Experience Jolinaiko Eco Village
There are two ways in which you can experience the Jolinaiko Eco Village in Atsiekpoe yourself:
- Come to Ghana and book a tour or daytrip with us!
- If you have a teaching background: arrange a volunteering project with Jolinaiko through our partner organisation Meet Africa. See our volunteering section for details.
If you book a tour or daytrip with us, we will take you to Atsiekpoe and Vume by first travelling to the little Volta Region town of Bator. As long as our ecolodge is not finished, we stay at a nice guesthouse there, on the opposite side of the river from Atsiekpe. To visit Atsiekpoe, we cross the river from Aveyime in a wooden canoe-rivertaxi. The fare is 6 GHC (about €3.00) per boat.
Community experiences
Together with the villagers, we have created two different 'community experiences' for our travellers.
Whichever community experience you choose, we first pay a visit to the visitor centre (in the village library), where each visitor pays a small 'community tax' of
The community experiences you can choose from, are:
Community Experience - Basic
The river crossing is not part of the experience, but is in itself quite an adventure. After arriving on the lively river bank, a local guide will take us on a tour through the village. We will see local handicrafts like weaving of baskets and forging. The houses are all made out of termite clay, and every tree has its dedicated purpose.
We pay a visit to the 'old man', an elder of the village who will warmly welcome you in his house and tell stories about the history of the village. Before we leave by canoe back to Aveyime, depending on the time of day, we can order a local meal which may only be eaten in the traditional African way: with your fingers.
The cost of the Basic Community Experience is 5 GhC (about € 2.50).
Community Experience - Special
Combine the Basic community experience with an additional workshop. At the time of writing, the village offers three different workshops to choose from:
- Workshop basket weaving:
Under supervision of local weavers, you learn how to weave a mat or basket out of reed. You can take it with you after the workshop. The cost of this workshop: 10 GhC per person (about € 5.00). - Workshop shrimps and tilapia fishing:
Wake up before dawn, and go on a fishing trip on the river with a local fisherman. In a wooden canoe the fisherman takes you to his woven traps which he uses to catch shrimp. Nets are hanged between wooden poles in the river, to catch tilapia fish. The cost of this workshop: 10 GhC per person (about € 5.00). - Workshop drumming and dancing:
The Ewe tribe has its own rhythms, dances and songs. Within no time a complete drumming band is gathered and a whirl of dust rises from dancing bare feet. Learn the rhythms and steps yourself and swing with the villagers of Atsiekpoe. The cost of this workshop: 30 GhC for 1-3 persons (about €15.00). Groups larger then 3 persons pay 5 GHC per extra person (about €2.50).
