St.Jude Orphanage Primary and Nursery School was established by Pastor Bulega and the community in 2004 in order to support orphans in the area in terms of education, medical care, clothing, beddings, mosquito nets. It has about 400 pupils from nursery to Primary 6 six levels.
The pupils at school also don't pay school fees but little money for porridge, lunch and school uniform. They live with their next of kin near the project. Volunteers will be accommodated in the communities and families around
Project:
It is also possible to visit Kalagala falls Bujagali falls and if possible the source of the Niles and Rafting at the Nile Rapids.
Kirabo Children's Centre Day and Boarding school was started by a small group of female teachers from Kikandwa and Kikyusa Villages in 2006.The average illiteracy rate was about 70% in the area. A number of orphans over 2500, their parents have died of HIV/AIDS and living with foster parents e.g grand parents who are too old to look after them (70 years and above) and others with friends and well wishers or next of kin.
Kikandwa and Kikyusa villages are amongst those villages which were destroyed by the political war in 1980-1986 causing many people to be homeless, die or migrated to cities.
The community mobilized funds to construct 3 temporary wooden classrooms roofed with corrugated iron sheets. They currently have 270 pupils from Nursery to primary 5 level. UVDA helped them to construct a three permanent classroom blocks and an office. Since most children live with old grandparents, they usually come to school without breakfast or anything to eat during break time so some of these children are malnourished and attacked by malaria and others have jiggers in their feet. They lack mosquito nets and medicine. Therefore, the school started an agricultural project where they grow food and fruits on large scale for children's consumption at school.
They are also planting some trees for environment protection. They also constructed a fish pond. Volunteers are expected to participate in all the mentioned programmes (construction, gardening, tree planting etc).
NB:
The nearest Government Hospital is at Wabusana 7 kms away and that's where the HIV/AIDS Programme will be conducted.
LOCATION:
KIKANDWA VILLAGE, KIKYUSA SUB-COUNTY, BAMUNANIKA COUNTY, LUWERO DISTRICT. ABOUT 50 KM NORTH OF KAMPALA.
FURTHER CONSTRUCTION OF GARUBUNDA PRIMARY SCHOOL, WATER AND SANITATION ON LAKE NYAKASANDA AND HIV/AIDS AWARENESS.
LOCATION:
GARUBUNDA PRIMARY SCHOOL AND LAKE NYAKASANDA ARE BOTH LOCATED IN GARUBUNDA VILLAGE, KEBISONI SUBCOUNTY, RUBABO COUNTY, RUKUNGIRI DISTRICT ABOUT 360 KMS IN THE WESTERN PART OF UGANDA.
BACKGROUND:
The construction of Garubunda Primary School was started by UVDA Volunteers in 1996 in conjunction with the local community members of Garubunda village. There was only one old grass thatched mud and wattle school building built 60 years ago accommodating about 100 pupils which was in such a dilapidated state, nearly collapsing. Since that time, UVDA has conducted several work camps constructing that project from Primary 1 to P. 7. Lake Nyakasanda is a small lake of about 150sq meters. It is located near Garubunda Primary School and very close to the house where UVDA volunteers will be accommodated. The lake water is used for domestic purposes to include; drinking water, bathing, cooking etc. at the same time people swim from the same. Clean drinking water from a spring well could be obtained from a distance.
Project:
Garubunda village is situated about 100kms from Bwindi Impenetratable Forest National Park where gorillas are found and Queen Elizabeth National Park and Mt. Rwenzori is also not very far. It is also possible to visit Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale near the border of Uganda and Rwanda. People are pastoralists and are very friendly. The population of Rukungiri is about 300,000 people,
The work camp shall take place in Galuwero Zone L.C1 Village, Luwero Town Council, Luwero District. The Project site is located 2km on Ngoma rd, from Luwero, 60 km north of Kampala.
Project Background:
Basajjansolo Memorial Training Centre (BMTC) is a project of Basajjansolo Community Development Association (BACODA), a community-based organisation founded and registered in 2003 under Ref No.CD-312-03 of Luwero District Community Development Department. The project is committed to work for the plight of HIV/AIDS, other disadvantaged orphans and vulnerable children through offering them basic education, life skills and career training. BMTC today offers education to 240 children aged 6 – 14 years most of them orphans, half orphans, vulnerable children and those living with families earning less than 1 US dollar a day.
With the HIV/AIDS rate still staggering between 6.5 – 7% in the Country, the burden of handling its consequences particularly that of orphans remains a huge challenge; many more orphans continue to live at the mercy of their helpless grand parents who often do not provide all for a happy living for a growing child. Faced with this desperate and miserable situation many of these orphans continue to loose hope thence increasing their vulnerability to social evils including drug abuse, rape, prostitution, under age marriage, child labour, gambling to mention a few.
It is on this background that UPA and BACODA continue to work at this project. Each camp each build an extra classroom.
The three week workcamp shall bring together the workcamp volunteers, the 240 pupils aged 4-14 years and teachers in a series of psycho-social support activities like games and sports, drawing pictures and painting for interaction on one hand and physical work on construction of a school classroom and continue with the construction work on a poultry house. The school currently has1diary cattle that provide milk in the pupils break porridge. Because many of the families of the pupils can not afford a balanced diet, the School intends to start rearing egg laying chicken to support pupils with at least an egg every two-three days to supplement their diet and improve on their nutrition.
Accommodation:
Accommodation will be in a school classroom. Average but not luxury. The camp site have simple bathrooms with no showers. The camp sites have latrines not toilets and a simple cooking shelter (kitchen).
Hosting Fee:
International participants are required to pay a fee of 250 Euros. The fee covers pick up from the airport or bus station upon arrival in Uganda, Orientation at the UPA guesthouse, local transport to and from the work camp, food and accommodation during the work camp. The fee also contributes to the running of activities taking place during the work camp and communication prior to the camp.
Empowering communities reduce avoidable or preventable diseases through maintaining clean environment.
Location:
Kakunyu village, Bukomero sub county in Kiboga District. Kiboga District is located in the central part of Uganda boarded by Luweero District in the northeast, Masindi in the northwest, Mubende district in the south and Kibale district in the southwest. Kakunyu lies 85km on Kampala-Hoima road.
Project:
Uganda Pioneers Association owns a 10 acre piece of land at Kakunyu village in Bukomero Sub County. The community around still live under poor sanitation environment, many miss clean latrines, have no proper garbage disposal systems and do not bother to maintain sanity in their homes.
Work:
This workcamp shall organise sanitation activities around several home as a demonstration for them to mind their health. Besides sanitation activities, the camp shall also conduct activities around continuing on the construction of our Youth Training Centre.
Aims:
- To promote family sanitation through physical cleaning. - To promote awareness for a clean environment in families. - To construct UPA youth training centre Hall.
Tasks:
- Community Sanitation. - Cutting grass. - Construction of drying racks. - Digging of rubbish pits. - Fitting Training centre with doors and windows. - Plastering and flooring UPA youth and Community training Hall at Bukomero. - Mixing concrete sand and cement. - Carrying water and concrete, mortar.
Project:
The project expects 15 participants maximum with a composition of people from Uganda, regional and International volunteer organisations. Participants will work 6 hours daily from Monday to Friday. Weekends are for social interaction and/ or excursions unless if the official camp programme has an activity.
Accommodation:
Accommodation will be in UPA guest room on the project, average but not luxury. The camp site have simple bathrooms with no showers. The camp sites have latrines not toilets and a simple cooking shelter (kitchen).
Participants shall be required to bring own sleeping bag, Mat, pillow, Mosquito Net, sun/mosquito creams/repellents, working gloves and boots/shoes. Light working clothes during working hours and warm clothes at night, as it may turn out to be chilly or cold; Musical instrument {optional}; Torch or flash light; Water purifiers {optional}; Personal effects {i.e. soap, toothpaste, toiletries.
Hosting Fee:
International participants are required to pay a fee of 250 Euros. The fee covers pick up from the airport or bus station upon arrival in Uganda, Orientation at the UPA guesthouse, local transport to and from the work camp, food and accommodation during the work camp. The fee also contributes to the running of activities taking place during the work camp and communication prior to the camp.
NB:
Participants are advised to arrive 2 days before commencement of the project applied for.
Enhancing and popularising of Conservation of Cultural heritage sites and expanding space for volunteers at UPA Guest house.
Location:
Ocheng Village, Nansana Town council is 12 kilometres North-West of Kampala the capital of Uganda, in Wakiso District in central region of Uganda. The people found in central Uganda are multi tribal with the majority population being Baganda. And the major language spoken is Luganda with also a big percentage of people speaking English well.
Project:
Uganda Pioneers' Association has its head office and guest house located in Ocheng village, Nansana Town Council, Wakiso District at 12 kilometres on Hoima Road, Northwest of Kampala.
The current structure hosts UPA head office and a guest house for only 15 volunteers. For a while UPA has had to rent outside for hosting local volunteers and major UPA meetings. Also the organisation used to have only two staff members. Recently, the number of volunteers and staff has doubled and hence the need to expand the guest house and office. It is for this reason that UPA held work camps in 2008, 2009 and 2010 in efforts to increase space for the volunteers' accommodation and office space. The new building is now at roofing stage. 2011 will also have a workcamp to continue with construction of the new office block with a library. On completion of the office block, there will be more space for the volunteers as the current office and library will be turned into volunteers' sleeping rooms.
Wamala Tombs is the nearest cultural heritage site in Wakiso, UPA will also look at promoting the available heritage site by improving on its sanitation in a move towards "GREENING" these tombs. We will also print and circulate fliers promoting conservation of cultural heritage site and conduct Forum theatre Outreaches on cultural heritage.
Aims:
- To improve sanitation around Wamala Tombs - To create awareness on the need to conserve and promote cultural heritage. - To sensitize people and create awareness on garbage disposal and dangers of poor garbage disposal and ways of averting them. - To teach people how to separate garbage e.g. organic and inorganic material for better garbage management - To expand on space for international volunteers living in the guest house. - To provide convenient space for holding in-country orientations and other UPA meetings. - To provide space for accommodating local volunteers - To provide a conducive living environment for the volunteers - To improve on the working environment for UPA Staff. - To provide reading space for volunteers, UPA members and the community in Nansana.
Tasks:
- Slashing, digging, cleaning the heritage site - Constructing/digging garbage bins - Planting fruit and compound (decoration) trees - Brick laying - Mixing sand and cement - Collecting bricks, mortar and water - Roofing and fitting metal doors and windows.
There will be a group visit to Wamala tombs a cultural heritage site for burial of some Buganda Kings
The project expects 15 participants maximum with a composition of people from Uganda, regional and International volunteer organisations. Participants will work 6 hours daily from Monday to Friday. Weekends are for social interaction and/ or excursions unless if the official camp programme has an activity.
Leisure:
There is also the possibility of visiting the Uganda Museum, Entebbe Wild life Centre and Botanical beach gardens all found in a radius of not more than 40 kilometres from the camp site but at the cost of interested volunteers.
Like most regions in Uganda people in this community always welcome visitors and always interested to talk/work with people from other cultural backgrounds. Volunteers on this project will have the opportunity to interact with mostly UPA members, medium and long term volunteers in the country and those from the community.
Accommodation:
Accommodation will be in a UPA hall at the office, average but not luxury. The camp site have simple bathrooms with no showers. The camp sites have latrines not toilets and a simple cooking shelter (kitchen). Participants shall be required to collect water from the nearby spring well only about 600 metres away.
August is usually the start of the second rain season in Uganda. Although the country continues to face a changing weather pattern due to global warming. The month is characterized with a mixture of Rain and sunshine. It is can therefore be hot and dusty with temperatures ranging between 24–30 degrees Centigrade on average or even more but some days maybe extremely wet although still warm.
Hosting Fee:
International participants are required to pay a fee of 250 Euros. The fee covers pick up from the airport or bus station upon arrival in Uganda, Orientation at the UPA guesthouse, local transport to and from the work camp, food and accommodation during the work camp. The fee also contributes to the running of activities taking place during the work camp and communication prior to the camp.
CONSTRUCTION OF 2 CLASSROOMS BLOCK, HIV/AIDS AWARENESS AND FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION.
LOCATION:
NAMALEMBA VILLAGE, BUSIKI COUNTY, MAGADA SUB COUNTY, NAMUTUMBA DISTRICT FORMERLY PART OF IGANGA DISTRICT. ABOUT 250 KMS EAST OF KAMPALA.
PARTICIPATION FEE:
EURO 200
BACKGROUND:
Namalemba primary school is partly a government aided school which was started about 60 years ago. The existing classrooms are supposed to accommodate only 630 pupils and in this case the rest of the pupils attend their classes under trees and others in the church. UVDA was invited to Namalemba village to construct the Nsola clinic in 2004 which is now completed. Most of the people of Namalemba village and neighboring villages are very poor, most of them live in grass thatched houses built of mud and wattle and their income comes from rice growing in swampy places and maize . HIV/ AIDS is still a big problem especially to the youth.
Volunteers shall be accommodated in the village house which also has a solar electric system. Participants can bring with them some gifts to children and poor people of Namalemba village. Thanks in advance.
Project:
It is possible to visit River Nile at Jinja; Bujagali falls or even participate in rafting at Bujagali in case of a stopover at Jinja. The project is about 60kms to Mbale town, Mbale district where the Mt Elgon is situated and about 100kms to Sipi falls in Kapchorwa district. Arrangements to visit both sites could be made from the work camp.
Kakunyu village, Bukomero sub county in Kiboga District. Kiboga District is located in the central part of Uganda bordered by Luweero District in the northeast, Masindi in the northwest, Mubende district in the south and Kibale district in the southwest. Kakunyu lies 85km from Kampala-on the Hoima road. Uganda Pioneers Association owns a 10 acre piece of land at Kakunyu village in Bukomero Sub County on which it has for long tested several projects. For over two years now, UPA decided to turn more than half of the land under tree cover and the rest of the land with structures into a demonstration/training project to train youths in different gainful disciplines. It is UPA’s hope that this project will become a demonstration project for Bukomero in future and will become a Youth training and carrier guidance centre to help youth select careers. •To prepare the hall for training youths •To repair the sleeping rooms •To construct pig stys. Construction •Plastering and flooring UPA Community Hall at Bukomero •Mixing concrete, sand and cement •Carrying water and concrete, mortar •Visit Katera historical stones •climb Katera Hill •Bukomero local market twice a month on Tuesdays is also an experience. Cultural Nights will be organised on different days for the different countries represented at the work camp. Please carry along anything that can introduce your culture.
The project expects 15 participants maximum with a composition of people from, regional and International volunteer. Participants will work 6 hours daily from Monday to Friday. . •
Project:
Accommodation will be in A UPA guest room on the project. •Average but not luxury. •The camp site have simple bathrooms with no showers •The camp sites have latrines not toilets •And a simple cooking shelter (kitchen).
December is normally dry with possibilities of patterns of rain showers. It is usually dusty and humid. It is advisable to bring light cloth. The temperatures are warm between 20 – 30 degrees centigrade and the evenings are at times a bit chilly.
International participants are required to pay a fee of 250 Euros. The fee covers pick up from the airport or bus station upon arrival in Uganda, Orientation at the UPA guesthouse, local transport to and from the work camp, food and accommodation during the work camp. The fee also contributes to the running of activities taking place during the work camp and communication prior to the camp. Accommodation is basic. In most cases work campers will be sleeping in community halls or schools. Work campers should bring mosquito nets and bedding. Local food is prepared by the work campers on charcoal stoves or open fire. For more information about the specific camps and activities UPA provides an info sheet on request.
« I can say that the best things about the workcamp and this whole experience were the chance of making a real difference to the lives of very needy children. This is an extremely valuable project where volunteers can have a massive impact. Also the possibility of learning a huge amount about a country so different from our own. I learnt ten times as much by carrying out a workcamp than I would ever do backpacking. »
yap-uk
0844 20 90 927
