Adventure/Eco Travel Programs

  Uganda

Kampala

Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months, 7-12 months and 1-2 years
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Dates: any time of the year

Description: These volunteer holidays and vacations are aimed at using volunteer tourists labor and funding to alleviate poverty in Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda, protect cultures and ways of life, forests, environment wild life, and promote sustainable tourism mindful of the needs of the local people while at the same time giving our clients a great time and an Adventurous Safaris.

Children in Africa, their struggles are many... poverty, disabilities, and even homelessness. But you can make a lasting difference in these young lives you can care for physically- and mentally-disabled children, some who have been abandoned, and "at-risk" teens.

Often no special skills are required, as volunteers are needed to listen to, play, read, and exercise and share time with the children. Many of our host projects are short-staffed and the volunteers' attention gives the children the extra love they need.

You can also help out in these areas at an orphanage:

* Group games, board games, painting and creation workshops, music, drama, dance
* Counsel and help with feeding
* Assist with bath time and dressing
* Cooking and cleaning
* Teach and encourage development through play
* Read, sing and play with the children
* Assist in the children's developmental stages
* Help the staff, assisting with the various activities

* Teaching:
Real Africa Adventures' programs centre on projects to enhance the lives of children and their families. In most host communities, our work involves education projects -- either "hands-on" classroom teaching, or helping to build or repair the classrooms themselves.

* Tutoring:
Either in the classroom or after school, teaching can be a rewarding work project as well as teaching English language skills. For instance, in rural communities, teaching conversational English and engaging warm, fun-loving children in informal educational activities, you can help enhance children's ability to speak the English language.

* Repair and construction work and building:
Can you hammer a nail, swing a paintbrush, or plant a flower? Men and women who enjoy working outdoors or with their hands can assist with building, repairing and painting facilities such as community centres, orphanages, classrooms, libraries, medical clinics, and houses. You can also help clear parkland, plant community gardens, dig wells, construct clean water systems, install playground equipment and more. No specific construction skills are needed.

Anyone who is in good physical condition can assist with these projects, as there usually are both light and heavy labour options at most work sites. For instance, you can help repair roofs, and windows, paint classrooms, and construct desks and chairs. Or at an orphanage, you can help sweep, scrape, or landscape around the facility.

Carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and other trades people can be very helpful at this work site to improve the infrastructure of the facility. You can make high chairs with adjustable footrests; head rests, and side wings to allow for various heights for feeding.

* Grass roots development projects:
Work on grass roots development projects in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania or Rwanda. Assists with community development projects see your efforts transform an entire village! There are lots of economically poor, isolated communities all over East Africa where people struggle to survive.

Help vaccinate children, teach reading, reforest depleted ecosystems, or educate small businesses. Weekly adventures combine with cultural immersion and volunteer work, creates an unforgettable life experience

* Medical volunteers:
Can you spare two weeks to help out in a medical clinic or local hospital? Because access to medical services in East Africa communities is often limited, health-care volunteers are needed to provide basic services such as diabetes screenings, tooth extractions, baby checks and pre-natal exams in local clinics, village dispensaries, and in homes.

Dentists, nurses, physicians and medical students are also needed to perform physical check-ups, test eyesight, examine newborns, and, in some cases, perform outpatient surgeries. While the needs and the working conditions are very basic, your "hands-on" contribution can be life changing. Our host communities often lack modern medical facilities, so volunteers should plan to bring their own instruments and medical supplies.

* Work with the Elderly:
Are you especially good working with seniors? Men and women of advanced age in Africa hold a community's history and wisdom, forming a precious human, social and economic network. And, they help indigenous societies retain their cultural roots, passing along traditions to younger generations.

There is no welfare system in places where we work so often, elders live on a limited income, and lose their access to basic services at the same time that they lose their prominent place in society. They can become easily cut off and isolated.

Various Community initiatives and organizations reach out to provide basic nutrition, healthcare and social interaction, but often run on small budgets. Your help can be an important link between social services and the elderly recipients. You can help build and repair safe housing for the elderly, engage elders in activities such as singing, dancing, playing games and developing arts and crafts projects, and assisting them on recreational outings and so on.

* Sharing Professional Skills:
Many specialized work projects focus on the needs of adults of all ages. This can include conducting professional discussions in the areas of business, law and medicine, or teaching English in informal group sessions.

We match especially skilled volunteers with local people so that pressing community needs can be met together. This might involve organizing library shelves, assisting with administrative or clerical projects, providing computer training, consulting on business development, and so on

* Work with young people-Teens:
All Real Africa Adventures' programs and those of our partner projects in East Africa centre on life-enhancing work projects for children and their families. If you have a specific interest in working with teens and adults, you can select from a variety of projects in many locations around the East Africa.

* Work in a nature and wildlife reserve:
We have projects in East Africa for volunteers that enable them to get involved with essential wildlife or environmental conservation work. Imagine what it would be like to help hand-rear baby lion cubs, monkeys, Gorillas and reintroduce them into the wild in Uganda or Kenya Are you a trailblazer? You'll enjoy working part time in the heights and depths of the remote interior Conservation District, blazing trails. An environment and conservation project will enable you to work up to four days a week on educational and research projects.

* Sports volunteers:
Travel Africa Adventures & Safari Guide will give you chance to travel in Africa while joining community development projects in sports. Available opportunities include playing and coaching football, rugby, cricket, hockey and netball to children and local teams as well as volunteer on placements in teaching, conservation, building, medical care, art and design. Whether you are taking time-out during a gap year before university, a career break from work or a graduate summer holiday, allowing you to develop communities, build friendships and enjoy the sports travel adventure of your lifetime!

* Street Children Project:
Hundreds of children in East Africa's inner cities are living on the streets with no stable home. This kind of project involves various aspects of community work and development, and you will be helping to support a number of different community development initiatives. You will have a diverse experience and gain valuable insights into the lives of underprivileged individuals in Kampala or Nairobi. Your influence will help positively shape lives of young positively, with the eventual hope of reintroducing the children into the mainstream community life

* Social Welfare Development:
Work in facilities that help the poor communities of an area. Provide support to at-risk and at-need women and children to learn values, manner, and life skills to become self-sufficient and obtain a higher level of education. Past projects range from tutoring, cleaning, carpentry, program development, sewing, cooking, childcare, business skills training, administrative, data entering, HIV/AIDS education

Highlights: Volunteer on holiday in Uganda, work with orphans, schools, hospitals, community projects, building, decorating, farming, wild life, sports and more.

Travel Africa Adventures & Safari Guide was established as an alternative tour company specifically to deliver an enriching African holiday experience for people that also

* Care about the needs of the local people in developing countries
* Care about preserving the environment and natural resources
* Care about respecting local customs and practices
...Want more than the average package deal!

Travel Africa Adventures & Safari Guide is committed to providing opportunities for every one involved, both the visitors and the locals, to benefit from the experience. This means focusing on a range of worthwhile activities whilst at the same time conserving the environment and respectfully interacting with the culture of people in the villages.

Meet the people in their homes, eat their food, hear their music and listen to their stories. Work with them; get a real feel for their culture. Watch wildlife in the national parks. Swim and sunbathe at beach resorts. If you're looking for a trip or holiday that goes beyond the boundaries of an average safari, Travel Africa Adventures & Safari Guide offers a whole host of activities.

Qualifications: No qualifications required. Only a spirit of adventure

Cost in US$: $175 per week

The fee excludes the following:
1. Air ticket
2. travel medical insurance
3. Excursions & safari fees
4. personal needs such sacks

Salary / Pay: Not applicable

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 16+

This Program is open to American, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Uganda Independently Or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently Or in Groups of 10

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Post Services Include:

• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Travel Africa Adventures & Safari Guide's Mission Statement: Through a desire to share our passion for Africa with like minded adventurers, we established Travel Africa Adventures & Safari Guide as a tour operator company in Uganda. It was formed to serve the needs of the world wide travel industry and those traveling specifically to Uganda and the East Africa as a whole. We aim at providing an awareness of Uganda as a viable travel destination.

Year Founded: 2007