Uganda Teaching Volunteers

Country Information

Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is one of the most beautiful countries in East Africa, and is described by many, including Winston Churchill, as the ‘Pearl of Africa’.  Uganda is landlocked by Kenya in the east, Tanzania in the south, Rwanda in the southwest, the Democratic of Congo in the West and Sudan in the North.  Despite being landlocked, Uganda has access to a number of large water bodies, including Lake Victoria, which is the world’s second largest fresh-water lake, and is widely accepted to be the main source of the Nile.

The Republic of Uganda is located astride the equator; it has a surface area of 241,039 square kilometers and has a population of 25.4 million (2006).  The most significant cities are located in the south, near Lake Victoria, including the capital city Kampala and the nearby city of Entebbe. 

Life expectancy for people in Uganda is around 49 years for men and women, with prevalence rates of HIV/AIDS at roughly 6% in adults. The average salary for a Ugandan is around US$250 per year and so there is little to spend on healthcare or infrastructure.

Time
Uganda is three hours ahead of GMT.

In Africa, time is not a priority like it is in much of the western world – there is a saying that Africa works to ‘Africa Time’, which basically means you must exercise a lot of patience! If a boat is due to leave at 12pm, don’t be surprised if it still hasn’t a couple of hours later… keep an open mind, and arrive in Africa ‘Expecting the unexpected’.

Getting There

You will need to arrange your flights to Entebbe International Airport in Kampala, Uganda arriving on Monday between 08.00 and 13.00, where you will be met by one of our project coordinators.

Arrivals between 08.00 and 13.30 – Transfer straight to Kyotera

Arrivals between 13.00 and 15.00 – Spend one night in Kampala with James and his family and transfer to Kyotera the following day at the cost of £30.

Arrivals after 15.00 – Stay one night in Entebbe, due to traffic, at the cost of £20 and transfer to Kyotera the following day at the cost of £30.

Climate

Uganda’s equatorial climate provides copious amounts of sunshine, moderated by the varying altitudes across the country. Temperatures range from 16°C in the southwestern highlands to 30°C in the northeast region. The rainy season is from March-May and October-November, with the wettest month being April. The dry season spans from December-February (the hottest months) and June-August. The average rainfall is approximately 175mm per month and humidity is fairly low outside the wet season.

Climate table for Entebbe