FZY sends 22 youth volunteers to Ghana on 10-day community programme

Zionist youth organisation FZY has sent 22 young volunteers from London, Manchester and Essex on a 10-day cultural and leadership programme in Winneba, south Ghana.

‘Netina Ghana’ is a collaborative initiative with the Jewish Agency for Israel’s own ethical volunteering programme,‘Project TEN’.

Participants have recently completed ‘Hadracha Aleph’,  FZY’s leadership course for students in school Year 12.

The cohort are currently volunteering at a local school in Winneba, engaging in a range of interactive and educational activities with the local Ghanaian children, ranging from storytelling, arts and crafts and sports sessions.

Additionally, the volunteers have observed Shabbat in the beautiful village of Butre where they experienced more Ghanaian culture in conjunction with taking a leading role with facilitating services and experiences in preparation to be FZY camp leaders next summer.

Volunteer Sophie Radford, from London said: “The Netina programme with FZY has truly been the most eye-opening and inspirational experience. I came here to run activities and teach the children, but I am leaving having learnt more than I could have ever imagined. The warmth and intelligence of the people that we have met will be something that I will always keep close to my heart.”

Volunteer Aaron Gelkoff, from Redbridge said: “Travelling to Ghana with FZY on their Netina programme has changed me as a person. Not only have I had a laughter-filled adventure, but I have learned so much about Ghanaian culture and what life is like outside the western world. As a Jew, my heritage is so important to me and seeing the same connection to a community’s history has been extremely inspiring!”

FZY’s Executive Director, Joel Jacobs said the organisation: “continues to train the future leaders of the British Jewish community through creative and innovative programming. The ‘Netina Ghana‘ programme provides a safe environment for our members to develop Jewish values central to FZY and grow their leadership skills, all whilst engaging in impactful volunteering in a country culturally very different to one they are familiar with.

“This trip to Ghana provides many of FZY’s incoming cohort of junior leaders to have both an immediate and long-term impact on both FZY and the wider community as they transition from participant to leader in their youth movement journey.”

‘Project TEN’ by the Jewish Agency for Israel has a network of volunteer centres around the world immersed within local communities. The centres offer ethical sustainable volunteer opportunities year-round and host short term groups, such as FZY’s Netina programme, to join the work.

FZY is the oldest and largest Zionist youth movement in the UK.