Each nutrition project has its own goals reflecting the demographic and food available locally. Common activities that you will get involved with include preparing meals, delivering or serving meals, weighing children on the programmes and helping to write and deliver community awareness session.  You will find the experience extremely enlightening as you learn about the cultural importance placed on certain foods, availability and access to certain products and the most common challenge of all, incorporating vegetables into everyday diets!

Millions of people around the world struggle to maintain a balanced diet, leading to malnutrition, and many rely on starchy foods which traditionally have been the cheapest and most accessible produce.  It is well known that poor nutrition access for children leads to problems with their growth and ability to concentrate at school, but families are often unaware of this. By volunteering on a nutrition project with Saint Ann Foundation you will work in the heart of communities helping local teams to improve diets.

Volunteer placements that you can join with a focus on nutrition include a project to improve nutritional standards in Uganda, efforts to improve the nutrition of a rural community and educate communities them. If you are a student compliment your studies by participating in a Nutrition Internship in Uganda and gain an understanding of the challenges facing local communities.

You don’t need specific experience working with our nutrition projects.  If you have experience or are studying nutrition, community health or child development these projects will be of interest to you.   You should be willing to help where needed, have a genuine interest in nutrition and understand the importance of living healthily as these are at the heart of our nutrition volunteering placements.

Joins us at Vast Explorers as a volunteer on a nutrition placement and help local communities to improve their diets and the development of their children.

What is the Global Health and Nutrition Volunteering in the project all about?

Come to Uganda and volunteer on a global health and nutrition project in the Buyiga.  Work with a project that reaches out to the rural communities to provide health support.  In rural communities the reliance on maize cone, cassava, potato crops results in high levels of malnutrition, and lack of general health education leads to many easily avoidable problems. Work alongside a rural nurse visiting villages to provide workshops, education sessions and help to run a feeding program within the schools.  Global health and nutrition volunteering in the Buyiga is a great way to support local efforts to improve the quality of lives.

Why choose this Global Health & Nutrition Volunteering project?

For local communities, the ability to learn about health issues and ways to live healthier lifestyles within a local context gives people the ability to take control of their well-being. The feeding program not only provides a nutritious meal for children, but teaches communities what they need to cook for themselves, as well as help them set up small vegetable gardens in which to grow more diverse health produce. Workshops in areas from dental hygiene to sexual health provide additional knowledge. For volunteers with any background in health, the sharing of their knowledge can provide great long-term benefits for the communities, while providing an immersive experience and insight into the health challenges of Buyiga families.

Role of the Volunteer

Volunteers on this projects will work alongside the community and Saint Ann Foundation staff preparing and delivering health workshops to the communities. Those with a nutrition background will focus on the feeding program, and help is needed to develop new recipes from cheap and available local ingredients.

• Those with nursing or medical backgrounds can help with clinics and home visits, especially to those families with disabled or elderly members.
• Those with other health skills will work to shape their placement.
• Help families in the community establish Vegetable gardens.

What skills do I need to be a Healthcare Volunteer in the Buyiga?

This project requires a few specific skills for participation.

A good command of English language is required to communicate with community members.

A background in any field of health or nutrition is also requested.  Your level and area of knowledge will shape your placement, so please discuss this with our advisors. The placement is especially looking for nurses, nutritionists, dental practitioners, occupational therapists, physical therapists and health educators as you can pass on their knowledge in an educational capacity.  Qualified professionals and students in the fields stated are welcome to apply as this is a non-hands on or treatment placement.

Volunteers will need to be happy working in a small team or independently where needed, but will always be accompanied by a nurse on community visits. Communities are found 1-3 hours outside the city and will require travel on public and private transport to carry out the work.