i-to-iCommunity work with Children in Kampala, Uganda
Want to help children take advantage of a bright future?
In this city that never sleeps the atmosphere is busy, loud and exciting; crowds of people create a riot of noise and colour outshone only by the golden sun and deep blue sky. This excitement marks the rebirth of Uganda after Idi Amin and now the task is to make sure everyone can share in the opportunities afforded by political stability. Our partner projects in Kampala help orphaned and disadvantaged children through the provision of basic education. You can put your TEFL certification to good use in formal classes and more relaxed reading sessions, both of which help to instil in them a love of books. Outside of the classroom you will take part in extra-curricular activities like sport and dancing (and we’re sure they’ll get you to help them with their homework too)!
Fast Facts
Project Information
- Project Duration: Min 4 weeks - Max 12 weeks
- Project Costs: US$ 1490.00 for 4 weeks, US$ 250.00 for every week thereafter
- Location of project:Kampala
- Arrival Airport:Entebbe (airport code EBB)
- Activities:Providing general care and assistance in looking after the children. This will involve playing games, teaching English & basic life skills
- Working Hours:Flexible; Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm with up to 4 hours of teaching, all other time is free
- Getting to the project:Dependent on location; 40 minutes to 1 hour taxi ride (budget approximately US$25 per week)
- Requirements:Minimum age 18
What's Included
- Accommodation:Shared dormitory room in hostel
- Food:Breakfast and dinner
- Airport Pickup:Included on arrival date. Ask us for details if you're arriving early!
- Training:In-country orientation and Online TEFL course
- Support:Pre-departure helpdesk, Local in-country team and 24hr emergency support
What's not included
- Flights, Insurance, Visas, Return Airport transfer, Local Transport, Food (lunch not provided)
Project details:
In Kampala i-to-i work with projects started to help children in the community who were dropping out of school due to poverty or after being orphaned or abandoned by young mothers. One of the key areas of activity is therefore to help disadvantaged children through the provision of basic education and to eliminate potential barriers to education leading to primary school drop out.
One of the projects also assists the local community to become economically sustainable through training in vocational skills. To this end the centre provides tools and trainers to run workshops and assists the community in starting simple income-generating projects such as vegetable-growing and craft-making.
Why the project needs volunteers:
With very little funding these children's centres cannot afford to hire new carers / teachers or purchase resources. The support of volunteers is critical in order to continue providing support and the most basic of education to the children so that they can carry on into further education, giving them the chance for a better future.
What kind of skills you need to go on this type of project:
As a volunteer at one of these projects you will need to have a genuine love of children; remember that the children may come from difficult backgrounds and you will need to show patience and understanding and be able to act as a role model. Your resources will be very limited so you will need to show imagination and creativity to get the most out of your time. Please budget for supplies such as reading materials and play materials which you may wish to purchase in Kampala.
No prior experience of teaching English is needed, a 40 hour online TEFL course is included with this project to give you the necessary skills required to effectively teach English. You will also need to be flexible and willing to throw yourself into extra-curricular activities with the children.
Your role as a volunteer:
At this project you could get involved with any aspects of teaching, either assisting or taking classes. Teaching English will include more formal English teaching in classes and teaching the children to read story books to instill the culture of reading in them. Outside of the classes you will take part in extra-curricular activities such as arts and crafts, sports, singing, dance and games. You could also help the children with their homework. Depending on where you are based, you may help with sustainability projects e.g. helping the children make bricks to sell, or you could help with the administration of the centre.
Where the project is based:
This projects are based in the outskirts of Kampala. As the location of the project itself is remote you will be staying in shared hostel accommodation in one of the busiest suburbs of Kampala, traveling to and from the children's centre approximately 40 - 60 minutes each way by taxi and buda buda (cost is about US$2.50 per journey). The hostel mainly houses university students and visiting researchers.
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.
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
You will arrive on the Arrival Date - Saturday 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 Uganda Wildlife Education Centre Hostel (see contact details below) where you will have the first day/night to recover from your flight. The hotel has a restaurant and an internet nearby so that you can write home if you need to. It is also located within a zoo and is close to shops if you wish to have a wander - just ask at reception for directions.
Note: If you're arriving early we can arrange a meet and greet for you. If you require this please contact us to arrange this service. If you wish to make your own way please arrange to be at the address below on the arrival date:
Uganda Wildlife Education Centre Lugard avenue Entebbe Uganda +256 41 320 520 or +256 77 2471 052 www.uweczoo.orgYour orientation will take place the next morning (Sunday) and will introduce you to life in Kampala as well as important information about staying healthy and safe. You will then transfer to your permanent accommodation on Sunday afternoon. The transfer will be arranged for you by the team; transfers should take about 1 hour. Monday will be the first day that you start working as a volunteer. From here on in you will spend your time with the project but the in-country team are there if you need them.
At the end of your project time you will need to make your own onwards arrangements. A taxi journey from Kampala back to the airport will cost approximately US$30.
Insurance
It's important that you get adequate travel insurance for your i-to-i experience and as many of you will be working this often means standard policies won’t work. The good news is that no matter where your coming from we have already found a policy to suit you.
The best time to get your insurance is when you book your project as this means you can get a fully tailored policy exclusive to i-to-i, just ask your consultant for further details at the time of booking.
If you have already booked but still need insurance then you may still be able to take our tailored policy. If, however it was more than a few days ago then try the links below:
Australian customers - find out more here >>
All other customers - find out more here >>
Flights
As with insurance we advise you get these booked as early as possible to avoid high prices and to make sure you arrive on the right day. The i-to-i team is right up to date with the best deals no matter where you’re flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.
Early Airport Pick-up
If you are arriving before your designated arrival date, we can arrange for an extra meet and greet service for you. For an extra supplement we will be there to meet you at the airport and take you to your orientation accommodation. One additional night accommodation is included in this payment; if you require more than one night please inform the team.
The cost of this Early Pick-up service is US$ 45.00
Uganda
A little bit of history…
It is thought that the first human inhabitants of Uganda were hunter gathers and many now believe that the pygmies who now reside in the west of the country are their direct descendents. In around 500AD these native peoples were joined by settlers from central and western Africa who took control of the south. Not long after another group of settlers moved down from the north. These three peoples built up various kingdoms which in years to come would struggle for control of the country, resulting in the eventual dominance of the Buganda who were descended from the African settlers of the south.
Uganda remained largely unnoticed until the mid-nineteenth century when European settlers arrived in search of slaves and ivory. In 1890 Uganda became a British protectorate. The British adopted a policy of indirect rule which would give Uganda's traditional kingdoms significant power over the future of the country. However, extreme bias was present in the selection of the civil service with the dominant Bugandan tribes taking pride of place and even receiving significant financial or territorial rewards. The remaining tribes were forced to find other avenues to gain influence and the military became dominated by such people. It was this uneven distribution of power early in the British occupation that led to the civil disputes that would near-destroy Uganda when it regained independence in 1962.
Though the country was initially led by the kabaka (the Bugandan king), control was soon seized by the prime minister, Milton Obote. He abolished the Bugandan monarchy, removed the president and the vice president and suspended the constitution. Obote was ousted by his own military commander, Idi Amin Dada, in 1969 and thus began an era of violence and bloodshed that would never be forgotten. Amin exiled Uganda's Asian population, giving them just 90 days to leave the country and introduced a strict regime to maintain control (including giving the army the freedom to shoot on sight anyone that opposed the regime). It is estimated that over 300,000 people died during Amin's rule.
Yet the devastating loss of life was not the only way that the country suffered under Amin's rule. The economy collapsed, the infrastructure withered and the wildlife was irrevocably destroyed by a vast army that needed to be fed. In 1978 Amin invaded Tanzania and in 1979 they responded with a solid counterattack which saw them taking control of the capital. Amin was forced into exile and Uganda was finally free of his tyrannous rule, but this was not the end of the country's strife. The 12,000 soldiers that remained in Uganda to help restore order instead turned upon the local people, causing even more devastation.
Obote returned to Uganda from his exile in Tanzania and was voted back into power but he was soon discovered to be as corrupt as his predecessor. His own followers began seeping into positions of power, especially in the north and before long the world was hearing of the atrocities performed there. Mass graves were discovered and in 1985 he was displaced by Tito Okello and his army.
Meanwhile a guerrilla army led by Yoweri Museveni was building in the west. By the time Okello came to power the army had taken control of a significant portion of western Uganda, and had grown from a mere 27 people to over 20,000. They called themselves the National Resistance Army (NRA) and were destined to cause much trouble for Okello's government. In 1986 the NRA seized the capital. Museveni took control of the country and proved to be both popular with the people and an effective leader. He has been voted back into power four times since his original takeover, though his final re-election was overshadowed by his opponents arrest under charges of treason and rape.
Civil unrest has continued throughout Museveni's rule from the Christian rebel group the Lords' Resistance Army (LRA) and the remains of Amin's followers in the form of the West Nile Bank Front. On top of this AIDS levels have increased significantly, making Uganda one of the worst effected countries in the world. Uganda now boasts one of the fasted growing economies in Africa but it still has a long way to go.
Best time to go…
Uganda has a tropical climate. The hottest months run from December through to February with temperatures reaching as high as 29°c. The rainy seasons span from April to May and October to November and are somewhat less appealing times to travel. Up on the mountains it's much cooler because of the high altitude and snow is common. The best times to visit are between December and March or June and September, when it is predominantly dry.
Getting around…
Though the country's leading airline (Uganda Airlines) does not offer any internal flights, there are a number available from smaller airlines but this can prove to be expensive. If you do want to travel by air you should consider travelling with Eagle Air or Unite Airlines, both of which offer a range of internal flights to locations around the country.
If you're looking for a less expensive option then you should consider shared mini buses (taxis) which operate a fixed rate policy and leave once all seats are filled. If you are in a hurry or want a little extra space you can pay the driver for any empty seats. Buses are also great for budget travellers and will take you to most major cities. Other routes are available but they run much less regularly so you will need to plan in advance.
Uganda's roads are generally in good condition but if you're travelling to more rural locations you will probably need a 4x4. Rental agencies can be found in all major towns. You will need an international drivers licence.
Useful links
http://www.lonelyplanet.com
Lonely Planet are leaders in the travel guide sector and their website is a great source of travel information.
http://www.fco.gov.uk
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's website provides up-to-date political news, travel advice and information on visas
http://www.visituganda.com/
The official tourism site for Uganda.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1069166.stm
The BBC profile of Uganda with links to relevant news stories.
http://www.myuganda.co.ug/
Heaps of useful information about Uganda.
http://www.africaguide.com/country/uganda/
Information, photographs and tips - what more do you need!
It's great that you want to be part of this project.
Being part of an i-to-i project is a totally unique experience. You’ll join a global network of volunteers working side-by-side with local people and experience things that you’ve never dreamed of.
Be Part of this or any project and help us reach our goal of 400yrs combined volunteering!
Learn more about our goal Learn more about this projectWe work in partnership with hundreds of established projects that are run by local communities. The information on our website comes directly from the projects and we work with them to ensure this information is as accurate as possible. However, due to the very nature of the projects themselves the exact details of what happens on a daily basis can change with little or no notice. If you have travelled with us and have any updates to this information, please let us know.
