Project Ghana

join us july 27-august 5, 2025

 

Make a Difference in the Lives of Children with Special Needs

Are you a passionate and dedicated helping professional or student looking for a life-changing experience? Join our mission trip to Ghana and make a real difference in the lives of children with special needs.

 

Why Ghana?

Ghana is a beautiful and vibrant country with a rich culture and history. However, many children with special needs in Ghana face significant challenges. They often lack access to quality education, healthcare, and support services. Our mission trip aims to address these challenges and provide these children with the opportunities they need to thrive.

 
 

What Will You Do?

  • Receive comprehensive global perspectives training to deepen your cultural humility.

  • Participate in Smiles for Speech community clinics to offer parent & teacher trainings, free screenings, and consultations. 

  • Connect with fellow inter-professional colleagues while experiencing the vibrant culture and heritage of Accra, Northern Ghana, and Cape Coast.

  • Visit local hospitals, clinics, special schools and orphanages providing care to children and families in underresourced communities.

  • Discuss barriers and challenges families face to receiving services in Ghana.

  • Select students will have the opportunity to receive clinic hours with supervision by licensed speech- language pathologists

 
 

Who Should Apply?

We are looking for passionate and dedicated special needs professionals who are committed to making a difference in the lives of children. Applicants should have experience working with children with special needs and be willing to share their skills and knowledge with others.

 
 

How to Apply

Take advantage of this opportunity to be part of something exceptional and make a lasting impact on the lives of children with special needs in Ghana. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and interviews will be conducted with selected candidates.

We look forward to hearing from you!

 

Excursions

City Tour of Accra

Explore Ghana during a City Tour of Accra including:

- Independence Square
- Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Center
- W.E.B. Dubois Museum

 

Cape Coast Castle

After a rest day in Accra, you will spend the day exploring the Cape Coast Castle is a historical landmark deeply intertwined with Ghana’s past. As an important center for the transatlantic slave trade, the castle provides a poignant look at history and the resilience of the Ghanaian people. 

 

Mole National Park

You will take a guided safari for intimate encounters with wildlife at Mole National Park, Ghana’s largest protected area and home to elephants, antelopes, birds, and several other species in their natural habitat. Enjoy the stunning landscapes that range from savannah grasslands to picturesque water holes.

 

Shea Butter Production

You will experience the transformative process of shea butter production by visiting local women's cooperatives. This tour will take you through the entire process—from the harvesting of shea nuts to the intricate traditional methods of producing high-quality shea butter. The women behind these cooperatives are not only skilled artisans but also pivotal agents of economic change in their communities.

 

The Mystic Stone

Discover the fascinating legend of Larabanga in northern Ghana! In the 1950s, road construction revealed a mysterious stone that refused to stay removed. Each time it was moved, it returned to its original spot, prompting local authorities to acknowledge its mystical powers.

 

Moderate Accommodations

Guest rooms are air-conditioned with a private bathroom in a safe, secure hotel. Rooms may vary from photos depending on single or double occupancy.

Double - $3,695 | Private Room Supplement - $499

 

You only need a $500 non-refundable deposit to register!

INCLUDED

  • 4-Star Moderate hotel accommodations

  • Airport transfers

  • All in-country transportation on air-conditioned coach

  • In-country return flight from Accra to Tamale

  • All meals except closing night dinner

  • All entrance fees to cultural excursions

  • Your in-country flight to Tamale, all transportation, and meals including non-alcoholic drinks/snacks are included for the duration of your trip.  

 
 

NOT INCLUDED

  • International flights from the USA to Ghana

  • Visa (we do support the application process)

  • Vaccines recommended by the CDC (cost varies and some may be covered by insurance)

  • Any airport arrival and departure taxes

  • Any additional experiences, tours, night accommodation

 

Team Leaders

 

Sandy Dorsey
MA, CCC-SLP, TSHH

Sandy Dorsey, MA, CCC-SLP, TSHH is a speech-language pathologist (SLP), educator, and global advocate for children with special needs, with over three decades of experience in the field. She leads a team of SLPs providing culturally responsive speech services through her private practice, All About Speech, based in New York City and an invited guest lecturer at the University of Ghana. 

Ms. Dorsey founded the non-profit organization Smiles for Speech (SFS) in 2017 driven by a commitment to enhancing access to therapeutic resources for children with disabilities, primarily in Africa. SFS provides charitable direct consultations, teacher trainings through service trips, parent training and resources, and teletherapy services. SFS was recently awarded a clinical grant from the Parkinson’s Voice Project, furthering its mission to expand services to include support for adults with speech and language needs. 

Ms. Dorsey was recently invited to serve as the Speech-Language Pathology member on the American Speech- Language Hearing Association International Issues Board 2025-2027 and selected for the National Black Speech Association (NBASLH) Cultural Humility Ambassador program. Her expertise, unwavering advocacy, and dedication to advancing the field of speech-language pathology make her a transformative force in both local and international communities championing individuals with communication challenges to reach their full potential.

 

Kimberly Formby
OTR/L

Kimberly, vice president of Smiles for Speech, is a US-trained occupational therapist who currently works and lives in London. She has 26 years of experience as an occupational therapist. Kim graduated from Texas Women’s University in 1993 with a degree in occupational therapy. She is currently certified by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy.
Kimberly's area of specialty includes helping kids and parents with emotional and behavioral regulation challenges through sensory processing and social/emotional skill development. She has worked in numerous settings- schools, hospitals, and telehealth. Kimberly has served as a supervisor of OT for 17 years at a hospital in the US, and was co-owner of a private practice, before relocating to London. She is a Pediatric Trauma Community of Practice member of the American Occupational Therapy Association. Kimberly is thrilled to be part of the SDS team and looks forward to continued service for children, families, and other professionals globally.

 

Amanda Forgit
MS, CCC-SLP, TSSLD, BE

Amanda is a trilingual, school-based speech-language pathologist (SLP) holding a Bilingual Extension from Columbia University. Amanda currently serves school-age, autistic children, and others with various developmental disabilities in the New York City public schools. She specializes in topics surrounding bilingualism and the SLP, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), and feeding disorders.

Although Amanda is fluent in English and Italian, her clinical area of interest lies in Spanish. Amanda enjoys connecting with speech-language pathologists and student interns to help support children without access to speech- therapy services.

 

What we need from you as a volunteer on our team:

A thoughtful, mindful intentional mindset to not judge, but learn from a culture other than your own.

The ability to be flexible and adaptable to cultural differences as it relates to time may be very different than your own.

Be able to manage the environment, dusty, bumpy, uneven roads, potential traffic, and no air-conditioning depending on the site. (Transportation and hotels are air-conditioned)

To share resources and support for your team members. We are only as good as the person next to us.

We hope to all leave the community better than we left it.

Mission trip photos with children on-site or in the communities we serve are NOT permitted. Photos will be taken at the discretion of Smiles for Speech and may be reposted to be respectful of the communities we serve.

We follow the ASHA and AOTA codes of conduct when screening and for all professional activities.

 

FAQs

  • We recommend you fly into the Jomo Kenyatta Airport airport.

  • We recommend you fly into Jomo Kenyatta Airport in the afternoon of July 27th. You may even want to arrive a day or two earlier to relax and settle in before the mission begins. We can suggest hotels for you.

  • If accepted, a $500 deposit is required, and the final balance is not due until xx.

  • The mission trip starts at 8 pm GMT on July 27, 2024, and ends at check-out at 11 am on August 5th, 2025, GMT.

  • All special education and helping professionals with a heart to serve children in need.

  • Those who are unable to manage a hot environment and long days. Anyone who is not able to maintain a professional work standard, is not able to consume alcohol or smoke during work/mission trip days, or is interested in seeking attention from local men/women as entertainment during your stay.

  • We have 3 days of service during the week. The rest of the time is for exploring, cultural excursions, downtime, and rest. There will be free time to hang out, swim, get a massage, and enjoy the location.

  • Rooms are assigned on a first-come-first-served basis, depending on when you paid your deposit.

  • Email us at hello@smilesforspeech.org! We are here for you!