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VOLUNTEER WITH US

-You’ve just found what you’re looking for…

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You’ve been searching for the perfect volunteer experience.

You just found what you’re looking for – HOPELAND VOLUNTEERS IN UGANDA

You’ve been searching for a meaningful international volunteer experience.

You’ve been searching for a meaningful international volunteer experience.

You’ve found multiple sites offering international adventures. So, why choose to come to a small African country and work with a tiny NGO?

Here’s why…

PLAN YOUR 2024 TRIP TO UGANDA

– CHOOSE ONE OF THESE DATES

(Note: Please check with us at ask@hopelandvolunteers.com to confirm that your preferred dates are available. Thank you.)

  • 13 – 26 January
  • 10 – 23 February
  • 16 – 29 March
  • 6 – 19 April
  • 11 – 24 May
  • 8 – 21 June
  • July – BOOKED (Global First Responders arrive July 6)
  • 3 – 16 August
  • 14 – 27 September
  • 12 – 25 October
  • 9 – 22 November
  • 7 – 20 December
  • 11 – 24 January
  • 15 – 28 February
  • 15 – 28 March
  • 12 – 25 April
  • 10 – 23 May
  • 14 – 27 June
  • 12 – 25 July
  • 16 – 29 August
  • 13 – 26 September
  • 11 – 24 October
  • 14 – 28 November
  • 6 – 19 December

Note: Our volunteer program is intended for GROUPS NUMBERING FROM 5 TO 15 PERSONS.

Your two weeks with us will look like this…

Your two weeks with us will look like this…

Program Fees – what’s covered, what’s not…

What your fee includes …

Are you 18 years or older? Do you speak English? And ARE YOU PHYSICALLY PREPARED TO JOIN US?

Our work programs require maturity, the ability to communicate clearly in English -- and a certain level of mobility, strength and stamina. Be honest with yourself about your physical capabilities – in the Ugandan hot sun. Many volunteers wisely decide to “train” for their trip to Uganda.

  1. Are you very hardy and mobile? Can you walk four miles in a day, climb multiple flights of stairs, navigate hills and slopes, carry 10-30 pounds, get on and off a motorcycle or in and out of a van or truck?
  2. Are you moderately hardy and mobile? Walk one or two miles in a day, climb a few flights of stairs, walk on uneven terrain, get on and off a motorcycle or in and out of a van or truck?
  3. How do you tolerate heat and direct sunlight?
  4. Will you remember to push yourself to hydrate all day to avoid dangerous dehydration?

Of course we want you here with us – but we want you prepared beforehand and safe at your work site. Please choose your Program based on your physical capabilities.

Questions? Contact us at ask@hopelandvolunteers.com.

You’ll be living in “Lugazi, Uganda” which is in the “Buikwe District” in Central Eastern Uganda.

We will make you as comfortable as possible – but remember you are volunteering in a small, mostly impoverished African country.

You will ...

  • Stay in a dormitory-style building in a secure, paved compound.
  • Sleep on a bunk bed with 2-3 people in one room (We will provide bed linens and a pillow.)
  • Sleep under a mosquito net
  • Enjoy running water (usually, but be prepared to take “bucket baths”)
  • Have Wi-Fi (again, usually, the power goes out sometimes)
  • Be able to use your phone. (You’ll purchase a SIM card, no need for expensive phone packages)
  • Use flush-toilets and sinks located about 50 steps away from your room
  • Have a fan in your room (no A/C)
  • Enjoy Breakfast and Dinner “family style” in the compound
  • Enjoy an “after work snack” when you return from field work
  • Be fed “lunch” while out in the field
  • Be expected to purchase your own “snacks” in town
  • Be living about one mile from “town” where you’ll be able to find most items you might need in the shops and fresh fruits and vegetables in the town market. (Very walkable or by boda-boda ride.)

    • We provide a cook and housekeeper and washerwoman and 24/7 American staff person.

    Your meals will be cooked for you. You are expected to keep your room clean. Your clothes will be washed for you (by hand and then hung on a line to dry); but you will be expected to wash your own underwear. (Don’t bring American laundry detergent, we’ll provide that for you.)

  • We strongly recommend setting up a “WhatsApp” account, making sure all the people you want to contact have accounts as well. It is very easy to call and chat with friends and family using this app. There’s no fee for either caller or recipient.
  • Make sure your phone is “unlocked” before you get here.
  • Remember there is a 7 to 10-hour time difference between Uganda and wherever “home” is.
  • You will be able to get online so email is an option.
  • We will provide an “emergency” contact phone number in Uganda once we receive your volunteer form.

You will be surprised and pleased with the array of foods available to and prepared for you. You’ll be served two meals per day at the compound and a meal when you’re in the field. There’s a fresh vegetable and fruit market in town (1 mile walking distance away) and shops where you can buy “snacks” (Ugandan style, not Doritos), cookies, peanuts, sesame seed snacks, fried corn, even ice cream and chocolate milk!)

Local foods include…

  • Rice (brown and white)
  • Maize (corn)
  • Posho (mashed potato-like heavy corn product)
  • Matooke (mashed potato-like banana product)
  • Bananas (very small and sweet)
  • Pineapples, Mangoes, Passion fruit
  • Apples and oranges (smaller and more bitter than in the US)
  • Avocadoes (very plentiful and huge)
  • Beans, Peas
  • Chapatti (a favorite with everyone, served rolled with eggs or stuffed with beans or peas or simply eaten plain)
  • Tomatoes, onions, carrots
  • Eggs
  • Potatoes, white and sweet
  • Red meat, chicken and fish are served rarely as they are expensive. Your main source of protein will be rice, beans and eggs.

Drinks include…

  • Water
  • Fruit juices
  • Sodas
  • Alcohol (beer mostly) (never served in the Volunteer Center)

Your Daily Meals…

Meals are “home cooked” Ugandan style and are delicious and healthy.

Breakfast will include some combination of…

  • Coffee and tea and juice
  • Cold cereal and milk
  • Pancakes
  • Pineapple and/or mango and/or bananas
  • Toast (white bread, dark bread is rare here) with margarine and jam
  • Scrambled eggs
  • Chapatti (sometimes left over from dinner the night before)

Lunch will be served in the field and will most probably be posho or rice and beans. (As a guest, you will be given huge portions -- so you won’t starve.)

A “post field work snack” will be served when you return “home”.

  • Pineapple or mango or banana or watermelon
  • Coffee and hot tea or juice

Dinner/Supper will be served around 7:30 p.m. and will include some combination of…

  • Rice and beans or peas
  • Cooked Cabbage
  • Ground nut (peanut) sauce
  • Chapatti and beans or peas
  • Posho
  • Matooke
  • Avocado
  • Cooked greens
  • White (“Irish”) or Sweet potatoes
  • Cooked carrots or pumpkin
  • Fresh green salad (no dressings)
  • Infrequently fish, chicken or beef, certainly not every night

Snacks eaten anytime are purchased at your own expense.

If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know on your Volunteer Form. Ugandan cuisine easily accommodates a vegetarian or lactose-intolerant diet.

Alcohol, behavior-altering drugs and smoking Because you represent Hopeland Volunteers, and want to portray health and responsible behavior, smoking, behavior-altering drugs and alcohol are not allowed at any time during the day or in the field. If you must, you can smoke when you return to the compound but not in the dorm room and you must step outside the compound walls. It is strongly suggested you restrict any alcohol use to days you are not working in the field. Any sign of inappropriate behavior due to alcohol or behavior-altering drug use results in the volunteer being removed from the program. No “warnings” are given – it’s “once and out”.

Is the water safe?

Your water supply will be…

  • Bottled and boiled and filtered water provided by your host
  • Bottled water you purchase in the stores

You will never be in a situation where water is not available or you need to drink unsafe water. We strongly recommend you use only bottled, boiled and filtered water for consumption and tooth brushing.

It’s not necessary for you to purchase or carry “water sterilization” kits or tablets or straws.

We make your life easy by working with a reputable travel agent who gives us the best rates you can find anywhere. She’s very experienced with travel to and from Uganda and takes the worry and hassle out of your having to search for the best rates and times.

You will be flying into Entebbe, Uganda. It is an international airport.

Your Travel Agency is…

Rita Horse

Rita’s Travel Connections, LLC

Ritahorse08@gmail.com

308-430-2484

Please choose ONE PERSON to be your “travel agent contact person”. This is usually the “Group Leader” but can be any responsible and organized person from your group. This person will gather all necessary information about everyone who’s flying to/from Uganda and communicate directly with our travel agent…

This contact person needs to gather the following information for every traveler and get it to Rita’s Travel Connections TWO WEEKS before your proposed departure date. (Because international travel is so complicated and regulations change often, your group should not allow any “last minute” additions, deletions or changes. The list you provide two weeks before your departure should be the “final” list of names.)

  • Full name
  • Date of birth
  • Passport number and Passport Expiration Date (Note: Each passport must be valid for at least SIX MONTHS AFTER YOUR ARRIVAL IN UGANDA or there’s a good chance you will be turned back to your home country.)
  • Phone number
  • Email

Rita’s Travel will then...

  • Find the best price for your round trip flight
  • Depending upon how many people are in the group and time of year, the approximate ticket price will be $1,600.
  • Arrange for travel insurance which will cost about $125 per person
  • There is a one-time, per person service fee of $50.

If your Entebbe, Uganda arrival time is late at night...

We will make arrangements for you to stay at the

Green Valley Guest House – a short 10-minute drive from the airport.

A shuttle driver from Green Valley will be holding a sign at the airport after you pass through Customs and will shuttle you to the Guest House. The fee is $15 USD for a car (1-4 people) and $30 USD for the van (maximum 8 people). Go to their website at https://greenvalleyentebbe.com,

Green Valley Guest House and Backpackers Entebbe to see lovely pictures of their rooms and grounds. The prices are very reasonable, the rooms are clean (with a shower and flush toilet!) and the fee includes breakfast.

A member of our staff will be in contact with your group leader and she will make reservations for your travelers. Any questions contact: ask@hopelandvolunteers.com.

A member of the Hopeland Volunteers staff will then pick you up the next morning for a 3-hour drive to our Volunteer Center.

Travel pragmatics to help make sense of it all...

  • Your flight is likely the longest you’ve ever taken in your life. There’s lots of in-flight movies and TV programs.
  • Hydrate, hydrate and then hydrate more. It makes a huge difference with “jet lag”.
  • Sleep on the plane if you can. Avoid alcohol, it will worsen jet lag.
  • There is a 7-10-hour time difference between your “home” and Uganda, depending upon where you live, so that’s quite an adjustment for your body upon arrival. Uganda is “ahead” of the US so when it’s 10:00 a.m. in Cleveland, for example, it’s 6:00 p.m. in Uganda.
  • You’ll arrive in Entebbe to a brightly lit, not fancy, very busy airport but there will be signs telling you where to go to BAGGAGE.
  • Then follow the signs for CUSTOMS.
  • Uganda is not known for bureaucratic efficiency. You may be in line at the airport for 1-3 hours! You’re going to be tired and possibly cranky after a long flight. Try to be patient and calm. Be sure to have your…
  • Passport
  • Yellow Fever Card
  • Visa
  • Proof of COVID vaccination

Out and ready to give to the Customs agent. Do not expect him or her to speak English. Just follow the hand signals they’ll give you.

Also, there is no fee at the Customs desk. If anyone asks you for a fee, loudly refuse to pay and ask to a see a supervisor and the person will most likely back down.

  • Once beyond Customs where you’ll get your passport stamped and Visa approved, you’ll have to run your bags through a scanner.
  • At this point, you’re good to go! Just go through the doors leading to ground transportation and either the driver for Green Valley Guest House or Hopeland Volunteers will be waiting for you with your group’s name on a placard.
  • Remember, though, if you’re not staying overnight at Green Valley, you now have a THREE HOUR drive to our Volunteer Center – at which point you can collapse and settle in and take a nap and begin your adventure when you are refreshed.

Church Services...

There are several Christian Churches, a Muslim mosque and a huge Catholic Cathedral all within walking distance of our Volunteer Center. You will be welcomed at any of the services and activities.

  • Although you’ll probably be exhausted after field work, your evenings after work and down time are your own. During your first week-end you’ll have 3 days off during which most volunteers sign up for a trip to the stunning Murchison Falls – which we arrange for you but for which you pay. The fee is $500. (**Siraj, please add link for Murchison Falls.)
  • Believe it or not, within a quarter mile walk down the road is a swimming pool! It’s on the grounds of the Stone Castle Inn which is the major (only) hotel in the area. Fully chlorinated, great showers and clean changing rooms, the pool is about half the size of an Olympic pool and is rarely busy on week days. It only costs 10,000 shillings to use (about $3.00) and it can be a nice break from the Uganda heat, dust and humidity. Hours are from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm – so if you wanted to, you could swim after work and before dinner.
  • There’s also a steam room and sauna at this same facility.
  • Again, Stone Castle Inn has a nice restaurant with a variety of local and international food (and alcohol) on a reasonably priced menu.
  • A 15 minute boda-boda ride away is the great “Bannz on the Nile” restaurant. Terrific menu, coffee drinks, a wide variety of alcohol and a huge menu (pizzas! Pasta! Burgers!) of food served either outside or inside in a very welcoming atmosphere.
  • There are a couple of “local” restaurants in town (Lugazi) that we’ll direct you to once you arrive.
  • The capital of Uganda is Kampala. This major city is a 2-3-hour van (taxi) ride away. You’ll think you’ve landed in Chicago. High rise buildings, bustling shops, art and history museums, every imaginable kind of restaurant. But be prepared for a loud and dusty experience and witnessing crazy, fast, unsafe traffic behavior not seen anywhere else in the civilized world.
  • Jinja – a 1 hour ride away – is a “muzungu” favorite. Very low key, plenty of shops featuring art work, jewelry, baskets, locally created arts. At an “American store” and well-supplied pharmacy you’ll find items not available in Lugazi. Again, terrific international restaurants and a very welcoming atmosphere.
  • Entebbe – a 3 hour ride away – is the city where your plane arrived. It’s “on Victoria Lake” so it’s lovely and touristy. The “Victoria Mall” is the closest “American shopping experience” you’ll find around here with stores offering sporting goods, shoes, clothes, furniture, and of course some great restaurants.
  • Lugazi – your home city while you are here – is by no means a “tourist” area. You’ll find three major “supermarkets” (think teeny tiny Walmarts or Dollar Stores), clothes stores, reasonably stocked pharmacies, a huge, very interesting fruit and vegetable market, hardware stores, tailors, electronics shops and vendors selling samosa and hunks of cows covered in flies. A highway (of sorts) runs right down the middle of downtown so be careful crossing the street. It is not a “lovely” city or a tourist attraction by any means – but the surrounding countryside is breathtakingly beautiful with endless rolling green fields of sugarcanes. (Your field work will be in much lovelier regions.)
  • Boda-boda (motorcycles) are the major form of personal transportation. (See the “Charlotte’s Blog” section to read more.)
  • Taxis or VW Vans are the transport for longer trips. This is a cultural experience unto itself and should be experienced – once. You will be packed into a battered, old, dirty VW van squashed next to someone transporting perhaps a chicken or perhaps breast feeding. It’s worth the ride if just for the stories you’ll go home with.
  • You can always go for a walk on the red-orange dirt roads and wind your way up through the rolling sugar cane plantations.
  • You are always welcome to chill in your room. When your door is closed, we respect your need for peace, quiet, rest and mental health.

Orientation - When and Why?

No matter how seasoned of a traveler you are, you’ll need some help adjusting to Uganda. Although you’re here for only two weeks, we want to make your stay as comfortable and memorable as possible.

Orientation takes place on your first day, before you go into the field or visit “town”. Here’s a general outline of what you’ll learn…

  • Basic cultural expectations and behavior – yours and theirs.
  • The children
  • The jajjas
  • “Muzungu”!
  • Shopping, bargaining
  • Simple Lugandan (the language used here) phrases to try to use.
  • “Ugandan time” versus “Muzungu time”.
  • Explanation of the shillings (money) system.
  • What a day in the field might look like.
  • Answers to any questions.
  • Getting comfortable in your living quarters (quiet time starts at 11:00 p.m., you’re living within 20 steps of a family residence.)
  • The showers, toilets, kitchen, meals service, food storage, etc.
  • Simple dos and don’ts
  • How to hail a boda-boda and simple safety measures.

Then we’ll walk to town to

  • Show you how to use an ATM
  • Get your SIM card set up for phone service (make sure your phone is unlocked before you arrive)
  • Show you the Pharmacy, what’s available
  • Show you Lugazi’s basic layout and the fruit and vegetable market
  • Take your first boda-boda ride home
  • Introduce you to Yvonne and her little store (our local “convenience” store for soda, juice, “pancakes”, treats, water, rolex)

Debrief - When and Why?

On your final full day in Uganda, after you spend the day in Jinja and during your final dinner with us, we’ll talk about your experience. We want you to be honest and open during this discussion.

  • What was your most valuable lesson?
  • What was your most difficult adjustment?
  • How can Hopeland Volunteers improve?
  • What will you share with friends and family when you return?
  • What did you miss most about “home”.
  • What surprised you?

We’ll then make sure we have everyone’s contact information so you can receive our quarterly newsletter and updates. Then, most importantly, you’ll be given information about Child Sponsorship so you can continue changing lives after you return home.

Vaccinations and Personal Medical Care while in Uganda…

We strongly recommend you speak with your personal physician, a travel doctor and/or research the CDC website regarding necessary vaccinations. Uganda - Traveler view | Travelers' Health | CDC

Considerations when choosing a drug for malaria prophylaxis (CDC Yellow Book) Malaria information for Uganda.

A Yellow Fever Vaccination is absolutely essential for entrance into Uganda. This is now a one-time, “good for life” inoculation. Some airlines won’t even let you on the plane out of the US without your Yellow Fever Card. (Just tuck it and your COVID card inside your passport.)

As you research vaccinations, you’ll see a variety of recommendations – but the two most important for Uganda are your Yellow Fever vaccination and malaria prophylaxis.

Do your homework about your malarial meds. Consult with your doctor. Talk to other travelers. And then dive in and choose one that you think is best. There’s advantages and disadvantages to each of them.

If for some reason you forget or cannot get your malaria meds in time for your arrival, you can get Doxycycline very cheaply here. We’ll take a quick trip to the local pharmacy soon after you arrive.

COVID

As of the writing of this website – June 2023 – the following restrictions are in effect. A Hopeland Volunteer staff member will be in contact with your Group Leader to inform you of any further restrictions, changes or updates.

Entebbe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Travelers moving in and out of Uganda are no longer required to have a COVID-19 PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test, as long as they are fully vaccinated. The requirement still stands for those who are not vaccinated as well as those who took only a single jab of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Ugandan authorities amended COVID-19-related restrictions to allow fully vaccinated passengers to enter Uganda via land borders without a negative COVID-19 PCR certificate. But, the health ministry will carry out random tests on inbound travelers.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has relaxed the use of facial masks as a COVID-19 protective measure, a decision that came with a drop in the positivity rate of the disease now recorded below 2 per cent.

In other words, please be fully vaccinated to enter the country and carry proof of vaccination. If you are not vaccinated, you must have a negative PCR test with a sample taken at most 72 hours prior to the first port of embarkation en route to Uganda.

Again as of the writing of this website, the CDC indicated there are no COVID restrictions for international travelers re-entering the US.

EBOLA

Although there was a 2022 Ebola scare in Uganda, the disease has been completely contained. The WHO, World Health Organization, stated in early January 2023 that “the deadly outbreak of Ebola virus has been stopped in its tracks and declared officially over.”

A WORD ABOUT MALARIA

Ugandan city residents get malaria like we in the US get the flu. We feel awful, it’s considered an irritation but we know we’ll live through it. Ugandans living in the city get malaria regularly and do not fuss about it. If they feel symptomatic, they get a test. If it’s positive, they’ll get medications and within a day or two they are good as new. (It’s a different story for those in the villages where malaria is one of the top ten killers of children.)

Not so easy for foreign travelers. Malarial prophylaxis is essential. Sleeping under the mosquito net is not optional. Slathering skin and spraying clothes with a strong appropriate bug repellant if you’re outside starting at 7:00 pm until 7:00 am is important. If you get symptoms while here, we will immediately get you tested and if you are positive, we’ll get you started on anti-malarials right away. And you’ll want to be seen by your doctor when you return home and take the medications she gives you for as many weeks as prescribed.

It’s wise to remember: Fever in a returning traveler is MALARIA until proven otherwise. Seek immediate medical attention if you go home and notice you are feverish. Malaria kills.

What to pack

Limit your luggage to…

  • A backpack
  • A carry on
  • One duffel or large piece of luggage

All international airlines have weight restrictions so be aware of the weight of your large piece.

You’ll either be “working in the field” or relaxing, so you can keep your clothes list relaxed and to a minimum.

Clothes…

  • Bring light-weight, breathable clothes that flow easily. You’ll regret wearing jeans or tight-fitting clothes within an hour of putting them on. It’s just too hot. And jeans will take days to dry on the line. If you search for “safari pants” or “safari shirts” on Amazon, you’ll find a wide array of light colored pants and shirts of the appropriate durable material – and they look great.
  • To be culturally appropriate in the villages when you’re in the field, women should wear long skirts or loose slacks; no tight fitting skirts and never shorts. Sleeveless t-shirts are appropriate; avoid skimpy, revealing spaghetti strap tops. Men can wear t-shirts and long pants; grown men here do not wear “Bermuda shorts” or shorts. Plus, bare legs put you at risk for bug bites.
  • A nice note: We provide a lovely washerwoman who literally washes your clothes by hand in buckets and dries them on a line. She washes clothes daily so you don’t have to pack 14 pairs of pants, etc…You will be expected to wash your underwear; we’ll provide buckets and soap for you.
  • 3-5 tops (short sleeved or sleeveless) (rethink heavy t-shirts)
  • 2 long-sleeved “safari” shirts
  • 3-5 pairs of pants
  • Sufficient number of underwear for two weeks (with you washing a batch at least once)
  • 1 or 2 warm sweatshirts or sweaters
  • 1 light weight wind breaker/jacket
  • 1 “nice” outfit for a funeral or wedding or church (Keep it simple and modest; a nice long cotton dress for the women; khaki pants and a cotton shirt for the men. No tie needed.)
  • Light weight rain jacket
  • At least 10 pairs of light weight calf-high socks (Really, you’ll wear one pair during the day and they’ll be really dusty when you come home and shower and you’ll want to put on another clean pair for the evening. And yes, “calf-high” -- ankle-length socks invite bug bites. And yes, “socks”. the level of dust and mud and the risk of bug bites demands it.)
  • 2 pairs of pajamas
  • A cotton robe or large towel to walk across the compound from your room to the showers and toiletsat night and in the morning.
  • Flip flops or clogs (for around the compound and to the shower only, never in the field)
  • 2 pairs of supportive “Tennis shoes” or “work shoes”. You’ll need two pairs because of the mud and dust. The “Keen” sandals and safari shoes are great.
  • 1 pair of good hiking boots
  • Sun hat (something collapsible, packable, washable.)
  • Women, a large, light shawl is nice for cool evenings and to keep mosquitos at bay. (Optional)
  • 14 cotton bandanas. (Really, you’ll use them to wipe sweat, wash your face during the day, perhaps clean a wound and you’ll go through them quickly.)
  • Toiletries and additionally…(Note: * indicates you can purchase in Uganda)
  • 2 bath towels* (not your favorite, huge fluffy one. It will take forever to dry and take up too much luggage space. Bring either travel towels or thin bath towels.)
  • 5 wash clothes*
  • 2 rolls of toilet paper* (one to donate to the family, one to carry at all times in the field)
  • Body soap*
  • Antiperspirant*
  • Tooth brush and tooth paste*
  • Floss
  • A tube of Neosporin antibiotic cream*
  • A tube of Benadryl or any strong anti-itch cream*
  • Eye drops* (even if you don’t usually use them; the road dust will be very hard on your eyes)
  • Your usual vitamins
  • Your usual daily medications
  • Dramamine (non-drowsy and original form)
  • Body cream* (nothing heavy or thick)
  • Sun Screen (anti-malarial meds make you very sun sensitive…so…)
  • Make up – leave it home. It will take tissues and water to remove; will melt off during the day. And you’re beautiful without it.
  • Comb, brush*
  • Nail brush*
  • Nail clippers*
  • Chap stick
  • Shampoo* (the bar type is best for so many reasons but not available in Uganda)
  • Baby powder* (really, mosquitos hate it and sometimes it’s all you need for a repellant.)
  • Mosquito repellant.
  • Glasses cleaner, contact solutions
Note: if you wear contacts, bring an extra pair of glasses. Dust is a real problem on the eyes and your contacts might revolt.
  • Sunglasses*
  • Watch*
  • Small battery operated travel clock
  • Pocket knife
  • Pens, pencils, notebook*
  • Hand sanitizer…..5 or 6 little containers and if you’ve got the luggage space, one large refill
    • bottle.
  • Ear plugs
  • Diarrhea medication*
  • Constipation medication*
  • Calamine lotion or aloe vera gel
  • Pair of tweezers
  • Small pair of scissors*
  • A fanny pack
  • Q tips*
  • Assortment of Band-Aids
  • A tube of Lysol or Clorox disinfectant wipes
  • Flash light*, extra batteries* and/or a head lamp
  • Pain killer and fever reducer tabs*
  • Refillable thermal water bottle*
  • Small travel First Aid kit

Electronics…

  • IPhone (make sure it’s unlocked)
  • Travel Universal Adapter Plug and Surge Protector (appropriate for Africa)
  • Laptop (optional)
  • Kindle or Nook (optional)
  • Camera (really not necessary; if you’ve got a recent iPhone the camera capacity is now more
    • effective than a lot of expensive cameras. You can take all the pictures and videos you want without the added expense or baggage of a camera.)
  • Portable power pack (The INIU is available on Amazon, powers up two devices simultaneously, holds
    • power a long time and is the size of your iPhone. It’s a nice convenience for when power goes out and you need a boost.)
  • Extra batteries for your portable clock, head lamp, etc.

What NOT to pack

What NOT to pack and if you forget something…..

The normal, compassionate inclination when volunteering in a country you know to be poor is to stuff your suitcase with toys and goodies for the children you might encounter. Although this is well-meaning and good-spirited, we ask that you don’t do it. Here’s why….

  • You will be at a work site with between 500-700 children. You can’t give out “one” volley ball or bag of cookies and not have enough for all of the children. You will be swamped and besieged by little hands as soon as you bring out your goodies – and you’ll end up disappointing more than helping.
  • We’d prefer you get to know your field site, determine what some of the children or adults need – and then go to town and support our local economy by purchasing special little items that you’d like to give.
    • You’ll be amazed the pure joy that a package of biscuits (cookies), colored pencils and paper, a ball, nuts, a sack of rice or sugar, a container of tea or a bar of soap will bring to the people you work with. You’ll end up lightening your luggage load, supporting local stores and making the specific, small group of people you’ll be working with very happy.
  • It’s very important that you do not give money to any of the children or residents you work with. If you are seen giving money to one person, any surrounding observer will expect/want money as well. And without understanding the economics here, you’re wading into questionable waters.
  • The Hopeland Volunteers staff is glad to serve you and does not accept any added gratuities.
  • And if you do forget something, most items you’ll need can be found at the local stores. Shoes, socks, underwear, most toiletries, pants, sunglasses, warm jackets, antiperspirant, deodorant, batteries, pens, pencils, flashlights, etc. are easy to find.
  • What you WILL NOT FIND in Lugazi: Sunscreen, insect repellant, contact lens solution, hand sanitizer, floss, mouth wash, granola bars, protein bars, nuts (other than salted peanuts), Doritos, Fritos, most “American” snacks you are used to (like M&Ms, cheese crackers).

Money, ATMs, Credit Cards & Changing Currency

It’s easier than you think.

  • You’ll be able to use your ATM card here to get cash (Ugandan shillings) whenever you need it. You simply go to a nearby bank ATM station and you’re good to go. There is a small fee but it’s worth the convenience of easily accessible local currency. (You’ll be shown where they are and how to use them during Orientation.)
  • You will need to use CASH ONLY (Ugandan shillings) for your local purchases, boda-boda and taxi trips, restaurants, markets.
  • Your credit cards are only good at some hotels and never to purchase goods in local stores or roadside markets.
  • You can exchange your USD US dollars for Ugandan Shillings at the airport or any Forex station in town. There will be a fee.
    • You can keep some USD on you in Uganda but you won’t ever be using it to purchase anything. You’ll only use Ugandan Shillings.
    • It’s a good idea simply to put all the money you think you’ll need into your “Current” or “Checking” or “Savings” account and then withdraw the cash (Ugandan shillings) as you need it while you’re here.
  • Notify your bank at least two weeks before your departure that your account will see “foreign activity” in Uganda (and the countries where your plane layovers occur) and give them the dates of your stay.
UGX (Ugandan shillings) Color US Value (approximate)
1,000 Brown 27 cents
2,000 Aqua Blue 54 cents
5,000 Green $1.35
10,000 Blue $2.71
20,000 Pink $5.42
50,000 Gold $13.56

There are three coins and we’ll explain their usage when you are here.