Uganda Rural Fund

Introduction

Uganda Rural Fund, founded in 2005, empowers orphans, underprivileged youth and adults in Uganda’s rural communities, through the creation of educational and sustainable development opportunities.

Our programs include: vocational secondary school, orphanage, after school programs, child sponsorship, village banking, women empowerment, men’s community engagement, water and sanitation, malaria prevention, AIDS awareness, seed loans, community empowerment seminars, and agricultural development.

We provide shelter, education, basic nutrition, medical care, and support to impoverished children and adults living in the rural districts of Uganda. We place special emphasis on children orphaned by HIV/AIDS and underprivileged women. Without our help, these children have little hope of receiving a proper education and proper nutrition. We ensure their human dignity, peace, and human development. By themselves, these children cannot break the cycle of poverty.

Our project work is based in the Masaka district, about three hours from Kampala. We are in the south western region of Uganda.

What we do:

Uganda Rural Fund operates various development and educational project among which include:

* Nazareth Children’s Home: An orphanage that is a home to children who lost parents to HIV/AIDS. Children receive shelter, health care, and education.

• After School Program: Supplementary education program for kids in kindergarten, primary, and high school. It also provides special classes for school drop-outs. The Programs runs in the evenings after school hours. It’s free to everyone. Students come from over a dozen local schools. Classes include entrepreneurship, leadership, computer skills, and the Internet besides the regular subjects. The program also integrates sports, dance, music, drama and debating activities.

* Hope Integrated Academy: (under construction):A vocational training school for orphans and disadvantaged youth and adults. Vocational skills will include: carpentry/wood working; computer skills; tailoring; agriculture; mechanics; metal works; shoe making; arts & crafts; catering and nutrition; electronics, etc. The academy also provides adult literacy classes.

* Community Library & Computer Center: Providing access to free academic, reading resources and Internet services to local students, teachers, and secretarial services to the general public.

* Women’s Empowerment Program: Involving seminars, trainings in parenting skills, nutrition, general health, human rights, entrepreneurship and leadership, crafts, and micro enterprise projects to promote self-sustenance among households.

* Men’s Community Engagement Program: motivates men to get involved in community building and promote family responsibility among men. The program involves workshops and also income generating projects.

* Micro-finance/Village Banking Program: for both men and women to help them build capacity for local capital. The program is run by members themselves. They put in shares and can borrow funds with little interest to invest in small businesses.

* Orphan Sponsorship Program: We invite individuals to support our education program by sponsoring orphaned children. It costs $300 a year to keep a child in school.

• Entrepreneurship and Leadership Center: Provide competency training in basic entrepreneurship and leadership skills involving business planning, personal finance, accountability, community leadership, etc.

* HIV/AIDS Awareness and Prevention: Workshops on AIDS awareness are conducted in the community and during youth camps. HIV testing is provided through Uganda Cares and referrals made for treatment at centers like TASO.

*Malaria Prevention through distribution of mosquito nets in surrounding communities and workshops on malaria education.

• Water & Sanitation: through distribution water tanks for rain water harvesting. URF also works in partnership with Engineers Without Boarders to build clean water and sanitation systems.

* Health Care: providing health care to orphans and poor mothers. We plan to have a school clinic which will also serve as a community health center.

• Youth Resource Center: Provides safe space for teenagers and youth to seek guidance and access resources for their educational, social, economic, leadership development.

* Art & Craft and Tailoring: Income generating activities for rural women, the Children’s Home and the Vocational school. Women generate income from sale of baskets to educate their children.

* Poultry, Piggery, and Cattle Keeping: for women and the Children’s Home for income generating and providing good nutrition to the children.

• Child-headed Family Support: Identify needy families (child-headed or widow-headed family) and provide support them with income-generating projects to promote household self-sustenance. We also plan vegetable gardens for these families to enhance nutritional input.

• Food security: through provision of seed loans to students and poor rural farmers. Also promote sustainable agriculture through training courses at the Hope Academy. We also provide training workshops for farmers to promote sustainable agriculture.

Staff at URF

Adrian Ssemukasa is the Programs Director. Adrian has strong roots in the communities served by Uganda Rural Fund. He was born in the area and all his work has revolved around building local capacity through his entrepreneurial and business ventures. Adrian oversees the operations and implementation of URF programs on the ground in collaboration with John Mary in the States. He has worked with international volunteers since 2005 from which he has gained experience working with people from different backgrounds. Adrian holds a Diploma in Agriculture.

John Mary Lugemwa, OSB is the founder and volunteer coordinator of Uganda Rural Fund. He is also a native of Uganda, but currently living in the United States. John Mary has experience directing international volunteer programs for groups of college students groups as well as individuals from the U.S. He holds degrees in Computer Science and Philosophy from St. John’s University in Minnesota and is currently pursuing two graduate degrees- an M.A and S.T.B in Theology from St. Vincent College and Seminary in Pennsylvania.

Other On-ground Staff:
-Fred Ntale (On-ground Volunteer Coordinator),
-Maureen Nakalinzi (Women’s Program),
-Charles Waliggo (Ass. On-ground Volunteer Coordinator),
-John Simbwa (Bursar, Hope Academy)
-Jjajja (Host Family),
-Thaddeus Kweyamba (Headmaster, Hope Academy)

Who do we need?

Volunteers who are committed and have a strong desire and passion to help others. However, we urgently need individuals with experience in the following fields:

* Teachers for both kindergarten, elementary, secondary, and vocational school (classes are taught in English)
• Instructors for computer skills classes, entrepreneurship and leadership training.
* Doctors, nurses, medical and nursing students to conduct health related workshops.
* Social workers and counselors
* Administrative work
* HIV/AIDS, nutrition, and public health educators
* Individuals with fundraising experience or with willingness to take on this challenge
* Grant writing and research
*IT and library skills to help manage the computer center and the community library.

Your Job / Volunteer Work

Activities range from gardening to administrative work. Volunteers should prepare to assist with one or more of the following:
* Teaching kids in the after-school program ranging from kindergarten, elementary/primary school, secondary school, or in the vocational school.
* Helping students with homework i.e. tutoring
* Work with students on extracurricular activities
* Home visits to child-headed households and families served by URF
* Administration work in our offices
* Working in the new community library and computer center at the Academy.
* Preparing progress reports for children who have sponsors
* Preparing monthly volunteer newsletters and help students with school newspaper.
* Fundraising activities
* Gardening and feeding livestock
* General housekeeping work at the orphanage and school
* Conducting workshops on community development, human rights, AIDS awareness, etc.
* Help with seminars on entrepreneurship and leadership training for students and local residents.
*Organizing and running youth camps.
* Family outreach in the neighboring villages.
* Counseling and career guidance
* Construction work in the community and at Hope Academy.

In most cases, volunteers will work with a team of dedicated local volunteers. We believe in team work and building relationships with the local community.

We do youth camps every holidays and next year we are planning ''URF 2010: youth camp and young professionals for community development conference" in January. Last summer we had a community empowerment seminar which was well attended - about 600 people came and volunteers get to help with such events.

We also welcome volunteers who may wish to volunteer with us in the United States or anywhere in their home country. You can contact the international volunteer coordinator for details.

In most cases, volunteers will work with a team of dedicated local volunteers. We believe in team work and building relationships with the local community.

We also welcome volunteers who may wish to volunteer with us in the United States or anywhere in their home country. You can contact the international volunteer coordinator for details.

Accomodation & food costs:

Our volunteers are placed with host families which gives them an opportunity to experience the culture of the local people.

You can view pictures of one of the families that hosts volunteers . The homes where volunteers are placed provide a homely and safe environment. The volunteers share in the life of the family and build relationships with family members, co-workers, and local people in the villages.

Electricity is available although sporadic (soon getting solar power). There is Internet access at the home and the school. However, there is no running water or flashing toilets. There is refrigeration and bottled water is provided for drinking. Expect to share a room with another volunteer and adapt to rural village life style.

For details about the volunteer program: manuals, accommodation, travel, associated costs, etc, visit: www.volunteer.ugandaruralfund.org

Read our newsletter for March 2009 (2 MB)- good brochure for fundraising

Have a look at past, current and future volunteers at Uganda Rural, here

You can read more about this project at www.ugandaruralfund.org and www.hopeacademyuganda.org

Please note - that until November 2009, Uganda Rural Fund and Uganda Rural Community Support Foundation hosted volunteers under the same umbrella. The projects are run by brothers. Uganda RCSF projects are in Rakai and Uganda Rural Fund are based in Masaka.

Volunteer Vacancies

4 volunteer vacancies at any time. Below is our booking chart, which is updated in real time: