Ghana Volunteer 6th Former Molly Wratten

A Special Report by Louisa Glen-Bramley. While some students may have spent their summer relaxing on a beach, Molly Wratten (Year 13) chose to volunteer for two weeks in Accra, Ghana. Throughout the whole of Year 12, Molly used fundraisers and jobs to raise the £3000-the cost of going to Ghana. At age 16, Molly wanted to not only increase her independence and explore a new country, but to make a long-term difference. When choosing which country to visit, Molly discovered the company Projects Abroad, which organised her accommodation and activities while in the foreign country. When raising money, Molly was challenged with finding £1500 for the flight to Africa and another £1500 for the trip itself.

At the beginning of the year, she held a fundraiser at a local church in which she organised a raffle offering the chance to win theatre tickets, luxury soaps and chocolate – to name a few. The fundraiser was a great success and resulted in 70 people attending, including Mr and Mrs Pugsley, and a profit of £600 to go towards her funds.

Once the funds were raised and Molly had arrived in Ghana, along with 10 other volunteers, she stayed with a host family. While everyone spoke English, the volunteers were from around the world and gave her the opportunity to meet others from entirely different cultures and communities. Apparently, a reunion is imminent!

The daily schedule included a five-minute drive to a nearby school where she worked with children ranging in age from 3  to 14. From 9 to 12 am the volunteers helped with plastering and painting, while the afternoon would feature about two hours of games and dance. As a keen dancer, Molly was able to teach the Ghanaian children some English
dances while they returned the favour with their own cultural dances.

Unfortunately, the schools in Ghana cast a huge contrast with Great Marlow. They had only 8 classrooms, split into 4 buildings, making up the entire school. There were no offices and no first aid stations. However, with people like Molly donating their aid and time, the schools like the one Molly visited can seriously improve and provide the best education possible.

To all other students considering volunteering abroad, Molly suggests a lot of research and creativity when thinking of fundraising schemes. However, overall, it was a very rewarding experience that she cannot recommend enough. “The biggest thing I learnt was that we can all make a difference-we just have to be brave enough to stand out”.

To view the video go to the address below. It gives a flavour of Molly’s experience. Throughout her trip Molly can be seen trying some dishes of food that required an acquired taste, enjoying some selfies, talking with the Ghanaian children and enjoying the national dances of the region.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wS8pl7GXgw