Hannah Candassamy, Development Intern from the U.K.

Interning for the Cheerful Hearts Foundation (CHF) was a rewarding and unforgettable experience, providing me with the chance to work within a vital community organisation that works tirelessly to support the Awutu-Senya District in a number of social issues. Working in the CHF office, I was able to support the operation of the organisation through creating funding proposals, improving existing communications channels and setting up a system to evaluate CHF volunteers’ experiences.

The energy and endless motivation of the CHF staff was inspiring to see, along with their determination to see projects through and their work to educate and inform their community. The staff’s friendly and supportive approach towards interns made any potential cultural barriers disappear and provided a relaxed but active work environment.

As part of my internship, I stayed with a host family which was a convenient 10 minute walk away from the office in an area that I always felt safe in. My experience of living with a Ghanaian family was a hugely valuable one. I had fun playing with their children and enjoyed engaging in discussions with the husband and wife to find out more about life in Ghana. They were so welcoming and friendly, that by the end of my placement I was very sad to say goodbye.

The Cheerful Hearts Foundation continues to do valuable work for their community and continuously look at ways to improve and expand the areas they focus their efforts on. I felt very happy to be part of such a positive organisation which truly engages within the community they work in.  CHF completely value the time their volunteers put into the charity, which ensured that I had a productive and hugely enjoyable experience in a beautiful country.