Intern or Volunteer with a Grassroots Health Organization in Uganda

  Uganda

Jinja

Term: Academic Year, Fall, Spring, Summer, Throughout the year, Trimester, Winter 
Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 9-12 weeks
Dates: See FSD Website

Description: Examples of how you can support Health initiatives in Uganda:

* Administer home-based care services and workshops involving vocational support, nutrition, medical care, counseling, family planning, health surveys, human rights, and/or property rights. These services are offered particularly for HIV/AIDS, STD, and TB positive clients and their families.

* Support a Drama Group Program that allows HIV/AIDS patients to express themselves through drama and educate community members about the affliction.

* Support development and promotion of HIV/AIDS informational materials and health surveys throughout the Mbale region.

* Help to provide basic inpatient and outpatient services such as volunteer HIV testing, immunizations, drugs, AIDS education, anti-malarial education, and reproductive health at a 24-hour medical clinic. Also support family planning, maternity and prenatal care programs with clinic staff.

* Assist training and support of medical staff in public health, medicine, nursing, midwifery, counseling, and other related health-care fields.

* Study efficacy of an organization's provision of services - HIV/AIDS, STD, and TB testing and counseling support - in urban and rural communities.

* Observe and research results stemming from the administration of home-based care to HIV/AIDS, STD, and TB positive clients.

For more opportunities in health in Uganda, visit our website or contact us directly.

About FSD

The Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1995 to support underserved, international communities in a collaborative and sustainable manner. Our model incorporates three overlapping programs:

1. Sustainable Development Training Programs for Interns and Volunteers
FSD provides comprehensive training and immersion programs for interns and volunteers seeking hands-on experience in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Program participants come from countless professions and more than 300 universities worldwide to collaborate with our partner organizations on community-driven projects that reflect sustainable practices.

2. Grantmaking to Projects and Initiatives Led By Our Partner Organizations
Donations and grants given to FSD are used to support projects and initiatives implemented by our partner organizations, site teams, interns, and volunteers.

3. Sustainable Development of Community-Based Organizations
Our professional field staff, consultants, and program participants provide on-site technical training and capacity building to more than 200 community-based organizations.

Highlights: Development Issues Addressed by FSD in Uganda
Health care provision and infrastructure in Uganda are chronically under-funded and highly variable in quality. Uganda's infant mortality rate and life expectancy are among the worst in the world. More than fifty percent of Ugandans have no access to clean water, making them vulnerable to cholera and diarrhea. Malaria and respiratory illnesses are widespread and a frequent cause of death. Other major healthcare issues are basic hygiene, nutrition, women and children's health, and sexual/reproductive health (especially for young people and women).

In the mid 1980's when HIV/AIDS became an epidemic, Uganda was one of the hardest hit. Scientists now believe Uganda's Lake Victoria region was one of the regions where HIV first began infecting humans. AIDS has claimed millions of households throughout the country and has reduced the life expectancy from 48 years in 1980 to 43 years in 1995.

HIV/AIDS is prevalent in Uganda, and there is much work to be done to stem the spread, as well as to care for people living with the virus and their families. FSD works to support bottom-up strategies in addressing HIV/AIDS and its many complex issues and social structures. Interns and volunteers assist a vast network of HIV/AIDS programs that serve communities who have been drastically affected by the virus. This is only part of the health picture in the region. Basic medical treatment and health education are also desperately needed to allow communities to productively build economies without enduring the massive setbacks caused by health issues.

Minimum Education: High School

Cost in US$: Depends on Program Selected; See FSD Website

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: FSD supports participants who boldly wish to initiate the change they believe is necessary in the developing world. Interns are passionate about sharing their practical knowledge, heart-felt enthusiasm, and economic resources with communities abroad that suffer unnecessary hardship. They wish to gain hands-on, grassroots development experience because they believe change is most powerfully cultivated on a community level. The aim is to experientially learn how their work can empower the community toward applying sustainable development solutions, rather than increasing reliance on foreign aid. Participants choose FSD because the program structure enables them to design and implement their own sustainable projects in collaboration with their host organization and the FSD Site Team. They are able to test their ideas and theories in the most direct way possible, giving them the experience and knowledge they seek. The flexibility of the host organizations allows for participants at all stages and levels of experience in international development to participate, thus opening the programs to a diverse group of capable applicants.

Age Range: 18-75

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Uganda Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups of 3-10

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Phone Interview
• Resume
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Foundation for Sustainable Development's Mission Statement: FSD supports the efforts of grassroots organizations in the developing world that are working to better their communities, environments, and the economic opportunities around them. We believe community development is only sustainable if it empowers the people to effectively use and cultivate their own resources in a conscious manner. Through our programs, we aim to raise international awareness of the economic challenges in developing countries and to support cross-cultural communities in finding more effective solutions to development issues.

Year Founded: 1995