Volunteers in our Community Health and Economic Development Program work with a variety of host organizations in Uganda. Governmental institutions and local and international organizations request Water and Sanitation Volunteers to assist them with developing and implementing programs with the goal of improving community water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions through the use of low cost, locally acceptable solutions, and community education and training. Many Water and Sanitation Volunteers also work with host organizations in addressing other health issues, and some work on issues related to irrigation and crop production. Depending on your specific experience and training, interests, and the unique needs of the organization to which you are assigned to work, you may be asked to assist with activities such as:
- Working with communities to develop, improve, maintain, and protect water sources.
- Assisting communities in identifying and addressing hygiene and sanitation issues through latrine projects, waste collection and disposal, and environmental clean-up activities.
- Reduction of malaria transmission through education and elimination of environmental factors contributing to mosquito breeding.
- Water, sanitation, and hygiene education in secondary and primary schools and the creation of school health clubs.
- Working with organizational administrators to improve their management skills by developing systems for planning, funding, designing, managing, and evaluating community health and development projects.
- Training community members on adopting, creating, and using improved and appropriate low cost technologies for gardening, cooking, and agricultural production.
- Training trainers from government and community-based organizations (CBOs) to improve their skills to plan and implement participatory educational programs for community groups.
- Working with communities to identify their resources and develop and manage appropriate community development activities.
- Working with OVC and PLWHA to develop income-generating activities to allow them to pay school fees, buy more nutritious food, and generally improve their living standards and mitigate the impact of disease and poverty.
- Assisting your organization and community partners in linking beneficiaries to other organizations and partners in an effort to provide comprehensive services.
- Educating youth and adults on HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and support, including life skills education for youth.
