By
Sophie Lipton
1 min read
By
Sophie Lipton
Back from a two month African volunteering programme run by practical aid charity Tzedek, student Eli Gaventa says he felt more comfortable wearing a kippah in Ghana than he does in London. Mr Gaventa, 21, who is co-head of the Sinai youth movement, is an example of the growing demand from young Orthodox people to take part in social action projects in countries where there is no kosher structure.
Along with another observant volunteer - Matt Marks, who has since gone on to yeshivah - he kept kosher and Shabbat during the trip.
Food-wise, "we koshered the kitchen, cleaned out the oven and stuck to a vegetarian diet". The Shabbat celebrations had an egalitarian nature, with the more Orthodox among the participants adding prayers to the basic service.
While Mr Marks conducted surveys about the needs of the elderly and vulnerable in Tamale, northern Ghana, Mr Gaventa documented the various projects with Tzedek's partners in the region as photographer and film-maker. This included a day in the life of a schoolgirl, from doing household chores at four in the morning until going to bed at 10 at night. His images and films will also be used as part of Tzedek's educational and fundraising programmes.
