Footsteps Through Africa

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rating

4.8

Excellent


2

Reviews


0

Years in business

FTA is a non-profit company dedicated to implementing and supporting community requested education and development projects around Southern & East Africa

Footsteps Through Africa is a non-profit company dedicated to implementing and supporting community requested education and development projects around Southern and East Africa, in addition to supporting pre-existing community projects.


Footsteps Through Africa funded by Footsteps Tours - our tour ...

Review Description

Footsteps Through Africa is a non-profit company dedicated to implementing and supporting community requested education and development projects around Southern and East Africa, in addition to supporting pre-existing community projects.


Footsteps Through Africa funded by Footsteps Tours - our tour operator - which supports all of our ongoing projects, and funds all of the administration costs of the non-profit Footsteps Through Africa, ensuring that all monetary donations go directly towards the cause.


Footsteps Through Africa was founded by Jo Cooper in Rubuguri, Uganda, in 2015. After spending many years working as a tour guide and travelling all over Southern and East Arica, Jo got to know communities in need all over the continent, but it wasn't until he met Stella that Jo truly realised the impact an organisation like Footsteps could have. Stella was a 12-year-old orphaned girl in Uganda, whose dedication to her education inspired Jo and opened his eyes to how much a little bit of support can go along way. At the age of 12, Stella had joined a local singing and dancing group to try to make enough money to put herself through school. Upon learning this, Jo offered to sponsor her schooling. The appreciation shown, not just by her, but the entire community was overwhelming. That was the start of Footsteps Through Africa’s first project: a student sponsorship program. From then on, Footsteps has continued to grow.


What we want to avoid is assuming the priorities of various communities. Instead, we learn from the local people by living alongside them and getting to know them, and understanding what would best benefit the people of each particular community. This experience would then guide our resources and the nature of our projects.


We also aim to empower these communities by providing jobs and helping develop existing community projects.


All of our projects in Uganda have been requested by the community and are run and managed by community members. Our volunteers spend time working side by side with the local people to make our projects as successful as possible. Whether volunteers are teaching at our Footsteps primary school, working at the local health clinic, developing our Community Centre or hosting reading classes and extra lessons at the Footsteps library, they will be having a direct impact on the lives of the people that they get to know over their time volunteering.


During volunteers' time with us, they will have an opportunity to work at each of our projects in the area before deciding which project they would like to focus on, where they feel they could personally have the biggest impact.


Rubuguri is a very small, rural village in the mountainous Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The closest town is roughly a 1.5-hour drive away. Volunteers coming to spend time here should be flexible, open-minded people with a spirit for adventure! Electricity in the village is very temperamental, and can be relied upon about half the time. The tropical climate brings in heavy rainfall and humidity, and the high altitude brings in cold temperatures during the night. Being relatively isolated, there is not easy access to bigger shops, although essentials are available in the village. Visitors will get a true insight into the village and way of life in Uganda; an unforgettable and eye-opening experience!


Uganda also has a huge amount to offer in terms of tourism, and Rubuguri is in the heart of it all! During volunteers' time with us, they will have free time allocated to exploring a bit more of the country and getting to know this beautiful area that hosts one of the largest diversities of wildlife in Africa. Optional activities include gorilla trekking, volcano hikes, lake bunyonyi cruises, safaris, to name only a few. Volunteers are also able to combine their volunteering time with one of our Footsteps tours through Uganda, which offers 16 exciting days exploring all that this beautiful country has to offer.   


Contact Person

Jo Cooper


Footsteps Through Africa reviews

Marion Zimmermann rating5.0

2017 at Education Assistant & Teaching Supporter

My name is Marion, I am from Germany and I am 45 years old. I try to discover Africa by traveling and volunteering. My time in Uganda really touched my heart Uganda is a beautiful country with welcoming people and an awsome wildlife and nature. First I travelled through the country with the NGO, ...
Few months ago, I took part in the Community and Education projects of Footsteps Through Africa in Uganda for almost 3 months and it was an incredible changing life experience. On arrival, I felt immediately welcome in this beautiful mountain village, Rubuguri. By the lodge staff members who've ...