Geekcorps news from Ghana

Jopie is currently in Ghana working as a Geekcorps volunteer until the end of this year. He says he is really enjoying his time there - he finds introducing ICT projects to the local communities there really rewarding.

If you consider doing something similar, here is some info from the Geekcorps website :

"Geekcorps is a US-based, non-profit organization that places international technical volunteers in developing nations to contribute to ICT projects while transferring the technical skills required to achieve long-term stability. Ultimately we strive to cross-pollinate developing nations with the skills needed to maximize the benefits of modern telecommunications.

Our current applicant database contains more than 5,700 technical specialists willing to share their talents and experience in developing nations. In all cases, we carefully match applicants with projects based on the skills that are needed based on our assessments and the scopes of work provided by partner businesses. Much of our past work has been performed in conjunction with ICT SME’s, but we have also contributed directly to government projects and other organizations while retaining the skills-transfer element of our programs.

The average Geekcorps volunteer assignment is three to four months. Although we encourage volunteers and their employers to contribute if possible, we take care of all volunteer expenses: air travel, inoculations, lodging and a modest per diem. Long term programs, such as Geekcorps Mali, benefit from the efforts of a local country director and support staff. Smaller programs rely on the support of the US-based staff. In all cases, we strive to balance the needs of partner businesses with cross-cultural exposure for our volunteers.

If you have questions about volunteering or are a potential partner business that could uses the services of a Geekcorps volunteer, drop us a line at info at geekcorps dot org."