Uganda construction volunteers are needed for infrastructure and renovation projects at the local communities. Despite its abundance of natural resources, Uganda still remains one of least developed countries. Because of the extensive political and social corruption, Uganda struggles with the lowest indicators of socio-economic development, and extreme poverty. The most affected population is the majority Ugandans who live in rural areas with poor infrastructures. Often roads, schools and health centres are extremely poor, with no clean water and poor sanitation.
Volunteer Experience: Build a Water Well and Pit Latrine at Kahangi Village
Constructing a water well
As a family of 5 people, kids ages are 25, 22 and 19 years old we went to Uganda to build a water well and pit latrine for the Kahangi village near Fort Portal for two weeks. The application/bureaucratic/fundraising/decision making process was intense, but worth it. We had an amazing time. We felt completely taken care of before and during our entire trip. – Ratner Family, from Israel
Uganda Construction Volunteers can Improve the Infrastructure for Local People
There’s urgent need of volunteers to boost the basic facilities and infrastructure for the people in poverty stricken communities. Projects vary from constructing and repairing houses, schools, care and health centres, toilets, and clean water sources for deprived local people; to learning traditional building techniques as well as initiating new appropriate and environmental friendly building skills. Iko Poran Uganda’s construction projects offer participants with both valuable life-changing experience and an opportunity to make a difference.
Construction Work using Traditional Building Methods
Volunteers in this field work in manual labour jobs alongside skilled and unskilled local builders to help with the construction work. The buildings are made using traditional methods and locally sourced materials. The construction techniques are also simple to master and are ideal for sites with limited facilities. No electricity is available at the site everything is done manually! Participants’ task can include digging foundations, mixing cement, building walls, constructing a roof either with grass or iron sheets/tiles, plastering, painting and white-washing, landscaping, digging of trenches, refurbishing sports fields, brick laying, and construction of local huts. Please note: volunteers do not need to be qualified or experienced to participate in these projects, however volunteers with special expertise are highly preferred.
Projects in Uganda start on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month. Volunteers should arrive on Sundays.
You can choose to volunteer from 1 to 24 weeks.
Arrival Airport: Entebbe International Airport. Volunteers will travel by road, through the capital Kampala, eastwards to Jinja and northwards to Kamuli, a journey of 4-5 hours depending on traffic.
All projects are available in the following towns:
FORT PORTAL TOWN located in the west of the capital Kampala. It is about 300kms and it takes 4 – 5 hours drive by road. The projects take place in Kahangi village right on the border of the Kibale Forest National Park. The park just outside of Fort Portal town is famous for its large chimpanzee population.
JINJA TOWN: It sits right on the beautiful beach of Lake Victoria, about 80Km east of the capital Kampala. Jinja is one of Uganda’s largest urban centers. However, the city does not have the hustle and bustle feel of Kampala, people riding bicycles dominate the picture! The town center overlooks the lake and considered to be the source of the Nile River. In recent years tourism has provided a boost to Jinja’s economy. The peaceful laid-back atmosphere, gorgeous weather all year round, plus the variety of available adventure activities at Bujagali Falls; white water rafting, bungee jumping and kayaking have contributed to Jinja’s growing popularity as a tourist destination.
KAMULI TOWN: – located in the East of the capital Kampala. It is about 145km and it takes 3hours drive by road. And it is is approximately 72 kilometres (45 mi), north of Jinja, the largest city in the Busoga sub-region. Kamuli is semi urban area which is the administrative and commercial centre of Kamuli district. Kamuli town center has reasonable access to running water, electricity and basic internet. The volunteer project takes place at Buphadhengo village bordering with Jinja District ( Jinja town) hence between Jinja town and Kamuli town.
The program fee is paid directly to the host organization.
All of the projects incur a registration fee of U$ 149.00 on top of the program fee.
What does the volunteer in Uganda program fee include?
Airport Pickup
Orientation plus city tour on arrival at the project site
Accommodation for all projects
3 meals per day
Support from local staff & Program supervision
In-country 24/7 support throughout your stay
In-country administration costs
There are no hidden costs. These projects are the most affordable to volunteer in Uganda.
Iko Poran is an NGO based in a developing country. We are dedicated to helping you help others, at the lowest possible price. We are interested in making volunteering abroad more accessible so that more people can help do really important work.
Participants in our Uganda programs normally find US$ 50 to be sufficient for weekly expenses in the country.
The program fee should be paid to the host country and it is due 30 days before the project start date.
Accommodation & Meals
The type of accommodation depends very much on the project the volunteer will be working. Generally speaking, the following categories are available: Volunteer Apartment or Volunteer Guest House sharing with other volunteers. In all of our projects we ensure that the accommodation we provide is safe, secure and comfortable.
In these accommodation settings, volunteers live together but in private rooms. These can be very fun places to stay when volunteers from different nationalities live together. Each volunteer in Uganda will have a room of it’s own, however although in some cases two volunteers of the same sex will have to share a room. Housing conditions are basic, but all houses have electricity and running water. As compared to normal standards of Uganda, the accommodation can be regarded as more than adequate.
A “house keeper” ist taking care of each of the volunteer Guesthouses. He is responsible for preparing all the meals for the volunteers, and the general cleanliness of the house.
Requirements for Uganda Volunteers
You must be at least 18 years old at the start of your Volunteer in Uganda placement.
All volunteers must have adequate volunteer travel insurance and are required to provide credentials depending on the chosen program.
Language skill required for Uganda Volunteers
Knowledge of intermediate English is a pre-requisite.
Safety
You will have a competent support and advices from the local team and project leaders. Someone will always be available in the case of any emergency. Please keep in mind that you are in a different country and should take some precautions to avoid exposing yourself to certain risks.
The local coordinators will give you all the information to have a safe and unforgettable experience.
As a family of 5 people, kids ages are 25, 22 and 19 years old we went to Uganda to build a water well and pit latrine for the Kahangi village near Fort Portal for two weeks. The application/bureaucratic/fundraising/decision making process was intense, but worth it. We had an amazing time. We felt completely taken care of before and during our entire trip. We worked with Africa Sustainable Tourism and they also organized with our input a 10 day touring trip for after our volunteer period. The country is beautiful and offers a rich variety of activities. The people were extremely grateful, helpful and kind. Our special dietary needs were accommodated too. We will never forget our experience and the relationships that we made during our Uganda trip. It was a life changing experience. Iko Poran prepared us and Africa Sustainable Tourism took care of us. We highly recommend this kind of cultural/volunteer/tour experience. – Ratner family from Israel
For the students at school and even adults, you can even help providing IT literacy as a volunteer.
Moreover, for medical students we offer a medical internship in order to provide healthcare for the population, or a project specializing in AIDS Prevention.
You can also contribute for women’s rights as a volunteer on woman empowerment.
For the developing country is is also important to foster small businesses and startups, where you can help as a microfinance volunteer.
