Uganda Rural Community Support Foundation

Introduction

Uganda Rural Community Support Foundation (URCSF) works in partnership with the Uganda Rural Fund USA, Inc (URF|USA), a U.S based 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity. Both URF|USA and URCSF were founded in 2005.

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 in the rural region of Masaka—along what is known as the “AIDS Highway.”

The children we serve have no parents and no homes. Without our help, they have little hope of receiving a proper education and proper nutrition. We provide them with human dignity and peace. By themselves, these children cannot break the cycle of poverty. .

Project Director

Peter Francis Luswata is the Project Director. Peter was born and raised in the area where our projects are implemented. He has a passion for helping children because he sees the potential in building his community through educating the younger generation. Peter studied both in Uganda, Eritrea, and the U.S.A. He is an experienced communicator and leader in working with international volunteers.

The volunteer coordinator for this project is John Mary Lugemwa, OSB. He is also a native of Uganda, but currently lives 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 recently graduated with a degree in Computer Science and Philosophy from St. John’s university in Minnesota and will start graduate school this fall in Pennsylvania.

More about our work:

URF|USA & URCSF operate 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..
* Health Center: This is a school clinic but will be expanded to serve as a community health center as resources become readily available.
* 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 *Malaria Prevention through distribution of mosquito nets.
• Water & Sanitation: through distribution water tanks for rain water harvesting.
* Womens empowerment Center: Involving seminars, trainings in parenting skills, nutrition, general health, human rights, entrepreneurship and leadership, and micro enterprise projects to promote self-sustenance among households.
• Science Center: To provide access to science laboratory equipment for students and teachers from local village schools most of which don’t have labs. (not set up yet)
• Youth Resource Center: Provides safe space for teenagers and youth to seek guidance and access resources for their educational, social, economic, leadership development.
* Brick masonry/Brick Laying Project: Youth make bricks to support themselves and sometimes the bricks are donated to poor residents to build homes.
* Art & Craft and Tailoring: Income generating activities for rural women, the Children’s Home and the Vocational school.
* 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 find sponsors (or lenders) to support family projects to promote household self-sustenance.
• Food security: through provision of seed loans to poor rural farmers. Also promote sustainable agriculture through training courses at the Hope Vocational College.
• Student Merchandize Shop: A show room featuring student made products through vocational training at the Academy. Income from sales support operation of the school and help needy students with school supplies.

Who do we need?

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, pre-med and nursing students to support staff at the medical clinic.
* Social work and counseling
* 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.
• Electrical, civil, or water resource engineers

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
* 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
* Presenting workshops on community development, human rights, AIDS awareness and education, 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 at the 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 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.

We currently do not have any recent experiences from volunteers. You can read more about volunteering at this project however at www.ugandaruralfund.org and www.hopeacademyuganda.org