Remarkable Volunteer Placements in Uganda

Since I was a little girl I have always felt an odd connection with Africa without knowing why. I thought it may have something to do with the land…with Savanna Trees…maybe even with elephants. I never dreamed it could have been with the people.

And so it was that at age 58, I left for Uganda hoping to learn more about this place about which I knew so little, and to form a single alliance between a woman of the First World and a people of the Third World. In working as a volunteer with Beacon of Hope Uganda, I had the good fortune to live with the founder of the organization Isaac Ssamba and his team, getting to know them, their extended families and neighbors, and learning firsthand about BoHU’s numerous programs of community outreach.

The first thing I learned was that Ugandan people as a whole, are the most hospitable, generous, and friendly I have ever had the good fortune to meet. I had expected to be somewhat intimidated or even frightened traveling alone to Uganda, but I can say that without exception I never felt either of those things.

Experiencing their sweetness and generosity of spirit is truly a commonplace occurrence. Suffice it to say, I love Ugandan people!

While in Uganda I kept a personal diary. I wanted to share something of it here, but could not decide what impacted me most and wanted to share with the reader—the children living at the Orphanage? The school visits? Hungry children? Young people coming to the house hoping that BoHU could pay their school fees or mothers hoping they could get help for their sick children?

The women who support themselves making crafts? How about something simple like the affectionate neighbor children who sang for us, held our hands, sat on our laps? Beacon of Hope Uganda conducts so many worthy programs that to discuss one seems to lessen the importance of another, and everyday life is in itself an adventure.

Thank you Beacon of Hope Uganda for the great experience.

I spent four weeks in Uganda, volunteering with Beacon of Hope Uganda. They were incredibly helpful in every other way. They picked me up from the airport and the accommodation and food was fine and fruits are delicious.

The resources are scarce for many local projects it seems to be the prime limiting factor for making progress.

Volunteering in Uganda was truly an amazing experience. Absolutely loved everything about the organization and would recommend it to everyone, regardless of where you're from or what you do for a living, they are affordable and very grassroots.

I set out for Uganda on 15th June, this was my third and shortest visit and I met with another volunteer Terry from Canada. Terry arrived after 2 days of my arrival. This was Terry’s first visit so perhaps he was even more excited than me. I arrived around 7pm and as always immigration was easy and even the officials smiled I just wish it were as easy in the rest of Africa
As on the last time, I received a great welcome from Isaac who was waiting for me at the airport.

The new BoHU House was really good and very comfortable, I shared a room with Terry when he came, and there is a nice lounge as well for eating food and recreation when you are not out on some kind of mission or adventure.

As I said I have been to Uganda already and worked with Isaac and BoHU some five or six months in all and have seen the organization grow and now blossom. Volunteering with BoHU is no everyday experience you get the real Africa, the real Uganda warts and all, and working with Isaac is a revelation the guy is an extraordinary person, truly a man and a half at least!!! You can actually see that you are helping to make a difference so any time I am there I get very excited.

First day I take it easy Beatrice, the wonderful and very pretty housekeeper greets us with the most wonderful breakfast includes French toast with avocado and pineapples and really these are the best in the world Yum!!!

The next day we visit the school traveling first by Matatu and then a long Boda Boda ride on dirt roads through the countryside this is really wonderful and great fun as well.

The school is a project that Isaac started last year. I was absolutely amazed at the quality of education at the school, The teachers are incredible , and as well as education the kids all receive a meal each day for some this is the only meal they will have, these kids just melt the hardest of hearts.

I was particularly impressed with both the corn project and the upland rice project. The upland rice has only been going for a couple of months. That evening we returned to Mukono for some more of Beatrice’s good cooking Rice, Matooke, beans and cassava and rested up the next day and getting ready for the next big trip.

This was to be a first for me, Isaac has started up a series of programs going deep into the other villages where no other organization penetrates for this one we were to go deep into the forest to the down village of Mengo, here there are no Boda-Boda so we are to go by car.
The next couple days we spent in this village we set up our clinic there and the village telegraph soon spread the word. Once more we must have treated over 500 people.
By the time we had returned to Mukono and said goodbye to all our friends old and new it was time to return home.

This is just a typical 2-3 weeks volunteering with BoHU you get to work with one of the greatest people I have ever met Isaac Ssamba, who is the founder and current Chairman, Board of directors of the of the organization and you can work on many projects such as the deep village clinics and actually see the difference you make .

BoHU has since opened a school and this serves a very wide area at present we have 5 full time paid teachers and several local volunteers working there, we desperately need foreign volunteers for this as well as other work.

Please if you want to volunteer I promise you that this is the most unique and genuine experience you can have, you will make a difference and you will also have fun
Terry was so impressed by what he witnessed that he has since he returned already raised over $5000 for BoHU and its work and continues to raise more money so that he can return in 2018 and help with bigger and better programs and help set up more agricultural projects. Terry made a difference and continues to do so, Why don’t you?

Jim

I really enjoyed my volunteering Project in Uganda. Beacon of Hope was everything I was looking for! Everything went well, the hope centre project and the school is well organized. There are about 3 Isaacs at the centre and all the teachers I worked with were very kind and caring. I was able to get to know the Ugandan culture very well.

The accommodation at the volunteer house in Mukono town was also comfortable and all meals well prepared, very tasty. 3 weeks was very short, every day at the hope centre was a new day for me, enjoyable and purposeful.

My experience in Uganda ranks as one of my all time greatest. I struggled at first to keep up with the daily tasks and the conditions but after just a few days I loved everything. Everyone there never stopped smiling and laughing, no matter the day or how they felt. It was inspiring.

Thank you BoHU team and see you soon!

To describe each day thus far in Uganda as amazing is probably the understatement of the century, all days being no exception. On my arrival, we started the day with a bumpy motorcycle ride to a small village outside of Mukono town, where we were introduced to this simple but innovative and effective venture known as The Hope Centre. In a nutshell, its centre of all trades and ideas, the actual concept is quite simple, the Proprietor Master Isaac says, he wants to establish a one stop centre for all social services within the community of Kasala. So there will be a Microfinance bureau, youth recreation centre, women enterprising unit, a medical clinic, a school, a skills training centre, a guest house, café, museum, conference centre and several other projects.
Listening to his background story and how he started the organization Beacon of Hope Uganda, at 19 years in 2006 and what he has established, I believe he will make it someday.
At The Hope Centre I had my first Ugandan meal! The cooks made us a fantastic lunch of matoke, rice, stewed beans and beef which was truly delicious. Then we were given a quick tour of the project sites which involved the office, nursery school and the secondary school. The highlight of the day came after the tour which was when we actually got to play sports with the nursery school kids. We all had different sport stations and the kids did this “marching game” to go from one to the next. It was hot and sweaty but I haven’t had that much fun or seen that many genuine smiles in a while. At the end of the games session they all came and clamored to hold our hands and give us high-fives and fist bumps and tell us thank you; it was the perfect end to the fourth day of our Ugandan adventure!