Intern or Volunteer with a Grassroots Environmental Organization in Uganda

  Uganda

• Other Cities in Uganda: 
Jinja

Term: Academic Year, Fall, Spring, Summer, Throughout the year, Trimester, Winter 
Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 9-12 weeks
Dates: See FSD Website

Description: Examples of how you can support Environmental initiatives in Uganda:

* Support training of farmers in sustainable agriculture activities such as appropriate irrigation techniques, soil regeneration, tree planting, mushroom farming, and fisheries management. Farmers are comprehensively educated so they may independently implement sustainable methods into their work.

* Assist trainings and workshops for community members about beekeeping, poultry management, tree planting, coffee and banana management, and environmental conservation.

* Participate in the development and implementation of small sustainable energy projects such as fuel saving cooking stoves and biogas usage.

* Conduct field visits to various villages and educate locals about HIV/AIDS and modern agriculture techniques. Help create model gardens and distribute seeds to community members.

* Teach community members about soil/water conservation and local environmental issues.

* Educate communities about water, sanitation management, and personal/environmental hygiene, while encouraging the development of sustainable agricultural practices.

* Help to expand livestock program for young, single mothers - goats are given to these mothers for income generation. Provide training to volunteers and young mothers in goat raising, goat health monitoring, etc.

For more opportunities in environment in Uganda, visit our website or contact us directly.

About FSD

The Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1995 to support underserved, international communities in a collaborative and sustainable manner. Our model incorporates three overlapping programs:

1. Sustainable Development Training Programs for Interns and Volunteers
FSD provides comprehensive training and immersion programs for interns and volunteers seeking hands-on experience in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Program participants come from countless professions and more than 300 universities worldwide to collaborate with our partner organizations on community-driven projects that reflect sustainable practices.

2. Grantmaking to Projects and Initiatives Led By Our Partner Organizations
Donations and grants given to FSD are used to support projects and initiatives implemented by our partner organizations, site teams, interns, and volunteers.

3. Sustainable Development of Community-Based Organizations
Our professional field staff, consultants, and program participants provide on-site technical training and capacity building to more than 200 community-based organizations.

Highlights: Community Issues Addressed by FSD in Uganda
Many of Ugandas natural ecosystems are undergoing conversion, degradation and declination in a completely unplanned and uncontrolled manner. With over eighty percent of the Ugandan workforce involved in agriculture, it is not surprising that soil erosion and declining soil fertility are significantly impacting the ability of the poor to meet nutritional needs. This is resulting in an increase in deforestation and encroachment on ecologically sensitive areas (such as wetlands), as poor people attempt to secure alternative income sources in the face of growing food insecurity. The country's current population of 22 million people is set to double by the end of the next decade. The environmental pressures are bound to be insurmountable without sustainable action at both national and local levels.

Through partnerships with grassroots nongovernmental organizations, FSD works to educate and promote easily integrated solutions that provide immediate returns and still protect natural capital. Simple, alternative technologies and methods are used to encourage organic/sustainable agricultural practices, improve crop efficiency, decrease deforestation, increase reforestation, and build environmentally friendly income-generating projects. FSD welcomes interns and volunteers to support existing environmental methods and to bring innovation to our partner organizations in a variety of capacities.

Minimum Education: High School

Cost in US$: Depends on Program Selected; See FSD Website

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: FSD supports participants who boldly wish to initiate the change they believe is necessary in the developing world. Interns are passionate about sharing their practical knowledge, heart-felt enthusiasm, and economic resources with communities abroad that suffer unnecessary hardship. They wish to gain hands-on, grassroots development experience because they believe change is most powerfully cultivated on a community level. The aim is to experientially learn how their work can empower the community toward applying sustainable development solutions, rather than increasing reliance on foreign aid. Participants choose FSD because the program structure enables them to design and implement their own sustainable projects in collaboration with their host organization and the FSD Site Team. They are able to test their ideas and theories in the most direct way possible, giving them the experience and knowledge they seek. The flexibility of the host organizations allows for participants at all stages and levels of experience in international development to participate, thus opening the programs to a diverse group of capable applicants.

Age Range: 18-75

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Uganda Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups of 3-10

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Phone Interview
• Resume
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Foundation for Sustainable Development's Mission Statement: FSD supports the efforts of grassroots organizations in the developing world that are working to better their communities, environments, and the economic opportunities around them. We believe community development is only sustainable if it empowers the people to effectively use and cultivate their own resources in a conscious manner. Through our programs, we aim to raise international awareness of the economic challenges in developing countries and to support cross-cultural communities in finding more effective solutions to development issues.

Year Founded: 1995