Teach Conservation Knowledge at a Local School in Uganda

This program aims at working with young people in schools to actively engage in conserving our environment since this is a collective responsibility and in many cases they are left out yet they have much input they can contribute in this struggle. The program aims at giving the power to young people themselves to improve the condition of their own schools to make them more sustainable and livable.

This program is a hands-on environmental program that aims at creating more sustainable communities through active involvement of young people to shape the face of their future environment starting with their own schools as their conservation units.

The program aims at engaging more young people in outdoor conservation activities in a fun and enjoyable way. Young people plant trees in schools and communities, students/pupils raise school tree nurseries and distribute seedlings to the community to plant for free and thus making their communities greener and more sustainable.

Many schools in rural areas where we work still face many social issues which the schools alone can’t manage to solve on their own. These issues vary school to school and they include the following;

• High levels of littering among students/pupils with plastic and other kinds of waste that pupils collect from different areas and just throw them away anyhow using them which later find their way everywhere and in the soil and this degrades the quality of our land.
• High levels of soil erosion in both their compounds and school gardens and thus leading to soil loss and poor yields from school gardens.
• The school compounds are so bare with limited vegetation and pupils don’t enjoy any outdoor activities since compounds don’t have any trees to rest and play in during breaks/free time.
• Many pupils in many government schools are not provided with lunch since they have to pay extra fees for it and this affects their concentration in class.
• Schools are leading consumers of wood and thus responsible for the high rate of forest loss in our area and this still continues until something is done.

Your roles as a Conservation knowledge teacher.

If you have any cool ideas in waste recycling or re-using, you will share them with the students/pupils to minimize littering and improper waste disposal in schools. This way you will have improved the hygiene condition of schools and reduced contamination of school lands and grounds which will make schools more attractive and healthier to live in.

The volunteers will work with schools to educate students/pupils on environment protection, how to grow healthier food in school gardens, and best farming practices. This way you will have provided a reliable source of food and fed many students/pupils in these schools.

Volunteers shall work with pupils and students to establish orchards (fruit tree gardens) in our eco-schools which will provide fruits to improve students/pupils nutrition while at school and some will be used for learning purposes.

If you’re passionate about outdoor activities, you will be taking pupils to natural surroundings to discover natural habitats of micro and macro creatures (butterflies, birds, ants, and others) so that young people can appreciate nature and learn how to preserve these eco systems.

Our students/pupils want to learn better English too! Volunteers who can teach English as a bonus activity during their stay are welcome! Some pupils can’t read/write short stories or speak good English, by helping with teaching English you will have helped to improve pupils’ literacy levels.

During your work with the school, you will work with a students or pupils’ patron and our field supervisor who will guide you on your daily activities.

Typical day

A typical day in this program will start at 8am with breakfast and head to the school, make necessary preparations to capture the school's needs and how best to support them. You will work with the pupils/students on daily Outdoor projects to make the schools more sustainable on topics of waste management, tree planting, gardening and other related topics basing on the school's need. You can also show your support by teaching English as an extra activity. You will have lunch on time and dinner will be served between 7pm and 8pm and then the volunteer will rest until the next morning.

Tasks:

• Share innovative conservation knowledge and skills with students/pupils.
• Participate in implementation school conservation activities,tree planting campaigns, etc
• Participate designing school vegetable gardens and orchards.
• Raising vegetables and sharing better gardening skills with students/pupils.
• Sensitise pupils/students and teachers on best school-based conservation practices.
• Represent in school planning meetings and workshop.
• Support the teaching stuff on topics you can handle.
• Teach English to pupils.

ABOUT YOUR STAY

Upon Arrival:

• Volunteers are welcome year round
• We will be available to welcome you from the airport. However, you will need to meet your own airport pick up or drop off costs. The project location is a 3 hour drive from Entebbe Airport.
• A Ugandan Tourist Visa for $50 USD is available at the airport upon your arrival at Entebbe. Please provide documentation of your vaccinations, specifically Yellow Fever, as this vacation is MANDATORY for all travelers entering Uganda.
• You will be receiving a cultural orientation about Uganda and villager lifestyles, learn basic Luganda to converse with the locals and basic training about the project you're to work on.

Program fees.

Volunteers pay an affordable fee of $27 USD per day which caters for their accomodation, meals, bottled water and local transport in the project area.

Accommodation.

You will be staying with one of our host families in the community where you will be working. Our host families are wisely selected and they also speak English. The distance to the community groups or schools you will be working can be accessed through walking, or by a motorbike.

Meals.

Volunteers will be provided with three local Uganda meals a day (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner). Fruit and bottled water are also included. We are also able to cater to special dietary restrictions or allergies.

Internet: Internet can be accessed through cafes and restaurants in Masaka town, or purchased with your smartphone through a Uganda SIM Card. Some volunteer tasks require a laptop, so it is encouraged that volunteers bring their own.

Project area.

The villages or communities you will be working with are 12-15 minutes to Masaka Town, an urban center. We encourage you to spend your free time in Masaka to explore, as there are restaurants, small shops, and handicrafts.

Expected Duration.

Volunteers are expected stay for at least one week. But please note that any period longer than two weeks will be more impactful for both the community, and volunteer.

Free Time: There are many places to explore, such as parks, cafes, bars, or social functions. You will also be able to meet other volunteers from different organizations in selected spots in Masaka Town.

We can arrange for you local Safaris/tours to visit Uganda’s National Parks (Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, etc) to see many wild animals such as hyenas, antelopes, hippos, and much more! Lake Mburo National Park is located only 2 hours away from Maska. You can also visit Nabugabo Sand Beach, or take a trip to Lake Victoria. Volunteers are responsible for all expenses incurred from free time activities, as they are of additional cost.

We look forward to seeing you soon!