Learn new things and interact with community members/other volunteers in a Ugandan community
Become part of a Basoga community and learn about their culture
Help with community initiatives that will change people’s lives
Make a difference to a community

Volunteer working hours are usually 08:00-16:00 with breaks during the day. Volunteers work 5 days a week. The volunteers’ mornings are either spent helping in a school or building in the community. You will be introduced to the different projects in your orientation. This is your volunteer experience and the timetable can be suited to where you feel most comfortable. Below is a description of our different projects.

Pre-Schools 8:30-12:30
We suggest volunteers run small group activities with the children. This gives the children an opportunity to have some more quality time (usually they are in a class of 30!). Once the school day has finished then volunteers can speak with the teachers about activities for the next day. We do have resources at the pre-schools but we do encourage volunteers to bring things with them if they have specific activities in mind (such as art or sports games).

Amagezi Education Centre 09:00-17:00
Here the volunteers can assist in the lesson running, although there is sometimes difficulties with language and so often our volunteers get stuck in making resources for the lessons - which is of course extremely vital.

After School Club 15:00-18:00
We run an afterschool club at one of our residential Special Educational Needs units. The volunteers go up and run group activities with the children - an absolutely fantastic programme where both the volunteers and the children gain a lot. Again we have lots of resources for this in terms of sports equipment, but if the volunteers want to do anything different/more specific, they are very welcome to bring things with them (such as art materials).

SEN Clinic 8:30-17:00
The clinic actually runs throughout the week, but Friday is by far the busiest day when volunteers are very much welcomed. The clinic operates both occupational and physiotherapy, as well as small teaching activities. Volunteers can assist with the physiotherapy and keep children busy that are waiting for their therapy. There is also a clinic at the Kybirwa Children’s Centre that helps several children with special educational needs at the moment. During this clinic volunteers can assist with the teaching aspect of the clinic, running group games and doing basic maths and literacy activities.

School Infrastructure: All Day
This programme can be run on any day, but we do it as an induction day for all new arrivals and so have incorporated it into your volunteers timetables on those days also. It’s a fantastic way to get out into the village, and will also be a great way for them to meet all the new arrivals. Painting the schools can be one of the activities done during this programme.

Because of the poor standard of English (for most of the very young children at the school Lusoga is their first language and then very rudimentary English), teaching any core academic subjects will be a language challenge for international volunteers. The pre-school children are still young and learning, the students at the Education may know some basic English, and the children at the SEN clinics and SEN glass are also still learning. However, there will be teachers and other staff to help overcome the language barriers. Furthermore, we already have qualified teachers employed at the schools, so the volunteers will mainly be assisting and not doing the actual teaching. Arts and crafts classes, and PE (which could include football, netball, cricket, rounders, baseball etc.) can be taught after school finishes at 15:00. Any materials for such classes should be brought with you (only basic stationery is available locally) and can be donated to the school on your departure. We have a local crew leader who can help with translating.

Every project is unique and the experience is enriched by your input and commitment - the more you put into your project, the more you will get out of it.

This is your proposed project plan that can be changed after orientation.

Monday:
Morning: Induction at Amagezi Education Centre
Afternoon: Painting

Tuesday:
Morning: Kyabirwa Pre School
Afternoon: Afterschool activities at Kyomya

Wednesday:
Morning: Buwenda Pre School
Afternoon: Amagezi Education Centre

Thursday:
Morning: SEN class at Kyabirwa
Afternoon: Afterschool activities at Kyomya

Friday
Morning: SEN class at Kyabirwa
Afternoon: Volunteer meeting

Please take note of the term dates; as our project heavily revolves around the school terms. We do have programmes running outside of these terms. If you are planning on staying with us outside of term/during Christmas or any other holiday, please contact us to find out what is going on during that time.

Term 1: runs from the beginning of February until the end of April
Term 2: runs from mid-May until the beginning of August
Term 3: runs from the beginning of September until the beginning of December

Weekends during the project are generally free, and most of the time volunteers use this opportunity to travel and see some of the area. You will be based in Jinja.

There are many adventurous activities to do around Jinja which include whitewater rafting, kayaking, swimming, quad biking, archery, and bungy jumping. If you plan on doing rafting or any other adventurous sport, please ensure your travel insurance covers these activities.

If a relaxing break is needed, you could take a trip to one of the Ssesse Islands on Lake Victoria where you can sit back on one of the jungle-clad beaches and enjoy the local freshwater fish, Tilapia.

Participating in this project is all about personal development, rather than being provided with a pre-organized activity holiday. For this reason project leaders do not organise weekends, and we encourage volunteers to make their own plans. The volunteer coordinator and volunteer manager are always available to advise on local transport, good places to go etc. and volunteers usually travel in small groups. Please note that travel costs, accommodation and food during weekends are the responsibility of volunteers.

Airport pick-up
Accommodation
Two meals a day
24-hour support and supervisor at the project
Donation to the project
Certificate of appreciation

Minimum age of 18
CV/Resume
Police clearance certificate
Medical/travel insurance
Yellow fever certificate
Basic level of competency in English
Copy of return flight itinerary
A sense of humour, patience, an open mind and a positive attitude!
Acceptance subject to availability

Volunteers need to be flexible and keep an open mind concerning their placements as situations can arise beyond our control which could require you to be placed at a different project than the one you have initially chosen. We will of course always do our utmost to fulfill your initial wishes but do remember that where you are going is quite different from where you are coming and as such one should be prepared for things not always going according to plan.

Volunteering and intercultural travel share a common trait: the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. This program is designed for proactive individuals and groups that are prepared to adapt to the local environment and its current needs. Naturally, the scheduling and activities of our program are subject to change. Alterations in activities are mainly due to changes in local conditions, which we believe is part of what makes overseas programs the interesting adventure and incredible learning experience that they are.

Our projects range from 1 week up to approx. 30 weeks. Projects have a specified minimum stay, then it’s up to you how long you can commit. In our experience the longer you stay the more you will gain, as your understanding of the project broadens and you take on more responsibilities. Every volunteer will be given a certificate of appreciation at the end of their stay as a symbol of volunteering stay.