Teach Inn Uganda

  Uganda

Kabale

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks and 9-12 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks

Description: This non profit project, which is set to feature in a Channel 4 series this autumn, helps to teach children in the small village of Niyakasiru in the peaceful southern region of Uganda, near the border with Tanzania. Most of the children in Niyakasiru don't go to school. They work in the fields because their parents can't afford to pay the school fees. This project aims to give these children a proper education while providing a steady income for the village. You will be teaching English at the village school and staying at the unique "Teach Inn Uganda" which was built to house volunteer teachers and to fund future projects that will benefit the local community. All the money raised by the hotel is ploughed back into projects that benefit the villagers. At the moment they are building a much needed grain store. This is a really worthwhile project that will make a huge and lasting difference to the lives of people in this poor rural area.

A complete Online TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) course is included so that you can offer the children the quality of education they deserve. We need to get people out to volunteer in Africa by the first week in May so that we can start the good work as soon as possible. UK television Channel 4 will be there to film the first volunteers arriving so this will generate lots of interest for the project and, most importantly, lots of income for the village.

Highlights: Project details:
This is a government school in an area where many children must work in the fields. The school draws approximately 300 children from the villages of Nyakasiru and Karorwa, and surrounding areas within the sub-county of Bukinda. They are aged between 4-15 years old and divided into classes from 25 up to as many as 50 or 60! The school has around 4 to 6 classrooms with various patches of land that are used for recreational and sporting activities. The schools are severely under-resourced and often have large class sizes due to staff shortages. As the schools cannot afford to pay its teachers a good salary it is hard for them to recruit staff and often the staff they do have are forced to take on other work so cannot be at the school regularly. This school is the children's only hope to obtain basic education and as such volunteers who attend here will be made very welcome.

Why the project needs volunteers:
Education is seen as a privilege in Uganda and until recently was reserved for those who could afford to pay school fees. In recent years, primary education became free and (in theory) universally accessible. With very little funds the schools simply cannot afford to hire new teachers or purchase resources. The support of volunteers is critical in order to continue providing the most basic of education to children.

Your role as a volunteer:
Your primary role will be to help in teaching English to the children. Extra curricular activities are encouraged and extremely popular at the school in particular sports and activities to raise awareness of environmental issues in relation to the communities.

Where the project is based:
You will be staying in a purpose built guesthouse called 'Teach Inn Uganda' in the rural village of Nyakasiru, surrounded by steep slopes and sweeping valleys typical of the area. Kabale (which lies approximately 400kms from the capital Kampala), is divided into six counties, of which Rukiga is one. Rukiga itself is divided into four sub-counties of which Bukinda is one. You will be staying within the Bukinda sub-county in the parish of Nyakasiru! Please note that this is a very rural area and as such more suitable for more adventurous, hardy travellers.

The main road running through Bukinda takes you directly to Kabale town (population 40,000) which is approximately 45 minutes drive away. Kabale is one of the largest towns in western Uganda, and the starting point for the mountain gorilla tours.

Please book your flight to arrive into Entebbe International airport in Kampala (airport code EBB) on the advertised arrival date to ensure your airport pickup.

Qualifications: What kind of skills you need to go on this type of project:
As a volunteer, you will need to show patience and initiative to cope with the sheer volume of children in your classes. You will work closely with local teachers, but for those with more experience and confidence, there will be opportunities for taking classes independently. Your resources will be very limited so you will need to show imagination and creativity to get the most out of your time. Please budget for stationery supplies that you may wish to purchase in Uganda prior to arriving in Nyakasiru.

Remember that the children may come from difficult backgrounds and you will need to show patience and understanding and be able to act as role model. Skills in any extra curricular activities will be welcomed at this project, with particular emphasis on sports coaching and environmental awareness.

Cost in US$: $ 1,831.57

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Uganda Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network

i-to-i Meaningful Travel's Mission Statement: Founded in 1994, i-to-i is an award-winning organization providing unique opportunities for you to travel, work and live abroad. Thousands of travelers aged 18 to 80 have joined our volunteer vacations and over 15,000 have learned to Teach English as a Foreign Language through our tailor-made TEFL courses. With over 300 projects on 4 continents, you can join the worldwide i-to-i volunteer community on an extended adventure in areas such as teaching, community development, sports coaching, conservation, building or internships in tourism, marketing, journalism, or health.

Year Founded: 1994