rural out reach youth ministry

RURAL OUT REACH YOUTH MINISTRY. EMAIL roymhbudaka@yahoo.com Do you have a passion for grassroots development? Do you desire to see communities positively transformed through love, care and education? Do you have some time to give to a small community-based organisation?! We are looking for volunteers with inspiration, enthusiasm, a love for people, and a dedication to serve! Rural Outreach Youth Ministry Rural Outreach Youth Ministry (ROYM), based in Namirembe, Budaka, is a small community development organization with five main objectives; 1) To enhance and support the education of needy children

2) To empower women both socially and economically

3) To reach out to the community through counselling and education to youth and adults

4) To introduce vocational training and income generating projects within the community

5) To provide Health Education, particularly in the area of HIV/AIDS. We are a growing Christian organisation with a heart to see our community empowered and transformed. We believe that all people, especially the underprivileged, have a right to a better quality of life and through our projects we aim to provide the basic building blocks for a sustainable future. Getting Involved There are many ways to partner with ROYM to serve Namirembe. With limited resources available, we highly value foreign volunteers with different ideas and experiences to join our team. Within our ‘Budaka Village Program’, volunteers work alongside Ugandan counsellors in a variety of projects to directly benefit 10 rural communities. The projects include the following activities:

Youth: A central part of our ministry, this includes the mentoring of youth and youth leaders in subjects such as HIV/AIDS education, public health/hygiene, women's rights. family planning, creativity workshops, the value of basic education and small business development. Working with both groups and individuals, this is the most significant and most common activity undertaken by volunteers. Children & Education: The main focus of this project is to provide underprivileged children with a loving, creative environment in which to flourish. Volunteers can help in areas such as feeding, organising play, arts and crafts, hygiene and HIV/AIDS education. Child sponsorship is a key part of our work and volunteers will help to maintain child/sponsor contact, community school visiting and pupil record administration. This is ideal for people who love children and are eager to see them reach their full potential. Community Outreach: The hope of this project is to engage with the local community through home visits to elderly, disabled, and people living with HIV/AIDS to keep company, offer relief, and assess needs. This is a good opportunity for volunteers to see the daily challenges faced by marginalized groups in Uganda. Vocational Training: To empower the community towards a sustainable future by teaching a range of skills including computer skills, hairdressing, modern organic farming methods and tailoring. The exchange of ideas, experiences, and culture is encouraged. Women’s Empowerment: We believe that all women have the right to be empowered to reach their potential. The work includes educating women in the areas of HIV prevention, public health, sanitation and hygiene. We also run home visiting, AIDS care and women's groups focusing on vocational skills and women's rights. Administration: Often a less popular area in which to serve, but nonetheless essential in ensuring the successful running of our organization. We highly value support in budgeting, planning, fund-raising, and handicraft marketing as well as the training of Ugandan staff in such areas. Useful things to know about the projects… Based out of offices in The Namirembe Trading Centre, volunteers will where possible, work from 8.00 am – 4.00 pm. There is often a significant language barrier between volunteers and the children; local teachers will have to help you with translation. Some projects require walking long distances in the sun

VOLUNTEER INFORMATION Our work is exciting but at times challenging therefore volunteers will need to be adaptable. Some projects will require you to use initiative, confidence and creativity; work experience is not necessary depending on the determination of the volunteer. Under the guidance of the ROYM Executive and Task committee, volunteers are expected to actively engage in the field of activity and with the community.

Program Schedule

Volunteers can stay from a period of one month to 3 months. Your stay can be extended beyond 3 months on a case-by-case basis (depending upon our partners requirements and your ability to obtain an extended visa). School terms vary from year to year but are approximately as follows: Feb 1 to April 20, May 20 to August 20, Sept 15 to November 30.. Please also note that exams take place at the end of each term and normal class schedules will end prior to that. Short term volunteers are advised to start earlier in the term.

Living Arrangements & Money Matters Living arrangements depend on the individual volunteer and we will be discussed upon application. Volunteers can live within the community, either in foster families or in independent housing. Alternatively, it is possible to rent housing in the nearby town of Mbale (30min commute) As we are a small organisation we cannot provide any monetary subsidiary and therefore volunteers will need to raise personal financial support to cover their time with us. Aside from living costs, the major financial implications are flight, travel insurance and volunteer visa. Personal living expenses depend on the volunteer, but it can be as low as $250 a month. We hope that this document has given you a comprehensive glimpse into our organisation and the kind of work that we do. We believe that this is a tremendous opportunity for deep cultural exchange - for both ROYM and you, the volunteer. We look forward to partnering with you.