Name: Zohar Kaplan

Volunteering in Uganda

Name: Zohar Kaplan zoharkapalan@gmail.com

Organization: Uganda Red Cross Socity, Wakiso Branch

Country: Uganda

When: May- July 2007

Work: Talking to schools and communities about HIV AIDS

Price: That really depends on you. You do not need to pay for volunteering but living costs depend on your personal arrangement with the organization. I lived with Simbwa Khalid, the local guy in charge of the Red Cross work in his house in Kasangati village 40 minuets in a taxi (more like a pile of 20 people in car) from Kampala, so i maneged to cut some of the expenses.

Life level: That again is all about you- starting from a round mud hut without a door up to a house with a servant.
What's the best part: I had e greats joy talking in schools about Israel. If you bring a map of Israel or the world or both as i did you can show them the holly places that Jesus walked round, after that you can talk to them about what ever you'd like.
What's the hardest part: Saying again and again no to all the people kindly asking you to help fund their School/ University/ Boxing Championship..

Important experience: In case your teaching your audience how to use a condom make sure they understand that the condom doesn't really go on a banana. some volunteers have raised the banana sales around here.

so? do i recommend? I can truly say it's the best way to get to know Africa, have a soft landing in such a different continent and understand how life goes on here. Simbwa is a really great guy and he works a lot with volunteers so he knows all the problems and more important- the solutions. The red cross is a huge organization, if you don't feel like what your doing satisfies you ask to move to a different place.

Zohar Kaplan- zoharkapalan@gmail.com
Simbwa Khalid- Simbwakhalid@yahoo.com