Claire relates her experiences in Ghana with BUNAC

I could write another massive piece about my time here in Ghana but instead I will just say that it has been perhaps the most memorable experience of my life.

I have been fortunate to travel a lot of Ghana over the past couple of months which has been great fun - Ghana has some spectacularly beautiful natural attractions that are largely untouched; from pristine, palm-fringed beaches to lush rainforests with the most beautiful waterfalls I have ever seen, to the dry north where the great Mole National Park offered us the experience to stand within a few metres of an enormous wild African elephant as well as some other, smaller African wildlife.

The host family I'm living with are extremely nice and my host father is the founder of the NGO I'm working for and so also my boss. It's great because it means I am able to learn a lot about the NGO and the work it does as well as the problems it faces, namely the lack of funding. I have 3 adorable host sisters who are aged 4, 8 and 14. I love them to death. My accommodation is also very nice, definitely a long way from the mud hut I was expecting to be staying in - instead it's a small house with running water and electricity, well at least some of the time.

The work we have been doing has really been an eye-opener. A lot of the time we spend travelling out to very remote villages to visit people living with HIV/AIDS, to deliver food to them and offer counselling and support. It's the most heart-breaking thing I have ever done. I was given permission by my host father to start an education programme in the area, and so I have been very busy giving presentations/workshops, with a fellow volunteer, to the schools in Bekwai about HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention and destigmatisation. We didn't realise however that we would be doing it in front of entire schools, not classes. Our first one was in front of 800 pupils, plus all the teachers. It was quite the event but a great success. The kids especially love our silly role plays where I play a sleazy man offering money for sex... We have now visited 8 schools and I will continue with the programme in the new year.

The project I was involved in has been very worthwhile and I feel I have managed to contribute quite a lot, although it is obvious to me now that 3 months is unfortunately far too short a time to achieve anything of great significance. Nevertheless, I have tried my best and I hope to return in the future, when I have more money so I can do more to help my host father in his quest to make life easier for the lovely women who receive support from his NGO and who suffer so greatly at the hands of poverty, disease and discrimination. I was really honoured to live with such an inspiring man who has committed his life to helping others.

Claire's placement in Ghana was arranged with BUNAC