ARE WORKCAMPS ORGANIZED THE WHOLE YEAR ROUND?

Well, nearly. There are 2 seasons or cycles of workcamps - summer and winter. The summer period starts in May and ends at the end of October, while the winter/Christmas period goes from the second week of January to the end of February. 3-4 week workcamps are organized during both of these periods.


WHAT KIND OF WORK DO THE CAMPERS DO? WHAT HAPPENS AFTER WORK?


The Voluntary Workcamps Association of Uganda organizes a variety of projects, including the construction of primary or secondary schools, roads, and hospitals, as well as reforestation, coffee and Banana plantation, literacy projects, community development, Vanilla production, and AIDS awareness campaigns. The function of the camps, however, is not to do the work for the various communities, but rather to assist them in "helping themselves" by working with them on the projects. The common denominator is that the community development work of VWAU , in addition to being self-help, is sustainable and grassroots -- local communities decide which projects are needed and feasible.
Volunteers work about 7 hours per day from Monday to Friday, with occasional work being done on Saturdays. The work is usually done before 1 o'clock, so that afternoons are free for various trips, dancing, sports, or other leisure activities. In the evenings, each camp arranges its own program of leisure activities, including discussions, Ugandan dances, games, and African singing. Some evenings each week are also left free. On some weekends, excursions are also planned to various local attractions, including Kidpeo National Park (a rainforest with Africa's only canopy walkway), various beaches.



HOW LONG DO THE WORKCAMPS LAST? DO VOLUNTEERS HAVE TO STAY FOR THE ENTIRE PERIOD?

The camps vary in length from around 3 to 4 weeks. Volunteers are encouraged to stay for duration of the workcamp, and most usually do. However, the minimum requirement for volunteers is 30 days. There are also a few weekend camps, in which only 1 or 2 days are spent working.

WHAT WILL I GET OUT OF MY VWAU EXPERIENCE?

The answer to this question, of course, depends on how much you put in.  If you enter fully into the work and make an effort to understand and make friends with the volunteers from many other cultures, you will have an interesting and enjoyable experience.  You will make friends from countries all over the world, you will learn to do work you have never done before, you will learn important organizational and management skills, you will be introduced to a completely different part of the world, and you will learn about different cultures. More than all of this, you will have the satisfaction of having worked with others on a project to help a community in need.

Of course the background of the volunteers varies from camp to camp, but the percentages are usually about 50% Uganda  and 50% international.   In terms of professional background, many are students and teachers, but the camps are certainly not limited to volunteers of these professions



WHAT QUALIFICATIONS ARE NECESSARY TO BECOME A VOLUNTEER?



Volunteers should be at least 16 years of age, in good health, willing to work hard at manual, unskilled jobs, and willing to live with others in simple living conditions. Other than these modest requirements, there are no other qualifications necessary to become a VWAU workcamper


WHAT SHOULD I BRING TO A VWAU WORKCAMP?

Suggested items to bring are as follows:



1.) Toilet Articles

2.) Work Clothes

3.) Shoes and/or work boots

4.) Working gloves

5.) Flashlight

6.) Raincoat

7.) Mosquito net

8.) Sleeping bag

9.) Water bottle

10.) Medicine/drops/tablets for purifying water

11.) Cutlery, cup, dish

12.) Insect repellent

13.) One dress shirt for formal occasions

14.) Cot for sleeping

15.) 6 passport-size photos (for a visa, VWAU ID card, etc.)



Other optional items: swimsuit, musical instruments, camera, pictures from home, a few small gifts for villagers, soccer ball, frisbee.



ADDITIONAL INFORMATION





HOW IS PERSONAL SAFETY IN UGANDA?


Despite numerous political problems in other East African countries, Uganda is a very safe country. Crime is much lower than in other African states, and indeed much lower than in many East countries. Ugandans are also very friendly toward foreigners, and treat them as welcome guests in their country.

WHAT IMMUNIZATIONS DO I NEED BEFORE GOING TO UGANDA?



There is one required immunization to come to Uganda. This is against yellow fever, and you will be checked at Entebbe airport to make sure you have had this before entering Uganda. Other than this, it is recommended to get several other immunizations/vaccines, including Hepatitis A + B, typhoid/typhus, meningitis, rabies, and tetanus-diphtheria. There is no vaccine against malaria, which is quite common in Uganda