📰 AFS Ghana Newsletter | February 2026 Edition — Issue #8
Though this edition comes to you slightly later than planned, we are excited to share important updates and inspiring stories that marked the beginning of 2026 for AFS Ghana.
This month, we highlight global leadership opportunities, innovative education partnerships, sustainability initiatives, immersive cultural learning experiences, and moments that reflect the depth of the AFS exchange journey. From Geneva to Capecoast, from renewable energy workshops to national academic competitions, our students and volunteers continue to demonstrate what it means to be active global citizens.
🌍 Applications Open: 2026 AFS Youth Assembly — Geneva
The next chapter of global youth leadership is underway.
Applications remain open for the 2026 AFS Youth Assembly, taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, from August 12–14, 2026.
Recognised globally as a premier platform for young leaders advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the AFS Youth Assembly goes beyond dialogue—it equips participants with the tools, networks, and inspiration to create meaningful change.
For the first time in over 20 years, the Assembly will be hosted in Geneva, a global hub for diplomacy and humanitarian action. Delegates will have the opportunity to engage with international organisations, including those within the United Nations system. We extend our appreciation to AFS Switzerland for their partnership in making this historic edition possible.
Who Should Apply?
Young leaders aged 18–35 who are actively contributing to their communities—students, entrepreneurs, activists, creatives, and emerging changemakers committed to global citizenship.
👉 Apply now or learn more about the Youth Assembly on our website. Join us at the 2026 AFS Youth Assembly
🤝📘 Advancing Access to Education Through the Pass It On Project
Access to quality learning materials remains a significant challenge for many students in rural and underserved communities. In response, AFS IEP Ghana has partnered with the Pass It On Project, a community-based initiative founded by Sarah Kpoh, School Club Patron at Kyabobo Girls Senior High School.
The initiative mobilises gently used educational materials—including storybooks, textbooks, atlases, exercise books, and past examination questions—and redistributes them to students who lack adequate resources. Beyond material support, the project promotes reading culture, mentorship, career guidance, and long-term educational empowerment.
Founded by an AFS Ghana volunteer, the Pass It On Project embodies the spirit of Active Global Citizenship—demonstrating how local action, driven by empathy and responsibility, can contribute to sustainable community development.
📍 AFS IEP Ghana Office (No. 7 K. Asante Avenue, Westlands) now serves as a book deposit point.
📞 For more information: Call or WhatsApp 0242282270
📚 Pass it on. Change a life.
✈️ Your 2026 AFS Global Adventure Awaits
Applications remain open for the 2026 AFS Global Exchange Programs across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
🌍 Why Choose AFS?
AFS offers immersive, life-changing experiences designed to build:
- Intercultural understanding
- Leadership and communication skills
- Resilience and adaptability
- Language proficiency
🌟 Program Pathways
- 🎌 Year Program in Japan
- 🇫🇷 Semester Program in France
- 🇿🇦 Short-Term Service Projects in South Africa
- 🇲🇽 University Programs in Mexico
💼 Financial Support
Through collaborations with global AFS partners, special discounts are available on selected 2026 programs. Students can begin their global journey from as little as $5,000.
Schools interested in tailored cultural exploration packages are encouraged to contact us.
👉 Explore programs and apply today—the world is waiting.
🌍✨ AFS Students Experience Leadership and Sustainability at “I ACT”
In January, a select group of AFS Ghana school club and exchange students from Ghana and Italy gathered at Villa Boutique in Accra to participate in “I ACT”, an initiative organised by the Italian Embassy in Accra.
The event focused on equipping young people with knowledge and practical skills to lead projects in renewable energy and sustainable development. Through six structured workshops, participants explored renewable energy principles, examined real-world solutions, and reflected on the role of youth in shaping sustainable communities.
The collaborative environment fostered cross-cultural dialogue, strategic thinking, and shared responsibility. AFS Ghana is proud to see its students engaging in initiatives that prepare them to address global challenges with confidence and innovation.
👉 Discover how your school can partner with AFS for leadership and sustainability programmes — visit our website to get started. Start a School Club
🌳🏰 Exchange Students Explore Ghana’s Natural and Historical Heritage
AFS exchange students recently visited Kakum National Park and Cape Coast Castle, two of Ghana’s most significant landmarks.
At Kakum, students walked the famous canopy walkway suspended above the rainforest, gaining a thrilling yet safe perspective of Ghana’s ecological beauty.
At Cape Coast Castle, the experience shifted to reflection and historical learning.
The visit provided deeper insight into Ghana’s past and its role in global history—adding powerful context to the exchange journey.
Excursions such as these ensure that students experience Ghana beyond the classroom—connecting with its environment, history, and identity in meaningful ways.
👉 Support our exchange programmes or apply to become an AFS student today via our website. Apply today
🇪🇸🇬🇭 Strengthening Bilateral Exchange: Meeting with H.E. Ángel Lossada
AFS Ghana recently held a strategic meeting with H.E. Ángel Lossada, Ambassador of Spain to Ghana and Togo, to explore opportunities for deeper collaboration in advancing intercultural exchange between our countries.
The discussion focused on expanding student mobility between Ghana and Spain, with particular emphasis on structured language exchange pathways — promoting Spanish language immersion opportunities for Ghanaian students in Spain and English language exchange experiences in Ghana for Spanish students.
The meeting highlighted the shared value both institutions place on youth development, intercultural understanding, and educational diplomacy. Language exchange programs were identified as a powerful tool for strengthening bilateral relations, building global competence, and preparing young people to thrive in an interconnected world.
Explorations also included potential institutional partnerships, cultural programming, and support frameworks that could enhance accessibility and participation in exchange programs between the two countries.
This engagement marks an important step toward reinforcing Ghana–Spain educational cooperation and creating structured pathways for students to experience authentic linguistic and cultural immersion.
AFS Ghana remains committed to working with diplomatic missions, educational institutions, and strategic partners to expand global learning opportunities for young people.
👉 Interested in Spanish exchange programs to Spain? Register your interest and learn more about upcoming opportunities on our website. Explore Spanish Programs
🏆 AFS Students Attend the National Spelling Bee
AFS Ghana proudly selected students from its school clubs—including Presec, Accra Girls, Accra High, Labone SHS, Achimota School, St. John’s Grammar, and TEMASCO—to attend the National Spelling Bee at GNAT Hall on February 19, 2026.
The event offered students a front-row view of academic excellence, discipline, and resilience. Witnessing the intensity of competition and the composure of participants inspired many to elevate their own academic aspirations.
Congratulations to Eugene Osei Mensah, who emerged as this year’s champion.
AFS remains committed to nurturing confident, globally minded young leaders who pursue excellence.
👉 Join an AFS School Club or register your school to partner with us by visiting our website. Join a School Club
🌍 High School & Volunteer Exchange Moments
In recent weeks, exchange students have continued to enjoy meaningful experiences with their host families—deepening cultural understanding through everyday life.
AFS remains committed to developing globally minded, confident young leaders through immersive exchange experiences.
👉 Are you a high school student or volunteer in Ghana interested in an exchange program abroad? Explore opportunities and apply today.
💬 Stay Connected
🌐 Website: www.afs.org.gh
📷 Instagram: @afsiepghana
📘 Facebook: facebook.com/afsiepghana
📧 Email: [email protected]
Together, we continue to build bridges of understanding—one story, one student, one step at a time.
— The AFS Ghana Team