I had the privilege to embark on an amazing month-long trip volunteering in Africa with United Planet. All the words of encouragement and support I received prior to my departure comforted me and what I discovered was that this experience was beyond what I ever imagined.
At first when I arrived, I was rather nervous. However, it didn’t take long for the nervousness to fade and excitement and eagerness to set in. I was anxious to get into the hospital to see first-hand how the Ghana hospital compared to that of what I was used to in the United States. I learned that despite having minimal resources and equipment, the physiotherapists in Ghana were overwhelmingly positive and dedicated to providing patients with the best treatment possible. While in the physical therapy department, I had the opportunity to provide treatment and care to people of all ages, ranging from infants with cerebral palsy to 80-year-old men recovering from a stroke. The ability to see the impact of physical therapy on these individuals’ recovery and overall improvement in their quality of life solidified my desire to become a physical therapist. The internship at the hospital was the main reason I was in Ghana, however I discovered there were other rewarding ways to spend my free time.
In addition to visiting a monkey sanctuary and the breathtaking Wli Falls in the Volta Region, I was provided the opportunity to visit several orphanages and villages to deliver medical supplies and other necessities to communities who were truly in need. There are simply no words that can describe the feeling of seeing the gratitude in a 6-year-old girl’s eyes when she received her first ever pair of shoes. It was at this point when I realized that I was receiving much more from this experience than I gave — throughout my stay in Ghana I was met by kindness, generosity, sincerity, curiosity, hopefulness, and pride.
As I return to the United States, it is clear to me that this will not be my last journey to Ghana. My time in Ghana has made me even more determined to follow a career in physical therapy, but I am also committed to helping secure much needed medical equipment for African hospitals. While I know this is a far-reaching goal, my first initiative will be to explore ways to get newer equipment – specifically for the City of Ho’s Volta Regional Hospital’s physical therapy department. If anyone reading this has advice to making this a reality, I’d love to hear from you!
While I could go on and on, I will conclude my thoughts here as I now am forced to turn my attention to my final undergraduate year. I have much to accomplish in the months to come. I want to thank you all my supporters so much, with special appreciation to United Planet, which I found to be a really well-run organization, I know my journey to Africa would not have been possible without your support. You have all impacted my life in such a positive way.
Learn more about medical volunteer abroad with United Planet!
ABOUT UNITED PLANET
United Planet is a non-profit organization with a mission to create a global community, one relationship at a time. Established in 2001, United Planet offers volunteer abroad, virtual internships, internships abroad, gap year volunteering, and global virtual exchange in more than 40 countries.
