Students in Partnership with Ghanian Development

	West African AIDS Foundation Gender Empowerment Culture Centre Ashaiman Sr High Hope Orphanage

2010 Ghana Maymester SPGD Student group with Professor Dorie Gilbert in front of Kwame Nkrumah Memorial in Accra, Ghana
SPGD 2010 Group

Students in Partnership with Ghanaian Development (SPGD) is an organization aiming to support community development in Ghana through University of Texas (UT) at Austin students partnering with University of Ghana at Legon students to design, implement and sustain development projects. The organization was started in 2010 by UT students enrolled in the Ghana Maymester, a study-abroad program led by Professor Dorie J. Gilbert, Associate Professor of Social Work and African & African Diaspora Studies. During this four week course, Ghana: Community and Social Development, students implement short-term, high –impact and sustainable development projects with various non-governmental organizations (NGOs), social service agencies, and community-based organizations. The course content dovetails with the nature of community service in critical ways to ensure that 1) student learning is enhanced, 2) small-scale community needs are met, and 3) students are able to critically reflect upon their entire experience. Working in teams, students complete community-based projects focusing on literacy, infant and maternal health, outreach to orphans, micro lending and fair trade, and youth empowerment. A unique aspect of the course is that students work alongside Ghanaian university peers who also benefit from being part of the program. The idea for the organization was spearheaded by Jacquelyn Walker, Liberal Arts sophomore, and enthusiastically supported by both former and current Ghana Maymester students.

As of April 2011, a total of 61 students have participated in the study abroad program. In May 2011, 22 new students will travel to Ghana to continue the work from the previous two years. To support their work, students count on fundraising outreach to family, friends, communities and organizations. All funds are used to support the students’ international service projects. Read more about the development goals by clicking on the tab for each of the 5 projects: Hope Orphanage, Women’s Empowerment, Cultural Center, Eve’s Foundation, and Ashaiman Sr. High School.