Want to Teach Inn Uganda?

If you think that travel is about seeing different places, experiencing different cultures and meeting different people then this project is right up your street, or should we say dirt road! Uganda is a poor country, and some of the problems faced by children here are acute. Many kids work in the fields because they can’t afford to pay school fees, which in turn leaves schools short of money, but at the Teach Inn what they lack in resources they more than make up for in enthusiasm and smiles. The project offers hundreds of children from the surrounding area the opportunity to learn skills that could help them avoid the poverty that threatens to blight their lives, and you the chance to make a real and lasting difference. We’ll also provide you with TEFL certification to help you on your way.

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Project details:
This is a government school in an area where many children must work in the fields. The school draws approximately 300 children from the villages of Nyakasiru and Karorwa, and surrounding areas within the sub-county of Bukinda. They are aged between 4-15 years old and divided into classes from 25 up to as many as 50 or 60! The school has around 4 to 6 classrooms with various patches of land that are used for recreational and sporting activities. The schools are severely under-resourced and often have large class sizes due to staff shortages. As the schools cannot afford to pay its teachers a good salary it is hard for them to recruit staff and often the staff they do have are forced to take on other work so cannot be at the school regularly. This school is the children's only hope to obtain basic education and as such volunteers who attend here will be made very welcome.

Teach Inn is a part of a project that aims to help fulfil basic requirements for education, but also works to improve neglected areas of education such as creativity, culture and art. The project objectives are that children should:-

- be healthy and safe
- have integrity, self discipline, autonomy and creativity
- be a confident individual with initiative
- respect their own and others cultures and traditions
- know at least one practical skill
- feel at ease reading and communicating in Rukiga and English
- be able to express themselves in at least one form of art
- be a person with a strong community spirit

Why the project needs volunteers:

Education is seen as a privilege in Uganda and until recently was reserved for those who could afford to pay school fees. 10 years ago, primary education became free and (in theory) universally accessible. With very little funds the schools simply cannot afford to hire new teachers or purchase resources. The support of volunteers is critical in order to continue providing the most basic of education to children.

It is important to take into account that local teachers are underpaid and not very motivated because for most of them this wasn't the career of their choice. Their teaching is based on rote and authority. Volunteers bring a different approach, open up new worlds to children.

As a volunteer, you will need to show patience and initiative to cope with the sheer volume of children in your classes. The children in Uganda tend to learn English by copying information from the blackboard and cramming. Your role will be to show children that they can use this skill as a method of communication too.Your resources will be limited so you will need to show imagination and creativity to get the most out of your time. Please budget for stationery supplies that you may wish to purchase in Uganda prior to arriving in Nyakasiru.

Remember that the children may come from difficult backgrounds and you will need to show patience and understanding and be able to act as role model. Skills in any extra curricular activities will be welcomed at this project, particularly (but not limited to) art, music, scouts and sports.

Your role as a volunteer:
Your primary role will be to help in teaching English to the children. Extra curricular activities are encouraged and extremely popular at the school - in particular sports and activities to raise awareness of environmental issues in relation to the communities.

During school holidays (Mid August to mid September, December and January) you will take part in summer school activities and have the opportunity to run games and activities with the children.

Where the project is based:
You will be staying in a purpose built guesthouse called 'Teach INN Uganda' in the rural village of Nyakasiru, surrounded by steep slopes and sweeping valleys typical of the area. Kabale (which lies approximately 400kms from the capital Kampala), is divided into six counties, of which Rukiga is one. Rukiga itself is divided into four sub-counties of which Bukinda is one. You will be staying within the Bukinda sub-county in the parish of Nyakasiru! Please note that this is a very rural area and as such more suitable for more adventurous, hardy travellers.

The main road running through Bukinda takes you directly to Kabale town (population 40,000) which is approximately 45 minutes drive away. Kabale is one of the largest towns in western Uganda, and the starting point for the mountain gorilla tours.

Please book your flight to arrive into Entebbe International airport in Kampala (airport code EBB) on the advertised arrival date to ensure your airport pickup. You'll be picked up from the airport and taken to Kabale for your orientation. You will then be taken to Nyakasiru to start your project. These transport costs are included in your project fee but you will need to make arrangements for your return journey.

This project is ideal for:

Someone who appreciates and enjoys relatively simple conditions. You are in a pretty remote village, in basic rooms and with squat toilets that are located outside the main building. On the other hand, Teach Inn has solar power and a nice gas-powered kitchen area. All is beautifully painted, so the environment is very cozy and enjoyable.

You should like self-catering. This gives you a chance to eat the food you like and helps build teams.

A lover of nature and outdoor activities. There are fantastic hiking opportunities available, and the views are breathtaking!

Someone who likes peace. The silence can be astonishing!

Attention: This is not your typical hot tropical Africa. A sweater and a rain coat are essential - but when it is sunny it is spectacular and pleasantly warm.

Project Log

What exactly do i-to-i provide?

It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you for the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.

Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….

Project sourcing and assessment

We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More

Expert help-desk

Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.

Thorough project briefing materials

Once you book on to a project you'll receive a Welcome Pack that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and project, and a DVD about how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.

TEFL training

If you are volunteering on a Teaching or Community Development project then a 40-hour Online TEFL course is included in your placement fee. This is an internationally recognised and accredited certificate that will help you to make the most of your time overseas. More

Airport pickup

It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time… especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.

Arrival orientation

Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!

Accommodation and meals

Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More

Local in-country coordinators

Your in-country coordinator (ICC) will pick you up from the airport and conduct your orientation upon arrival. All ICC's are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More

24/7 emergency support

Aside from the local support from your in-country coordinators you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by i-to-i staff in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals Docleaf to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More

Ongoing training

The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. At the end of 2006 we flew all our in-country coordinators to the UK for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More

Supporting our projects

We don't fund our projects directly, but once a year they are all invited to apply for funding for special projects or resources from our registered charity arm, the i-to-i Foundation. i-to-i funds the operation of the i-to-i Foundation and is the largest single donor. Along with the generous support of our volunteers, we have distributed over US$200,000 in funding in the last two years alone! More  

Recruiting people like you

We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.

The intangible benefits

Volunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here

What we will do after you've booked:

• Once booked on you will instantly receive a welcome email confirming your booking with access to your online account
• We will send a Welcome Pack in the post containing further information and a t-shirt, the information in this pack should answer most things you need to know
• Community Development and Teaching customers will receive an email introducing them to their Online TEFL course
• Community Development and Teaching customers will be requested to complete a police check (where relevant) or send through a reference
• We will contact you if we require anything else e.g. CV/resume for some projects, doctors note for medical conditions etc.
• We will hound you to complete your forms and pay your final balance when they are due
• We are available for any questions you may have on 800 352 1794 or operations@i-to-i.com
• We will prepare for your trip and send you an email with final project and accommodation confirmation 21 days before you go

What you need to do after booking your place with us:

• Book your flights
• Arrange suitable travel insurance
• Fill out some extra details through our online interface:
  • application from
  • travel details
  • insurance details
  • medical information
  • emergency contacts
• Complete your police check or request your reference (where relevant)
• Do your Online TEFL Course (where relevant)
• Make final payment at least 60 days before you go
• Make sure you have a visa for your trip if its needed
• Visit a nurse or travel clinic for advice on inoculations and malaria prevention
• Read all details and prepare as much as you can for your trip
• Take contact details of the in country team and where you're going in your hand luggage - just in case!
• Get on the plane!

Orientation Information

We aim to provide you with a safe and soft landing into your destination by picking you up from the airport, giving you an orientation that helps to settle you into the country as quickly as possible. It's also the best time to ask any questions you have about your time in Uganda. You will arrive on the Arrival Date - Monday and will be met at the airport on that day (whether it is 12 in the morning or 11:59 at night). You will be taken to the New City Annex (see contact details below) where you will have the first day/night to recover from your flight.

The hotel has a good and inexpensive restaurant, and there are loads of other eating options around. An internet cafe is just some metres away. Plus two supermarkets. Across the road is the national theatre and the main craft centre, followed by the parliament of Uganda. Some ten walking minutes away is Garden City, a shopping mall with a great bookshop (Aristoc), a cinema and everything else.

On the Tuesday you will travel to Kabale from Kampala on public bus - this can take between 7 and 9 hours. On the Tuesday night you will stay at the Museum Hotel (see contact details below).

Your orientation will be held on the Wednesday and will cover a tour of the town and the cultural museum, basic language as well as how to stay healthy and safe. You will then transfer to and start working on your project on the Thursday. From here on in you will spend your time with the project but the in-country team are there if you need them.

Insurance

It's important that you get adequate travel insurance for your i-to-i experience and as many of you will be working this often means standard policies won’t work. The good news is that no matter where your coming from we have already found a policy to suit you.

The best time to get your insurance is when you book your project as this means you can get a fully tailored policy exclusive to i-to-i, just ask your consultant for further details at the time of booking.

If you have already booked but still need insurance then you may still be able to take our tailored policy. If, however it was more than a few days ago then try the links below:

Australian customers - find out more here >>

All other customers - find out more here >>

Flights

As with insurance we advise you get these booked as early as possible to avoid high prices and to make sure you arrive on the right day. The i-to-i team is right up to date with the best deals no matter where you’re flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.

Suggested Trips

• Gorilla trekking
• Canoe trekking on Lake Bunyonyi
• Safari into Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Visit to Kigali, Rwanda