Reception handbook

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS UGANDA

Reception Booklet

Welcome Preparation Accommodation Budget & Money Communications Transport Country Experience Community VolunteerUganda Health Arrival Food Contacts

Contents Reception Guide Book

Welcome!

We are happy you have chosen to Volunteer in Uganda and we aim to award you an experience of a life time. In this booklet, you will find essential information about Uganda that shall enable you to integrate with the Ugandan society much faster as well as supporting you through all the processes.

We wish you a great stay in uganda

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FAST FACTS

[UGANDA]

DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT

• Area 241,038 sq km • Capital Kampala • Birthplace of John ‘The Beast’ Mugabi, professional boxer • Country code 256 • Famous for Idi Amin, source of the Nile River; white-water rafting • Languages English, Luganda • Money Ugandan Shilling (USh); US$1 = USh2480 • Population 31.4 million

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packed into one small but stunning destination. It’s home to the tallest mountain range in Africa, the glacier-

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personal medications bedsheets towel laptop power adapter (British 240V, 50Hz) formal and casual clothes toiletries money (cash / ATM) mobile phone (unlocked for Ugandan SIM card) mosquito net / repellent / coil sun glasses swim suit embassy contacts photocopy of TN form acceptance note other documents

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Daily life Ugandans are a very polite and are January and February, when the friendly people, and will often greet daytime range is 27° to 29°C in most strangers on public transport or while of the south and up 32°C in the comes not just with a simple «hello» are March to May and October to but also with an inquiry into how November, the wettest month being they and their family is doing; and April. In the north the wet season is the interest is genuine. In fact, though from April to October. During the people likely would never show it, you wet seasons the average rainfall is 175 mm per month and the humidity is you don’t at least ask «How are you?» higher but never oppressive. before asking a question or beginning Climate a conversation. In fact, if you just say As most of Uganda is at a fairly Religion «Hello», you’ll often get a response of 85% of the population is Christian, mountains only on the eastern (most split evenly between Catholics and expecting a more personal greeting. notably Mt Elgon) and western Protestants, including a growing Life in Uganda has been one long (the Rwenzoris and the Virungas) number born-agains. Muslims, mostly series of upheavals for the older borders, the bulk of the country northerners, compose about 12% of generations, while the younger enjoys the same tropical climate, with temperatures averaging about 26°C small but devout group of native from the newfound stability. Society during the day and about 15°C at Ugandans living around Mbale who has changed completely in urban areas night. It gets considerably cooler at practice Judaism. in the past couple of decades, but in 4

passport photocopy of passport torch camera mosquito repellent and net travel insurance wind- and waterproof jacket yellow fever vaccination

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ganda is Africa condensed, with the best of everything

River, the world’s longest river, surges out of Lake Victoria, the continent’s largest lake. One of the highest concentration of primates in the world, including more than half of all remaining mountain gorillas, roams its forests. And the merging of habitats from eastern, western and northern Africa produces arguably the world’s best best bird-watching.

On top of all this a growing variety of activities has made Uganda the adrenaline center of East Africa, there’s no such thing as a crowd in even the most popular national parks and the capital Kampala is safer and friendlier than most in Africa.

Winston Churchill called it «Pearl of Africa». He was right.

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night in highland areas, including

the countryside it’s often business as is one up-and-comer to watch out for. usual.

Kampala is the best place to experience live music and several Music & Dance local bands play at night-clubs You won’t be in Uganda long before each weekend. Try to catch the you discover that Dolly Parton and aforementioned Afrigo Band at Kenny Rogers (yes, really!) are the Club Obbligato and Maurice Kirya most popular singers here; but there’s at Rouge every last Tuesday of the plenty of home-grown talent too. month, plus the weekly events at the Afrigo Band are one of the longest-running groups in Uganda To listen to Ugandan music, from and their classic Congolese rumba hip-hop to northern-style thumb sound, which they haven’t changed piano playing, log on to: in over three decades, is popular www.musicuganda.com with people in all generations.

Chameleone, who combines rap and country are Ndere Troupe. Made traditional chanting in a cutting-edge up from a kaleidoscope of Ugandan combination, and dance hall stars tribes in, they perform traditional Bebe Cool and Bobi Wine are three dances from all regions of the country. other long-time favorites. Maurice Handicrafts R&B. Suzan Kerunen, who, unlike Uganda’s most distinctive craft is most of Uganda’s current crop of bark-cloth, made by pounding the young singers, insist on singing live,

for clothing and in burial and other ceremonies, these days it’s turned into a multitude of items for sale to tourists including hats, bags, wall hangings, pillows and picture frames.

Ugandans also produce some really particularly the Toro of the west who have the most intricate designs and still use natural dyes. Traditional methods have been also adopted to make new items such as table mats and handbags for sale to to tourists.

Bugandan drum-makers are well known: the best place to buy is at Mpambire. Uganda also has interesting pottery though all the soapstone carving comes from Kenya and almost all the interesting woodwork in Congolese.

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Preparation for your Stay

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e are previledged to be part of your preparation and we aim to support you as much as you need us to. This section shall award you the information you might require while applying for a visa for your stay in Uganda.

Getting here Entebbe International Airport, which lies 40km from the capital Kampala, is serviced by a number of international airlines including SN Brussels, British Airways, South African Airways, Kenya Airlines, Air Tanzania, Rwandair Express, Egypt Air and Ethiopian Airlines. Uganda can also be reached overland from Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania.

At the airport you can apply for a visa that shall grant you legal stay in the country. There are a number of visas that you can apply for , we have put a section on the right with the requirements and below on the right are the procedures that you shall have to follow.

VISA APPLICATION 1. A passport issued by your government valid for at least six months. Your passport must also be valid past the date of your expected departure from Uganda. (Passport must be signed) 2. One completed Uganda visa application form.

3. Two passport-size photo taken within the past six months.

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Vaccination for Yellow Fever.

5. Letter from applicant’s company if traveling for business (on company letterhead and signed by someone other than the applicant)

Visa procedures

It is not hard for you to get a visa since Uganda is increasing becoming a popular tourist destination.

The visa processing is simple so as to encourage many visitors to this pearl of Africa. The most easier way of getting a visa to Uganda is by purchasing it at the entry point, Entebbe Airport or any border station.

This is very possible for tourists.All you need to do is pay USD 50, fill in the application form with passport dates and information. The visa fee of USD 50 usually runs for 90 days.

You can also get a visa by applying online if you a citizen of the following countries, USA, UK, South Africa, Russia, Japan, Italy, India, Germany, France, Denmark, China, Canada, and Belgium. All you need to do is to download the application from the embassy website of your country of origin. you will need to attach 2 passport photos.

Uganda Visa Cost / Price, Visa Fees A single entry visa will cost you US$50 Multiple entry 6 months US$200 Transit visa (good for 1 week) US$50 Visa requirements are subject to change.

It is therefore advisable to take advice from the relevant embassies before traveling.

Entry permit.

A Single journey entry to Uganda is given and on arrival, visitor pass is issued for purposes of having a holiday, travelling,or doing business in Uganda. Multiple entry visas can be granted for business purposes. www.mofa.go.ug/immigration.html

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www.mia.go.ug

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Accomodation

[money]

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he legal tender (currency) of Uganda is the Ugandan

US$50, because exchange rate of US$5,10,20 is disadvantageous.

other east African currencies in value US$50/100 = USh2480 US$5/10/20$ = USh2100 notes. We have notes ranging from USh1000 to USh50000 and coins from USh50 to USh500. Uganda CUTTING COSTS has a large chain of Banks and some tips if you’re trying to ATMs (Barclays, Stanbic, Standard cut costs during internship Chartered, etc) around Kampala and and travelling: in the country side, these accept VISA • travel in the low season and some though few accept Master • travel in a group Cards, you need to inform your home • focus on easely accessed bank that you are travelling so they parks and reserves to may not cancel your ATM once they minimise transportation notice transactions from Uganda. We costs recommend that you carry some cash stock up on food and • with you, at least 100$. We suggest drink in major towns to that you if you are carrying cash do avoid expensive hotel carry US Dollars as they are common fare and pricey shops and easy to exchange around all in tourist areas and Forex trading bureaus and banks in national parks Kampala. EUROs are also exchanged bargain wherever it’s • and British pounds do not exchange possible money with a money trader outside or along a street as you may be given • use public transport fake notes.

• eat local food Advice: take banknotes of at least

HOW MUCH?

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ur Volunteers stay in state of the art accomodation facilities that are located outside the city , this guarantees them a quiet and serene environment.

At the house you shall have access to a kitchen , Wifi Internet connection , Free Transport to the shopping centres as well as drop off to work.

We have a standby van that operates our tours and travels around the country at discounted rates, the van also serves to pick up volunteers from the airport as well as dropping them off when they leave for home.

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• Tracking mountain gorillas US$300 • National park entry US$25 to US$30 • White-water rafting US$70 • Meal at local restaurant US$1 • Daily Monitor newspaper US$0.60 • 1.5-liter bottled water US$0.6 • Souvenir T-shirt US$7 • Bell beer US$1.10 • Beer US$1 • Soda US$0.6 • Airtime US$0.1/min

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[communications]

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ganda has many telecommunication companies and networks (MTN, Orange, UTL, Warid, Airtel among others) depending on where one shall travel to, all networks are the same apart from connectivity, the three networks MTN, UTL and Airtel have a wide coverage and their services can be accessed anywhere in the country.

Buy a SIM card at the airport upon arrival or around Kampala, this should cost around US$1 to US$2.

in the country, here one pays ranging from US$1 (USh2500) per hour and at some places even cheaper. You can also print, scan and photocopy from these places at almost the same prices though can change from one place to another.

Also 3G internet modems are commonly used and the above telecom companies also have internet services.

The most advantageous mobile internet service provider in terms of price is Warid (US$1=250Mb). But Orange has stronger signal even in Internet Access rural places. Both operators provide speed 0.5 to 2.5 Mb/s so you could cafes around the city and major towns have comfortable skype calls.

3G modem = US$50 (USh90000) Check tarifs on: www.utl.co.ug www.mtn.co.ug www.orange.ug www.waridtel.co.ug www.africa.airtel.com/uganda

[transport]

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in Kampala, so no matter where you’re going in the city, plan ahead if you need to get there at an appointed time. Rush hour is particularly bad, usually from 7.30am to 9.30am, 1pm to 2.30pm and 4.30pm to 7.30pm; on Friday it seems to last all day.

To/From the Airport The international airport is at Entebbe, 40km from Kampala. A special-hire from Kampala to the airport costs about USh50000. Ask

the city center and are pretty good

itself. Although packed beyond

center out to the MC or LC Houses is likely to be USh2000 to USh3000.

Boda-bodas can also be hired by the hour or day, but prices will depend on how big a swath of the city you plan to tackle.

busier of the two and serves towns in eastern Uganda; the nearby new taxi park services western and northern destinations. Buses to Entebbe leave from both.

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodaboda

see if this changed before bargaining is to take minibus between Kampala (from either taxi park) and Entebbe (USh, 45 minutes), and then catch a saloon car shared taxi (USh1500 per person) to the airport, if you can transport in Uganda.

Boda-bodas Motorbike taxis are the fastest way to get around Kampala since they jams. It’s not necessarily the safest way to travel since some of the drivers are quiet reckless: the New Vision newspaper has reported that

Matatus minibus taxis fan out from the city center to virtually every point in Kampala. Many start in the taxi parks (for most destinations you can use either park), however it’s quicker to

don’t needto navigate the nightmare tailbacks around taxi parks. as a result of boda-boda accidents.

Kampala has two main taxi Boda-boda are best avoided at night. parks for minibuses, and both serve destinations around the minimum fare if USh1000 around country as well as within Kampala 10

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matatu

Special-Hire Taxi In Kampala there are plenty of ‘special-hire’ taxis. Most are unmarked to avoid licensing and taxes, but if you see a car with it’s door open or with the driver sitting behind the wheel while parked, it’s probably a special found outside hotels (except for the cheapest), near busy shipping areas and at the taxi and bus parks.

At night they wait in great numbers outside popular bars and clubs.

A standard short-distance fare is around USh3000 to USh5000.

You’ll be looking at USh6000 from USh10000 to the Kabalagala/Gaba Rd area. If you hire by the hour, and aren’t moving much beyond the city center, you should be able to pay USh10000. Prices will be higher at night and during club rush hour.

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Health

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certificate of yellow fever vaccination is required. All visitors should take malaria prophylactic drugs. It is advisable to drink bottled of boiled rather than tap water.

Medical Services International Hospital Kampala

(0772-200400 emergency; St Barnabus Rd; 24hr)

Uganda health system that are recommended for people travelling to Uganda and these may include, mumps, rubella (MMR), Diphtheria, Yellow fever (Required), tetanus, measles. We highly suggest that you seek professional medical attention before leaving your country.

Malaria is common but preventable, one may buy anti-malarial drugs, sleep in a treated mosquito net, use Uganda on arrival or bought before

Surgery

(0414-256003, emergency 0752-756003; 2 Acacia Ave; 8am-6pm Mon-Sat, emergency 24hr) A highly-respected clinic run by Dr Dick Stockley, an expat British GP. Stocks self-test malaria kits. www.thesurgeryuganda.org

Uganda Experience Cultural Experiences ast Africa’s allure lies as much in its people and culture as in its wildlife. Here some ways to get introdused to local life: • share a plate of food with locals • listen to church singing • watch traditional dancing • travel with local transport

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Lugandan Phrasebook

How are you - Oli Otya - Bulungi Come here - JJangu Thank you - Webale Good night - Sula bulungi

you may feel uncomfortable if you are they will pay the costs and expect you do so when you invite them, however, will struggle to be nice and polite to with casual hangouts at beers, clubs you. and restaurants, everyone pays their check. It is common for people to Stereo typing invite you for a dinner in their home or a party. You can take something other people call you “Muzungu”, if you like and accept their gifts and meaning a white person, they say it hospitality. because they do not know your name and it’s the local translation of white. Social hangouts Most Ugandan parties do not require Ugandans drink a lot and beer is special invitation. It is not rude to cheap, you are free to drink at any ask questions while on invitation but time of the day provided you control keep it open and inclusive do not ask yourself while drunk. many personal questions.

Greeting and Politeness Ugandan Invitation Ugandans greet a lot and they always Ugandans like visitors and when one like to know people even strangers, invites you, it is probably high that

Ugandan employers do not provide medical insurance to employees but there is a range of private medical practioners who charge around US$5 to US$20 for consultation and then prescription. If you have special medications, we suggest you carry certain drugs in Ugandan pharmacies.

Drinking water is clean but may not be safe to drink so we suggest that you buy bottled drinking water or boil drinking water, this can done with the support of those you are staying with.

Restaurants in Uganda serve clean, nice, delicious meals but you can with the service of a particular place, Uganda also boosts of health private hospitals, the private hospitals like Kampala International Hospital also have a public side which is cheaper and a private wing that is expensive and fully functional with potential to handle complicated and special cases plus minor and major surgeries.

Health Information for Travelers to Uganda: wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/ destinations/uganda.htm

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Must see places in Uganda

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he country Churchill once dubbed as the ‘Pearl of Africa’ is widely recognized in travel

mountains – a landscape impressively distinct from anywhere else in East Africa.

fascinating country rich in wildlife, diverse environments and big smiles.

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list for most visitors: it’s one of the best places in Africa to see the critically endangered mountain gorilla and a gorilla trekking safari in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park and Mgahinga National Park is hard to beat for sheer, raw experience.

To help you explore this beautiful country we have come up with a list of must visit places during your Uganda internship.

rainforest, so ancient it survived the last ice age. Bwindi National Park covers 330 km2 of this rainforest and spans altitudes of 1,100 metres to 2,400 metres – a dramatic landscape of steep hills, narrow gorges and streams tumbling down waterfalls.

A proclaimed World Heritage site, Bwindi is one of the most biologically diverse areas on earth. Its unique,

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Murchison Falls National Park

Falls National Park is Uganda’s largest squeezes through a seven-meter gap in of white water, the result of which is falls are the most powerful natural believed to be the source of the river Nile.

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The Rwenzori Mountains

The Rwenzori Mountains National Park, located in Uganda and bordering the DRC, is a world heritage site of outstanding natural

Bwindi Forest

the world’s population of mountain gorillas – believed to number just 600.

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Queen Elizabeth National Park

Park is situated at the base of the Rwenzori Mountains in Uganda

32km long Kazinga Channel that links

satisfying challenge to climbers.

Kazinga Channel is said to contain the world’s largest concentration of hippos and numerous Nile crocodiles – all easily viewed from a boat cruise.

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Comprising of the 52 clans of the Baganda people, Buganda is the largest of the traditional kingdoms in Kibale Forest Safari present-day Uganda. Numbering three million, these Uganda’s Kibale Forest National Park is an extensive people make up the largest Ugandan ethnic group. equatorial rainforest noted for its primate diversity. It is Located in the Kampala district, the Tombs of Buganda an enchanting park full of lakes, grasslands, marshes and Kings at Kasubi are the royal remains of this African forests on the lower slopes of the Rwenzori Mountains in western Uganda. hectares of hillside, most of which is agricultural and still Kibale is best known for its healthy population of farmed by traditional methods. approximately 500 chimpanzees, though it’s also home to On the hilltop is the former palace of the Kabakas at least 60 mammal species, including twelve other primate species and a few elephant. Around 350 bird species have 1882 and converted into the royal burial ground in 1884. also been recorded and the park is a lepidopterist’s dream Four former royals lay buried in tombs within the main structure – a circular building with a domed roof. through the air. achievement using organic materials. Wood, thatch, and tracking excursion that leaves twice a day. Chimpanzee reed were used incorporating a wattle and daub technique tracking starts at the entrance to the park where you will (basically, a woven framework of crossed wood, called meet the experienced guides and rangers, all with expert wattles, is applied with a mixture of mud, clay, animal dung and straw to create a structure).

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the third highest mountain in Africa

7-day circuit route, accompanied by porters and guides and taking refuge in mountain huts overnight, only to wake up to mist-shrouded jagged

Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi

way to pass the time while you wait to encounter the gorillas.

known as the QEII, the Queen

with fabulous views and unusual

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population and Bwindi is the only forest in Africa in which these two apes live together.

Apart from gorilla tracking, there are a number of other hikes and trails within the park. As you travel along, accompanied by an experienced guide, you will learn about the

topped ‘Mountains of the Moon’ that rise into almost permanent equatorial mists, their slopes covered with strange and giant vegetation.

Unlike East Africa’s other large mountains, the Rwenzoris are not volcanic, but were formed during the upheaval that created the Rift Valley.

Park is only accessible to hikers. It

animals here aren’t being hounded by spluttering packs of minibuses.

East African game park with craterdotted hills and open grassland. It supports an abundance of wildlife, including elephant, lion, leopard and the unique Ugandan antelope, the kob.

a quarter of Africa’s total birdlife.

With more than 560 species of bird within its borders, the park is a bird East Africa’s best kept secrets, as the

enveloping their buried royalty in the tombs atop a hill 900m. If the later is true it will make the lake the second are the intangible beliefs and spirituality of the Baganda. celcius, bilharzia free and safe for swimming. Needless to say the spectacular scenery makes for an overnight Kazinga Channel experience at Lake Bunyounyi more desirable than staying Kazinga Channel is located in Queen Elizabeth National park and is the park’s dominant feature. At 32km long Kazinga Channel that links Lake Edward to Visitors come to enjoy the scenery and relax. Swimming in the lake is popular as are dugout canoe excursions. Bird world’s largest concentration of hippos and numerous Nile crocodiles – all easily viewed from a boat cruise. national bird the Crested Crane a common sighting. Fish

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Nile River

Take on the wild waters of the Nile River, some of the best white-water in the world

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Lake Bunyonyj

Rutindo market on Monday and Friday is a colourful loads of vegetables and other goods.

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Kidepo Valley National Park

Located 1962m above sea level and surrounded by Travel overland and explore unvarnished Africa at steep sided heavily cultivated mountainous scenery. Lake its wild and colourful best.

Bunyonyi (the word means ‘the place of many little birds’) is about 25 km long and 7 km wide. With 29 islands dotting the centre of lake and depths varying from 44m to 15

[ugandan food]

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f there is another name for Uganda, then it is nice traditional food and fresh fruits plus vegetables. Country has diverse

restaurants serve a wide range of US$3 depending on the sauce.

Ugandan food is the rolex, a chapatti rolled around an omelet. Fried cassava, roasted matoke (gonja) among others are the other Ugandan snacks you should never miss taste.

Your Arrival We request that after you have confirmed you flight , you share the details with us to enable us organise an airport pickup for you. Our van shall pick you at any time and incase of any changes we request that you you inform us in time to avoid any inconviences.

potatoes (sweet and irish), sauce (beef, goats’ meat, pork, nut stew, We do not have McDonald, but burger spots and fast food points like Steers, Debonair. One uniquely

Wish you a 16

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Our contacts

Community Volunteers Uganda Plot 15 Lower Mbuya, P.O.Box 29203 Kampala-Uganda.

Tel: ( +256 - 774178968 ) Email: info@communityvolunteersuganda.org Web: www.communityvolunteersuganda.org

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