FAQs

We’re proud to offer volunteer placements in the areas of education and health. Whether you want to volunteer at a local hospital/medical centre or conduct education support in a school, we have volunteer opportunities to suit all interests and skill sets. There are school renovation projects that often range from minor structural repairs and painting works to furniture repairs. If you’re pursuing a career in medicine or nursing, or if you’re a qualified healthcare professional, your are welcome to serve with us in a setting that suits your levels of experience and specialty. 

Volunteer requirements vary from project to project. However for the majority of our projects, the only requirements are a high level of competence in English, a clean criminal background, and a willingness to learn. You do not need to have volunteered before and for most of our projects you do not need to have experience in the type of volunteering you wish to undertake. Please note that for our Medical and Healthcare projects, volunteers must be qualified or training in a relevant medical field and documentation to confirm this must be presented to our local team on arrival at orientation or at the time of processing a temporary work permit.

Absolutely! Friends and couples are welcome to volunteer together and our local teams are able to ensure that you are placed in the same accommodation and on the same project. To apply, one person needs to complete the application process first and select ‘Yes’ to the question ‘Will you be volunteering with a friend, family member or group?’ in the application form. They will then be prompted to create a group and invite the other person(s) to join. An email will then be sent to the invitee(s), so they can follow the link in the email to apply. Following this process will ensure you can be accommodated and placed together.

Volunteers are required to undergo orientation training to prepare them for their hospital, clinic, or community placement duties prior and upon arrival in Uganda. This is provided virtually over Zoom or other appropriate platforms after successful application for placement and is the footprint for subsequent experience, and the starting point of newly gained knowledge about the community’s culture, extra activities to participate in, and all the places you can explore away from volunteer assignments.

All participants traveling to Uganda can obtain Visa by applying at Ugandan Embassy/High Commission located in their country of residence. Citizens of some countries can also get the Visa on arrival. Please consult the Ugandan Embassy / High Commission for more detailed information. Participants can also apply for E-Visa to Uganda.

We understand that volunteering in Uganda isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. If you’re looking for an alternative purposeful adventure, Hapa Resources partners with service providers that will pack culture-adventure tours to your amazement. You can opt to work part-time and spend time off on wildlife safari.

These trips are a great way to support real projects because the funds raised from these tours support our community-based partners, while locally-owned businesses provide all accommodation and meals.

It is advised to apply for the placement at least a month in advance. The application requires you to state your desired start and end dates. Although, we will work with you if it is shorter notice.

Usually, it takes approximately 72 hours (3 business days) for the application to be processed and placement to be confirmed. We review your CV and documents requested to confirm your spot. Acceptance depends on the availability of spots in the project(s) as well as the eligibility criteria of the program (age, skills and experience etc.).

Please plan on arriving 2-3 days ahead of  your start date. If you wish to travel prior to volunteering let us know where and when to pick you up. If you are arriving by plane we will pick you up at Entebbe International Airport. We will coordinate pick up according to when you will be arriving and transport you to the volunteer house located in the outskirts of Kampala. It is very helpful to be in contact the day of pick up. Once you’ve settled into the volunteer house, our staff will provide you with a first day City orientation when we will cover local customs, safety, and any questions or concerns. Our home is your home, feel welcome!

All participants are recommended to consult their physician or travel doctor before traveling to Uganda.General list of vaccinations recommended for your travel to Uganda.

Yes. For all participants it is mandatory to have valid travel medical insurance. Please email us a copy and it is advised you bring a hard copy as well.

Volunteers are provided accommodation with either a host family (subject to availability) or at the volunteer house. Please let us know your preference and we will try our best to accommodate you. The volunteer house as shared amenities with basic facilities such as a gas stove, cutlery, refrigerator, cookware, and WiFi internet connectivity.

Volunteers are provided two meals a day, breakfast and dinner, Monday to Friday and this is all part of the volunteer fee. Breakfast is at the volunteer house or homestay whereas lunch can be provided at the project location. Breakfast includes tea/coffee, bread, jam, fruit and one dish (eggs, porridge, etc.). Dinner is prepared at the volunteer house and if one prefers to eat out, its at a personal expense. On weekends, breakfast, lunch and dinner would be provided at the accommodation. For lunch, you can try out some local restaurants. Our team would be happy to guide you to restaurants or food joints. It is not advised to consume tap water directly, however for cleaning purposes like brushing your teeth, tap water is fine. You can purchase water bottles from a supermarket for consumption.

This will be covered during the first-day orientation. A member of our team will take you to the project location and introduce you to everyone. If the project location is within walking distance from your accommodation, then you don’t need to worry about transportation. But if the project location is not in walking distance we will coordinate transportation by car or boda-boda (motorcycle).

Initially, exchange a small amount of money upon your arrival at Entebbe Airport. You can also exchange money at any of the banks near your accommodation or project location. We recommend not exchanging a large amount in a single transaction. Instead, we recommend you to exchange money after 2-4 days, so you have a better understanding of your spending needs. There is a very good network of ATMs as well.

You can get a local prepaid SIM card from mobile phone service centers that are widely spread. You will only need to have your original identification at hand. Again, this will be covered as part of volunteer orientation.

 We encourage all of our prospective volunteers to undertake crowdfuding activities before they come. A significant portion of what we can do depends on the support of HR is dependent on donations from individual donors/sponsors – friends, family and visitors – and small fundraisers held in different countries. volunteer. Our team will provide you with all the support needed for you to get a fundraiser started.