Midwifery Internship in Ghana

Travel to Africa and observe the work of experienced midwives as they treat expectant mothers in a local hospital

Destination

Ghana

Age

16+ y/o

Minimum Stay

2 weeks

Start Date

Anytime

Accommodation

Homestay

What’s Included

24/7 Support

Round-the-clock support on the ground and 24/7 back up from our global teams.

Accommodation & Amenities

Clean, safe, and welcoming accommodation. A home away from home with comfortable amenities.

Activities, Training & Equipment

All programme activities and equipment, including training and workshops from experienced professionals.

Certification

Certified record of service hours, workshops, and activities for your CV.

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Starting at £1,775 for 2 weeks

Flexible 0% Interest payments

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Trip Overview

Master midwifery skills

Observe and assist qualified midwives in the maternity ward of a local hospital, gaining valuable practical skills for your chosen career.

Shadow experienced professionals

Shadow experienced midwives, ask questions, and learn about international midwifery practices to gain a global understanding of the field.

Provide essential care

Participate in community outreach programmes, providing basic healthcare and education to pregnant women and families, reducing mortality rates.

Embrace Ghanaian life

Live with a local host family, experience everyday life with vibrant music shows and restaurants, and learn about the unique traditions of Ghana.

Grow and develop individually

Challenge yourself to try something new, develop your confidence and independence, and gain valuable experience that will shape your future career.

What you need to know

Overview

This internship is perfect for anyone interested in gaining work experience in midwifery. It will add value to your CV, and give you interesting points to talk about during interviews and in essays and applications.

You can also use your midwifery work experience in Ghana to decide whether a career as a midwife is the best option for you.

You don’t need previous experience to join. You’ll have an observational role, and the midwives you shadow will answer your questions so you can learn.

All interns will be allowed in the maternity ward. However, hospital regulations only allow students in their third year of studies to be allowed into the delivery wards.

A Day in the Life

Your work day will usually start around 8am and finish at 2pm, Monday to Friday. The hospital works on shifts, so you can stay later if your supervisor approves it.

You can enjoy a well deserved lunch break around 12. At this time, you can break out your packed lunch or use the time to rest your feet and have a late lunch back at your host family.

You’ll spend the day observing qualified midwives as they consult with patients in the maternity ward. This will give you the chance to see the different conditions pregnant women in Ghana face. Depending on your qualifications, you may even be able to witness a birth in the delivery room.

When you get back to your host family, spend time getting to know them and their culture over a deliciously home cooked Ghanaian meal of jollof rice.

Ghana has many interesting sites to see and explore. In your spare time, you can take a hike through the countryside, get a tan on the beach, or enjoy a more urban feel when visiting the capital city of Accra.

Aims & Impact

This aim of this internship is to provide you with an educational experience at your midwifery placement in Ghana.

You’ll shadow qualified midwives in the maternity ward of a local hospital and learn how to treat different conditions faced by pregnant women in a developing country like Ghana.

You’ll find yourself coming into contact with pregnant women experiencing complications that you don’t normally see in your home country. These include diseases like malaria and typhoid. You will find this experience challenging, but it will give you significant insight.

In addition, you’ll also help by working at community outreaches. You’ll do health checks, providing basic medical care to people who can’t access it regularly.

We are currently working towards the following goals laid out In our Medicine Management Plan:

Encourage an understanding of medical practices and promoting an exchange of medical knowledge
Improve the quality of healthcare provided to patients
Reduce the number of cases of malaria
Improve access to basic healthcare for disadvantaged groups through outreach work in leprosy camps and schools
Promote awareness of non-communicable diseases

Join us on the Midwifery Internship in Ghana were you’ll expand your skills while providing assistance to expecting mothers in the heart of Ghana.

Activities

While in Ghana, you’ll be learning from and assisting midwives at a local hospital. You’ll be involved in the following activities:

A midwifery volunteer performing health checks in Ghana

Observe the work of qualified midwives as they go about their day-to-day tasks

Midwifery students on a medical outreach in Ghana

Take part in medical outreaches in leprosy camps and schools

Midwifery students shadowing local professionals in Ghana

Learn from professional midwives as you shadow them in the maternity ward

A midwifery student learning how to perform basic procedures in Ghana

Learn about the issues experienced by pregnant women in Ghana

Your work will focus on the following areas:

Observe the work of qualified midwives

You’ll learn through shadowing the midwives as they go about their day-to-day tasks. Follow them around during hospital rounds, watch them as they treat patients, and ask questions if there is anything you are unsure of. Your qualifications and experience determine how much responsibility you’ll be given.

Provide assistance to the midwives

Although your main focus will be to observe and shadow the midwives, you may be given the opportunity to take on more hands-on responsibilities. This will depend largely on the initiative you show and your level of experience. Under supervision, you may be allowed to carry out basic consultations and health checks on patients in the maternity ward.

Learn more about midwifery in a developing country

As you work in the maternity ward, you’ll learn more than just how to deliver babies. You’ll learn how to treat patients from the start of their pregnancy right until the end. You may even come across some conditions that you would not normally see back home. Pregnant women sometimes come into the hospital experiencing malaria symptoms or the early onset of diabetes. As you observe the midwives, you’ll also learn how to comfort and treat these patients.

Lend a hand at medical outreaches in leprosy camps and schools

If you’d like to get a more well rounded view of medical care in the community, you can join a few of our medical outreaches at local schools and a leprosy camp. You’ll assist with basic health checks like blood pressure and blood sugar monitoring. You’ll also help treat and wrap wounds, measure temperatures, and help test for malaria and ringworm.

Map & Location

Formerly called The Gold Coast, Ghana became an independent nation in 1957, and the first African country colonised by Europeans to achieve independence under majority rule. Still famed for gold and cocoa production, it’s a treasure trove of cultural and natural experiences.

Explore lush rainforests, cascading waterfalls, and golden beaches or get stuck in to the lively music and dance scene. With a rich mix of languages and traditions, its people are known for their warmth and hospitality.

Accra

Accra, the capital of Ghana, is a lively city on the Atlantic coast with a population of over two million. This sprawling metropolis blends modern skyscrapers with historic landmarks, artisan markets, and beautiful beaches. It has a tropical savannah climate with hot temperatures all year.

Accra is culturally rich, with traditional drumming and dance performances alongside an energetic nightlife and thriving arts scene. More than half of the population is under 24, so it’s never short of excitement!

Akuapem Hills

About 90 minutes north of the capital, Accra, lie the quiet and tropical Akuapem Hills. Known for their lush greenery, cocoa farms, and charming villages with traditional architecture, the hills are a perfect escape from city living.

You’ll never feel more welcomed than in the heart of the Ghanaian countryside and you’ll have access to all the essential amenities. Plus, Accra is well within reach for a day trip if needed!

Food & Accommodation

Immediately feel at home with a supportive and welcoming local host family. We’ve vetted each family to guarantee you get everything you need for a wonderful stay. This includes a comfortable bed, three daily meals, fresh drinking water, and daily transport to and from your placement, arranged by our team.

Your host family’s home will be clean, safe, and secure, and they will welcome you as one of their own from the moment you arrive. Absorb the local culture, enjoy their incredible home-cooked food, and build a lifelong connection during the course of your stay.

You’ll stay with other Projects Abroad participants on your travels. If you share a room, we will match you with someone of the same gender and age. Whether you go it alone or with friends, you’ll have the time of your life.

Free Time and Leisure

Volunteering in Ghana is an ideal way to explore this colourful West African country. There’s a huge variety of different activities to do while you’re there, giving you plenty of exciting ways to spend your free time.

Music is a central part of Ghanaian culture. In the bigger towns, especially Accra, you will hear some great live bands and have some memorable nights out. Evenings spent at buzzing restaurants will also give you a taste of some of the delicious local cuisine.

For a look into Ghana’s history, you can tour the slave forts of Cape Coast and visit museums. Nature lovers will relish trekking through the rainforests of Kakum National Park or Mole National Park.

We run a wide range of projects in Ghana so there’s sure to be other volunteers there during your trip. This means you can explore the country solo or connect with other volunteers and travel as a group.

Your Arrival Made Easy

When you arrive at your respective airport, a member of Projects Abroad staff will be there to meet you. You can find more detailed information on arrival airports, orientation, and visas on our Ghana Arrival Procedures page.