HASP with GVN

Hi everyone! I've been accepted into the Global Volunteer Network's Ghana Teaching Program. I was really excited about everything... I even paid the application fee and received all sorts of emails and information, all of which lead me to believe that this everything is legit. However, as much as I want to believe that everything in the world is peachy... even my extreme naivete does not keep me from wondering...
What I need to know is if Eric Arthur (from the Help a School Project) is legit? He's the one who's supposed to meet me at the airport and organize everything for me. So... if he's sketch, then I'm in for many troubles.
CAN ANYONE GIVE ME AN ANSWER?
IS ERIC ARTHUR LEGIT?
thanks,
Brenda

my own Ghanain experiences

I went to Accra, Ghana to do some volunteer teaching myself - I was not asked to pay anything, only to take care of my own food if I didn't like what was being served at the place i was staying.

Although this is a huge plus, that didn't prevent the organization from being a total and utter scam. When I arrived, the program director wasn't even around, and he was head of a group foster home/orphanage - they were all left unsupervised for weeks apparently. (that's CHILDREN IN NEED GHANA, or C.I.N.G)

It has turned out that through research they are finding he's been running this place and taking in foreign teaching volunteers and donors for 10 years, and this whole time it's been a scam.

While being there, I got the impression that it's big business in Ghana (getting a little something extra from foreign donours or volunteers), as it is in many other African countries. I'll tell you know that I checked out the HASP website and when translated to local currency, the money they were asking for consulting fee's alone was kinda ridiculous.

Ghana is amazing though, so if you do find something legitimate, go for it. I can recommend something in Accra - it's called the Street Childrens Academy - or something to that effect. It definately has some seriously fishy business going on (we checked it out as well, talked to some other foreign volunteers who were there) but in the end, it's purpose is to offer free education to street children which is still pretty great. It's very run down, and you'd have to watch yourself equally as carefully when negotiating the participation costs (like, really watch it) but after arriving there is so much needed that you might have the opportunity to make a real difference.

I'll stop there - but if you have more questions, you should e-mail me.

Ghana Program A Scam?

I was accepted into a program by the organization Help A School Project of Ghana (HASP). I had asked for legitimacy from the director Eric Arthur and his reply was as follows:

"You can contact the Ghana embassy in washington to verify this organisation.
HASP has been in partnership with GVN: www.volunteer.org.nz/ghana/teaching for the past three and a half years. You can apply thru them apply directly. The only difference will be that it would cost you slightly higher."

At the time, this reply seemed adequate. I went to the website he gave and they seemed legitimate. I have had contact with this site and they were reviewing my application until Mr. Arthur accepted it. Both Mr. Arthur and GVN were very good about answering my questions and keeping contact with me.I have made contact with the Ghana Embassy in Washington, but am still waiting for the for a reply. Then I was accepted into the program. He asked for a $20 fee to secure my placement, in cash! When I questioned Global Volunteer Network (GVN), they failed to reply.

If anyone has any helpful information, please email me at sweetpinkroses@hotmail.com, I'd appreciate it.

-Savannah