Location
  • Uganda
    • Kampala
Length
2 to 4 weeks

Program Details

Language
English
Age Min.
18
Timeframe
Short Term Spring Break Summer Winter Year Round
Housing
Host Family
Groups
Small Group (1-15) Medium Group (16-30) Large Group (31+)
Travel Type
Budget Family Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price
399
Price Details
Love Volunteers registration fee, plus program fees from just $339 for 1 week.
Program fees cover airport pickup, orientation, accommodation, meals as noted, program coordination and 24/7 support.
The Love Volunteers registration fee covers lifetime alumni membership
What's Included
Accommodation Airport Transfers Some Meals
What's Not Included
Airfare SIM cards Transportation Travel Insurance Visa
Sep 20, 2023
Jun 22, 2021
10 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

There is a desperate need for volunteers in Uganda. Love Volunteers works with a local NGO to provide childcare services, healthcare, and various other services to communities in and around Kampala, Uganda. There are a number of ways to contribute during your time in Uganda, visit the Love Volunteers website for more details. Volunteers stay with a host family while they're volunteering for a complete immersion experience!

Current Love Volunteers Programs in Uganda:
Childcare & Development
Education Support
Medical Internship

Consider your impact: Volunteering abroad can be a rewarding experience for both volunteers and local communities, and at Go Overseas, we believe all volunteers should have the resources to make informed decisions about the type of volunteer project they want to partake in. However, despite best intentions, some organizations offering placements in orphanages may unknowingly place children in danger. You can read about the potential dangers of orphanage volunteering here. Learn more about how Love Volunteers is promoting ethical volunteering.

Video and Photos

Program Reviews

5.00 Rating
based on 4 reviews
  • 5 rating 100%
  • 4 rating 0%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.5
  • Support 4.75
  • Fun 5
  • Value 4.75
  • Safety 5
Showing 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Default avatar
Heather
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Love Volunteers Medical Program

Where do I even begin? This program has been one of the most influential experiences of my life, which is why I went twice and hope to return several more times. I volunteered at a government hospital in the labor ward and am now currently an L&D nurse in the US. It was more than the patients and healthcare workers that stole my heart; it was living in a village, submersed in the culture, hosted by two amazing individuals and their family that made my time there precious. In fact, I wasn’t ready to return home when my stay ended.
The hosts Bazil and Alice are incredible. They work extremely hard around the clock & sacrifice their own family time to ensure that each volunteer is comfortable and well taken care of. On a side not, you’ll actually come to find they take care of practically the entire village, too. While you are planning your trip they will be sure to answer any questions you have promptly and provide you with information to make the arrival process seamless. Great for individuals, groups, couples, families. There is something to be found for anyone of any age!!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Please remain open minded in all that you do and I promise you will have the best time. Uganda’s culture is different than many others and sometimes it takes people time to get past that. Sometimes things run on “African time” and events or meet ups may be delayed several hours. They always say “you wear the time, but we have the time.” It’s about being laid and not stressing, in fact sometimes neighbors or passerby’s will tell you that you’re walking too fast.

Be sure to wear modest clothing. No strapped tank tops or short shorts/skirts, leggings, etc especially in villages. They are not used to seeing lots of skin - especially not white skin. The weather is usually very comfortable, not extremely hot like everyone imagines.

Learning a few words or phrases in Luganda, the language of the central region, will prove to be helpful in breaking down barriers with the locals or even getting around using public transportation and going to the markets. Ugandans have some views where they think white people (muzungu) are rich and will often try to upcharge taxi fares or food prices - your hosts will provide you with a list of normal market prices. Make sure to greet those you pass or offer a smile. Pre COVID there’s lots of shaking hands.

When your day is finished at your volunteer site, try venturing out and trying new things. Sometimes I would go to the water well with the children when they were doing their chores, help kids with English homework, or read then storybooks. Offer to help with making dinner and learn about the local cuisine.

A lot of times volunteers are shocked about different living areas and “squatty potties” and retreat to their room after a day. The transportation on a 14 passenger taxi or the back of a motorcycle “Boda Boda” can be intimidating, but I promise Ugandans take great care of travelers and are perhaps the most hospitable people in all of Africa. I felt safer there than I did on a college campus.

Do not worry about cell phone services - you can buy a cheap SIM card when you get there and buy a very affordable phone plan. Just make sure your phone is unlocked. Take your passport with you to the phone service shop (usually Africell or MTN). Sometimes there is trouble with AT&T and T-Mobile serviced phones. People tend to have the best luck with Verizon phones. Reception is actually pretty good, even in the village. Another note - don’t exchange your money at the airport. You will get a far better rate exchanging at a local place near your assignment.

Finally if you have the means, ask how you can help the children or your neighbors where you stay. A lot of my family and friends now sponsor some of the children to go to school - education and meals are gold!!
88 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Greg
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My Trip to Uganda Was Everthing I Could Have Hoped For

I spent two months in Uganda thanks to LoveVolunteers, and I couldn't have been happier with my experience.

I can't stress enough how helpful the team was when I was trying to organize this trip. Right from when I applied to be a volutneer, through to choosing my destination all the way through to the end of my trip, LV was a constant presence and I never felt disconnected from the people that put me there.

The program itself was great. The person running the project was friendly and made every effort to include me in the running of the orphanage at which I was working. This meant that every day was different- I collected firewood, I taught the kids, I helped with building projects on-site- I did a lot and it really made me feel like I was achieving something.

Uganda is a great destination and I can't recommend it enough to anyone looking to volunteer in Africa. If you do it through LV, you'll be in good hands.

90 people found this review helpful.
Response from Love Volunteers

Hi Greg,
It's fantastic to hear we achieved our aim of providing you with all the support you required. I love hearing that: "I did a lot and it really made me feel like I was achieving something."
You certainly did achieve something and we are grateful for you time and effort in Uganda.
Thanks!
The Team @ Love Volunteers

Read my full story
Default avatar
Pamela
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My time in Uganda

I loved my time in Uganda! My hosts Alice and Bazil were so welcoming and made sure I felt comfortable and had everything I needed. On my first day at the school, Alice walked me and introduced me the the principal and teachers. I was in a Primary four class, helping with reading and spelling in English. The kids were fantastic and were so eager to learn about me, my family, and Canada! I girl from my class walked me home each day and Alice would greet me with a plate of pineapple or mango!
My room was nice and comfortable. My biggest hesitation travelling to Uganda was the 'squat toilets' but I adjusted quickly and they were not a problem at all. It was so easy getting into town. Alice arranged for me to go with a family friend so I always felt looked after.
I had a wonderful two weeks in Uganda and wish I had stayed longer!

What would you improve about this program?
I was asked to jump in to help with lessons which was great, but I might have had a bit more of an impact with a more structured lesson plan for english and reading.
90 people found this review helpful.
Response from Love Volunteers

Hi Pamela,
Great to hear that you felt looked after on your placement. Our local teams are very experienced and take pride in caring for volunteers, they'll be pleased to hear they did their job well.
You raise an excellent point about being prepared in advance. Knowing that you would need to expect squat toilets made this experience not nearly as daunting as you imagined. Also it's great for volunteers to prepare for their placements, especially when Working with Children and have activities, lesson plans or even materials ready to go.
Thanks again for being a fantastic volunteers.
The Team @ Love Volunteers

Default avatar
Brem
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Uganda Volunteering

My whole trip to Uganda brightly opened up my eyes seeing to life and things especially toward myself life. I gained lots of positive thoughts back home. I worked in a small school with an Ugandan teacher in a kindergarten class in a rural village. I usually draw pictures with sentences to describe the meaning of the pictures and ask them to rewrite the sentences or filling the missing word and sometime we draw a picture in their exercise book and ask them to shape the picture and give them score. Sometime I were asked to visit other classes in primary school because they rarely see the people from outside so I told them about my country and myself. But nobody know about Cambodia and they thought that I'm from China or other counties. Everywhere I go on the way they always call me "Chines...Chines!" or "Jackie Chan", the famous Chinese's funny actor. The children like me a lot and they always come near and ask me. The people in Uganda are so friendly they always saying “how are you?” instead of saying "hello" at the first meet. My time here was so great I like Uganda a lot and hopefully I will be back sometime.

89 people found this review helpful.
Response from Love Volunteers

Dear Brem,
Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience.
It sounds like you were a huge hit with the children in Uganda, using your initiative and taking the time to have fun and interact with the local people. That's what we like to see!
All the best for the future; we'd love to have you volunteer with us again.
The Team @ Love Volunteers

Questions & Answers