| FAQ |
| Who is CATO? |
| Why should I choose CATO? |
| Why spend time abroad? |
| What will I do when I am abroad? |
| What happens if there is a problem? |
| Do I need to take my own insurance? |
| What qualifications do I need? |
| Can I decide to do something different from your
programmes? |
| What pre-departure support do you
offer? |
| How do I apply? |
| How much will it cost? |
| How long does it take to place a
student? |
| Who can apply? |
| Where will I stay? |
| Where can one find more information about the
programmes? |
| Can you tell me about the living
conditions of my placement? |
| What is your suggested packing list
for Ghana? |
| Can I change my volunteer placement if
I get dissatisfied? |
| Will I have enough time to explore
Ghana during my volunteer programme? |
| How much extra money should I
bring? |
| What forms of communication will
be available for me to access in Ghana? |
| Can I bring a friend with me to
volunteer, too? |
| What vaccinations will I need for
Ghana? |
| What kind of food should I expect
while I'm volunteering? |
| What would happen if I decided not
to stay for the entire duration of the programme? |
| How can I get a
visa? |
| Which airport will be my destination
airport? |
| What is the best time to travel to
Ghana? |
| What are the Risks involved with
travel to Ghana? |
| Do I need to be able to speak a
foreign language in order to join the
programme |
| What is the arrival and departure
airport? |
| How long can I study abroad or
volunteer in Ghana? |
Lots of friends and family have asked what they could give us to bring
out to the children at the school and the orphanage. Could you suggest some items that would be most useful? |
| Programme specific Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) |
| GHANA Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) |
|
| Who is CATO? Cultural & Academic Travel
Organisation (CATO) is a Ghanaian based, not-for-profit
organisation specialising in cross-cultural educational
travel. Our head office is located at Tamale, Ghana with volunteer support centres in Accra and Ho, Ghana. The purpose of our programme is to equip
both adults and youths with skills needed to survive in a
culturally diverse world. CATO recognises these educational
travels as means of breaking down prejudices and of building
understanding and tolerance among people of different cultures
in the world. Our aim is to create opportunities for student
exchange, to encourage students and adults to learn about
other cultures and languages and to provide affordable student
travel opportunities. Though CATO runs its own academic and
cultural immersion programmes at home, It also achieves its
major objective of bringing to the doorsteps of both youths
and adults all over the world, affordable and effective cross
cultural learning opportunities, through collaborative
partnership with the best local and international educational
institutions and organisations across the globe. CATO,
incorporated in Ghana as a company limited by guarantee with
registration no. G.10,668., also renders travelling support
services to both youths and adults. |
|
| Why should I choose
CATO? CATO is a reliable
and friendly organisation with an excellent reputation in its
industry. Our young professional and fun-loving staffs
understand your needs and concerns and are always ready to
give you satisfaction. We offer support both before and during
your stay. Our accommodation placement service is one of the
best you can find in the world. We have a host of carefully
screened friendly and loving host families who will make you
forget your home. It is our organisation's policy to maintain
a low price to make the programmes affordable for you without
compromising the quality. We give you the best at the lowest
price. CATO's primary concern is to ensure that you have a
positive, informative experience in your country of choice. |
|
| Why spend time
abroad? Going abroad exposes you to a host of new
ideas about life. You will have the opportunity to learn about
other people and cultures of other parts of the world and most
especially about yourself. The cultural shock, excitement,
surprises, new discoveries and mix feelings. Your experience
will go a long way to toughen and prepare you to cope in our
culturally diverse and globally interdependent world. Your
experience abroad, whether for an internship, volunteer,
holiday or academic purposes will definitely make you more
attractive to employers, it reflects your readiness to welcome
new ideas, a degree of heroism and a sociable character - the
basic qualities employers will always look for. No
procrastination! It is once in a lifetime experience, Apply
now. |
|
| What will I do when I am
abroad? This depends on the type of programme, you
will spend time either schooling, working on a project,
helping at the orphanage, teaching or having fun. Most of our
programmes at home usually come with series of excursions to
various sites of attraction throughout the country. You will
have the opportunity to experience rural life and get immersed
in the rich African culture. We will be able to extend your
stay if you request extra time after your placement has ended,
so you can explore the country and have a wonderful
holiday. |
|
| What happens if there is a
problem? CATO responds promptly to all emergency
calls. There is always someone who will reach you within 24
hours to help solve your problems. Our area representatives
who are responsible for your well being can be contacted 24
hours, 7 days a week. |
|
| Do I need to take my own
insurance? We strongly advice applicants to have
their own insurance. CATO staff will provide you with
information on Insurance applications. CATO will also be able
to assist you to have a local insurance company in case you
decide to extend your stay. |
|
| What qualifications do I
need? The best way to answer this question is to
check the particular programme you are interested in. Apart
from our university exchange and internship programmes that
require some form of experience and relevant qualifications,
most of our programmes are open to anyone within the specified
age group. |
|
| Can I decide to do something
different from your programmes? If in case you
cannot find a programme that best suits you, do not hesitate
to contact us. We would be more than glad to arrange something
that best suits your objectives. Our advisers will be
perfectly happy to discuss anything with you. |
|
| What pre-departure support do
you offer? CATO staff provides you with information
and support on passports, guidelines for visa applications,
airline reservations, vaccination, suggested packing list, a
typical Ghana budget, airport transfer guided tour services
and more. |
|
| How do I apply? See
programme specific application process. Fill out and submit
the Application Form as soon as possible. You'll be assigned a
placement, provisionally, within 5 days. Your placement will
become secured only after you've paid a non-refundable
application fee of $100 that goes towards the cost of the
programme if you enrol. You may also contact us through our form mail. |
|
| How much will it
cost? Each programme is
different. Programme cost are available on our website. |
|
| How long does it take to place
a student? You need to make your application as
early as possible, at least four weeks before you want to go.
The earlier you can send it, the better. Specific deadlines
are noted on each programme page in this site. We advise you
to apply as soon as you are ready, some programmes have year
round start dates, and others have fixed start dates. The
sooner you apply, the quicker we can process your application
and ensure your place on the programme. |
|
| Who can apply? Anyone who is ready to learn and share can apply. However,
many of our inbound programmes are not suitable for those
under 18. |
|
| Where will I stay? Each programme is different. You could be living with a
host family, hostels, hotels or private homes. Most programmes
come with their own prearranged accommodation normally located
within 5 to 10 minutes walk from your school, work place or
project site. Whatever the case, we guarantee comfort and
security. Please, look at the details for each
programme. |
|
| Where can one find more
information about the programmes? Do not hesitate
to contact us if the information on this website does not
cover everything you need to know. We welcome all your
comments and suggestions. |
| |
| Can you tell me
about the living conditions of my
placement? The
living conditions of your placement will vary, depending on
the area to which you are assigned. One should not expect
luxurious accommodations in Ghana. Most of our projects are
located in the rural area, (where we need you most) so the
living conditions are very basic. CATO will try its best to
provide good and clean accommodations to our volunteers. We
will place volunteers with host families, most of who are well
experienced with foreign volunteers and speak English. |
|
| What is your
suggested packing list for Ghana? You may want to
bring special items such as mosquito repellent or a mosquito
net, binoculars, camera and film, walking shoes, sunscreen,
travellers checks, cash and/or credit cards, swim suits,
casual clothes for nightlife and fine dining, insect
repellent, copies of your favourite Ghana travel guide,
sandals, sunglasses & hat, necessary medications, rain
jacket, and seasonal cloths. Click here to view
our suggested packing list |
|
| Can I change my
volunteer placement if I get
dissatisfied? CATO will consider
the request of a volunteer for a location change, but we will
only change the placement if the reasons for the request are
genuine or if the placement collapses due to unavoidable
circumstances. |
|
| Will I have
enough time to explore Ghana during my volunteer
programme? There will be
plenty of time for you to explore your place of volunteer and
the other places of Ghana during orientation. Also, CATO
offers guided tours of Ghana at an extra cost. |
|
| How much extra
money should I bring? Volunteers will be
provided with room and board from the very first day to the
last day of the programme. Therefore, you won't need any money
to pay for these expenses. You will need a weekly budget of up
to $50 USD to cater for all your other expenses like bottled
water, personal cost, beverages and entertainment. However, if
you are planning on taking part in activities outside of the
organisation, or if you just want to buy some souvenirs, you
will need to bring extra money in order to do so. On a side
note, you must also remember the visa fee, which varies
depending on the length of stay and mode of entry. There is
also an airport tax, which you pay upon your departure from
Ghana. |
|
| What forms of
communication will be available for me to access in
Ghana? Will there be Internet, telephones,
and post offices available? This all depends on your
placement; however, almost all of our placements are close to
the major cities where volunteers will have easy access to
phone, Internet, and post office. |
|
| Can I bring a
friend with me to volunteer, too? Will it be
possible for us to stay together? We allow people to come with
friends or even in large groups. We do our best to place
friends together. If this is impossible, we will place you in
different homes but in a walking distance. Also, we can place
any volunteer near another volunteer already working in the
same field, if he/she wishes. |
|
| What vaccinations
will I need for Ghana? Yellow
Fever vaccinations are required to obtain Ghanaian visa. We
recommend you consider vaccinations for Hepatitis A & B,
Meningitis, Typhoid, Tetanus and anti-malaria medications. |
|
| What kind of food
should I expect while I'm volunteering? CATO manages food
and accommodation in collaboration with the local host
families and other accommodation providers involved. Ghana
foods include rice, fufu, pulses soup, ken key, seasonal
vegetables, and meat occasionally. |
|
| What would
happen if I decided not to stay for the entire duration of the
programme? Programme fees are not refundable
when the volunteer arrives in Ghana. |
|
| How can I get a
visa? Visas are required
for Ghana. You will need to apply for your own visa. CATO
staff will provide information on consulates and application
forms. Application forms for visa require 2 references in
Ghana. Upon your enrolment in our programme, CATO will send
you 2 references in Ghana for your visa application. If you
decide to stay longer than this, you can extend your visa
after you arrive. Extension is obtained from the immigration
department. |
|
| Which airport
will be my destination airport? Will someone
receive me at the airport? Volunteers are requested to make
their destination Kotoka International Airport in Accra. CATO
staff will meet you at the airport. We will communicate with
you through email about the procedure for your airport pickup. |
|
| What is the best
time to travel to Ghana? Ghana has a
tropical climate, with rainfall and temperatures varying by
altitude and distance from the sea. There are two distinct
seasons: rainy and dry. April-August is rainy, and
September-March is ideal for travel. |
|
| What are the
Risks involved with travel to Ghana? Compared to other
African nations, Ghana is considered a very safe nation;
however, pick-pocketing, purse snatching, and various types of
scams are quite common in crowded city areas, beaches, parks
and tourist attraction areas. Volunteers are advised to keep
their valuable items, such as cash, jewellery, and passports,
in safe places. |
|
| Do I need to
be able to speak a foreign language in order to join the
programme? In Ghana, people speak English,
so communication should not be a problem. For volunteers
interested in exploring local language and culture, CATO
organises a 1-week extensive language and cultural programme . |
| |
| What is the arrival and
departure airport? Kotota International Airport in
Accra, Ghana |
| |
| How long can I study abroad or
volunteer in Ghana? |
| The choice is
yours. There is no minimum duration for our programmes.
Students or Volunteers can study or volunteer as long as they
want to. |
| |
Lots of friends and family have asked what they could give us to bring
out to the children at the school and the orphanage. Could you suggest some items that would be most useful? |
Many items will be very useful to the orphanage. Some of the items are stationary, school materials & supplies, teaching and learning aids, groceries and many more. Due to airline luggage limitations (below) we recommend participants can also carry and donate cash to the orphanage upon arrival.
Many programme participants find their luggage has multiplied before their departure due to donations they collected from family members and friends! Most airlines only allow two large suitcases and a carry-on bag, and will charge fees for additional or overweight bags. Call your airline and ask what the weight limit is. If you believe you have too many or too heavy bags, be prepared to pay these additional fees. |
|
| Programme specific Frequently
Asked Question (FAQ) |
| |
 Country Side Orphanage (Bawjiase) |
| Osu Children's
Home |
| Teacher Volunteer
Project |
| Drumming and
Dancing at Dagbe Cultural Centre |
| CATO Cultural
Institute |
| Ghana FAQ |
| |
