Volunteering is a cool and exciting way of immersing oneself in and discovering a community. If you’re looking to put your expertise and talent to use for a good cause while you’re in Uganda, here are the top organisations to volunteer for.
In Uganda since 1982, ActionAid International has helped people fight for rights they have been denied, from the right to eat to the right to education and the right to stay on their land, among others. ActionAid uses its resources, influence and experience to help people find their own solutions, as opposed to offering them handouts and telling them what to do, as time as shown that that method isn’t effective at all.
Oxfam builds active citizenship around tax, budget allocations, extractive industries and women’s leadership. They address land and seed rights for women and pastoralists. Oxfam also works with the private sector on issues like climate change, youth employment and unpaid care work for women.
40 Days Over 40 Smiles mobilises and inspires Ugandans, especially youths, to volunteer their time, skills and resources in charity activities that impact the education, health and livelihood of vulnerable children and their communities. The organisation mainly uses crowdsourcing to raise funds that support their work with community schools and centres. It supports children who are in or out of school through literacy and life-skills learning, health camps and vocational skills.
Located on Lake Victoria, Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary is home to 49 orphaned chimpanzees rescued from all over East Africa. With one-week and four-week volunteer programmes available, you will gain firsthand experience of chimpanzee behaviour. Volunteer activities include food preparation, chimpanzee feeding, assisting in medical procedures, cleaning the chimpanzee holding facility, carrying out enrichment exercises for chimpanzees and so much more.
FIDA Uganda is an organisation of female lawyers who have been defending women’s rights since 1974; children also benefit from this work. They aim to advance gender equality through women’s rights.
Uganda Youth Network works with 157 youth organisations, placing young people at the centre of leadership, policy and governance by empowering them economically. It also aims to ensure that these young people make safe sexual and reproductive health choices.
Writivism organises Uganda’s leading literary event, the Writivism Festival. It seeks to identify, mentor and promote emerging African writers. It recruits volunteers who are passionate about African literature to help put together its annual event, the Writivism Festival that usually takes place from August 17 to 19 every year. Tasks include production, guest handling, venue management, social media, blogging and traditional media and logistics support.
CARE’s work in Uganda is a response to armed conflict, natural disasters and economic and social marginalisation, mainly in rural areas of the country. They focus on the vulnerable communities to provide assistance and opportunities for sustainable development.
Human Rights Network Uganda is a network of human rights organisations, and was established in 1993. It has an increasingly diverse membership of non-government organisations across the country.
Uganda National NGO Forum is an independent and inclusive national platform for non-government organisations in Uganda. It focusses on issues that concern non-government organisations and civil society organisations across the board, to help nurture a respected and well-informed NGO sector.
