City/State: Mukono, Uganda Country: UGANDA Volunteer with Orphans & Needy Children in Uganda REQUEST MORE INFORMATION »» Global Volunteer Network PO Box 30-968 Lower Hutt NEW ZEALAND 6001 Phone: (644) 920-1451 Program description: Our partner in Uganda has projects based in Mukono Town and within nearby villages. All projects are aimed at providing primary and secondary education to needy children, community outreach and counseling, and adult literacy. 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 bread), potatoes, and rice. They are generally served with beef, chicken, fish, beans, or groundnut sauce. Bread, eggs and fruits are also available for breakfast. Village Projects: Our partner networks with a number of small community based organizations that provide counseling, care, and education for rural people and orphaned and underprivileged children. Each of these placements is located in a village setting within Mukono and Jinja Districts. Each village placement will provide a different experience for a volunteer, but main activities will involve working with local children and youth teaching nursery, primary, and vocational education. Volunteers work in the areas of sport, art, games and academics. For volunteers with a medical background and education, placements can involve work in local clinics with small health-based community organizations. Community outreach activities, such as youth mentoring, HIV prevention and AIDS care, women’s rights education, and education respecting modern farming techniques are undertaken by each community based organization. Longer term volunteers are encouraged to get involved despite the language barrier, and see the development work done at the village level. A village placement is particularly appropriate for those volunteers with great ideas and enthusiasm for grass roots development. There are ample opportunities for volunteers to learn and use Luganda, the language spoken predominantly within Mukono District, and Lusoga, the language spoken predominantly within Jinja District. However, if you wish to work in a very remote area with HIV positive orphans, we are developing a new project in a village in Masaka district (about 5 hours away from our programs in Mukono district). This is the area where HIV/AIDS most devastated Uganda. The organization 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 8 years). Volunteers may also be asked to help with administrative work such as setting up budgets, updating paperwork, writing proposals, and setting up/maintaining personal files for each of the children. (Please note that there is a significant language barrier between yourself and the children. Local teachers will have to help you with translation.) This is a challenging but amazing program for volunteers with experience organizing children, such as camp counselors, 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 homestay situations are available. Mukono Town Council Projects: Primary Schools: There are many private primary schools in Uganda that cater exclusively to the education, housing and feeding of needy children and orphans. Volunteers can teach primary subjects and organize sport and art activities for the children. School terms vary from year to year but are approximately as follows: February 1 to April 30, and May 20 to August 30, September 15 to November 15. Placements at local secondary schools can be arranged upon request. Volunteers will require a university degree to be eligible to teach at the secondary level. Mukono Youth Project: This is a multi-faceted project promoting the voluntary spirit in Uganda. Foreign volunteers will work alongside Ugandan volunteers (youth aged 17 – 27) in a variety of programs directly benefiting local communities, which will include the following activities: Community Outreach: Includes home visits (often to the remotest villages in the district) to elderly, disabled, and persons living with HIV/AIDS to assist with household tasks such as washing, preparing food, and keeping company. This is a good opportunity for volunteers to see the daily challenges faced by marginalized groups in Uganda. Youth Mentoring: Public speaking and mentoring of youth and youth leaders respecting HIV/AIDS awareness, public health/hygiene, family planning, condom use and distribution, creativity workshops promoting the generation of small business, the importance of basic education, and women's rights and empowerment. This is the most important and most common activity undertaken by volunteers. Camping, hiking, hunting and/or fishing trips may also take place during these mentoring sessions. Volunteers are asked to bring camping gear. Although it is a youth group it reaches every member of the community it serves, and reaches the remotest areas of the district where there is virtually no other aid. This project is not exclusive to young volunteers, as older people with business skills and experience are also needed, particularly with tasks like sorting out bookwork and applying for grants. Just as our partner organisation's members try to help all members of society in every way, it needs all types and ages of volunteers to help it function. As none of the Mukono Youth projects are full-time, volunteers will take part in a flexible schedule, which includes some or all activities offered by the program. This project will be particularly appropriate for those volunteers with great ideas and enthusiasm for grass roots development. The exchange of ideas, experiences, and language is encouraged between Ugandan and foreign volunteers. This project requires physical labour and working in the sun. Volunteers are encouraged to bring protective clothing, gloves, and shoes. General program information: Program open to: Everyone Age range: 18+ Travel to site: Independent Travel Is opportunity more independant or group orientated: Group Does this program affiliate with a religion: Yes Religion: Christian Must volunteers be of this faith?: Yes Living arrangements on the program: Home stays (living with local families) How long does the program last?: 1-3 Months Benefits and advantages of the program: The Global Volunteer Network currently has opportunities aimed at providing primary and secondary education to needy children, orphan care, and community outreach and counseling with our partner organization in Uganda. This program will give you a chance to make an important contribution to Uganda and while doing so gain an in depth experience of the country and its culture that will stay with you the rest of your life. Cost or price of this program: Varies from program to program. Qualifications required: Volunteers need to be 18 years or older & have no major health problems Application process Involves: Fill out the application form on our website. 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