Save Uganda Foundation (SUF)

The organization seeks to empower these groups of people through economic development, which it achieves through education programs, vocational training, and the provision of health care. SAVE UGANDA also campaigns for HIV/AIDS, Poverty and human rights awareness and provides direct support to children who have been orphaned as a result of the Poverty, HIV/AIDS and Violence. We have a belief that everybody is a unique individual and that we all have a right to good health and basic needs and should access means to a comfortable life in one way or another.

About Uganda

The Republic of Uganda is located in the Eastern part of Africa. It is boarded by Kenya in the East, Tanzania in the South while beneath its south-Western end are Rwanda and Burundi, Sudan in the North and Democratic Republic of Congo in the West. Its total area is about 236,000 Square KM and its total population is more than 30 million.

Uganda is sub-divided into more than 111 districts, one of which is the capital city's Kampala, where quite a few experiences many of the harsh problems still experienced in rural Africa today. The most interesting towns are Kampala the capital city, Entebbe where the airport is, Jinja with the source of the River Nile, and Mbarara which is a center of the wildlife tourism.

Uganda is well known for hosting the majority of the existing primate population (Gorillas and Chimpanzees) in the world, mainly in the western part of it, and hence it’s as a major tourist attraction. The currency is Uganda Shilling ($1=roughly 3000 shillings), and the electricity runs at 220 Volts with European like wall outlets.

About Save Uganda Foundation

Save Uganda Foundation is a community based organization established and registered in 2010 in the town of Kazo based. The organization was founded by vibrant youth who has been volunteering for many years in Uganda and discovered that there is a need to formulate an organization will help to change lives of the Orphans and Vulnerable Children and Orphans and Vulnerable Youths, the single mothers, families affected and infected with HIV and the people at RISK in Uganda,.

Save Uganda will establish offices in several parts/districts of Uganda most especially the urban centers and finally it will upgrade to an NGO level (Non-Government Organization), with the help of volunteers working being invested for the benefit of the community, including financial support of major needs from the donors and other ways in order to enable it deliver services to even other parts of the country besides where the organization has the offices now.

Vision

To significantly change and empower OVCs, OVYs and HIV positive living mothers for a bright future.

Mission

To help children thrive and to build, strengthen and sustain youths and the HIV Positive Living Mothers.

Major Objectives

To raise awareness on HIV in Nansana Town Council
To provide viable treatment options for the HIV positive children, youths and mothers through partnerships
To provide home based care and support to the positive living mothers and children in Nansana Town Council and beyond
To encourage the “Know your Status” slogan mostly in youths and the most at risk groups
To support both formal and informal education for the Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Nansana Town Council and beyond
To fight the unemployment among the youths through promoting the skills development amongst them through vocational training and skills development

About Kazo Community

The organization was aimed at being implemented in the small town of Kazo which is made up of three zones i.e., Kazo Central Zone, Kazo Lugoba Zone and Kazo Muganzirwaza and with a population of about 30,000 people, within the jurisdiction of Nansana Town Council in Wakiso district, nearly 40Km from Kampala. Further on, based on proven success in Kazo, there may be attempts to repeat that success in other neighboring communities, but for 2015 we aim at establishing a good record in Kazo first.

The Kazo community is characterized by quite a few areas of great need which are relevant to volunteers' assignments, such as:

Many extremely poor households, living on an average of ONE US Dollar per day.
Relatively high spread of diseases, mostly Malaria and HIV/AIDS.
Poor personal/community hygiene and sanitation, with poor drainage and waste disposal systems.
Very high level of deserted, orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs).
Very high level single mothers who are sole supporters of their families, in many cases having between 3 and up to 10 to support.
Lack of means (education, skills, experience) of heads of families to reasonably support their families, in many cases considerably large families.
Minimum level of family planning programs actually reaching out relevant target populations, resulting in massive numbers of poor children.
High unemployment rates, particularly among Youth and Women, also due to the below mentioned.
Massive number of school dropouts, resulting in extremely high levels of dependency due to lack of skills to enable reasonable standard of living.

What can volunteers do in order to address Kazo's needs?

Teach selected local groups (Single mothers, high school students, and elderly people) certain income earning skills based on knowledge areas such as basic and more advanced computer literacy, English communication, any other specific relevant skills which a volunteer poses e.g. sewing, small business setup consultancy, etc.
Help and promote school children with assignments in various areas such as math, sciences, English etc.
Organize and be engaged in the sensitization workshops on Child Protection, domestic violence, Child Rights, HIV/AIDS and more.
Pay individual house calls and/or hold group discussions at various venues to further explore and promote solutions to unique needs of specific groups (OVCs, youths, single mothers, HIV positive, elderly) and/or equip them with tools to better cope with situations, e.g.; Education, human rights, business promotion education, family planning education, etc.
Participate in joint groups of local and International volunteers in order to construct things like, charcoal stoves, water tanks, and many more for the needy populations.
Participate in joint groups of local and International in order to visit different congested places to provide people with condoms (Condom distribution) to reduce on the rate at with HIV/AIDS is spread.
Inherit any personal skills which are specific volunteer acquired or is gifted with to individuals who are interested in that field, e.g.; playing a musical instrument, using a video camera, various types of sports at a more advanced level, various arts and crafts, dancing of various kinds, etc.

Volunteer Qualities:

A volunteer with one or more than the following skills is welcome at Save Uganda Foundation though we also welcome volunteers with general skills:

Capable of working with the youths in development perspectives
Having ability to work with children at all levels of vulnerability
Teachers of all subjects who will be helping children and youths in the community at all levels of education
Having skills in arranging and planning community events
Having skills in HIV counseling and testing
Having skills in planning and proposal writing
Ability to support existing projects with work and new energy
Ability to implement projects in the community
Ability to work with women craft groups on product development and identification of International market for their products
Ability to carry out supervision, monitoring, reporting and Evaluation of projects
Ability to write articles, help in photography and filming
Dealing with ICT e.g. Computer training, web page designing, introduces local youth groups to internet usage.

What is provided to volunteers during their stay with us?

Pick up and drop off at Entebbe International airport, upon coordinating specific flight details by the volunteer.
Accommodations at the volunteers’ guest house
One day orientation regarding the general environment, the setting, the community, the organization, the assignments, what is expected, etc.
The organization Programs Director who is constantly with the volunteers, taking care of all their needs from basic setup and living arrangements, through placement and enhancing effectiveness of their respective assignments, to keeping meaningful contacts with the wider community around. Local volunteers are also expected to be around at all times, ready to team up with International Volunteers for any relevant purpose.

What should volunteers bring with them or take care of?

A sleeping bag and all bed sheets, a mosquito net though it can be inexpensively acquired locally.
Towels and personal hygiene necessities.
Basic medicine/first aid Kit, mosquito repellents, sun protective cream, sun glasses, etc.
Work clothes and shoes; possibly work gloves, rain coat (depending on season), and a torch light.
Any second hand clothes, shoes and accessories of all sizes and purposes which you (and your friends) don't need any more for the benefit of the needy people of the community. Small gifts unique to your country of origin, mainly for children.
A traveler’s visa to be issued at Entebbe Airport.

NOTE; A volunteer's visa is more expensive; therefore please make sure to apply for a traveler’s visa.