What we are all about...

International Citizen Service is a global volunteering scheme which aims to give young people aged 18-25 an opportunity to make a difference to some of the world's poorest people through real development work.  The scheme was launched by David Cameron, the UK Prime Minister, and is funded by the Department for International Development (DFID).  ICS is run by a group of development agencies who fight poverty through volunteering.



International Service is one of those agencies.  International Service aims to protect and promote the rights of the most marginalised people in developing countries, such as women, disabled people, children and young people, and people living with HIV/AIDS.  By working through long-term partnerships with local community organisations and governmental departments, IS helps support people to understand their rights, and put them into action, so they are empowered to change their lives for the better.

In 2012 International Service established an office in Ghana, and in January 2013 3 teams of ICS volunteers launched 3 new projects.  Our project is called Local Inclusive Festival (LIFE) working with the Sandema Presbyterian Community Based Rehabilitation Programme.  This programme is a local faith based NGO, established in 1991, which aims to improve the living conditions and status of People with Disabilities (PwDs) in their operational area of the Builsa District, Upper East region of Ghana.

One of the objectives of this organisation is to see PwDs well integrated into families and communities and enjoying equal rights and recognition.  LIFE will focus on integrating people with disabilities into the planning and implementation of an important cultural festival, the annual Feok festival.

We hope you will follow our story as we aim to include people with disabilities into this festival, and hopefully have further impact on the social inclusion of people with disabilities.  We hope to tell you about the work of the project, our own personal experiences in Ghana, life as an ICS volunteer and our own views and opinions on development issues in Ghana.





Please note: The views and opinions expressed in this blog are independent of International Service, DFID, the UK Prime Minister, and Sandema Presbyterian Community Based Rehabilitation Programme.