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Questions
8. What to bring?
- What should I pack to bring on my placement?
- Can I use my mobile (cell) phone in Ghana?
- I am on medication - will I be able to buy it in Ghana?
- Can I bring expensive items such as laptops, phones and digital cameras?
- What kind of adapter do I need?
- Do I need bedding?
- I want to bring supplies for the organisation where I will be working – what should I bring?
We recommend that you limit your packing as tightly as you can. Resist the temptation to bring much more ‘stuff’ and clothing than you really need Because everything will have to fit into one suitcase and one carry-on bag.
Suitable clothing will vary depending on your placement. We will inform you what is suitable for your placement once you apply, but please be aware that for most placements in Accra interns will be expected to dress smartly.
We recommend you bring the following:
- Shorts and T-shirts. 100% cotton is best for the hot, humid climate. Include one long-sleeved shirt for sun protection
- Trousers, long-sleeved tops and socks come in handy in the evening as protection against mosquitoes.
- Sandals, sneakers, one pair of nice shoes
- One or two ‘dressier’ outfits. Ghanaians dress quite formally (neat slacks and collared Shirts for men, modest skirts and tops for women)
- Anorak or raincoat
- Sunhat
- Sun glasses and sunscreen (30+)
- Flashlight plus spare batteries (electricity can be sporadic)
- Watch
- Money Pouch.
- Towels
- Insect repellent
- Mosquito net
- Mini First Aid Kit
- Beach wear.
- Laptop (interns have often regretted not bringing them, see below).
Please be aware that Ghanaians are very modest and you have to be sensitive to the environment in which you are working.
Should you wish to bring expensive items such as laptops, digital cameras and mobile phones, please ensure these will be covered by your insurance.
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Can I use my mobile (cell) phone in Ghana?
We strongly suggest you bring your mobile phone as access to landlines will be limited. You can insert a Ghanaian "pay-as-you-go" sim card in your UK mobile. Please check with your mobile provider to find out whether your phone has a sim card block on it as this will need to be lifted if you wish to put a Ghanaian sim card in your phone.
The other alternative is to use your own mobile with your own sim card. This is very expensive and you will need to check with your provider as to whether this will work.
You can also rent sim cards and mobile phones from our Office for a small fee (subject to availability).
I am on medication - will I be able to buy it in Ghana?
We strongly suggest to bring any medication you need as we cannot guarantee that you will be able to buy it in Ghana.
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Can I bring expensive items such as laptops, phones and digital cameras?
Most interns bring laptops, digital cameras and mobile phones, but we strongly recommend you ensure they are covered by your insurance and that you do not flash them around as it may attract unwanted attention. We strongly suggest volunteers do not take laptops to the refugee settlement.
Please ensure that you protect any expensive equipment from power surges through the use of a surge protector. A surge protector is an appliance designed to protect electrical devices from voltage spikes. Surge protectors attempt to regulate the voltage supplied to an electric device by either blocking or shorting to ground voltage above a safe threshold.
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What kind of adapter do I need?
In general Ghana uses UK sockets, but its not uncommon to come across both European and US sockets. In our Accra accommodation we have UK sockets.
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Do I need bedding?
No, you do not need to bring bedding. We will supply it for you. You will need to bring your own towels.
I want to bring supplies for the organisation where I will be working – what should I bring?
If you would like to bring supplies for the organisation you will be working for we suggest you bring supplies that will aid you in your work.
Here are a couple of suggestions on what to bring:
- School supplies such as pencils, note books, text books, reading books, art supplies, etc.
- Teaching supplies such as pens, note books, chalk, etc.
- T-shirts always go down well.
Remember:
- If you give one person a present they will all expect one. So we suggest you give supplies to a manager or a headmaster to hand out.
- Please do not post supplies over as we cannot guarantee that they will arrive.
Couldn't find your answer in our FAQ category What to bring? Please browse through our other categories listed below for the answer to your question.
Internships