Khakis, polo shirts, and blouses, for example, are acceptable, but jeans, t-shirts, or informal wear are not acceptable. Most of your time will be in the outreaches, and not at the eye clinic.
Money and Credit Cards
Credit Cards and Traveler's Checks: Rarely Accepted!!
Credit cards are rarely accepted. Some locations accept Visa, but it is even rarer to find a location that accepts MasterCard or American Express. Visa ATM cards are usually accepted at ATMs, but check with your bank before you assume that it will work for you.
For ATMs, go to ABC Junction across the intersection. Be very careful when crossing the street. Once on the other side of the road, turn left. Walk for a bit. The first ATM is at a gas station, up some steps. This one is hit or miss. Or, continue walking to the second ATM, which is at Barclays Bank. Most people have luck with this one.
If you have a MasterCard and not Visa, you will have a problem getting cash. If you only have a MasterCard, try GCB downtown, as one volunteer found it to work. Don't count on MasterCard working with ATMs though.
Traveler's checks are extremely difficult to use, especially since you are usually on outreach during bank hours. You should not bring traveler's checks.
Money
Do not worry about exchanging money. There are local banks where you can exchange money. The most preferred banks are Standard Chartered and Barclays. A past volunteer recommends: "My biggest piece of advice for future volunteers is to bring a VISA debit card. Transactions at the ATM a majority of the time have a cheaper transaction rate than the money exchange businesses. It would be easier for students to bring enough U.S. dollars to pay for the room, and then draw the rest of their money from an ATM. That way they are not constantly carrying or hiding large sums of money in their rooms." Remember though to confirm with your bank that you will be able to use your ATM while in Ghana.
The easiest ways to get Ghana Cedis is to bring US dollars with you. Exchanging about 100USD at a time is recommended. Remember to ask for small bills. You can also withdraw cash from a Barclays Bank ATM. Just double check with the issuing company whether your credit/bank card is accepted in Ghana.
Cushioning Cultural Shocks: Guidelines for Volunteers in Ghana
Written by James Clarke, MD, Medical Director and Ophthalmologist, Crystal Eye Clinic, Accra, Ghana; Unite For Sight Medical Advisory Board Member; Unite For Sight's Ghana Medical Director
Ghanaians are very hospitable and kind, giving rise to the adage of the proverbial 'Ghanaian Hospitality.' The average Ghanaian you will meet will be ready to offer a helping hand, many of them, without expecting any reward in return. Some will however expect a reward in return. This will not be made known to you initially. It may therefore come as a shock when it is made known. Do not get upset if you cannot meet the demand. Politely tell the fellow that you are not in a position at that moment to help him or her.
Many of the areas where you will be working are relatively poor. The people in these areas will therefore see your coming as a solution to their poverty. They will therefore lay everything aside and wait for you to provide them with everything, sometimes even their daily food. Be cautious in making promises. Remember you cannot solve all of their problems in the short time that you are with them. If not certain about what to do, ask a local person who is a member of the team.
Many people see the expatriate (you) as being very wealthy and therefore capable of affording everything. Expatriates tend to get higher quotations for goods and services without being given the opportunity to make a cheaper choice. Do not get upset at this. It is because people generally have respect for the expatriate and think that he/she deserves the most expensive, not necessarily the best quality.
A few examples:
After offering free screening in a community, John an expatriate volunteer strikes an acquaintance with Jack, a local student. In their conversation, Jack makes known to John that his mum is on admission in the hospital in a nearby big town. John shows sympathy towards Jack. Their time of contact was short, so Jack collects John's email address. A few days after John returns to his country, he receives an email from Jack, asking the former to send X amount of money because the mum is in coma and without the money she will not be treated. In situations like this, nothing stops you from helping out if you feel convinced, but refer the matter to a local team member.
Sister M, an expatriate volunteer, meets Sister P, and they become friends for some weeks. On the day of Sis M's departure to her country, Sis.P solidifies their friendship by buying a gift for M to take along. M is very happy. A few weeks after arrival, Sis M receives a letter from Sis P announcing her (Sis P's) grandmother's death and therefore needs money to enable her attend the grandma's funeral.
Patients are screened, and those having cataracts and needing surgery have been identified. Arrangements are made for transportation and lodging to a far off center for the surgery. The patients tell the expatriate volunteers that when they go outside their homes, they cannot afford food. It thus becomes a burden on the volunteers to provide free screening, free transport, free lodging, free surgery, free medication and, on top of all that, free food. Remember that the patients were eating before your arrival. They will want to stretch your generosity. It is advisable to find out from a local team member what the people can afford for themselves. Do not take up the whole 100% of the burden. Otherwise, you will be frustrated.
Remember also that even though people are generally, poor they still want to preserve their dignity. Valuable/expensive things offered on a silver platter tend to lose their value and have the tendency to be abused. Thus it is always advisable to let people bear some responsibility. This is why some communities have to pay a token fee for some of the services or medications. No matter how meager a fee paid, it is enough to let one value whatever is offered. In the same vein, minimize or, if possible, avoid the use of the word 'free'. Better to say someone is paying for it, or Unite For Sight is paying the difference. If something very expensive is being offered for free, the notion is that it is meant to be thrown away and that is why it is being given to them. They may even feel belittled by the totally free offer.
Discuss Questions with Local Staff
Attitudes, cultural beliefs and practices shape patient perspectives and play a very important role in Unite For Sight programs locally. There are many reasons behind decisions taken in relation to patients. For example, patients believe that reading glasses that are given to them for free are meant to be thrown away. They therefore attach no value to them. They will therefore not understand why they cannot receive them anytime they need them and why they cannot receive more than one. They view it as helping you to dispose of unwanted material . If a patient says that he or she is not able to afford the 1 GHC price of each reading glass, and is given it for free, one should be ready to give all the patients present free glasses. Our culture does not allow for discrimination, no matter how wealthy one is. In our attempt to achieve the highest possible standard of care for our patients, it is necessary for local policies to be developed by the local doctors.
We at the clinics have also determined that it is important for most patients to pay for their own transportation to go for UFS-sponsored surgery, and this is their contribution towards their own treatment. No patient will admit that the transportation cost is insignificant compared to the total cost of the surgery and post op medications, which are all sponsored by Unite For Sight. The patients can afford to pay for the transportation, and transportation is usually coordinated by the local community health workers. We at the eye clinics determine which communities cannot afford the transportation cost (i.e. Buduburam Refugee Camp), and the transportation is then coordinated for the patients and funded by Unite For Sight. Excessive sympathy for a patient and taking over the transportation cost will cause all surgery patients to ask for free transportation, even when this is not financially necessary for the patient. This will soar the cost of the program and will make it unsustainable.
There are many similar examples of cultural dynamics and local realities which may not be immediately obvious to you as a visitor and observer. It is therefore important that volunteers do not view issues superficially. Please inquire with the local doctors if you have any questions so that you can understand the processes and infrastructure within the cultural context.
What are important details to remember about the eye clinic?
You will be locally led and managed by the talented medical professionals of Unite For Sight's partner, Crystal Eye Clinics.
You will support and learn from the clinics' talented medical professionals who are social entrepreneurs addressing complex global health issues.
Unite For Sight does not own or operate any eye clinics. Instead, we partner with existing eye clinics and invest human and financial resources in the social ventures of the eye clinic to eliminate patient barriers to eye care. The eye clinics are not Unite For Sight clinics and should not be referred to as such. Instead, the eye clinics are partners of Unite For Sight.
You will not see Unite For Sight branding at the eye clinic or in the outreaches. This is significant and important to our model. Unite For Sight supports and assists our eye clinic partners, but we do not own or operate the clinic, outreaches, or programs. The local ophthalmologists and ophthalmic staff locally own and lead the programs, and Unite For Sight's role is to support and assist them by developing effective global health delivery programs for patients living in extreme poverty.
You are not participating on a "medical mission" or "adventure." These types of representations are disrespectful to the local eye clinic and to the community. You should refer to your involvement as "a volunteer who will support and assist the local Ghanaian doctors at eye clinics in Ghana."
What You Will Do Daily: Outreach Work
Crystal Eye Clinic
Unite For Sight has several eye clinic partners in Ghana. Each clinic is an independent entity that is a partner of Unite For Sight. Importantly, each eye clinic is independently founded, led, and managed by the local Ghanaian ophthalmologists who are talented social entrepreneurs and medical professionals. You will work with Crystal Eye Clinic, which is one of UniteFor Sight's partners in Ghana.
Getting Ready For The Day
Each outreach day, you should bring these items with you:
A small backpack, pouch, or bag to carry your items for the day
Water
Breakfast
Lunch
Snacks
Hand wipes/hand sanitizer (your hands will get dirty)
Toilet paper/tissues (read about village bathrooms below)
On outreach days, depending on how far away the outreach location is, you may be expected to be ready to leave as early as 8am. Clinic days are more laid back, and you won't be expected to leave the lodging site until around 9am. When the driver (John or Bismark) gets to the lodging site, the volunteers load onto the van, and you are driven around town picking up the nurse(s) and any local volunteer(s) before driving to the outreach destination (usually), or Crystal Eye Clinic.
How outreaches work
You will spend all or the majority of your time participating in rural village outreaches, which are located 1-8 hours away from Crystal Eye Clinic. It is through these outreaches that each of Unite For Sight's partner eye clinics bring comprehensive eye care to patients living in extreme poverty.
How are outreaches arranged?
The outreaches are arranged by the Crystal Eye Clinic’s ophthalmic staff. They coordinate the outreaches in collaboration with local community and/or district leaders. Since it is a community empowerment program, the community leaders are given the responsibility to identify a date and venue, and they are also responsible for promoting eye health within their community. For some communities, they may decide to collect a minimum amount from each patient to cover some community expenses, such as hiring of chairs, tables, canopy, fuel for the information van, electricity bills, pens, and batteries for a loud speaker.
The outreach services are available to anyone who requires ophthalmic care. On average, 100-150 people receive care on-site each day. In the villages, the ophthalmic nurses and optometrists diagnose and treat patients with common eye diseases, perform minor procedures, and refer operable cases (pterygium, cataracts, etc.) and other major ophthalmic problems to the ophthalmologist. Counseling patients with operable ophthalmic problems and arranging dates for surgery are an important component of the outreaches.
What types of conditions are diagnosed?
Each Unite For Sight eye clinic partner is provided with a Netbook, which provides the clinic with electronic medical records. One of your important responsibilities will be helping to enter the patient data into the Netbook. Additionally, the Excel files are submitted by each clinic to Unite For Sight on a weekly basis, and Unite For Sight analyzes the data and provides the critical information to the eye clinics. Crystal Eye Clinic's common diagnoses are shown in the graph below.
Who provides the exams and diagnoses in the outreaches?
All patients are examined, diagnosed, and treated by the local eye care professionals (ophthalmic nurses and optometrists). The local doctors utilize the direct ophthalmoscope with variable lenses to provide comprehensive ocular examinations. Whereas doctors in the U.S., Canada, and other countries do not generally use the handheld direct ophthalmoscope for full exams, the Ghanaian doctors received extensive training in their university schooling to provide comprehensive evaluations with the handheld direct ophthalmoscope. Even retinopathies, uveitis, vitreous disorders, and other more complex conditions are detected by the Ghanaian doctors with the ophthalmoscope. They also use other handheld equipment such as a tonometer to measure intraocular pressure, as well as a retinoscope and trial lens set.
What cataract patients are referred for surgery?
Cataract patients are referred for surgery when the cataract has a significant impact on the patient's functional status. The clinics find that farmers and other rural workers generally prefer to have cataract surgery when the vision is from CF (count fingers) to PL (light perception), while those who are more educated prefer to have surgery earlier. As long as the cataract has an impact on the patient's functional capabilities, they are referred for surgery.
What do you, as a Unite For Sight volunteer, do at outreaches?
You will be driven to a village with the local eye doctors in the outreach van for 1-3 hours (on average). The first thing that the team does is to figure out where the different stations are going to be, and who is going to be at each station. There is the (1) registration station, (2) visual acuity station, (3) eye examination station, (4) glasses and medication dispensing station, and (5) the referral station. Once everyone's placement has been figured out, the ophthalmic nurse or optometrist, along with the local organizers, will gather the patients together and stand up in front of them to begin giving the "Eye Health Speech." This talk is usually conducted entirely in the local language, so you won't be able to understand it.
Then, while the ophthalmic nurse or optometrist continues with the rest of the speech, volunteers either help set up each of the stations, or sit and listen to the rest of the speech. When the speech is completed, patients will line up at the registration station to get registered. The following is what happens at each station.
Registration Station: Take the patient's name, age, sex, and record the patient's complaints. As a volunteer, you are mainly here to assist because some of the names are hard to know how to spell and many patients will not know how to communicate with you. You may also enter the registration information into a database on a Netbook.
Visual Acuity Station: Measure the patient's visual acuity in each eye. You will usually have a local volunteer here to assist you with translating.
Eye Examination Station: The ophthalmic nurses and optometrists examine the patient's eyes, record observations, diagnose the patient, and prescribe medication and/or reading eyeglasses. You are encouraged to sit with the local eye doctors to learn from their exams. They are very enthusiastic about teaching volunteers about eye diseases.
Dispensing Station: Keep track of patients who have been referred to Crystal Eye Clinic and make sure they go to the Referral Station for further information. Provide the patient with the appropriate medication and glasses, and teach new patients how to use eye drops. You will also have a local volunteer present to help dispense to patients who do not speak English. In some cases, the local staff might ask you to open the eye drops for all (or some) patients, as the bottles can be difficult to open. However, in other cases, this is not necessary, so it is best to ask the doctor what would be best. It is also helpful to tell the patient the price of the medication/glasses he or she will be receiving, before opening the drops, or picking out glasses. In many cases, the patient will opt to walk home and get money, or borrow from a friend, because he or she did not bring enough to the outreach. Since you will not distribute the medication or glasses until the patient returns, you don’t want to spend time opening bottles and picking out glasses, only to repeat it upon the patient’s return.
Most patients are able to afford the costs for medication and glasses. If a patient truly cannot afford the cost of the medication, you should let the local eye doctors know so that they can determine how to proceed. It is also important to emphasize the importance of the medication so that the patient will understand why they are being told to utilize it. If they say that they cannot pay, then you should alert the local eye doctors, who can determine the situation and decide whether to charge the full price, reduce the price, or waive the price entirely.
Also, please do not offer to cover the cost of medication for any of the community members. You cannot pay for the medication costs for everyone, and paying for even one person would lead people to think that they can get "rich" visitors to pay the costs for them. Also, if one person receives medication for free after telling a volunteer that they can't afford the cost, then quickly others in the community will realize that they should do the same. Remember that the medication and glasses have an associated cost so that they are valued and used by the local community members. Simply distributing glasses and medication for free results in ineffective use (i.e. using the entire bottle of medication at once and expecting a new bottle on the same day) as well as a lot of waste (since free products are not valued, they are usually not used at all).
Referral Station: Local organizers brief the patients on what they need to know about the visit to the eye clinic before they leave the eye screening center.
Advice to Volunteers: Learn Ophthalmology From The Local Eye Doctors!
Your first priority is to help in the outreaches. However, you might also have time to sit with the doctors. Sometimes volunteers do not realize that they can sit with the local ophthalmic nurses and optometrists to learn about eye care. The volunteers who do sit with the eye doctors say that they learn a lot and are intrigued by the many different cases and types of pathology. Remember that you must be very respectful and should be sure that you do not speak during the exams themselves, but you are encouraged to ask questions in between patient exams. The eye doctors will also usually teach you and show you interesting cases. Do keep in mind, however, that some days are even busier than usual, and there is then less time for teaching and discussion. However, simply sitting with the eye doctor to observe/"shadow" can be very enlightening.
Bathrooms at Village Outreaches
For bathroom usage in the daily village outreaches, bring your own toilet paper! Expect a hole in the side of the wall or in the ground. Other village bathrooms are a small square enclosed with no roof, which has a bucket on the floor.
Ending the Day
For dinner, volunteers usually explore various places to eat around the lodging site.
Why are patients in the villages charged nominal fees for eyeglasses and medication?
This is an important public health measure implemented by hospitals and clinics throughout the developing world. Glasses given free of charge are not valued, and most patients are asked to pay $1 for their eyeglasses. The $1 collected from glasses distribution helps to fund the significant monthly fuel expenses to transport the vehicles to and from the villages, usually exceeding $1500 per month. In this way, the eyeglass fees help to make some of the outreach expenses locally sustainable without relying exclusively on outside funding by Unite For Sight.
The eye clinics sell the medications for the same price that it costs them to obtain the medications locally. All communities and community members are informed that the medication and eyeglasses have a nominal cost.
You will see the following costs for eyeglass and medication distribution:
Reading glasses and sunglasses: 1 GHC price
Distance glasses: 3 GHC price
Medication that is medically necessary (i.e. for infections): 3-5 GHC (sometimes reduced or waived as needed, as determined by local eye doctors)
Glaucoma medication: ~4 GHC (sometimes reduced or waived as needed, as determined by local eye doctors)
Artificial tears, allergy drops: ~3-4 GHC, patients purchase the non-essential eye drops at cost. These products are available for purchase, but the patient will ultimately have no change in their eye condition, regardless of whether they purchase this product.
All communities and community members are informed that the medication and eyeglasses have a nominal cost.
Does the outreach team return to villages regularly?
Eye care is provided on a monthly basis to all villages that are visited by the outreach team, which is important to eliminate preventable blindness. One month after their operation, the postoperative surgery patients receive evaluation by the outreach team that revisits their village. During that same visit, new patients from the village and surrounding area are evaluated, treated, and selected for surgery. This process continues, thereby providing ongoing eye care to the communities.
How does Unite For Sight financially support the eye care programs in Ghana?
Unite For Sight sponsors all of the eye care for those patients in villages. Unite For Sight provides grants to support the outreach staff salaries as well as for the purchase and maintenance of the Crystal Eye Clinic outreach van. Unite For Sight also sponsors the postoperative medication that is distributed to patients, as well as all of the surgeries provided. Unite For Sight sponsors the eye care programs well in excess of the funds raised by the volunteers. By raising funds, volunteers enable Unite For Sight to sponsor an even greater number of surgeries and eye care and therefore provide surgery to many more patients who are in dire need.
Does the ophthalmic staff get paid?
Yes, the outreach staff is employed by their eye clinic employers. Several of the eye clinic staff are employed by the eye clinics with funding from Unite For Sight. The eye clinics determine the salaries for all of the local staff based on the appropriate local market rates.
Impact
Unite For Sight's support has enabled Crystal Eye Clinic to more than quadruple its annual number of surgeries, and 86% of the surgeries are now provided to patients living in extreme poverty. Unite For Sight annually sponsors more than 2,200 surgeries provided by Crystal Eye Clinic for patients living in extreme poverty.
Surgeries
Important Instructions: Your Signature for Surgeries Sponsored by Unite For Sight
While most of your days will be spent in village outreaches, you might spend a day or two at Crystal Eye Clinic itself. Unite For Sight's accounting policy requires comprehensive data from each eye clinic for surgeries sponsored by the organization. A volunteer must observe every surgery sponsored by Unite For Sight, and that volunteer as well as the operating surgeon must sign for each surgery as it is completed. This process ensures comprehensive documentation for all of the surgeries that Unite For Sight sponsors worldwide each year.
As a volunteer, you will be asked by the eye clinic to sign a surgery signature form.
Only sign for each Unite For Sight-sponsored surgery at the immediate time when you observe it. This ensures that the eye clinic keeps a careful accounting record of surgeries to be sponsored by Unite For Sight.
If an eye clinic staff member accidentally asks you to sign for any surgery that you did not observe immediately prior to signing, you should politely state that you did not just observe that surgery. It is the eye clinic's responsibility to ensure that they adhere to the proper accounting protocol, and you should simply sign for surgeries immediately after observing the surgeries.
If a surgery occurs from 8-8:10am, for instance, you must sign for the surgery at 8:10am. If another surgery occurs from 8:10-8:20am, you must sign for the next surgery at 8:20am.
Unite For Sight sponsors surgeries only for patients living in poverty. Paying patients cannot be included as a Unite For Sight-sponsored surgery and must not be signed for or included on the surgery signature page. The clinic staff will explain to volunteers which patients are being sponsored by Unite For Sight.
Crystal Eye Clinic Local Staff and Coordinators
After arriving in Accra, you will receive orientation and training by Dr. James Clarke (ophthalmologist at Crystal Eye Clinic) and/or the other members of the Crystal Eye Clinic staff (Dennis, Jerome, and Ernest).
Dr. James Clarke, MD: Unite For Sight Medical Advisory Board Member and Ghana Director
Dr. Clarke is also a member of Unite For Sight's Medical Advisory Board, and he leads, supervises, and helps to coordinate all Unite For Sight programs in Ghana. Dr. Clarke also provides the surgeries for Unite For Sight-screened patients.
Coordinators and Staff
Dennis Baah, ophthalmic nurse
Ernest Awiti Baffe, optometrist
Jerome, nurse: Jerome is a general nurse who participates in outreach programs while also coordinating volunteer logistics such as airport pickup. Jerome will pick you up from the airport.
John and Bismark, drivers
Crystal Eye Clinic has two outreach vehicles, which are driven by John and Bismark. John and Bismark will also be incredibly helpful during outreaches, particularly in terms of translating for the volunteers, dispensing medication, or conducting interviews.
You will also meet other local staff members who assist the programs in various capacities.
Professionalism and Safety
Who, me? With all the excitement and preparations surrounding your upcoming trip, it’s all too easy to skim over information regarding volunteer ethics and professionalism. Most volunteers, after all, are uncommonly conscientious, highly motivated, service-oriented individuals, and certainly don’t consider themselves prone to or even capable of unprofessional behavior. And yet, unprofessional behavior is a problem amongst international volunteers; indeed, it is one of the most widespread and consequential problems. Some cases of unprofessionalism are extreme (e.g. discovering the program isn’t what you expected, and leaving early), but most are unintentional, subtle, and seemingly benign (e.g. throwing on your scuffed sneakers and wrinkled button-down shirt thinking nobody will notice). Examples of unprofessional behavior that are particularly pertinent to international volunteering include showing up late or not at all; leaving early; inappropriate dress attire; violation of cultural norms; being overly demanding; laziness; negligence; unreliability; a condescending, disrespectful, or arrogant attitude; and noncompliance with direction. Vignettes of unprofessional incidents in the colored boxes in subsequent modules illustrate just how easy it is to unconsciously exhibit offensive, unprofessional behavior. No volunteer is immune to unprofessionalism. Luckily, with proper preparation and vigilance, all volunteers are also capable of ethical, professional conduct.
The developing world: a microscope with a long memory. It is tough to imagine how a wrinkled shirt, or even a missed day of work could have a lasting, damaging impact on physician-patient and host-volunteer relations. Because your presence is relatively brief and transient, you may think that the impact of your work is fleeting as well. While volunteering abroad will likely be one of many profound and enlightening experiences for you, your presence is an impactful and rare event for those you are visiting. All of your actions, good and bad, will be scrutinized, and their effects will be magnified and remembered long after you leave.
It is your responsibility to demonstrate the highest level of respect and professionalism for your organization, the local doctors and staff, the patients, and your fellow volunteers. You are participating as a volunteer because you have been invited by the local clinic and by Unite For Sight, and you must respect their policies, regulations, and directions at all times.
Culture Shock
While the majority of travelers have heard of culture shock, most would be hard-pressed to explain just what it is, what causes it, and how it affects them. Culture shock is triggered by the abrupt loss of familiarity with cues and norms that orient us in our daily lives. These cues include everything from the meanings of facial expressions and hand gestures to notions of humor and common courtesy. With culture shock, you suddenly cannot quite understand those around you, and frustratingly, they do not understand you either. No matter how open-minded or accepting, all travelers are susceptible to culture shock, for their means of interacting effectively with society have been knocked out from under them. Even seasoned travelers are vulnerable to culture shock when traveling to an unfamiliar foreign country. What begins as discomfort and confusion subtly progresses to frustration, anxiety, irritability, loneliness, and withdrawal. A common symptom of culture shock is criticizing elements of the local culture, which is particularly inappropriate behavior for visiting volunteers.
Although embarking on a volunteer trip with realistic and accurate expectations is necessary to ensure professional behavior, volunteers must also expect the unexpected. You may have modified job duties depending on the needs of the clinic, itineraries may shift at the last minute due to local circumstances, and clinics can run hours behind schedule. Efforts to firmly stick to a predetermined plan will likely be in vain. Successful volunteers are engaged and attentive, and can coolly adapt to changing circumstances and demands.
The pace of life and work in developing countries is often much slower than what Western volunteers are accustomed to for several reasons. Asian, African, and Latin American societies tend to place less value on punctuality, are less project-oriented, and have more limited transit and communication infrastructure than do their Western counterparts.
Traveling to a place with an unfamiliar language, new rules, and a foreign culture will give you the unique opportunity to discover just how little you know. You may often find yourself asking for assistance to complete basic tasks, such as navigating a city or purchasing food. Regardless of your accomplishments or status in your home country, you will be a novice overseas; this is a realization that can be difficult for some volunteers.
What are precautions I should take while traveling on the street?
Read details here from the U.S. State Department.
Use the same common sense traveling overseas that you would at home. Be especially cautious in (or avoid) areas where you may be more easily victimized. These include crowded subways, train stations, elevators, tourist sites, market places, festivals and crime-ridden neighborhoods.
Don't use short cuts, narrow alleys or poorly lit streets.
Do not travel alone at night.
Avoid public demonstrations and other civil disturbances.
Keep a low profile and avoid loud conversations or arguments.
Do not discuss travel plans or other personal matters with strangers.
Avoid scam artists by being wary of strangers who approach you and offer to be your guide or sell you something at bargain prices.
Beware of pickpockets. They often have an accomplice who will:
jostle you,
ask you for directions or the time,
point to something spilled on your clothing,
or distract you by creating a disturbance.
Beware of groups of vagrant children who create a distraction while picking your pocket.
Wear the shoulder strap of your bag across your chest and walk with the bag away from the curb to avoid drive-by purse-snatchers.
Try to seem purposeful when you move about. Even if you are lost, act as if you know where you are going. Try to ask for directions only from individuals in authority.
Make a note of emergency telephone numbers you may need: police, fire, your hotel, and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
If you are confronted, don't fight back -- give up your valuables.
What are precautions I should take while in the hotel?
Keep your hotel door locked at all times. Meet visitors in the lobby.
Do not leave money and other valuables in your hotel room while you are out. Lock your suitcase or use the hotel safe.
If you are out late at night, let someone know when you expect to return.
If you are alone, do not get on an elevator if there is a suspicious-looking person inside.
Read the fire safety instructions in your hotel room. Know how to report a fire, and be sure you know where the nearest fire exits and alternate exits are located. (Count the doors between your room and the nearest exit; this could be a lifesaver if you have to crawl through a smoke-filled corridor.)
Remain friendly but be cautious about discussing personal matters or your itinerary.
Leave no personal or business papers in your hotel room.
Watch for people following you or "loiterers" observing your comings and goings.
Be sure of the identity of visitors before opening the door of your hotel room. Don't meet strangers at your hotel room, or at unknown or remote locations.
Packing List
Review your airline's baggage policies
Passport and visa
Credit card that you used to purchase the airplane ticket. Due to increasing fraud associated with international air travel, many airlines are now requiring that the traveler present their credit card at the airport in order to receive their ticket. Some airlines require that the traveler have the credit card that they used to purchase the ticket.
Program site contact phone numbers
Printout about your international health and security coverage
Cash for your week's expenses. The eye clinic can help you to exchange USD to local currency upon arrival. If you live in Australia, for example, it is best to convert your currency to USD to ensure an easy exchange of currency once you arrive abroad.
ATM card (Do not assume that you will be able to use your ATM card. Be sure to call your bank to verify that you can use your bank's ATM card to withdraw cash while abroad at your destination)
Money pouch. A small pouch for money and your camera can be worn around your neck under your clothings, or under your scrubs in the operating theater at the eye clinic.
A suitcase lock is suggested for your luggage so that you can lock your suitcase and secure your Passport, money, electronics, or any valuables.
Small pillow for airplane. Some volunteers also use a small pillow on the long van rides to and from villages.
Enough of any prescription medication you need for the entire time you will be traveling. Your physician will also most likely prescribe a broad-spectrum antibiotic for you to bring such as Cipro in case you become ill.
Malaria prophylaxis
If you wear contacts, be sure to bring enough contact lens solution for the entire time you will be traveling. You should NOT wash your contacts with local water because you can get Amoebas and severe, sometimes incurable conjunctivitis. Do not plan to rely on contacts, and be sure to also bring your glasses.
Mosquito repellent with at least 20% DEET
Anti-itch cream
Antacid and Anti-diarrhea medication
Tylenol/Aspirin/Advil/Motrin
Antihistimines such as Benadryl for bug bites or allergic reactions
If you're prone to motion sickness, you should bring your medication. You're likely to spend a lot of time in the vehicle in order to travel to and from the villages. Many of the roads are of course not paved and can therefore be bumpy.
Tooth brushing supplies. Remember not to brush your teeth with local tap water, just as you should not drink local tap water. You should only put bottled water in your mouth.
Shampoo, body soap, deoderant. 2-in-1 shampoo + conditioner makes showering easiest.
Hair supplies such as brush and hair dryer
Hand soap for washing your hands in the hotel/guest house
Purell and hand wipes for cleaning your hands in the villages. Volunteers use a lot of hand disinfectant, so bring enough to last your entire trip.
Flashlight (for possibility of power outage, which is especially common in Ghana)
Reading light if you want to read while your roommate is asleep, or during a power outage
Pen light, which you can obtain in a store such as Walgreens or Walmart
Ziploc Bags
Baby wipes
Tissues. Remember also that toilet paper is often not available, especially in villages, so you may want to bring extra tissues for this purpose.
Band-aids, antibiotic ointment, and alcohol swabs in case of any open cut.
Feminine supplies
Shaving cream and razors
Earplugs for light sleepers
Watch with alarm
Sunscreen, lip balm with sunscreen, sunglasses, and hat
Umbrella and light rain coat
Snacks (fruit chews, dried fruit, raisins, dried dates, pumpkin seeds, crackers, granola bars, peanut butter, power bars, instant soup). You will be bringing your own lunch to village outreaches, and most volunteers bring protein bars. You generally will not have a "lunch break" while in the villages, so be prepared to take a short break to eat. Volunteers have also found it helpful to bring instant soup. When mixed with bottled water, it can ease stomach upsets. Be sure not to use tap water in the instant soup, however! For volunteers traveling to Ghana, it's important to be aware that oftentimes volunteers in Ghana find that the food they eat doesn't have much fiber (Ghanaian food includes a lot of corn, rice, plantains, etc), and the low-fiber diet can result in constipation for some. You may therefore want to bring fiber supplements, dried fruit, or snack bars with fiber.
Vitamins. Oftentimes volunteers find that their diet and nutritional intake changes considerably while abroad. Bringing vitamins to supplement your nutrition is advantageous.
Special Information For Vegetarians: The Ghanaian diet consists of a lot of carbohydrates (corn, rice, plantains, etc), and protein is usually in the form of meat. Therefore, you should be able to find a lot of carbohydrates to eat, but protein may be harder to find. It is therefore advisable to bring extra protein bars, peanut butter, and other sources of protein with you to supplement your food in Ghana.
Bottles of Water: You will be able to purchase bottles of water soon after arriving abroad. However, it is advisable to bring a few bottles of water in your luggage so that you have water if you would like it immediately after arriving. Water bottles are especially useful to volunteers arriving late in the night when stores are not open for purchasing water bottles immediately upon arriving.
Purchase a free-standing mosquito net to bring with you. You can obtain a mosquito net from an outdoors store or from an online vendor (i.e. search Google for free standing mosquito net). Do not bring a mosquito net that needs to be affixed to the wall or ceiling because you will not be able to use it since it would damage the guest house walls or ceilings. The mosquito net therefore needs to be free-standing. Even if a volunteer doesn't see large numbers of mosquitoes in their room, most prefer to sleep with the mosquito net. You only need one mosquito to get into your room in order for you to start getting mosquito bites. If two mosquitoes end up in your room, they can breed, and then you can have a swarm of mosquitoes.
Sheets, pillow cases, and towels in guest houses and hotels abroad are not always as clean as what you may be accustomed to in your home country. If this is important to you, you may want to bring your own top sheet, pillow cases, and towels.
Sandals or cheap, waterproof flip-flops to wear around the lodging site. Also, when it rains, there is a lot of mud, so plan footwear accordingly.
Plug Adapters and Voltage Converters for electric items. Check with an electronics store for your exact needs for any electronics that you are bringing.
Most laptops accept 110-240 volts and require only a plug adapter and not a voltage converter. Most small electronic devices (i.e. digital cameras) will require a plug adapter and voltage converter intended for small electronic devices. Electric appliances (i.e. hair dryers, curling irons, straighteners, shavers) require a plug adapter and voltage converter intended for devices with motors or heaters. Consult your local electronics store and product documentation for specific guidelines.
Ghana - 230 volts, 50 Hz
India - 230 volts, 50 Hz:
Honduras: 110 volts, 60 Hz (same as U.S.)
Plugs are the same as in the U.S.:
For entertainment, bring music and books. Some volunteers enjoy bringing cards, Uno, a jump rope, board games such as Cranium, and other similar entertainment items. Bring along something to do for the car rides (usually 2-4 hours per day). Many volunteers bring their ipad, but be sure to keep it and any other expensive items in a safe place, and do not flaunt expensive items while abroad. In order to reach the remote locations to provide the outreach programs, you will usually spend a significant amount of time in vans going to and from the villages, so books, music, or card games and Uno are especially appreciated by volunteers on the van rides. Some volunteers also bring travel pillows for napping in the van rides. For evening entertainment, some volunteers bring a laptop and DVDs so that the volunteers can watch movies on the laptop.
If you're planning to work on research, writing, or other projects, it may be especially helpful for you to bring your laptop. Be aware, however, that the laptop could get damaged, lost, or stolen. We're not aware of any volunteers who have had issues with their laptops abroad, but it is of course always a possibility while abroad, just as this can occur at home. We suggest that you back up your computer before transporting it abroad. This will prevent you from losing your laptop's data. You should also bring a suitcase lock so that you can lock your laptop in your suitcase in your hotel room. It is also best to carry your laptop onto the airplane in a carry-on bag, instead of putting it into your checked luggage on the airplane.
Most all volunteers bring a digital camera. Again, be sure to keep it in a safe place. Don't forget the charger. You may also want to bring a USB key or a few memory cards to ensure that you don't run out of space on your digital camera's memory card.
If any of your electronics need batteries, be sure to bring those with you.
You should bring your cell phone in case you need to use your phone while in transit from your home country to your destination. Call your cell phone company to "unlock" your cell phone so that it has international calling capabilities in case of an emergency or flight delay while you're in transit abroad. After you arrive to the Unite For Sight program, you will receive a local cell phone from the eye clinic. The eye clinic can help you to purchase minutes for the local cell phone.
Pens (you'll need them at outreach and they tend to disappear!)
A small notepad is very helpful for the visual acuity station because it gives you a hard surface to write against and also gives you a place to write down any common phrases in the local language.
Bring a small battery-operated fan if you get hot easily.
You will likely have an empty (or near empty) suitcase on your way home, since one was used for the glasses . For this reason, if you can fit one suitcase inside the other, that will make the trip home easier.
Supplies For Clinics
As you are packing your suitcase please consider adding a few extra supplies which will be greatly appreciated by clinic staff in Ghana. These are supplies that are relatively cheap and accessible in the U.S. and relatively expensive and hard to find in Ghana. Bring what you can afford and have room for in your luggage, but ideally bring a collection of the various items described below.
Batteries: AA, C, and D batteries are all used by staff in Ghana. Most needed are the C and D batteries.
Alcohol preps: These are used for cleaning ophthalmic equipment between patients and for removing glue and dirt from the reading glasses. The patients really appreciate it if you take the time to clean their glasses. This shows that the glasses are valuable and that you care to give them the best you have to offer.
Gallon size zip-lock bags: These are used to keep the reading glasses separated by power at the outreaches.
Small zip-lock bags ("snack size"): These are used at the dispensing station for putting the reading glasses in when we don't have eye glass cases, which is a lot of the time. Again, the patients really appreciate it if you can put the glasses in something to protect them even a little bit.
Tape for the E-charts