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Uganda is located in south-east Africa. It is bordered in the north by South Sudan, in the east by Kenya, in the south by Tanzania and Rwanda and in the west by the Democratic Republic of Congo. Uganda is home to almost 33 million people. Cooperating Volunteers’ volunteer programs in Uganda are held in various locations around the country. The capital city of Uganda is Kampala, and the official language is English.
The country of Uganda straddles the equator, and like many tropical countries, it experiences a high amount of rainfall. However, its temperatures are moderate due to its location on a plateau, which is on average 900 meters above sea level. Throughout the year, thermometer readings typically range from 16 to 25 degrees Celsius. In higher mountain areas, temperatures are much lower. Volunteers planning to work in Uganda will notice that the country has two distinct seasons. The dry seasons occur from December to February and from June to September, while the wet seasons are from April to May and from October to November.
Uganda is typically in the East Africa Time (EAT) zone, which is UTC+3, and it does not observe Daylight Saving Time, maintaining a consistent time throughout the year.
The official currency in Uganda is the Ugandan shilling. 1 Ugandan shilling equates to 0.0002 euros.
Our volunteer programs are located in the town of Fort Portal.
The stay begins as soon as the volunteer is picked up at the destination.
The meals included in the project/destination will be provided at the accommodation. Meals will not be included for the journeys to the destination, the excursions undertaken by volunteers, etc.
The stipulated pick-up times for each destination/project must be respected. Volunteers who arrive outside of this time frame will have to pay an additional cost.
Our volunteer programs are located in the town of Fort Portal.
COSTS
REQUIREMENTS:
Volunteers need to make their way to Entebbe International Airport (airport code EBB), where they will be picked up by locally-based staff and then transferred to their accommodation.
The processing of the visa for Uganda should be done through the Ugandan consulate or embassy in your country. Alternatively, it can be processed online at the following link: https://visas.immigration.go.ug/
Just like in many other African countries, ugali is one of the most widely enjoyed dishes in Uganda. It is a type of maize flour porridge that is served with many other ingredients, such as meat or vegetables. Other typical Ugandan dishes include ‘matoke’, which is a sort of banana-based purée; and ‘luwombo’, which is a meat and vegetable stew.
The simplest way of getting around Uganda is by using land-based transport. Its road network is extensive, with public transport connecting the majority of cities. Buses are the cheapest way of getting from one place to another, although taxis can also be used for short distances. If you’re seeking greater comfort and independence, you could also rent a van to get around. However, you’ll need to hold an international driving license to do this. If you want to visit one of the islands found within Lake Victoria, there is a regular ferry service that connects Entebe with the Ssese Islands, and another that connects them with Bukakata. Each leg of the journey lasts around 3 hours, meaning you can easily go there and back in the same day. It is possible to walk from the accommodation to the project site in 15-30 minutes. Alternatively, volunteers could opt to get around on “boda boda”: cheap 2-3 person motorbikes that are great for short journeys.
From Monday to Friday, the volunteers can walk from the volunteer house to the project site. By foot, it will take them between 10 and 40 minutes to arrive at the site, depending on its location. Fort Portal is a small city in which the local people get around by foot. Volunteers could also get around by “boda boda” motorbikes, if they are looking for a quicker form of transport. If travelling by “boda bodas”, volunteers can get from their accommodation to the project site in 2-5 minutes, at a rough cost of €1.50 per day.
Volunteer programs in Uganda start every Friday.
Volunteers must arrive in Uganda on the Friday of their arrival date to be picked up at the airport. Volunteers can arrive on the pickup day before 3:00 PM and will be collected by the Cooperating Volunteers team. Meals are not included in Entebbe.
Alternatively, volunteers can arrive on a Thursday and spend the night at one of the hostels where our volunteers stay.
Volunteers can participate in the volunteer program for a minimum of 1 week and a maximum of 6 months.
| 2024 Friday | |
| January 12 & 26 | July 5 & 12 & 19 & 26 |
| February 09 & 23 | August 02 & 09 & 16 & 23 & 30 |
| March 08 & 22 | September 06 & 120 |
| April 05 & 19 | October 04 & 18 |
| May 03 & 17 & 31 | November 1 & 15 & 29 |
| June 14 & 28 | December 13 & 27 |
| 2025 Friday | |
| January 10 & 24 | July every Friday |
| February 07 & 21 | August every Friday |
| March 07 & 21 | September 05 & 19 |
| April 07 & 18 | October 03 & 17 & 31 |
| May 02 & 16 & 30 | November 14 & 28 |
| June 13 & 27 | December 12 & 26 |
Volunteers who come to participate in a program in Uganda can spend their free time visiting the various wonders of this country. Uganda is home to many rivers, where you can go rafting, canoeing or sailing. The country also has several huge lakes, such as Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Edward and Lake Kyoga. A large part of Ugandan territory is savannah, offering visitors spectacular landscapes and the chance to go on a safari tour. As far as city-based tourism is concerned, volunteers can spend their afternoons visiting Kampala and its various museums, as well as the various monuments distributed around the city.
The project aims to prepare young individuals to become social leaders. Volunteers will reside in a multicultural setting, collaborate in teams on tasks or institutional projects, support beneficiaries in their daily routines or through workshops, and assist with the requirements of the centers and homes.
Social Inclusion of children, young people and grandparents in situations of social risk.
Attention to Centers and Homes for the protection and restitution of rights of socially vulnerable children, adolescents and older adults.
The volunteers committed to the project will work alongside the community, involving different actors in society and allowing the full fulfillment of the rights of all people.
Volunteers in this program participate in an orphanage, foster home, daycare, or orphan school. Uganda has over 2.3 million orphans, more than any other nation in the world today. Many children are found abandoned in garbage bins, latrines, taxi stations, or even left by the roadside. The children in these centers range from newborns to approximately six years old. Many are orphans, others have relatives who are unable to care for them, or they come from families who must work to support the family and have no time to care for them. We are dedicated to providing these children with love, security, medical care, and education.
In Uganda, due to circumstances and limited opportunities, many children require caregivers for their cognitive, socio-emotional, and physical development. Therefore, the team dedicated to caring for these children is aware that the more help they have, the better the individualized attention they can provide, thus allowing for greater personal development.
In the shelters or foster homes, volunteers work by assisting in recreational activities such as painting, outdoor games, and dancing; sports activities like baseball, role-playing games, and soccer; household chores such as making beds, maintaining common areas, and general cleaning; caring for farm animals by feeding chickens, collecting eggs, caring for rabbits and pigs; food preparation including matoke (mashed plantains), tortilla wrapped in unleavened bread, posho (cornmeal balls), and much more!
The objective of volunteer work is to support staff in center development tasks, child care, and attention. Orphanage caregivers have many tasks, not only caring for the children but also maintaining and preparing meals, leaving them with little time for exclusive attention. Therefore, the volunteer’s work with each child is important: organizing games, paying attention to them, trying to teach them English and other basic subjects as they may never attend school, keeping track of them, or assisting with daily tasks at the center.
Volunteers participating in orphan schools engage in activities with children related to games, teaching English, or sports activities. It’s a highly positive international volunteering experience and cultural exchange for both parties. Volunteers will enjoy and share great moments with between 20-40 children, each with their wonderful personality, character, and family history.
Example of an orphanage in Uganda: The orphanage in Fort Portal is currently home to around 40 children, with only 3 adults looking after them. The orphanage relies entirely on volunteers to help set up the necessary operating structures to ensure that the home can continue to support the many vulnerable lives that depend on it for everything. The volunteer’s activities include looking after the children, teaching them, playing with them, interacting with them via music, teaching them about basic hygiene and feeding them. This is just one of the many orphanages with which we collaborate, and not necessarily the orphanage to which the volunteer will be assigned.
This volunteer program takes place in primary schools. Many Ugandan families do not allow their children to play with other kids, thus hindering their future and talent development, which violates children’s rights. The sports volunteer program offers a range of activities for children to participate in.
Different activities such as football, volleyball, and basketball can be organized in regular schools. It’s a great way to build a child’s team spirit and confidence in matches organized with other local teams.
The schedule may vary as physical education classes in different grades leave gaps in between. Therefore, volunteers participating in this project are also involved in the teaching volunteer program related to other subjects. Remember, this project requires more initiative than others; you’ll need to come prepared with ideas for activities to do with the children in the area and, if possible, bring useful items with you (one or two balls, football boots you no longer use, etc.).
Activities in the sports volunteer program include instruction and teaching of other subjects such as English, mathematics, sciences, and physical education.
This project is carried out by the NGO VOLCOP.
Volcop Uganda is a registered community organization located in Kyamukerege, Nyabukara village, West Parish, Kabarole District Division.
Volcop has established a system of responsibilities among families. Assisting a family doesn’t merely mean “giving”; it implies a commitment from each family member to pursue learning for self-managed provisioning.
The system is a self-sustaining process, utilizing a method of systems control where the outcomes of a task or activity are fed back into the system to control and optimize its behavior.
This feedback is applicable to nearly any process involving similar mechanics of adjustment and self-regulation. The projects are developed thanks to the work of the 70 families collaborating with Volcop.
Each project has its respective delegates, who are responsible for monitoring, controlling, and planning each program. These delegates (family members) are supervised by the Volcop Team, which sets the project direction and provides tools for program participants to grow within it.
This system is built on two key pillars: Education (Youth and Adults) and Work (Employment Development).
The Toro Botanical Garden is a specialized center dedicated to the cultivation and maintenance of living plant collections from the Albertine region. Its primary aim is to promote biodiversity conservation for scientific research, education, agriculture, and aesthetic purposes, with a focus on fostering a sustainable relationship between people and nature.
Its objectives revolve around increasing the adoption of improved biodiversity conservation practices by communities and local authorities, as well as the collection, documentation, and maintenance of native species.
Within its 100 hectares, one can participate in various projects:
Minimum stay duration: 1 week
IMPORTANT: Participants are advised to bring gardening gloves for the program.
In this program, you will have the unique opportunity to work closely with one of the few organizations in Uganda, led by two local experts specialized in psychology. This organization prioritizes mental health, focusing on prevention and intervention, allowing you to train, assist, and immerse yourself in the culture of various local communities.
As a part of this program, you’ll join the team and engage in efforts to raise awareness within the population, aiming for prevention. You will participate in informational and educational talks at various schools and institutions. Furthermore, advancing beyond prevention, Fort Healthy Mind Initiatives progresses to an intervention level by offering both individual and group psychological sessions, which you’ll be actively involved in. Additionally, you’ll learn diagnostic techniques such as Screening, which you can later apply in schools or use to conduct population studies.
In essence, collaborating with Fort Healthy Mind Initiatives not only allows you to help and delve into Uganda’s culture, learning about its values, beliefs, and characteristic trends, but also offers you the opportunity to receive training in the crucial field of Mental Health today.
Having extensive knowledge about mental health is not a requirement, but a strong interest in this field is crucial. The minimum age requirement for participation in this program is 20 years.
In Uganda, volunteers participating in the teaching volunteer program will be placed in nurseries and primary schools with students aged 4-17 years old. They will be responsible for teaching subjects, including English, and no teaching experience is required. Working in the teaching volunteer program within a Ugandan community is a unique experience. The education system in Uganda is primarily operated by private schools, with tuition fees similar to those in the country’s few public schools. Despite leading challenging lives, the local children are consistently cheerful and friendly. They are eager to learn and have a genuine interest in getting to know the volunteers and their backgrounds. You will quickly notice that the children are polite, amicable, and well-behaved. Volunteers are typically expected to teach a range of subjects, including English, math, science, social sciences, art, and physical education. In this volunteer program, school hours are from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Your involvement in their education will have a far-reaching impact beyond simply bringing smiles to their faces. This program is designed to create a lasting and positive future for each child, their family, and the broader Ugandan society. Ugandan schools follow a three-term schedule, although the specific dates of these terms may vary from year to year. Typically, the terms are distributed as follows: First term – January to March; second term – May to July; third term – September to November. There are short mid-term breaks in April, August, and December, during which volunteers have the opportunity to take some time off, travel, participate in tourist activities like safaris, provide private tutoring (individual classes during the school holidays, especially for students facing the most difficulties), or join another program. For instance, volunteers could assist by teaching in orphanages, participating in organized revision classes, or engaging in tasks such as maintenance, painting, or decorating the school, among other activities. Volunteers do not need to be qualified teachers or have teaching experience; they simply need an open mind. The goal of this volunteer program is to contribute to the academic development of the school, providing orphans with the opportunity to receive a high-quality education. Volunteers will support local teachers and encourage students to learn and play, always fostering a positive and conducive atmosphere for studying and learning.
Example of the teaching volunteer program in Uganda:
Mucubo Nursery School. This school has more than 300 children aged between 4 and 17 years old. Some children walk more than 4 hours every day (to and from school), just for the opportunity to receive an education. However, there’s just a limited number of teachers for these children. (Note: This is just one of the many schools on our volunteer program, and isn’t necessarily the school to which the volunteer will be assigned.)
IMPORTANT:
The teaching volunteer program will remain closed from 26 April to 18 May, from 9 August to 7 September and from 6 December to 1 February.
NOTE:
During the school holidays, the volunteers will participate in organised revision classes or teach the children in the orphanage.
Cooperating Volunteers’ medical volunteer program in Uganda covers various professional medical fields, providing students with valuable experience in the different medical branches practiced in hospitals.
The objective of this volunteer program is for participants to engage in the day-to-day activities of a hospital or medical center, allowing them to learn about African medicine. The specific tasks assigned to volunteers may vary, depending largely on their experience and skill level. However, for a successful experience, it’s crucial for volunteers to adapt to the organizational structure and work pace of Uganda. In this volunteer program, participants will be expected to assist in the operation of a local health center. Here, they will help address some of the most common health issues in Uganda, providing support to local doctors and nurses at all times. For example, if you are a nursing or medical student or possess specific medical skills, you can assist in patient care, diagnostics, injections, and wound treatments. If you are a midwife or gynecologist, you can work in the maternity ward and contribute to prenatal care. Those with academic training in public health can also participate by assisting staff in recording injections or vaccines, prescribing medications and supplies, and delivering educational seminars on nursing, nutrition, or other topics related to community healthcare. To participate in the medical volunteer program, volunteers must possess proper training or qualifications in their relevant medical field. Therefore, volunteers are requested to provide a copy of their qualifications and the relevant academic certificate to the local program staff in Uganda upon their arrival at the site.
NOTE: the medical volunteer program has an additional cost of €150. This money will go towards the running of the hospital.
IMPORTANT: Volunteers working in the medical volunteering program should bring work attire (scrubs), suitable footwear, and materials commonly used in the healthcare field.
The Medical Volunteer Program carried out by volunteers who have not completed their training and/or are not members of the corresponding Professional College and/or those who do not have Professional Liability Insurance providing coverage for activities at the destination, will involve providing care and assistance under the supervision and direction of a Healthcare Professional who meets the aforementioned requirements. Their role in the Medical Volunteer Program consists of assisting and supporting Healthcare Professional staff.
Example of the medical volunteer program in Uganda: The Regional Hospital of Fort Portal is situated in a rural village in Fort Portal, within the Kabarole district, approximately 300 kilometers west of Kampala. This hospital serves as the primary government medical facility in the region and provides healthcare services to thousands of residents in the districts of Kabarole, Kasese, Bundibugyo, Kibale, Kyenjonjo, Mbarara, and Ibanda. (Please note that this is just one of the several hospitals and health centers available in our volunteer program, and it may not necessarily be the hospital to which the volunteer will be assigned.)
REQUIREMENTS: Academic or professional certificate.
Volunteers in community construction projects engage in manual work alongside both skilled and unskilled local laborers to support various construction tasks. Their work includes renovating homes, building schools, expanding facilities, constructing water wells, building roads, and carrying out other renovation activities. No prior experience is required for volunteers, though skilled workers play a crucial role. This program is hands-on, and volunteers typically end their day with dirty hands.
Enthusiasm, a good sense of humor, and a willingness to help are essential. Volunteer activities in these projects encompass building, renovation, painting, digging water channels, and refurbishing sports fields.
Example of the construction volunteer program in Uganda: Building kitchens and latrines for families affected by HIV in the Kyamkerege community. (Note: This is just one of the many villages in which we operate, and isn’t necessarily the one in which you will be based as a volunteer).
IMPORTANT: The construction program has an extra cost of €80 per week for materials. Volunteers should bring clothes that are suitable for working on construction tasks in addition to a pair of protective gloves.
Volunteers are accommodated in our volunteer houses, where they live with the rest of the volunteers and local staff who are responsible for preparing three daily meals and handling domestic chores, although volunteers are also encouraged to participate in some of these tasks. The rooms are shared by gender, and bed linens and sheets are changed weekly. Each bed is equipped with a mosquito net. For relaxation after volunteering hours, there is electricity and hot water (although there may be occasional brief interruptions in electricity or water supply).
The cuisine in Uganda is very tasty, healthy, and offers a wide variety of dishes. Breakfast consists of sliced bread that can be spread with butter, jams, and honey. At noon, the cook prepares a blend of local and Western cuisine, such as rice with peanut sauce, pasta with meat, beans with “chapati” dough, guacamole, and a wide variety of traditional sauces and vegetables from the region. Dinner is the main meal, typically served between 7 and 8 in the evening, and different containers with various dishes are provided so that each volunteer can serve themselves what they prefer in the quantity they desire. If volunteers wish to dine out, there are several restaurants and cafes to suit all tastes and budgets. We kindly request that volunteers with special dietary needs (vegetarians, vegans, specific food intolerances) inform us as soon as possible so that we can prepare an appropriate diet in advance. However, it’s worth noting that this is a volunteer program in an African country, and the cuisine there will not be the same as what is typically consumed at home, although we will certainly make every effort to ensure that volunteers feel well cared for. Water is included in the program fee.
If the volunteer suffers from any type of allergy or lactose intolerance, it is recommended to bring a substitute (oat milk, soy milk, etc.) due to the difficulty of finding these in Africa.
The total cost of the volunteer program is divided into 2 parts. The registration fee, which is paid to book your placement in the program, costs 210 euros, and the program fee will be paid at a later date.
The total cost of the volunteering program is broken down into 2 parts: The registration fee paid to reserve the spot (210€) and separately the program fee paid later (in euros).
Programs in Fort Portal – Uganda
300€ for the first week
280€ for each additional week
*** The construction program has an additional cost of 80 € per week for materials.
*** The medical program has an additional total cost of 150 € for the hospital permit. Regardless of the number of weeks.
Visa, flights, travel insurance (obligatory), vaccines, return to the airport, daily commute costs and other personal expenses. (*** Volunteers in Uganda will generally find that €30 (approx. 40 USD) is enough to cover basic weekly expenses.)
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Our volunteers will be able to validate university credits with the aim of traveling in a more responsible and economical way.
What does volunteering focused on university practices involve?
At Cooperating Volunteers, we make agreements with different universities to validate university credits with the aim of traveling in a more responsible and economical way.
The specialties we work with are extensive: medical volunteering, nursing, education, social work, psychology, physiotherapy, engineering, architecture…
The practices can be carried out in our designated destinations for this purpose, as well as in Spain.
If you choose an international destination, it’s a unique way to live an unforgettable and enriching experience, as you will have the opportunity to continue your education in another country, with a completely different culture.
Stepping out of our comfort zone and being part of the various projects at the destination will allow us to grow both personally and professionally, creating a more extensive curriculum.
And we are fully convinced that this experience will accompany you throughout your life.
You will be able to visit hospitals, schools, centers, orphanages, and participate directly and actively in the daily lives of all those people at the destination, always accompanied by other professionals willing to collaborate hand in hand with you and guide you in daily tasks.
If your university is not part of the agreement with Cooperating Volunteers, you can contact cristina@cooperatingvolunteers.com so that we can get in touch and make this experience a reality.
Corporate volunteering consists of tailored programs for your company, designed to develop teamwork skills.
It is proven that teamwork directly impacts productivity.
Collective effort surpasses individual capabilities, promotes diversity of skills, stimulates creativity, and facilitates problem-solving in the face of various challenges.
Therefore, it not only maximizes efficiency but also enriches the work environment.
We conduct corporate volunteering programs that consist of customized programs for your company, designed to develop teamwork skills, improve performance, and foster unity among employees.
We tailor projects to the corporate identity and size of the company, and we can adjust them to any destination and time of the year.
The advantages of corporate volunteering include:
The future is aligned with a more responsible society, and participating in social projects positions our company among the list of revolutionary businesses that want to be part of the change.
If you resonate with this message, corporate volunteering is a unique experience both individually and collectively, and at Cooperating Volunteers, we accompany you throughout the process to make it a unique journey.
Quality time spent with family strengthens emotional bonds, promotes communication, and contributes to the emotional well-being of its members.
Spending quality time with family and being able to disconnect from our hectic routines is not only enriching but also necessary.
Sometimes we forget to communicate, connect, and dedicate time to each other. Each one of us lives focused on our jobs, schools… And it’s necessary to find the opportunity to pause and take care of ourselves.
Quality time spent with family strengthens emotional bonds, promotes communication, and contributes to the emotional well-being of its members. And of course, it creates lifelong positive memories.
At Cooperating Volunteers, we suggest moving away from those ‘more superficial’ trips (which can also be fantastic), but we invite you to live this experience to bring out our most empathetic and humanitarian side.
Family volunteering gives us the opportunity to be part of a positive impact, promoting values of solidarity and social responsibility.
There are many families who choose to experience these trips focused on cooperation and direct involvement with different communities around the world, where living conditions are very different and sometimes entirely precarious.
Projects are tailored to different ages, allowing us to work together.
An incredible way to fill our suitcase with memories, learning, and knowledge.
And although stepping out of our comfort zone often feels daunting, we assure you firsthand that it’s worth it.
At Cooperating Volunteers, we accompany you throughout the entire experience, from start to finish, to make it unforgettable.
At Cooperating Volunteers, we believe it’s never too late for anything, especially for volunteering and living a unique and unforgettable experience.
There are many people, increasingly so, who opt for responsible travel that involves social work.
Accustomed to organized and mostly touristic trips, at Cooperating Volunteers, we want to advocate for a more enriching experience, one that transforms us from within and allows us to be part of the change the world needs to see.
We can adapt both the destination and the duration of our projects to fit your needs.
It’s an opportunity full of emotions that allows us to significantly contribute to different communities and their evolution. And you can participate in different areas such as education, social support, or assistance in different centers.
Some of the benefits include:
Living this experience will undoubtedly be a before and after.
A volunteering initiative with leadership and impact through the educational action program.
When we talk about social volunteering, we refer to all those actions and activities carried out altruistically, selflessly, and with the aim of addressing multiple problems and needs of different communities, always focused on education and self-sufficiency.
Education is essential because it provides the tools and knowledge necessary for personal, social, and economic development.
Our goal is to create self-sufficient communities and provide opportunities for the future personal development of each member. The message is not to ‘give’, but to accompany in the process of training for self-managed provision.
At Cooperating Volunteers, many of our destinations and projects embrace this type of volunteering. Some of our projects include: community programs, education, women’s empowerment…
And although they are completely different from each other, they share a single objective: progress towards a society that can embrace us all in the same way.
If you are someone who is restless, who needs to see a change in the future, volunteering is an experience tailor-made for you.