We try to make the cost of our trips as reasonable as possible. If this trip is God’s will then He will provide you with the necessary funding.

There is a mission fee payable to Hope and Care Ministries  based on the length of time you plan to serve, The mission fee helps to cover accommodation, Meals, short distance travel around the community and wifi.

Mission fees are due to the Uganda office at least 7 days prior to arrival in Africa.

If you sense that God is calling you to go, we would love to have you serve with us!

Group and Church trips

Church groups, youth groups, and small groups can partner with us for mission trips that can have a big impact on our community and your community.

Teams usually spend one to two weeks in Uganda participating in some of the following activities:

• Children and youth ministry
• Business training and development
• Vocational training, such as agriculture
• Medical missions
• Construction
• Church leadership training
• Men’s & women’s discipleship
• Teaching

The trip would end with a three-day safari in one of Uganda’s  national parks.

Customized Dates

We allow you to design the dates of your trip. Whether you are called to take a semester off from school, a year off before you go to school or enter the workforce, or you are being called to a different career path, our long term volunteers have found their time to be a life changing experience.

Costs

We try to make the cost of our trips as reasonable as possible. If this trip is God’s will then He will provide you with the necessary funding.

Administration Fee – $100 This is due to the Uganda office two weeks after your applications is approved.

In addition to the administration fee, there is a mission fee payable to Hope & care based on the length of time you plan to serve:

We invite your group to come and be a part of transforming communities using your team’s combined and individual talents and experience.

No matter how old or young you are:  you will never be the same. Together, we are changed

So the time has come where you must start preparing for your trip. Below you will find helpful information about planning your trip, what you should expect and what to bring.

 Travel

Searching for Flights

There are several travel agents that offer missionary rates, which can sometimes be cheaper or allow you to bring more bags. The most popular ones are Fellowship Travel International and Ministry Travel. You can also look into Expedia, Cheaptickets, Orbitz and Kayak.

Northwest/KLM, Brussels, Delta, Emirates, Virgin Atlantic and Kenya Airways are the major airlines that fly into Uganda.

If you are going to Uganda then you will fly into Entebbe International Airport (EBB). We ask that international volunteers try their best to fly in on a Monday.

Be sure to send your flight information to the Volunteer Coordinator you are working with as soon as you purchase your ticket. 

A representative of Hope and care will pick you up from the airport and drive you to the guest house. They will have a sign with your name on it so you know who to look for.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is something that you should consider whenever you are going on an international trip. If you have good health insurance at home they will sometimes cover you for emergencies overseas, which is good for short-term mission trips.

You will need to call your insurance company to see exactly what they will cover, who their preferred providers are in Uganda, and if you need any documents from them before you travel. You can also choose to use travel insurance companies. These sites let you compare different plans to see what works best for you: www.insuremytrip.com, www.travelguard.com.

Vaccinations & Malaria Medication

Getting vaccinations is essential before going to Africa.  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) also has detailed information on their website about immunizations recommended for traveling. Yellow fever is the only shot required to enter Uganda.

The other following immunizations will usually be recommended:

• Hepatitis B (series of 3 injections over several months, plan ahead)
• Hepatitis A (series of 2 injections)
• Adult polio booster (once in lifetime)
• MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella – make sure it is up to date)
• Typhoid (oral dosages are easier to tolerate. You need a repeat immunization every 5 years)
• Tetanus (renew immunization every 10 years)

Your physician, a local health clinic or a travel clinic are usually set up to handle travel immunizations and medications. We recommend that you ask them if they are equipped to do so when you call to make an appointment. Another thing you need to consider is that insurance doesn’t always cover all of the vaccinations. Travel clinics also generally don’t accept insurance. Sometimes you can submit claims afterwards, but that does not mean you are guaranteed a refund.

To avoid malaria, you will need an adequate supply of anti-malaria tablets. Please consult your doctor as to which tablet to take as they know your medical history best and some tablets have side effects.

Money

Depending on how long you are going to be in Uganda, we recommend that you bring between $100 – $200. It is better to bring spending money as cash in large bills: $50 and $100 bills dated after the year 2005 (Exchange bureau do not accept bills dated before the year 2005.)

Having extra cash will be very important for any tourist activities you’d like to participate in, e.g. swimming, snacks bought in the country, and meals outside the mission house.

Having meals outside the mission house will be important if you begin to crave more westernized meals. You will also want to consider African crafts for yourself and as gifts for friends and family. Very nice crafts costs between $10 -$20 per item and small items can cost between $2 – $5.

If you are coming for 3 months or more, it is best to withdraw your spending money out of an ATM. You will be charged foreign exchanges fees and other fees your bank may charge, so it is best to do this once a month. 

Bringing Gifts

Most missionaries enjoy bringing items for the children. The children will love anything that you bring. A few suggestions are crafts, pencils, pens, paper, small toys, stuffed animals, novelty jewelry, coloring books, clothes, etc. We also welcome any donations for schools or any towards any mission project in Uganda.

Safety 

Safety is always one of our biggest concerns. We take extra precautions to ensure that our volunteers and staff are safe.

The premises where the volunteers live is fenced and a guard is on duty throughout the night. Although we have never had issues with safety in the past, we want to make sure that everyone feels safe. 

Kampala, Uganda is known as being one of the safest cities in Africa. Rarely does theft happen in the center of town. But like any other city, be conscious of your surroundings and don’t flash any valuables around.

As long as you are cautious, you are not moving alone or at night, and are keeping a close eye on all valuables, you should be OK. All volunteers should be sensible with their decisions and maintain a buddy system at all times.

All volunteers and teams will stay at the Home of Hope & Care mission house in Kampala. All living quarters are secure, westernized houses. Even though the houses are westernized, Kampala is still an African city, which may mean that there may be no electricity in the houses 2-3 nights a week and on occasion, no running water.

The atmosphere at the mission house is very community-oriented. You’ll be living with other international volunteers and a few of the staff members, giving you a chance to get to know the team very well. You will likely be sharing a room with other volunteers of the same sex.

Village Camping

While you are in the village, you will be staying at the village compound. The compound has electricity, running water, and showers. You will have your own bed and mosquito netting in a shared room with others of the same sex. There may be times when we have no electricity or running water so be prepared to shower with a bucket of water or baby wipes, and to use a squatty potty! (Hole-in-the-ground toilet)

Food 

Breakfast usually consists of toast and tea. During the weekdays, lunches are prepared for the entire team. The normal lunches are beans and rice. Dinners can range from the typical Ugandan meal to simple American meals such as spaghetti. The typical Ugandan meal is meat or beans mixed and fried with vegetables, rice, matooke (a boiled plantain) posho (mixed cornmeal), and potatoes. Fruits, such as pineapple and bananas are typically around the house as a snack. 

We advise you to bring some spending money for westernized meals outside the guesthouse. You can usually find burgers, pizza, fries/chips, and chicken drumsticks in fast food restaurants around Kampala. There are also westernized grocery stores that sell westernized items. You should also consider bringing snacks from home: peanut butter, beef jerky, trail mix, cookies, crackers, chips, granola bars, and power bars.

Water

Drinking water from the tap is not recommended. The mission house boils water to kill any germs and bacteria. Each volunteer will take turns boiling or refilling the water in the evenings to ensure there is enough drinking water the next day. You may also purchase your own bottled water (at your own expense) if you choose not to drink the water provided.

Showering 

There is running water in the mission house. As long as showers are spaced apart long enough, you can have hot showers. On occasion the entire city will have problems with water and we have to fetch water from a nearby well.

When staying in the village compound, there is running water but warm water is not available. Additionally, we may have a water shortage and you will have to shower with a cup and bucket.

Washing Clothes 

There are a few options for washing clothes. You may go to a Laundromat near the house, give your clothes to our housekeeper who will wash clothes once a week for a small fee (usually $3-$4), or hand wash them yourself. Please provide your own laundry soap. This can be bought at a supermarket close to the mission house or you can certainly bring some.

Connecting to Wi-Fi

Hope & Care mission house in Uganda has wireless Internet access, although it may be much slower than what you are used to. This will allow you to stay in touch with loved ones at home. There is no access to Wi-Fi in the village.

Cell Phones 

You can certainly bring a cell phone if it takes a SIM card. Once you get to your destination you can buy a SIM card with a Ugandan number for about $5. There is also the option of buying a phone in Uganda for $40-$80. This is to communicate with staff while in Africa, however most download a phone app or Skype to communicate with friends and family. 

Receiving Mail 

If someone wants to send you a package please allow at least 4 – 8 weeks for it to arrive from the US or any another international country. Your friends and family can send mail to you at:

Hope and Care Ministries, P.O. Box 363, Mubende Uganda