The Diaspora Funeral Checklist — Organising a Funeral in Ghana from Abroad

When a parent or elder passes at home in the Upper East and you are in London, New York, Toronto or Brescia, you carry the grief and the organising at the same time. The printed materials — programmes, posters, banners, tributes — usually fall to the family abroad, because they need money, taste and coordination. This is the checklist we wish every family had before they begin. Keep it; share it with your siblings.

When to start

• As early as you can. Ten days before the funeral is comfortable; seven is workable. Less than that — start anyway, and ask honestly what is still possible.
• Agree early who in the family is the single point of contact. One decision-maker prevents confusion later.
• Confirm the funeral date and the order of events with the family at home before designing anything.

What to gather

• Full name, titles and honorifics — exactly as they must appear.
• Date of birth and date of passing.
• A biography or life story (we can help write it from your memories).
• The order of service — church, mosque or traditional, in the correct sequence.
• Family lists — children, grandchildren, in-laws — with correct spellings.
• The best photograph you have. Even one small or faded photo is enough; it can be restored and enlarged.
• Hymns, scripture or readings, and the tributes to be printed.

The materials most families need

• The order-of-service programme — the booklet every mourner holds.
• Announcement posters for town and the funeral-grounds banner.
• Family T-shirts with the portrait.
• Thanksgiving and one-week materials — the part most often left until too late.

The mistakes that cause pain

• Starting too late and rushing the proofs.
• Names and titles misspelled — elders notice, and it cannot be undone after printing.
• A single low-quality photo printed badly instead of properly restored.
• Nobody approving the final proof before it prints.
• Paying in full upfront to someone who then goes quiet.

How it should work

• Everything agreed in writing, itemised, before any deposit.
• You approve every proof — nothing prints until you say it is right.
• A 50% deposit to begin; the balance only after you have approved the final proofs.
• Photo proof of the materials at the funeral grounds, sent to your phone before the first mourner arrives.

You do not have to figure this out alone. Whether the funeral is next week or you are simply planning ahead, message us on WhatsApp — there is no obligation, and we will tell you honestly what is needed and what it costs.