You will arrive on the Sunday before you embark on your project as a Kindergarten Volunteer, here in Uganda. This will give you time to relax and get used to your surroundings before you begin your week.

Mandatory Orientation Day

On the Monday of your first week at this location, you will join our orientation day, to learn about your surroundings as well as local culture. Your programme will continue as usual from Tuesday onward throughout the rest of the week.

Orientation Schedule

• After breakfast, we will have an Introduction meeting, House rules, Setting Expectations, Health and Safety Advice and handling of documents.
• Ugandan Do’s and Don’ts, Culture introduction and country history and Swahili Language Lessons.
• Tour around the compound and local area; where to find local shops, and arrange a sim-card if necessary.
• After lunch, continue with the tour around the area and get familiarised with the surroundings.
• In the evening, you’ll have a special dinner to welcome you to Uganda!

Weekly Schedule

You will be working for 4-5 hours. Some farms are located near our volunteer house (approx 10 minutes walk), while others are located approx an hour’s drive away. Below is what a typical day might look like:

Tuesday to Friday

• Breakfast
• Volunteering at the farm
• Lunch
• Volunteering at the farm
• Free Time
• Dinner

Please note: This schedule can be changed depending on weather conditions and unforeseen circumstances.

Enjoy the local life in this rural township in central Uganda. Your accommodation location provides you with a great opportunity to see and experience Uganda on an authentic, local scale.

About the Accommodation

You will either stay at our homestay or in our rural accommodation centre with dorm-style rooms sleeping 2-6 people on a single-gender basis. The homestay is a bit more comfortable with a family setting.  However, our farm accommodation itself is also – whilst basic – very homely and gives you a real feel for Ugandan life.

All volunteers should be environmentally aware and use all resources with restraint, especially water, paper, and electricity. You should clean up after yourself, and to play your part to keep the accommodation neat and organised. Importantly, there is no Wifi in either location and so, you will need to purchase a local SIM card in order to access the internet.

Food Arrangements

Ugandan cuisine comprises lots of vegetables, potatoes, bananas, bread, and chapatis. Some dishes may have meat, but if you are vegetarian just let your coordinator know, and separate vegetarian meals will be provided.

Facilities

There are many shops located near our homestay, all within 10-15 minutes walking distance.

Transportation

Transportation to Kampala is available from the homestay. Local transport from the farm accommodation is much less frequent, but we can assist you with getting to Kampala, the capital of Uganda.

Local Surroundings

Kampala

There are many things to see and do in Kampala, the Ugandan capital. It is located within a 30-90 minute drive from our centre and is filled with culture and history.

Country Information

For a small country, Uganda has everything an adventurer could wish for. It has everything and more than its neighbouring countries do, including the famous “Big Five” must see animals of Africa. More than that, the country is home to the tallest mountain range and largest lake in Africa. Half the remaining mountain gorillas in the world reside in this country, making wildlife watching a unique experience!

Climate

Uganda boasts a tropical climate across most of its surface area, except in the mountainous regions (which can get quite cold and some even receive a bit of snow). Temperatures range from 21-25°C (70-77°F), with the hottest months from December to February. The wet months occur from March to May as well as October and November. The dry season occurs between January and February as well as June to September.

Culture

Uganda’s culture is made of up many ethnic groups making it difficult to generalize. For example, Lango and Acholi people dominate the north, while the Iteso and Karamojong people rule in the east. Moreover, Pygmies can be found living in isolated rainforest regions in western Uganda.

At least 40 languages are spoken in Uganda, with Luganda language being the most common despite English being considered the official language. In fact, English is barely spoken. Swahili is also widely used.

Uganda has a conservative Muslim and Christian society. This means that it is often not acceptable to wear clothes displaying too much skin. There are exceptions to this rule such as Kampala, however, it is advised to dress as locals do in order to blend in and be taken seriously outside tourist hotspots. Another important thing worth noting is that you should never criticize religion in presence of a Ugandan, as this is taken seriously and can be of great offense.

Gastronomy

Ugandan cuisine has been heavily influenced by English, Arab and Indian dishes. The most common ingredients used are vegetables, potatoes, yams, bananas, chicken, pork, fish, beef, goat and mutton.

Transportation

Boda-Boda

Boda-Bodas are motorcycles or scooters, which are a fun and inexpensive way to get around in big cities such as Kampala.

Buses

In Uganda, there are two classes of buses “matutus” which are minibuses with fixed routes, and coaches which run less frequently (i.e. they only leave Kampala in the morning). These two options run between major cities. Note that neither of these modes of transport run on fixed schedules and usually depart when they are full up.