Volunteer in Uganda and have the experience of a lifetime while improving the lives of others! Uganda is the perfect African destination to travel and volunteer and your time in the beauty country will surely be unforgettable. With its breathtaking location on the forested shores of Lake Victoria, Uganda offers unlimited opportunities for adventuring, volunteering and traveling. This world famous safari destination offers over 100,000 species of animals and astonishing surprises at every turn with beautiful lakeshores, a century-old botanical garden, chatters of acrobatic monkeys, friendly people and colorful tropical birds. Global Crossroad Volunteer's programs in Uganda are located in Entebbe, Jinja and the capital city of Kampala. Global Crossroad Volunteer invites you to join our volunteer and travel programs in Uganda and explore a peaceful and stable African destination. Whether you work in an orphanage, on HIV/AIDS projects, on healthcare projects or teaching English, you will have a memorable and rewarding experience that will positively affect your life as well as the lives of others.
Global Crossroad Volunteer invites you to join our volunteering Uganda programs, and explore a peaceful and stable African destination. Whether you work in an orphanage, on HIV/AIDS projects, on healthcare projects or teaching English, you will have a memorable and rewarding experience that will positively affect your life as well as the lives of others.
To begin an amazing and unique journey, send us an email Now! for more information. The sooner you inquire for information, the sooner you can help change the world for the better!
All volunteer programs start on the first and third Monday of each month.
If you are tired of expensive volunteer programs but want to make a positive contribution in the world, look no further! Global Crossroad is dedicated to offering high quality, well-organized and meaningful programs at the most affordable price in the United States. We work hard to keep costs as low as possible, focusing on the effectiveness of our projects, the safety of our volunteers and the quality of participant experiences. We currently offer the most competitive price possible in today's market including an application fee (of $299) AND a small weekly fee as follows:
| Duration | Fee |
|---|---|
| 1 Week | $150 |
| 2 Week | $250 |
| 3 Week | $350 |
| 4 Week | $450 |
| 5 Week | $550 |
| 6 Week | $650 |
| 7 Week | $750 |
| 8 Week | $850 |
| 9 Week | $950 |
| 10 Week | $1,050 |
| 11 Week | $1,150 |
| 12 Week | $1,250 |
Airport Pickup and Transfer to Moshi (1 hour) $65
Mandatory Comprehensive Travel Insurance $3.49/day
Language and Culture Program fee $250
Volunteer in Uganda in an orphanage and help destitute children live the lives they deserve as you explore a beautiful African country. Numerous deaths resulting from HIV/AIDS have caused a dramatic increase in orphans in Uganda. AIDS often leaves a legacy of infected children being born into a hunger-stricken existence, where their parents usually die before they can care for them. Global Crossroad Volunteer’s partner orphanages in Uganda provide not only housing for these children, but also the chance for quality education and a hope for the future. However, they are understaffed and need virtually any and all assistance possible in continuing to offer these vitally important necessities. Volunteers/travelers can help to supply these orphans with much-needed love and companionship as well as a solid foundation to meet their needs.
As a volunteer/traveler in Uganda working in an orphanage, responsibilities will vary depending on individual skills and interests and the needs of the orphanage, but may include:
There are no specific qualifications needed to join the orphanage volunteer project in Uganda. However, volunteers are expected to be flexible and patient. You should have passion and love for orphans.
With globalization and international travel/trade, English-speaking Ugandans are becoming in-demand resources. While English is spoken in some parts of Uganda, there is still a lack of quality English education for children. Improved English education is proving more and more vital due to the growing tourism industries in and around Uganda and just a basic knowledge of English can open future opportunities for children. Each volunteer working in Uganda’s English-teaching project can make a meaningful contribution in the lives of local children by sharpening and honing their English skills. Improving Ugandan children's conversational English opens doors for them and helps them to compete and participate in the global market.
School will remain closed in Uganda will remain closed in dates mentioned below. The project is not available then but volunteers can enroll in other projects.
End of April to mid May
End of August to beginning of September
December to start of February
Each volunteer English teacher in Uganda will work in a private school, public school or school run by an orphanage. You will mostly teach English 2-3 hours a day (six days a week) in primary, secondary or high school. Examples of activities may include:
There are no specific qualifications needed to teach English in Uganda. However, volunteers interested in participating in this program should have a passion for teaching, a love for children and be willing to share their time, energy and compassion.
Hospitals and clinics located in and around Uganda's major cities lack adequate staff and resources. In effect, knowledgeable and able-bodied volunteers are in great demand. Global Crossroad Volunteer collaborates with local hospitals to provide volunteers who have a strong passion for helping others and a willingness to dedicate their time and energy to those without easy-access to medical facilities. Participating in the healthcare volunteer project in Uganda opens tremendous opportunities for volunteers/travelers to experience new opportunities in their lives and careers. Volunteers have the unique chance to immerse themselves into another culture while making a positive contribution to the community where the need is the greatest.
Duties greatly depend on the educational background, skills and personal interests of volunteers. Participants will not be able to perform major surgeries/procedures. Each volunteer in the Uganda Healthcare Project will assist doctors and other already-existing healthcare professionals by carrying out activities such as:
Applicants must be able to provide some form of medical certification (medical ID, EMT, paramedic, nursing, etc.) or be a healthcare professional. Due to liabilities, applicants lacking some form of medical training/expertise will be ineligible for this project. All healthcare-related credentials must be provided prior to arrival in-country.
As a volunteer in the HIV/AIDS Awareness Project in Uganda, you can truly make a difference in the lives of others. The pandemic resulting from the spread and acquisition of HIV/AIDS is a serious and deadly challenge facing the entire country of Uganda. Children are often born from AIDS-infected parents who often pass away before they are able to make any kind of contribution in these children's lives. Volunteers' assistance is greatly and urgently needed in many areas of Ugandan HIV/AIDS projects.
Presently, Global Crossroad Volunteer works in collaboration with local organizations promoting HIV/AIDS awareness while simultaneously providing comfort to HIV/AIDS-infected citizens. Volunteers/travelers can have the rewarding opportunity to create hope among the sick and assure them that they can live productive lives, even with AIDS (given proper care of their bodies). Volunteer now in the HIV/AIDS Awareness Project in Uganda and help counsel affected individuals while educating others on the causes, effects and preventions of the disease. The only way to decrease the number of those infected is through education.
As a volunteer in Uganda working for HIV/AIDS Awareness, you can help in a variety of ways. Each day, volunteers will meet at the project office in Wairaka, Jinja to plan and organize projects. Volunteers carry out field visits to towns such as Wairaka, Iganga and Mpumudde by walking or riding bicycles/motorbikes. Volunteer activities may vary depending on skills and interests and the necessities of the local organizations. Examples of activities include:
There are no specific qualifications needed for this particular program. However, volunteers interested in participating in this program should have a passion for educating masses and addressing fears and the numerous misconceptions of HIV/AIDS. Participants should also have a passion for caring for others and a willingness to share their time, energy and compassion with these in-need Ugandans.
Global Crossroad Volunteer arranges volunteer meals, accommodations and strong field supervision for the duration of projects and optional travel packages. In Uganda, most volunteers stay in our home base, a permanent home established for our international volunteers. Our home base in Uganda is located in a pretty community, in a very safe and clean neighborhood. There are internet cafés, restaurants, local bus stations, a police station and supermarkets near our home base. The home base provides is a comfortable place to relax after a long day. There are several bedrooms (which may be shared with a same-gender volunteer) and community areas. There is a shared kitchen, television and shared bathrooms, which have running water and "western-style" toilets. Orphanage volunteers may stay at their project, as many orphanages have special rooms set aside for international and these accommodations are normally shared with a same-gender volunteer.
Depending on the influx of volunteers, accommodations could be with a host family. Host family accommodations are simple and clean homes in safe neighborhoods. Volunteers usually have a private bedroom, but occasionally rooms share a room with a same-gender volunteer. Our host families are well screened and are respected members of their communities who live in affluent neighborhoods. Most of our host families have experience with hosting international volunteers. Host family stays are a great chance for cultural immersion and exchange.
Volunteers receive three local meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner). We can provide vegetarian meal options, but needs must be detailed in a volunteer's application. Snacks and beverages outside of mealtimes are not provided; however, there are local restaurants and grocery stores near the residences in which we place volunteers.
Global Crossroad offers unparalleled field support to volunteers to ensure a safe and rewarding experience. There are many layers of support for you. The most important support comes from our country coordinator/field staff. The secondary support comes from the host project staff and members of host families and/or a home base staff. Volunteers will have access to our country coordinator's mobile number and they are available 24/7. Throughout the volunteer project, our local staff stays in contact with volunteers either with face-to-face visits or via email/telephone. Our field staff will visit regularly (every 2-4 weeks) to make sure things are going well and as planned. However, if placement is far from our local offices, staff members will stay in touch via email/ phone. Volunteers are also welcome to stop in the offices at any time.
Specific details regarding accommodations, food and contact details for our local coordinator will be provided in personalized volunteer placement documentation prior to arrival.
The projects in Uganda are available in Kampala (knowm for the Ssezibwa Falls, Ugandan National Theater, very active Balikuddembe Market and the Nakasero Market ), Jinja (located on the shores of Lake Victoria and near Bujagali Falls, a kayakers' heaven) and Iganga (the chief town of the Iganga District with shops, banks & internet cafes nearby). Famously called the Pearl of Africa, Uganda is renowned for its African fauna and fairly conservative Christian/Muslim based society. It's full of contrasts: from traditional culture and history to modern urban infrastructure and much of the amenities you would expect from a city. Volunteers can organize different possible excursions during and after the project to visit places of interest. There is a tourist infrastructure already in place and on weekends and in free time, volunteers can enjoy waterfalls, animal sanctuaries, markets, kayaking, whitewater-rafting, breweries, Hindu temples, hotels and much more.
Please read Global Crossroad Volunteer's 5-step application
Arrival Point: Entebbe International Airport , Entebbe
Airport Pick-up Upon receipt of your flight information, our in-country coordinator or other project staff will greet you in the airport and take you to your project site. The address and telephone number of the local contact hotel will be given before departure just in case volunteers miss our representative in the airport. Please make sure to e-mail your flight information to both the USA office and the local in-country coordinator's office.
Departure Point: Entebbe International Airport , Entebbe (about 21 miles from the capital Kampala)
Airport Drop: Rarely, a few do request an escort back to the airport; this is an extra expense of about $75. Most are very familiar and comfortable with their stay and have great ease taking their own taxi or bus back to the airport.
Transportation: Global Crossroad Volunteer manages one-way transportation to project. Volunteers will be responsible for their own personal and return travel. We do not cover daily transportation from host family/hotel to the project. Our program is designed to save you the volunteer as much as possible.
Start Dates: 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month
Start Date: Global Crossroad Volunteers/Travelers coming to Uganda are advised to arrive one day before their program start date. If you arrive more than one day early or stay after the program, you will be responsible for your room and food expenses.
Working Hours: 30- 40 hours per week
Global Crossroad strongly suggest that all volunteers apply for a tourist visa in a timely manner before departing for Uganda. Please call our office or contact the local Uganda embassy to learn more about the visa, visa fees and visa extensions. Getting your tourist visa is your responsibility.
Being informed is your first defense against disease and safety risks. We recommend visiting some of the following websites for health and safety information:
WHO website for international travelers (http://www.who.int/csr/ihr/en/)
Global Crossroad Volunteer closely follows the Center for Disease Control's traveler's health recommendations (www.cdc.gov ). Discuss your travel plans and personal health with your health-care provider to determine which vaccines are necessary.
The following vaccines may be recommended for your travel to East Africa - including Uganda
Required Vaccinations
A certificate of yellow fever vaccination may be required for entry into certain countries in East Africa. For detailed information, see Yellow Fever Vaccine Requirements and Information on Malaria Risk and Prophylaxis, by Country. Also, find the nearest authorized U.S. yellow fever vaccine center.
You might need $5-15 per day for your personal expenses such as water or soft drinks, taxi fares, and shopping. The optimal methods to make purchases is the use of a debit card as ATM machines are available in Nairobi and Entebbe (in airports and major hotels) where you can withdraw local currencies. Another alternative is traveler's checks which are secure and can be cashed in local banks, during business hours. In Uganda, people of US or European descent are considered regardless of financial circumstances. This will make you a target for pick-pockets and scam artists ('fly catchers'). Participants are required to be smart about their money matters when traveling through Uganda. Please be advised to remain alert and remember these suggestions:
Carry money in different pockets and places
How does Global Crossroad Volunteer help me when I am in the field? How can I maintain communication? Does Global Crossroad Volunteer visit volunteers?
Once the volunteer program starts, our local staff members will stay in touch with volunteers. In Uganda , our projects are approximately 10-25 km from our offices (and usually located in rural settings outside of the cities). Our coordinators stay in touch with volunteers via personal visits, telephone calls or emails. The director of each project will serve as participants' immediate supervisor. Global Crossroad Volunteer 's Uganda coordinator maintains a mobile phone so participants are able to reach him with questions and concerns.
How do I communicate with my family? Global Crossroad Volunteer staffs? Is there internet?
Volunteers are requested to bring their mobile phones. Upon arrival in Uganda, participants can purchase and change sim-cards as there are 2-3 electronic shops in the Entebbe International Airport. The sim-card is placed into almost any internationally capable cell phone and provides service in Uganda. Participants are encouraged to ensure that they are bringing the appropriate telephone. This is the perfect way to stay in touch with your family and Global Crossroad Volunteer's office. Internet cafes are widely-available in most areas of Jinja and Entebbe.
Uganda's various topographical regions experience distinct climates.
Generally, the hottest temperatures occur between February and March with the coolest temperatures occurring between the months of July and August.
Higher elevation areas within the highlands receive much larger amounts of rainfall. The Lake Victoria basin in western Uganda is generally the wettest region in the country, particularly the highland regions, where average annual rainfall ranges from 1,740 mm (70 in) to 1,940 mm (80 in). Average temperatures in this region range from 14° to 34°C (57° to 93°F) in January and 14° to 30°C (57° to 86°F) in July.
The average annual temperatures in the main areas are:
Rainfall occurs seasonally throughout most of Uganda. The coast, eastern plateaus, and lake basin areas experience two rainy seasons:
- The "long rains" extend occur from March to June
- The "short rains" last from approximately October to December.
The highlands of western Uganda have a single rainy season, lasting from March to September.
All parts of the country are subject to periodic droughts, or delays in the start of the rainy seasons. Uganda's climate has had a profound effect on settlement patterns, as for centuries population has been concentrated in the wettest areas of the country.
To check the current weather condition of Uganda, please click here.
Most stuff of daily use is available in Uganda at a cheaper price. However, we suggest volunteers pack the following things;
