Where to get free stuff in Ghana: a practical guide

Free things are everywhere in Ghana. They just are not advertised. A neighbour relocating abroad with a flat full of furniture. A final-year student leaving a fan and a mattress behind. An office replacing its chairs. A family whose youngest has outgrown a cot.

Getting free stuff in Ghana is mostly about being in the right place when something is offered. This guide covers what you can realistically get for free, where to look, how to ask so that people actually say yes, and how to spot the scams that hide behind the word "free".

What you can realistically get for free

People give away far more than most of us realise. The things that come up most often:

• Furniture — beds, wardrobes, tables, plastic chairs and sofas, especially from people moving house
• Baby and children's things — clothes, cots, prams, toys and books, outgrown long before they wear out
• Books and textbooks — novels, children's books and past-question books
• Kitchen items — pots, plates, flasks, blenders and gas cookers
• Electronics — working phones, laptops, fans and TVs that were replaced by something newer
• Household leftovers — tiles, leftover paint, curtains and buckets

Big items tend to appear around moves and relocations. Children's items appear constantly, because children grow constantly.

Where to look for free stuff in Ghana

Giveaway platforms like Givny

Givny exists for exactly this. People list things they no longer need, and anyone nearby can request them. Listings show roughly where the item is, so you are not chasing a sofa on the other side of the city. It is free to use, for giving and for receiving.

WhatsApp groups

A lot of free stuff in Ghana moves through WhatsApp groups: estate groups, church groups, old school groups and family groups. They work well when you know the people. The downside is that messages scroll away quickly, and the first reply usually wins, whether or not that person needs the item most.

Campuses at the end of the academic year

When students leave KNUST, Legon, UCC or any other campus, they leave behind exactly what new students need: fans, kettles, buckets, mattresses and desks. Our post on furnishing a hostel room in Kumasi for nothing covers this in more detail.

People relocating abroad

Every month, people leave Ghana for work or study and cannot take their furniture or appliances with them. They are often more interested in things going to a good home quickly than in getting a small amount of money for them. See our guide for people relocating abroad from Ghana.

Businesses and organisations

Offices, schools and businesses regularly replace furniture and equipment. Some list what they are giving away on their own storefront on Givny, so you can follow them and hear when something new is available.

How to ask for something, and actually get it

Givers get a lot of messages. The requests that succeed tend to have the same things in common.

• Be quick, but not pushy. Reply promptly, then wait. Several follow-up messages in an hour rarely help.
• Say exactly when you can collect. "I can come tomorrow at 5pm" beats "I'm interested".
• Say briefly what you need it for. Givers like knowing a mattress is going to a student starting at school next week.
• Turn up when you said you would. If something changes, say so as early as possible.
• Say thank you. It sounds obvious, and it is the reason people keep giving.

The catch: scams that pretend to be free

The word "free" attracts scammers. Almost every scam in this space follows the same pattern: something is free, but you have to pay first.

• The delivery fee. A stranger offers a free item but asks you to send money by mobile money for "delivery" or "transport". The item never arrives. A genuine giver never needs money from you before you have the item.
• The prize or giveaway announcement. A social media message says you have been selected for a free phone or appliance, and asks for your Ghana Card number, MoMo PIN or a code sent to your phone. Legitimate giveaways never ask for any of these.
• The item that is too good to be true. A brand-new phone, free, from an account created yesterday. Be sceptical.

Our full guide on staying safe when meeting someone from a listing covers these scams and how to avoid them.

How to get free stuff without being "that person"

Communities of giving only work while people feel good about giving.

• Only ask for what you will use. Requesting everything in sight is the quickest way to make givers wary.
• Do not resell things you were given for free. It is the fastest way to stop people giving at all.
• Collect what you agreed to collect. A no-show wastes a whole afternoon for someone who was trying to help.
• Give back when you can. When your child outgrows the cot you were given, pass it on.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a website for free stuff in Ghana?

Yes. Givny is a free community marketplace for Ghana where people give away things they no longer need. Many people also use WhatsApp groups, church groups and word of mouth.

Do I have to pay anything to get free items on Givny?

No. Givny is free to use, and nobody should ask you for money for an item listed as free. You arrange and pay for your own transport when collecting, just as you would when picking something up from a friend.

Is it safe to collect free items from strangers?

It is, with sensible precautions. Meet in daylight and in a busy public place where you can, bring someone with you for large items, and never send money in advance.

Can businesses and organisations give things away too?

Yes. Organisations can set up a storefront on Givny to give away furniture, equipment and surplus stock, and people can follow them to hear when something new is listed.

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Looking for something specific? See what people near you are giving away. New things are listed every day.