Visiting Uganda as a Volunteer
Are you planning to visit Uganda as a volunteer? Uganda is one of the destinations that you can choose to visit as a Volunteer. The country (Uganda) is located in the East African region on the African continent. Uganda is one of the destinations in Africa that anyone is planning to visit in Africa as a volunteer.
Pros and cons for the travelers visiting Uganda as a volunteer
While planning to visit Uganda as a volunteer there are the pros and cons that travelers need to know and these include;
Pros
Immerse in the culture of the area. As you plan to visit Uganda as a volunteer, you must immerse in their culture to know their way of life so that you can meet their standards of life.
The purpose of the volunteer should also be stated clearly for the natives of the area to make a meaningful impact in the day-to-day life of the community.
The communities in Uganda are welcoming and also friendly people which will offer you comfort while on volunteering activities in Uganda.
Beautiful landscapes and abundant wildlife that the volunteers can engage in during the visit to Uganda as volunteers.
The affordable cost of living in Uganda for the volunteers during their visit to Uganda. During the visit, the meals, and accommodation are usually cost-friendly to the volunteers.
Cons
Limited infrastructures like roads that connect to different areas of the country connect to different parts of the country which are in a poor state.
Language barriers in the country as some people in the country don’t know the native languages and also the natives do not know the foreign languages.
Requirements for a traveler visiting Uganda as a volunteer
During the visit to Uganda as a volunteer, you are required to have the following requirements.
The traveler is required to have travel insurance that will cater to the risks and uncertainties during the volunteering.
Vaccination cards for yellow fever, malaria, COVID-19, and many other tropical diseases are also required.
The visa indicates the period of stay for the volunteering.
Academic qualifications indicating the volunteering work you are going to do.
Criminal background of the area or the organization that you are coming from.
The volunteer must be aged between 18 to 40 years and also flexible and fit for the dynamic environment.
For how long can I volunteer in Uganda?
Visiting Uganda as a volunteer requires one to state the period which one is to spend in Uganda. Usually, travelers are required to spend 14 days to one year while doing the volunteering work. This period should be stated as you are applying for a Visa for one planning to come to Uganda.
Which Professions are needed as volunteers in Uganda?
Volunteers to Uganda have several professionals that can engage in and these include;
Medical volunteering
Medical volunteering is a profession in which volunteers engage in the health sector of Uganda where these volunteers work alongside the workers of this sector. They work in clinics, hospitals, dispensaries, and many others. Additionally, one must be enrolled with the medical qualifications to indicate the volunteering activity that is doing is professional. Medical volunteers assist in administering vaccinations, conducting health checks, taking records of the patients, and many other activities. During the medical volunteering, you will also engage with the community to create health awareness in the community.
Sports
Uganda is a place where you can meet different sports and that which are at the international engagement. The volunteers who are interested in sports usually engage in football, volleyball, rugby, and many others. These volunteers usually guide the engagement of the youth and other young generations in empowering them to engage in these activities. This sports coaching helps the volunteers to engage in the culture of the community since they have more time with the local people. The major benefits this volunteering are the empowerment of the volunteers, connecting with people, experience, and also having a well-being and enjoyable career.
Volunteer works in homes of persons with disabilities
Most of the homes of the disabled in Uganda largely depend on the volunteers to run their daily activities and there are several works that the travelers engage in. These disabled people in Uganda usually face challenges of getting isolated and also lack access to basic resources. Volunteers usually provide support to such people by rehabilitating them to have thought for life and also offering them the basic needs required for better lives.
Volunteer in women’s empowerment groups
The organizations empowering women in Uganda are quite in number and enable women and girls. These volunteers engage in the training of the women and girls in vocational skills. The empowerment of women and girls helps to break the poverty and inequality. These organizations aid in teaching skills, and hygiene and also provide mentorship to women and many others.
Volunteering in wildlife conservation areas
There are numerous wildlife conservation areas where volunteers can engage in. The activities that engage in include; conservation, research, animal care, and many others. The major opportunities that travelers are wildlife conservation, wildlife rehabilitation, and community-based conservation. Usually, the participants in this Uganda wildlife volunteering should be flexible and fit, hardworking, and ready to work.
Volunteering in environment conservation
Environmental conservation is the key to the well-being of the environment and its surroundings. Usually, the volunteers engage. The volunteers usually engage the sustainable practices for the environment. The sustainable practices include reforestation practices, agricultural practices, marine practices, and gender-based projects. While on a visit to Uganda as a volunteer, you are required to know English since it is a widely spoken language in Uganda. The other language is Kiswahili and then the travelers on a volunteering career are recommended to plan accordingly.
