Who are Volunteer Uganda?

Volunteer Uganda Ltd. is focussed on sending groups of volunteers to rural Uganda to work at schools and health projects that we have been intimately involved with for many years.

We believe that a successful gap year organisation depends on two things: real experience of gap years and close work with local projects they know well.

Paul and Simon have the personal understanding, being recent graduates who have experienced the good and not-so-good aspects of being gappers with other organisations.

John and Mark provide the necessary business knowledge and experience, having both run successful businesses for decades.

Everybody at Volunteer Uganda has a close relationship with CHIFCOD, the local organisation which runs the schools & other projects in Kinkizi.

At Kinkizi we work with local primary schools, Great Lakes High School, Great Lakes College and other projects supported by CHIFCOD. We know these projects well and have worked with them for many years, helping to plan their development and to build their future.

The volunteer project is an integral part of that future, helping to provide the exchange of cultural knowledge necessary to develop the economy of the area in the way that local people want.

So, if you choose to come to Kinkizi with Volunteer Uganda, you can be sure that you will receive a warm welcome from people committed to the shared goals of creating sustainable education & development for the people of rural Uganda.

Team Leaders

At any one time, between two and four team leaders live at the lodge with volunteers. They have have all volunteered in our schools and have completed our UK and Uganda team leader training programmes.

Mark F has taught in the area and went on to lead some of the earliest groups. We have currently given him time off to complete his accountancy qualification and indulge his passion for rugby.

Sarah M has taught in Makiro school and works for us in the UK and Uganda. She has experience of similar programmes and is a keen sailor and outdoor instructor.

Simon G is a qualified secondary school science teacher with experience of volunteering with us and lesser organisations. He has led several groups and his background in education equips him to help volunteers, most of whom do not have teaching experience when they join us.

Paul H has volunteered in Kenya and Uganda over the last seven years. He is in-country Director of Volunteer Uganda and balances his time between his role in Kampala, leading groups and further developing the programme.

Richard G is the perfect combination of a fun personality with the serious leadership skills needed to make the volunteering team work to its maximum potential.

Will H has, from his volunteering experience with us and in Rwanda, developed a serious commitment to making a real difference in Uganda and will lead several groups for us in 2011 and 2012.

Legal

The volunteer programme is operated by Volunteer Uganda Limited.

The company is registered in the UK number: 07034711; its registered office is: Roland House, Princes Dock Street, Kingston upon Hull, HU1 2LD.

All text and images copyright © 2010 Volunteer Uganda Ltd.

The Uganda Team

Lodge manager

Priscilla looks after the volunteers and manages the staff to ensure everything runs smoothly and everybody has a great time.

She and her husband Jackson, the Principle of Great Lakes College, are pillars of the community. You always feel welcome with Priscilla around.

Volunteer trainers

John Bosco (JB) is an experienced local teacher and an outstanding mentor for volunteers, particularly reassuring for those who are teaching for the first time.

Andrew is a proactive, outgoing and charismatic guy with great English. He helped us set up the lodge and has put in a lot of work his self to make it an amazing place to be. He has taught for 10 years in Uganda at both primary and secondary level and his pupils seem to be everywhere and all give him a great review. He played football for the district in goal although he fancies himself as a star striker.

Frank has taught at several of our schools. He is an experienced in-school mentor and keen athlete with a passion for ultimate frisbee.

Gloria, another in-school mentor, is the latest addition to our training team. She has taught at Kirima Parents’ and brings a fresh perspective to our programme.

School coordinator

Eliab has recently joined our team and is responsible for liaising with the schools. A very bright and educated guy, he ensures everything runs smoothly with the schools.

Chefs

Dennis, our head chef will keep you well-fed with tasty meals. He does a cracking barbecue. He caters for the various dietary needs of our volunteers.

Mackline is assistant chef is brilliant with all that she does. She makes everybody feel welcome and will look after you during your stay.

Drivers

Nicholas is Volunteer Uganda's trusty driver and tour guide. He has driven for CHIFCOD since 2004 and has done around 50 safari expeditions so he really knows where to find the animals in Queen Elizabeth Park. He is a good driver and a great guy.

He has 3 young children and a wife in Kinkizi. His children go to Kirima Parents primary and are taught by volunteers. He lives at the Lodge and takes volunteers to their schools. Everyone loves Nicholas and he is a safe driver which can be hard to come by in Uganda.

Appollo always has a grin on his face when he collects you from school. A reliable driver and all-round friendly guy.

Groundsman

John is well respected and experienced farmer who looks after our the chickens, goats and piglets and keeps the camp fire burning.

The UK Team

Simon

Simon is an enthusiastic, outgoing young man who is dedicated to the continuing success of Volunteer Uganda. He first taught East Africa in 2006 and taught at Kirima Parents in 2007. Since then he has been thoroughly involved in in Volunteer Uganda's work. Between 2008 and 2010 Simon led groups as well as being involved in widening the impact of the volunteers by developing relationships with new schools and inducting mentors. He also oversaw the building of the new lodge.

Being a secondary school biology teacher, Simon’s focus within Volunteer Uganda relates to maximizing the positive impact of the volunteers in their schools. He is studying for a Masters degree in Educational Leadership with a focus on documenting Volunteer Uganda’s approach to quickly equipping volunteers to be effective and inspiring in a limited resource environment. Simon still leads groups in the summer and is involved with training development and strategy as Volunteer Uganda widens its schools’ support network.

He knows everything there is to know about Volunteer Uganda’s work and will be happy both to answer any questions you may have and to share a genuine insider’s understanding of our organisation and what volunteers should expect from it.

Paul

I have been involved with CHIFCOD (the local Ugandan NGO we work with) since I taught in one of their schools in 2005. Since then I have been working hard to ensure that the Volunteering programme and other projects Volunteer Uganda run are as impactful and worthwhile as possible. I live full time in Kampala and am committed to continuing the great work and development already achieved in Kanungu district by Volunteer Uganda and its partner charities, over the last 15 years.

Paul has a background in economics with a real drive for sustainable development in rural Uganda. He works as a community development consultant in Kampala for an organisation with the aim to create 1,000,000 jobs for young people. He has previously led the groups of volunteers and as a founding director is very much a part of Volunteer Uganda's ongoing work in Kanungu District.

Mark

My wife Karen and I have been involved with charities supporting CHIFCOD for ten years, since our children were at St Michael's Primary School in Highgate.

It is exciting and rewarding to see the direct results from peoples' generosity ... in January there is a campaign to fund dormitories; a few months later we see photos of them being built and by November children are living in the new buildings.

Each project makes a real difference on its own, but I am most impressed by the effect they have together. Schools, health clinics, water projects, enterprise schemes and micro-finance loans are equipping young people to develop a cash economy, so the projects can become more self supporting.

As well as directly helping in the schools, volunteers are making a real contribution to young peoples’ ideas and capabilities with an exchange of knowledge and culture.

John

John has over 35 years experience of financial, general and strategic corporate management since he qualified as a Chartered Accountant. He is currently Chairman of six companies involved in shipping,logistics and travel.

He is a Trustee and Treasurer of Kirima Ltd, the UK based charity which supports the work of Kirima Parents Primary School, Great lakes High School and Great Lakes Regional College Kinkizi, South Western Uganda.

John visits the schools and college twice a year to take part in strategic and financial planning meetings. He is committed to stimulating the growth and diversification of the local economy there by encouraging and supporting business start ups. He also works to encourage and facilitate special relationships between schools in Uganda and England.