Short-term (2 to 4 weeks) "environmental" projects in Uganda

This Project was founded by a group of youth members of Buwenge, Kamuli District- Jinja in June 1993 These youths had realized the importance of protecting the nature of environment after being affected by the community (Deforestation). Currently there is an acute shortage of rain and food in the area and poverty is at its most rampant. Since its inception, quite a number of trees have been grown by the community members who have been sensitized by their organization BYEPA. In 2006, their organization BYEPA realized that there was an outbreak of epidemic diseases. This was as a result of poor waste collection methods by the town council since there was no truck for the removal of waste to the final disposal sites and lack of basic hygiene for the average household. BYEPA staff and volunteers from SAFAD – UK carried out a baseline survey of solid waste management in Buwenge Town Council to verify the standards of waste collected, disposed in the council and how much in a day, week, month and a year. The BYEPA Volunteers, community members and UVDA Volunteers etc are going to participate in the garbage collection in Buwenge Town Council during the work camp to take place in the month of April 2010.
The participants in this work camp shall be given chance to participate in the HIV/AIDS Awareness and testing at Buwenge Hospital, tree planting in the township and sensitization.

Volunteers will be accommodated in a village house at Buwenge Trading Centre.

This project is located very near Lake Victoria, the source of River Nile and Bujagali Falls Jinja and it is possible to visit the SIPI FALLS in Kapchorwa District and Mt. Elgon in Mbale since it is not very far.

Participation fee €200

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).

The nearest Government Hospital is at Wabusana 7 kms away and that's where the HIV/AIDS Programme will be conducted.

KIKANDWA VILLAGE, KIKYUSA SUB-COUNTY, BAMUNANIKA COUNTY, LUWERO DISTRICT. ABOUT 50 KM NORTH OF KAMPALA.

EUROS 200

Enhancing youth and civil society involvement in sustainable environment management and conservation in Africa.

Kakunyu village, Bukomero sub county in Kiboga District. Kiboga District is located in the central part of Uganda. Kakunyu lies 85km on Kampala-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. Effective 2008, UPA decided to start on a campaign to put this land under tree cover.

Environment Sustainability was a central discussion topic in the Volunteering 2011 International Congress in Barcelona in December 2010 on "Global strategies for global challenges".

The year 2011 is declared by the UN as the International Year of Forests, under the theme "Forests for People", to raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all forests.

Millennium Development Goal number 7 clearly requires us to ensure Environmental sustainability and CCIVS fraternity has since two years now promoted this campaign worldwide through the World Tanaba Action (WTA).

The MDG targets 7 (a) and (c) encourages the reverse of loss of environmental resources like trees and reducing by half the population in rural households without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by the year 2015 respectively.

Given this background and challenge, UPA is organising an Interregional Thematic study camp on Environment Sustainability. The study camp is intended to offer volunteers from African organisations and the world over the opportunity to play a central role in sustainable environment management, conservation and sustainable development of the world's forests. This study camp will also create partnerships in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling peoples in Africa to improve their quality of life without compromising that of the future generations in addition to creating a platform for exchanging good practices.

Our organisations shall be committed to address the two main challenges of Environmental Sustainability focusing on the two selected targets of the MDG 7 (a) and (c) of...

- Reversing of alarming distruction of trees as an environmental resource in order to contribute to a sustainable living and reverse climate change.
- Contribute to reducing by half the population in rural households without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by the year 2015 by constructing 5 demonstrational Biosand Water filters; one at UPA Project, two at selected schools and two at Bukomero Health Centre in Bukomero.

This Interregional Youth thematic study camp shall be central in even addressing other volunteering 2010 Conference fields of Youth participation, Sustainability and Poverty reduction.

• To raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation of the environment through tree planting
• To strengthen institutions for wise environment management
• To facilitate the transfer of knowledge and technology for sustainable development
• To encourage new partnerships and mind-sets within civil society in Africa
• To promote response to climate change
• To bring safe drinking water to rural UPA Bukomero project, schools and health centres.
• To reduce on deaths from preventable diseases caused by using unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation.

• Planting of 10,000 different species of trees (for food, medicine, shelter and water cleaning) linked with the WTA.
• Preparation of 2 tree nursery beds
• Tree potting
• Raising of tree Nursery shades
• Safe Drinking Water
• Construct 5 Bio sand Water Filters
• Conducting awareness campaigns through Forum theatre outreaches on the importance of safe water use.

- The role International Voluntary Service (IVS) can play on environment management and sustainability
- Creating a network of environment ambassadors
- Creating a platform for exchange of experiences, tools, and good practices, eg. blog, forums or face book
- Agreeing on common environment traditions/practices on/during IVS projects.

There will be a series of presentations and discussions on environment conservation and management by outside speakers/resource persons.

- 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 study camp. Please carry along anything that can introduce your culture and facts about the environment challenges and safe water availability in your countries.

• 10,000 trees will be planted at UPA project
• 20,000 tree seedlings potted which will later be distributed to the surrounding community
• 2 Nursery beds constructed
• 5 Biosand Water filters constructed

The project expects 25 participants maximum. Participants will work 6 hours daily from Monday to Friday. Participants must be ready for both physical work and a study part (Conference) including debates and discussions on the project theme on some of the days.

In the facility of UPA Youth Centre 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).

August is usually the start of the second rain season in Uganda. Although the country continues to face a changing weather pattern due to climate change. 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 and rainy although still warm. It is usually muddy at Kakunyu during rainy days due to clay soils. It is advisable to bring gum boots for easy walking through the mud.

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.

Tree planting, Community Mobilisation, Sensitization, Bush clearing and Environmental awareness

BUWULUHIRO VILLAGE, MASABA SUB COUNTY, SAMIA BUGWE COUNTY, BUSIA DISTRICT NEAR THE BORDER OF UGANDA AND KENYA, 250 KMS EAST OF KAMPALA.

Mumbe Conservation project is a partnership between Mumbe family the founder members of the project, the Community of Buwuluhiro and Uganda Voluntary Development Association to raise awareness on environmental Conservation and Management by replanting and conserving the environment through the available means especially tree planting. The project started after a member of the community realized that trees where becoming extinct in the district due continuous cutting and no replacement made so the Mumbe family provided a starting point by offering a ten acre land to kick start the project. Today the trees and ready for harvest and the family because of its passion for trees and nature don't want to cut them. So following our regular interaction we agreed to have a model learning centre for both the community and the country at large especially the training institutions which can use the assets for research purpose.

Notes.The project is part of the Mount Elgon Region in eastern Uganda.
UVDA is kick starting the project by organizing a work camp which will help on mobilization and sensitization of the community.

EUROS 200

Eco projects and Social Economic progress of the indigenous communities

Bukolooto VILLAGE, Bukolooto PARISH, Kayunga SUB COUNTY, Ntenjeru COUNTY, Kayunga DISTRICT 60 KMS EAST OF KAMPALA.

EUROS 200