Volunteer in Uganda

The Global Volunteer Network currently has opportunities aimed at providing primary and secondary education to needy children, and community outreach and counseling with our partner organization in Uganda. This provides an opportunity to experience Ugandan life first-hand while working to improve your host community.

The Program

Our partner in Uganda has projects based in Mukono, Jinja, Wakiso and Masaka Districts. All projects are aimed at providing primary and secondary education to needy children and community outreach and counselling to youth and adults. Most projects have little or no resources, so foreign volunteers with different ideas and experiences are highly valued. Please note that all projects require volunteers who are self-starters and can conduct their daily activities with minimal supervision. Specific daily schedules and activities will be determined between volunteers and their coordinator upon arrival. 3 meals are provided each day which will consist of local foods, such as matooke (mashed plantain), posho (corn meal), potatoes, and rice. They are generally served with beef, fish, peas, beans, or groundnut sauce. Bread, eggs and fruits are available for breakfast. Vegetarians are also accommodated.

Village Projects:
Our partner works with a number of small community based organisations that provide counselling, care, and education for rural people and orphaned and underprivileged children. Some of these placements focus exclusively on teaching primary or secondary school. Others include both teaching and community outreach components. Please inform us of which activities you are most interested, so we can best choose your program.

Village teaching placements can include arts and crafts, structured play, music/singing, sports, health, and academics. The main focus is to provide children with a loving, creative environment in which to flourish.

Village community outreach placements can include youth mentoring, HIV prevention and AIDS care, home visiting, sanitation and hygiene, public health, women's groups focusing on vocational skills and women's rights, and teaching modern organic farming methods. For volunteers with a medical background, placements can include working with health-based organisations.

A village placement is particularly appropriate for volunteers with great ideas and enthusiasm for grassroots development. This is a real opportunity for deep cultural exchange.

However, if you wish to work in a very remote area with HIV affected orphans, our partner works with a project in Masaka district in western Uganda. This is the area where HIV/AIDS most devastated Uganda. The organisation is focused on bringing aid, education, and love to the orphans of the area, many of whom lost their parents due to AIDS related illnesses.

Volunteers help with feeding, organizing play, arts and crafts, hygiene and HIV/AIDS education appropriate to the childrens' age level (3 to 12 years). Volunteers may be asked to help with administrative work such as budgeting, updating paperwork, writing proposals, and maintaining personal files on the children. (Please note: there is a significant language barrier between volunteers and the children. Local teachers will have to help you with translation.) This is a challenging but amazing program for volunteers with experience organising children, such as camp counsellors, day care workers and people who love children. Bring your games, songs, and enthusiasm to the village!

For all village placements, accommodation and daily meals will be provided within the village of placement, and will range from private apartments to rooms in private homes. No more than 2 volunteers will be placed together in any village placement.

Mukono Town Council Projects:
Primary Schools:
Our partner works with four private primary schools in Mukono town that cater exclusively to the education, housing and feeding of needy children and orphans. Volunteers are involved in arts and crafts, structured play, music/singing, sports, health, and academics. The main focus is to provide children with a loving, creative environment in which to flourish.

All volunteers working in Mukono Town Council (up to 5 at one time) will be housed together in shared accommodation in a large apartment in Mukono Town, a semi-urban area.

Mukono Youth Project:
This is a project promoting grassroots development in Uganda. Volunteers work alongside Ugandan counsellors in a variety of programs, directly benefiting 10 rural communities, which can include the following activities:

Youth Mentoring: Public speaking and mentoring of youth and youth leaders respecting HIV/AIDS, public health/hygiene, family planning, condom use, creativity workshops promoting small business development, the importance of basic education, and women's rights and empowerment. This is the most important and most common activity undertaken by volunteers.

Community Outreach: Includes home visits to elderly, disabled, and persons living with HIV/AIDS to keep company, offer relief, and assess needs. This is a good opportunity for volunteers to see the daily challenges faced by marginalized groups in Uganda.

Administration: Budgeting, planning, fund-raising, and handicraft marketing.

Vocational Training: Teaching computer skills, hairdressing, and tailoring.

As none of the Mukono Youth projects are full-time, volunteers take part in a flexible schedule, which includes some or all activities offered by the program. The exchange of ideas, experiences, and culture is encouraged. This project requires walking long distances in the sun. Volunteers are encouraged to bring a sleeping bag, and protective clothing and shoes.

Volunteers will be given a private room at the Mukono town headquarters of the organization as their home base. As most work is done in surrounding villages, volunteers will be billeted short-term at various villages during their stay.

Program Location

Programs are based in:

• Mukono District (30 km out of Kampala city). Volunteers are placed in Mukono Town and in surrounding villages.
• Wakiso District (5 km out of Kampala city). Volunteers are placed in Buloba and Bulenga.
• Jinja District (50 km out of Kampala city). Volunteers are placed in Jinja Town and Kainogoga.
• Masaka District (180 km out of Kampala city). Volunteers are placed in Kyazanga.

Program Requirements

Volunteers for the Uganda program must:

• be 18 years or older
• have no major health problems
• be able to walk distances up to 5km daily
• obtain a police check from your home country prior to volunteering
• sign a general waiver of liability
• have a positive and outgoing personality

Program Schedule

Volunteers can stay from a period of one month to 3 months. Your stay can be extended beyond 3 months on a case-by-case basis (depending upon our partners requirements and your ability to obtain an extended visa). You can start your placement on the 1st or 15th of each month.

School terms vary from year to year but are approximately as follows: Feb 1 to April 20, May 20 to August 20, Sept 15 to November 30. Volunteers are not placed in teaching projects outside of these times. Please also note that exams take place at the end of each term and normal class schedules will end prior to that. Short term volunteers are advised to start earlier in the term.

As a general rule we can not place short-term volunteers beginning January 1st as all projects take a few weeks to get going in the new year. We advise you to plan your arrival for January 15th, or February 1st in the case of teaching placements.

Program Cost

A US$350 application fee (fully refundable if you decide not to go) will secure your place on the program, with your program fee due for payment eight weeks before you begin your placement. You only pay your application fee once and then you can access any of GVN's volunteer programs over the next 5 years.

Your application fee includes the following benefits:

• Personal Staff Support
• Your Uganda Program Guide
• Your Fundraising Guide and Software
• Access to Your Own Online Journal
• Online Video - Preparing For Your Trip
• Opportunities for Discounts on Airfares

Once your application fee is paid the remainder of the cost for your time in the Uganda program is:

• Cost for 1 month - US $847
• Cost for 6 weeks - US $1147
• Cost for 2 months - US $1447
• Cost for 10 weeks - US $1747
• Cost for 3 months - US $2047

The in-country fee covers administrative charge, project donation, airport pickup, transport to project, meals and accommodation during placement, and supervision.

You will need a weekly budget of approximately US$25 to cater for all your other expenses like bottled water, personal costs, beverages and entertainment. The other costs you will need to meet are your flights, visa, shots, travel insurance, and departure tax.

Your program fee includes the following benefits:

• Your In-Country Fee
• In-Country Support
• 24hr Emergency Line
• Membership To The Change Makers Club
• International Travel Advice
• Letter Of Completion

Apply for the Uganda Program

Your application process is free and seamless and if you are successful we will provide you with a choice of application fee payment options that include a secure online service. We also are one of the few organizations that offer a full money back guarantee on your application fee if you decide not to go.
Click here to apply for the Uganda program.

Frequently Asked Questions

We have put together the following page, which answers the majority of questions people have.
Click here

Volunteer Journals

If you would like to read about the experiences of some of our volunteers who are currently in Uganda, you can do so here. This journal service is provided free to all our volunteers.
Click here

Volunteer Articles

Read articles written about our volunteers in Uganda.
Click here, here and here.

Book Resources

We have a selection of books available that you may find useful if you decide to volunteer in Uganda.
Click here

Application Process

All applicants will be notified by email as to whether their application has been successful.

(1) Complete the Application Form: Fill out the application form below. Upon receipt of the form we will assess your suitability for the program within two working days.

(2) Contact You: If you are successful we will then email you a letter of acceptance.

(3) Decision Point: Once you have read through the letter of acceptance and we have answered any questions or concerns that you might have, it is time to pay your US $350 application fee to secure your place on the program. Please note that we will fully refund your application fee if you decide not to go.

(4) Confirmation: Once the application fee is paid, our volunteer partner will contact you to ensure everything is organized. We will also send you the link to our program guide which covers topics such as country information, travel links, visa application process, fundraising ideas and much more!

(5) Communication & Support: Throughout the application process, we are committed to working with you to answer any of your questions or concerns. During your placement we are also available as a form of support to you as a volunteer and will email you while in country to discuss how the program is going.

To apply for this program, click here