Experience Challenge

THE EXPERIENCE CHALLENGE

“Thanks again for such an amazing trip! It really was incredible, a trip of a lifetime, and I can’t stop thinking about it even now!”

Sheryl Alexander2011 participant

“The Experience Challenge was a real eye opener. I learnt that I can live for a week without any real possessions, that if you’re tired enough you can sleep anywhere and that some of the things we hold most dear are really not all that important.”Ann Pepper2010 participant

“Thank you for arranging this. The experience has changed my perspective on things in ways that I couldn’t have imagined before we set off. It was expertly managed and delivered from beginning to end.”Rudi Sellers2011 participant

“It's remarkable what AfriKids has done for thousands of young lives in partnership with local communities and local government. It's a wonderful example of partnership between this country and Ghana.”Colin GrassieCEO, Deutsche Bank UK(2010 participant)

“It was tough but probably the most rewarding, memorable experience of my life and I would recommend it to anyone…”Sheryl Alexander2011 participant

It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to:

live in a traditional mud hut compound in rural northern Ghana, alongside a remarkably resourceful and innovative family;

become truly immersed in a new culture and learn what life is like in a region where 70% of the population live in poverty;

witness the innovative and inspiring ways local individuals work to overcome the everyday challenges they face as individuals, as families and as communities;

experience genuine development on the ground and raise the funds needed to help turn young lives around, forever.

FINALIST FOR THE 2011 THIRD SECTOR EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR BEST FUNDRAISING EVENT

WHAT IS THE EXPERIENCE CHALLENGE?

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWEREDWhat are the dates?

The challenge takes place each October however, if a group of 20 or more are keen to take part we can consider another time of the year to accommodate you.

You will spend three days and three nights living and working alongside some of Africa’s most isolated communities. For the remainder of the trip, you will be able to visit AfriKids Ghana’s ground-breaking child rights and community development projects, learning about the organisation’s work and the incredible impact it is having on the very communities you’ll live in.

What are the costs?

The cost per person, based on 20 taking part, is around £1,000. This includes your international flights, all domestic travel, meals, accommodation and a small fund for your host family to cover any additional expenses they may incur whilst you live with them.

We are continuously seeking ways to keep costs to a minimum; to see a detailed cost breakdown please get in touch.

If you register early the trip costs can be paid to AfriKids in three instalments, with the final payment due 28 days prior to the departure date.

What do I need to do?

Once you have completed and returned your registration form we will send you a participant pack with all the information you need. All you’ll need to do is organise your visa, travel insurance and vaccinations / antimalarial treatment. Leave the rest to us!

How much do I need to fundraise?

We ask that all participants raise a minimum of £1,000 which will go towards the AfriKids projects you visit and benefit the communities you live in. Fundraising is part of the challenge and AfriKids will support you throughout. In 2010 and 2011, all participants successfully met this target, with many even doubling it.

If you manage to raise in excess of £1,000, you can use a maximum of £500 of your additional fundraising to contribute to the trip costs.

To receive a registration form or for further information please contact:

[email protected] / 020 7443 5170

Day 1Depart UK / arrive Accra in the eveningAttend welcome drinks at a local hotel where you’ll spend the first night

Day 2Fly to Tamale and travel to the AfriKids Head Office in BolgatangaAttend a welcome meeting at the Next Generation Home Visit a number of AfriKids’ ground-breaking child rights projectsTravel to Mama Laadi’s Foster Home, unpack and do a fun activity with Mama Laadi’s children (all 35 of them!)Attend a final briefing session with AfriKids Ghana staffSpend the night on the grounds of the home

Days 3, 4 & 5Wake early to travel to your host family compounds. Spend three days and nights living their lives

Please note this itinerary may be subject to some alterations

Day 6Attend an experience share session with your host families and AfriKids Ghana staff

Day 7Take part in a team activity in the community you’ve stayed in to thank them for welcoming youVisit more AfriKids projects or visit the local craft market

Day 8Travel to AccraExperience the sites and sounds of Accra or relax by the pool with a well earned beerYour flight to London leaves at 22:30, arriving in London at 06:30 the following day

THE ITINERARYThe Experience Challenge lasts for one week. Within eight days of leaving the UK you’ll be back at work fighting with the printer, but your smile will be bigger, your life richer and your perspective on life changed forever.

“While they thought they were changing the world, the world was changing them.”