General Skills Placement
A-Z Children’s Charity has several projects which individuals with no teaching or nursing background can get involved in.
These projects include: -
- Building project
- Children’s Community Library and playground Project
- HIV community project
- Agricultural project
- Building project
- Children’s Community Library
- HIV community project
- Agricultural project
Each year, A-Z Children’s Charity selects an extremely vulnerable family from our Children’s HIV community programme and we build them a house. As a volunteer you would be involved in the building process, from making bricks to carrying water. This is a great experience and a chance to get your hands dirty.
Currently, A-Z Children’s Charity has over 500 children per week attending the library with their schools. After reading lessons the children use the playground, and play football, volleyball or badminton. As a volunteer you would be involved in reading to the children and playing games with them at the library.
The aim of this project is to ensure that HIV infected children gain access to life saving medication (Anti- retroviral). A-Z CC’s aim is to ensure that these medications are taken correctly, the household receives adequate nutrition and the sanitation in the household is in adequate to prevent transmission of opportunistic infection. Currently there are 13 families on the project, 6 from Nansana (semi- urban) and 7 from Mende (rural).
This is a challenging volunteer opportunity as many of the children are sick and the households are struggling to find adequate healthcare and nutrition. It is very difficult for a volunteer to make an impact in only four weeks. The aim for you is therefore to get to know these families and understand the programme.
A-Z Children’s Charity grows crops in its 3.8-acre land. The crops are given to the vulnerable families on the HIV Community Project. You will be involved in planting, weeding and harvesting the crops.
Pre- trip orientation
A lot of preparation is done before you leave Ireland. This is necessary to ensure that you are prepared mentally for the trip and that you know what to do and what is expected of you the minute you arrive in Uganda. Although it always takes some time for every volunteer to adjust, A-Z Children’s Charity has found that volunteers who are well prepared in advance adapt easier in Uganda. For that reason A-Z Children’s Charity places great importance in preparing every person for their placement.
The orientation schedule is as follows: -
December- January- General orientation with all the volunteers and past volunteers and learn about what to expect and how to prepare for Uganda.
March- Meeting with volunteer coordinator to discuss probable four- week work plan.
May- Finalise work plan and any outstanding issues you may have. A discussion of what resources to bring with you will also take place.
Orientation schedule in Uganda
Your first two days upon arrival in Uganda are general orientation days (Please see orientation pack).
Support systems available during your volunteer placement
- Weekly evaluation meetings take place with all the volunteers to assess and record your progress
- An A-Z Children’s Charity, Ireland volunteer coordinator will visit you and be available to you at any time should any issues arise.
- You will be asked to keep a diary of your experience. This is designed to help you on future projects and to help future volunteers
