Raising Up Hope for Uganda (RUHU) was started by Patrick Ssenyonjo more than 10 years ago. After growing up on the streets he found himself caring for many other street children and wanted to give back by supporting the most vulnerable in the community. In 2010, visiting American students Caleb and Sonja Schut made good on their promise to fundraise so that the 42 children living with Patrick could attend school. They established the non-profit Beautiful Response, which to this day serves as the primary source of funding for RUHU and Patrick's work in Kampala. RUHU has grown to be responsible for hundreds of children in the slums, local communities and schools. RUHU is dedicated to rescuing children living on the streets and those disadvantaged by poverty, providing them with food, a safe place to live, health care, education and love.
RUHU welcomes volunteers from all over the world. It doesn’t matter your age, faith, experience or training, as long as you share in our desire to support the vulnerable children that are at the heart of our work. There are many different projects and activities that you can get involved in. Volunteers can teach, work closely with the house mothers to care for the children, participate in slum outreach, assist with medical outreach in the slums, and even be involved in administration. While experience or qualifications in the medical field, teaching or childcare are beneficial, the only real requirement of volunteers is a sense of adventure, flexibility, compassion and the desire to work with, and learn from, local people in the host community.
RUHU welcomes volunteers from all over the world. It doesn’t matter your age, faith, experience or training, as long as you share in our desire to support the vulnerable children that are at the heart of our work. There are many different projects and activities that you can get involved in. Volunteers can teach, work closely with the house mothers to care for the children, participate in slum outreach, assist with medical outreach in the slums, and even be involved in administration. While experience or qualifications in the medical field, teaching or childcare are beneficial, the only real requirement of volunteers is a sense of adventure, flexibility, compassion and the desire to work with, and learn from, local people in the host community.
WHO CAN VOLUNTEER: Anyone is welcome to apply! If you are under 18 you will need to travel with a parent, guardian, or responsible adult over 21.
LENGTH OF TIME: The minimum stay for most of our volunteering programs is a week, but we would love for you to stay longer! Maximum volunteer stays will be determined upon submission of your application.
COST: $20 (USD) per night (Plus $25 application processing fee). Application fee can be paid here Uganda: Raising Up Hope.
The cost/night includes:
- Basic meals (3/day)
- Accommodations
- In-country support, orientation and placement
Additional expenses: Transportation to and from airport (expense is determined per group not per person, if applicable), in-country transportation (expense is determined per group not per person, if applicable), Visa, flights, travel insurance, vaccinations, souvenirs, in-country trips or tours and spending money.
ACCOMMODATIONS: Volunteers will stay at the RUHU Volunteer House located in a very secure compound. The main house includes 5 bedrooms (capacity ranges from 2-10 persons/room), 3 western style bathrooms (with hot water!), a living and dining area, and kitchen. The additional dwelling houses the live-in cook/caretaker and includes an additional bedroom and western style bathroom. Volunteers are asked to keep their rooms and common areas tidy.
**WiFi: Is available, however the connection can be slow and not always reliable. It is not guaranteed as part of the volunteer cost. As a backup, we recommend bringing an unlocked mobile phone and purchasing a local SIM card when you arrive in Uganda.
ORIENTATION: Is provided by the RUHU volunteer coordinator at the RUHU Volunteer House or the RUHU Boys' Home. This meeting will be scheduled on the morning of your first full day in Uganda. It will provide you with everything you need to know about your volunteer stay at RUHU.
VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS: We have many and varied opportunities to serve at Raising Up Hope for Uganda (RUHU). We try to place volunteers both where they are needed and where they have particular skills. We aim for all of our projects to be fun, life-changing and impactful. The following are the projects with their details and what activities you can be involved in.
LENGTH OF TIME: The minimum stay for most of our volunteering programs is a week, but we would love for you to stay longer! Maximum volunteer stays will be determined upon submission of your application.
COST: $20 (USD) per night (Plus $25 application processing fee). Application fee can be paid here Uganda: Raising Up Hope.
The cost/night includes:
- Basic meals (3/day)
- Accommodations
- In-country support, orientation and placement
Additional expenses: Transportation to and from airport (expense is determined per group not per person, if applicable), in-country transportation (expense is determined per group not per person, if applicable), Visa, flights, travel insurance, vaccinations, souvenirs, in-country trips or tours and spending money.
ACCOMMODATIONS: Volunteers will stay at the RUHU Volunteer House located in a very secure compound. The main house includes 5 bedrooms (capacity ranges from 2-10 persons/room), 3 western style bathrooms (with hot water!), a living and dining area, and kitchen. The additional dwelling houses the live-in cook/caretaker and includes an additional bedroom and western style bathroom. Volunteers are asked to keep their rooms and common areas tidy.
**WiFi: Is available, however the connection can be slow and not always reliable. It is not guaranteed as part of the volunteer cost. As a backup, we recommend bringing an unlocked mobile phone and purchasing a local SIM card when you arrive in Uganda.
ORIENTATION: Is provided by the RUHU volunteer coordinator at the RUHU Volunteer House or the RUHU Boys' Home. This meeting will be scheduled on the morning of your first full day in Uganda. It will provide you with everything you need to know about your volunteer stay at RUHU.
VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS: We have many and varied opportunities to serve at Raising Up Hope for Uganda (RUHU). We try to place volunteers both where they are needed and where they have particular skills. We aim for all of our projects to be fun, life-changing and impactful. The following are the projects with their details and what activities you can be involved in.
- Orphanage (Boys’ and Girls’ homes): Known as homes, instead of orphanages, RUHU serves 56 children (boys and girls) at these homes. One house mother provides for most of the needs. Volunteers who work with the orphanage will be guided by the house mom and will work closely with her. Volunteers often spend time assisting with washing clothes, helping the littlest kids bathe, prepare food, help clean, and a variety of other tasks as assigned. Assisting kids with homework in the evenings may also be involved.
- School - RUHU has a primary school and secondary school. Our schools serve the community’s most vulnerable kids. Prior to our school's impact, many of these children were not eating. They could go for days or weeks without food in their belly, so we opened the school to try feed, disciple, and teach. Volunteers with teaching experience are asked to spend their time in the classrooms teaching or working alongside of the RUHU teachers. If you have experience/education in a specific area (could be a basic life skill or a field of study such as math or English) please let us know so that we can plan on providing an opportunity for you to use that skill! Also, volunteers are always welcome to praise and worship with these kids after classes (lunch hour fellowship). The Primary school provides quality, Christian education to over 250 children.
- Slum Outreach: Our common goal is to serve the Lord who said, when you serve the least of these, you are serving me. Therefore, every Tuesday and Thursday our staff goes into Kampala, to one of the worst slums to show love and help the street children living there. The children here have almost nothing, many take drugs to subside their hunger and sleep on the streets. There are over 150 street children each time and RUHU staff and volunteers provide them with wound care and food. They also share with them the goodness and love of Jesus.
- Safe House: Our goal is to help as many children as possible transition from life in the slums to life as a child with a loving support system. The Safe House is a transitional home for children who want to leave the slums and have their basic needs cared for (shelter, clothes, food and discipleship). We also try to get them back into school. Volunteers build relationships, work with our social workers in providing trauma care, play with the kids, and communicate that they are loved!
- Administration: Volunteers are also welcome to work within the RUHU administration assisting with administrative duties. If you have skills in administration (Microsoft Suite, Computer proficiency) we would welcome you to work with our staff in that area. We often need help with clerical work. While it is not the most glamorous or instagrammable way to help, it is a definite need!
- Medical Outreach: Medical outreach only happens when Dr. Pamela Tipler (the doctor who started the medical clinic at the Village of Hope) is in Uganda volunteering at RUHU. If you have medical experience and/or training and would like to be a part of medical outreaches while volunteering at RUHU please contact us at [email protected]. The only other medical outreach that occurs through RUHU is twice a week when RUHU staff visit the slums. They provide basic medical and wound care to the boys they care for. Often these are small injuries that without prevention can become infected and very serious. They also take and treat anyone who requires further medical attention to the clinic they partner with.
- Fundraising/Creating Awareness: A final way to help us is by sharing our story with your friends and family both while you are in Uganda and once you have returned home. If you have friends, family, churches, or other organizations who may like to partner with us, please let us know and we will figure out the best way to partner alongside you!
Already spent time as a volunteer or intern at RUHU? Looking to volunteer again? Contact us using the form below.