Building & Construction Worker

The program orientation begins on the first and third Monday of each month, and volunteers need to arrive in Entebbe on the Sunday before orientation.

After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at Entebbe International Airport (EBB). Your airport pick-up is included in your Program Fee.

When you arrive, you will be greeted at the airport by a member of the local team and transported to the volunteer accommodation in Kampala. Your accommodation is covered by your Program Fee and includes the night before your program orientation.

If you are traveling in Uganda prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up in Kampala or Entebbe on the day before your program orientation.

Orientation is hosted by our local team at the volunteer base. Orientation begins on the morning of your chosen start date and covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Uganda – Introduction to Uganda, Culture and Customs, Rules and Expectations, Safety, Language Basics (Luganda), Travel Opportunities, Introduction to Project and Placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.

Volunteers are accommodated in​ ​​a ​well furnished volunteer house in the  area, in Kampala City. The volunteer house accommodates up to 10 volunteers and you can expect to share a bedroom  other volunteers of the same gender. The volunteer house​ ​​is​ ​safe and secure in a quiet​ ​area. The bathrooms have western toilets and showers. There is electricity and running water in the volunteer house, however it is common for power or water to occasionally be cut off in Uganda. Bedding is provided and you will​ just​​ ​need to bring your own towel. It is recommended that you bring your own mosquito net and these can be purchased in Uganda if you prefer to save space in your luggage. There are staff who clean the accommodation throughout the week, however volunteers are required to keep their rooms and common areas tidy.

WiFi is available at the volunteer house, however the connection can be slow so we recommend bringing an unlocked mobile phone and purchasing a local SIM card when you arrive in Uganda. The local team can assist you with purchasing a SIM card during your program orientation. WiFi is also available at a nearby resort, which is located within 5 minutes of the volunteer house.

Volunteers are provided with three meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner), prepared by an on-site local cook. If you wish to snack or eat outside of meal times, this will be at your own cost and there are local shops within the villages where you can purchase snacks. Breakfast generally includes tea, eggs, bread and fruit. For lunch and dinner, there is a revolving menu of local dishes, which include typical Ugandan stews (beef, chicken, pork, goat, fish and vegetable), beans, rice, chapatti, groundnuts and vegetables. Starchy foods such as white bread, white rice, pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes, matoke (boiled green bananas), and cassava are dietary staples. The tropical climate of Uganda also contributes to a healthy choice of seasonal fruits, including bananas, watermelon, papayas, mangos, jackfruit, and pineapples. 

Bottled drinking water is readily available in Uganda and volunteers should budget approximately US$5 per week for this.

If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know well in advance of your program so our local team can make arrangements for you. We do, however need to stress the point that you should not expect to eat as you normally do at home. We will do our best to see that you are well taken care of, but also as a volunteer, there is a need to be flexible.