FAQs

We’ve gathered the most useful questions and answered them for you here! If you can’t find what you’re looking for, feel free to contact us.

What is the Justice Tourism Foundation Volunteers Program?

As an organization that represents ethical and fair-traded tourism practice, it is our role and our interest to promote ethical, authentic, and transparently marketed volunteer experiences.

Responsible voluntourism programmes should at the very least benefit host communities and have positive social, economic, and environmental impacts. Justice Tourism Foundation works closely with local communities in Uganda to develop and manage sustainable and empowering initiatives through our volunteer placement program. In the process, we create strong cross-cultural bonds and new global citizens.

Our volunteer Programs offer participants the opportunity to engage in authentic immersion experiences with community members and support projects created and led by the community. The project serves as a vehicle for greater cultural understanding, cross-cultural friendships, and ultimately towards increased global cooperation.

What is the Justice Tourism Foundation Volunteer Mission Statement?

Justice Tourism Foundation Volunteer Program’s mission is twofold:

1. Provide affordable and life-changing volunteer programs, and bring about positive transformation
2. To empower local communities and be the organization of choice for all ethical and  responsible travel

Our people-centered approach focuses on grassroots projects, cultural immersion, and travel learning opportunities, and offering memorable experiences to our international volunteers.

Why volunteer with Justice Tourism Foundation?

Justice Tourism Foundation Volunteer Program was set up to provide affordable, high-quality, and flexible volunteering projects for people wishing to volunteer abroad.  The organization is built on ten strong foundations that we try to provide every volunteer with: affordability, flexibility, quality, support, safety, friendship, need, loyalty, experience, and enjoyment.

We believe that Justice Tourism Foundation stands tall in our sector, providing far more than just a glorified holiday which some organizations offer. Instead we offer sustainable, high calibre experiences, with tailored professional support right from the point of application onwards.

What makes Justice Tourism Foundation Volunteer programs special?

Justice Tourism Foundation’s unique approach combines full cultural immersion, cross-cultural learning, and meaningful community service work for people of all ages, skill levels, and nationalities. Justice Tourism Foundation programs typically include: continuous support from the Justice Tourism Foundation team; orientation and evaluation by on Justice Tourism Foundation site staff; meaningful community service work in a variety of fields; enriching cultural activities, such as local handicraft making, cooking lessons, language and traditional dance lessons, and much more; exciting excursions such as weekend trips; a committed host family and home-stay lodging; delicious local meals, welcome and farewell dinners; a Justice Tourism Foundation T-shirt, and awards upon successful program completion; and lasting memories and new friends.

What type of projects will I be working on?

Our volunteer Programs are run all year round and offer participants the opportunity to engage in authentic immersion experiences with community members and support projects created and led by the community. The project serves as a vehicle for greater cultural understanding, cross-cultural friendships, and ultimately towards increased global cooperation. These projects include the following:

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Project – help communities obtain adequate supplies of safe water and sanitation facilities by drilling new borehole wells, repairing existing wells, developing spring and rainwater catchments, providing water storage, building community filtration systems, and constructing household latrines, refuse dumps, and surface water drainage systems. The overall goal of our water and sanitation projects is to ensure that rural communities have access to sustainable, safe water sources and to improve the health and socioeconomic well-being of communities by reducing the incidence of water- and sanitation-related diseases through the provision of sustainable, safe water, sanitation, and hygiene practices.

Health & Medical Project – encompasses several fields, and medical professionals and students are sorely needed. Our priority health program areas include HIV/AIDS, adolescent sexual reproductive health, and community health (mitigation of malaria and other diseases), building the capacity of rural communities in their efforts/initiatives towards improvement of sanitation and hygiene, among others. This project aims to increase healthcare for rural people, decrease the prevalence of endemic diseases, and improve village health by providing public health projects and promoting health education.

As a medical volunteer, you will have the opportunity to make a lasting impact in the district of Kamuli, Jinja, Fort Portal city (Kabalore), Kyenjojo, and Hoima! Justice Tourism Foundation partners will work with the local health centers in both rural areas, where you will work alongside the local health team during daily operations and assist with innovative public health and community outreach initiatives.

Biodiversity & Wildlife Conservation Project – The program offers a unique opportunity to explore Uganda’s natural wonders, culture, and heritage while making a difference.

Promote kindness to animals and use regenerative techniques to combat deforestation, conserve biodiversity, and protect wildlife. Supported by our professional conservationists, participants will engage in eco-volunteer activities focused on protecting the environment, reforestation, tree planting, and help with environmental education and climate action, while at the same time specifically addressing the wildlife and human conflicts, protection of the biodiversity ecosystems, and environmental conservation.  Through creating green spaces, promoting biodiversity, and planting bee-friendly species, volunteers will contribute to the preservation of these vital pollinators. Assignments involve 4-5 hours of field tasks per day, providing hands-on learning and practical conservation efforts.

The project aims to align directly with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in areas including the following:

• GOAL 1: No Poverty: Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere (eradicate extreme poverty currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day)
• GOAL 2: Zero Hunger: Ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture
• GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-being: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
• GOAL 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all
• GOAL 13: Climate Action: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
• GOAL 15: Life on Land: Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

In order for humanity to survive, we need nature. The widely accepted research shows that to reduce the impacts of climate change, such as drought, flooding, and famine, while maintaining healthy ecosystem services to provide food security, as well as clean water and air, 30% of the planet must be protected. The most effective solution we have to ensure healthy ecosystems that sustain all life on earth is to protect and conserve the biodiversity that still exists. One of the main causes of biodiversity loss is habitat loss and fragmentation caused by deforestation, so a simple solution would be to plant more trees. Deforestation is not only a serious threat to plant and animal biodiversity, but it is also a major contributor to global warming.

Uganda is one of the richest countries in Africa for biodiversity conservation, ranking second richest for mammals (and 13th in the World), second for birds, and seventh for higher plants. This is because several major Biomes meet here, each with its associated fauna and flora. Kibale National Park is a significant biodiversity hotspot in Uganda, home to numerous primate species, over 370 bird species, and 351 tree species. Conservation efforts focus on protecting its rich primate populations, especially the endangered chimpanzees, through community-based projects to mitigate human-wildlife conflict and research.

Critical to protecting these vital ecosystems are people. While sharing land with the wildlife, communities around the Kibale National Park often suffer from wildlife-human conflicts, leading to struggles for space and water. Human-wildlife conflict poses major threats to the well-being of both humans and animals. Crop-raiding by elephants has been devastating for small farmers, leading to food insecurity, lost opportunity costs, and even death. Crop-raiding and property damage resulted in negative attitudes by the community towards elephant conservation, and they retaliate by spearing, snaring, or poisoning elephants and chimpanzees. Such conflict between elephants, chimpanzees, and people is widespread across the Kahang village, a rural community adjacent to Kahangi National Park near Fort Portal city in western Uganda.  Kahangi village is in what is called a buffer zone or wildlife management area North of Kibale National Park. Their biggest threats are the elephants and chimpanzees. Because there are no fences around Ugandan parks, this area is where wildlife and humans often converge. Elephants, chimpanzees, baboons, Bush Pigs, and monkeys are fairly regular visitors in the Kahangi community, lured by water, bananas, maize, and other food crops which are grown in the area by the villagers. This wildlife causes intensive crop damage and frequently attacks both humans and their cattle. This understandably makes the villagers less tolerant of wildlife. They often resorted to poisoning them. There is little incentive to look after the wildlife because community members do not financially benefit from the tourism business that wildlife attracts. And their means of livelihood are undermined by that same wildlife. If people and wildlife learn to live together — inside and outside of protected areas — the future for all will thrive.

We also need to note that the communities around Kahangi village still cook using solid fuels (such as wood, crop wastes, charcoal, coal, and dung) and kerosene in open fires and inefficient stoves. This releases harmful pollutants into the air, which can cause health problems such as stroke, heart disease, and lung cancer.  Along with these health concerns, cooking over wood fires is also harmful to the environment. The Kahangi community sources or collects all their firewood by cutting the trees around the park, which, of course, depletes local forest resources and also exposes them to the wildlife. At the same time, burning firewood releases high levels of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, Charcoal burning and firewood fuel biomass utilization are thought to be one of the main causes of deforestation around the Kahangi village.

Relying on wood fuel also places an extra burden on women who are typically responsible for gathering and cooking over it. The more time that women spend collecting wood and cooking, the less time they have for education, work, or socializing with their family. At the same time, many families in Kahangi village raise livestock and struggle to dispose of their herd’s waste hygienically. This, coupled with poor sanitation, leads to diseases, such as diarrhoea. Additionally, the cow or pig dung releases harmful methane emissions as it breaks down.

Therefore, the Wildlife & Biodiversity Conservation Volunteering Project focuses on providing nature-based solutions to promote Biodiversity ecosystem conservation in the buffer zone around Kibale National Park, which uses a combination of physical barriers and agricultural strategies to mitigate human-wildlife conflict. Methods include using beehive fences, planting “buffer crops” like tea, gallic, coffee, and providing training to local farmers to reduce crop damage and improve community perceptions of conservation.

Infrastructure Development Projects (Construction Work)  – Although Uganda is endowed with an abundance of natural resources, it remains a least developed country, with the lowest indicators of socio-economic development, due to extensive political and social corruption, and extreme poverty. The most affected population is the majority of Ugandans who live in rural areas with poor infrastructure. Often, roads, schools, and health centers are extremely poor, with no clean water and poor sanitation.

Volunteers in this field work in manual labor jobs alongside skilled and unskilled local builders to help with the construction work. Participants’ tasks can include digging foundations, mixing cement, building walls, and constructing the roof either with grass or iron sheets/tiles, plastering, painting and white-washing, landscaping, digging of trenches, refurbishing sports fields, brick laying, and construction of local huts.

Women & Girl Empowerment Projects – Women in Africa, Uganda inclusive, are an economically disadvantaged group, and rural women in particular are more economically disadvantaged.  The lack of economic power of the rural communities, especially among women, is a major obstacle to long-term development.  Women face many challenges, including discrimination, low social status, low literacy rates, limited access to education, unequal rights, poverty, and a greater risk of HIV/AIDS infection, which is directly attributed to the long-standing patriarchal traditions and extreme poverty.

Volunteers in this field are role models and may conduct sensitization trainings on management, finance, and enterprise development, reproductive health, counseling, vocational skills, and self-esteem building; develop savings and micro-credit opportunities; develop small grant proposals, research for funding agencies, and raise funds for local women’s projects; and help explore possible markets for women’s products.

Microfinance Project – is to improve the livelihoods of poor and marginalized households in Uganda through improving their access to financial services and to improve the framework for sustainable financial services and access to financial services for poor households and micro, small, and medium enterprises through the establishment of Village Savings and Lending Associations (VSLA) also referred to as Village Banks and to contribute towards sustainable economic development by providing local individuals, groups and communities with the proper skills training and micro-loans to grow their businesses, create new jobs and help break the cycle of poverty and hunger. Through working with volunteers, we develop small business ideas, basic bookkeeping skills, and conduct weekly workshops on topics related to micro-credit, computer literacy, and vocational skills training.

Chimpanzee Conservation Project – Uganda’s tropical forests are among the richest ecosystems in Africa, and they are home to one of our closest relatives: the chimpanzee. In Uganda’s Albertine Rift, the Itohya Forest stands as an ecological stronghold, home to endangered Eastern chimpanzees and other wildlife. The 800-acre forest, a privately owned reserve, is surrounded by nine villages. Many farmers view the forest as an obstacle to farmland expansion rather than an asset. As a result, the forest is under increasing pressure from encroachment, and human-wildlife conflicts have become more frequent in this private forest area around Munteme Village, a community where around 100 wild chimpanzees live, whose protection and research are at the heart of this Volunteer Project.

As they move through the forest, chimpanzees disperse seeds over large distances, contributing to the natural regeneration of the woodland. This helps to increase plant diversity, stabilize ecosystems, and secure long-term habitats for many species. Protecting these primates, therefore, always means protecting entire landscapes.

However, their habitats are shrinking due to agriculture, infrastructure, and human activity. This project addresses these threats directly: through research, habitat restoration, and environmental education, it strengthens the long-term protection of chimpanzees and other wildlife.

As a participant, you will join a small team of no more than five people. Together with local guides and conservation experts, you will collect valuable data on chimpanzee behaviour, assist with practical conservation work in the forest, and gain a deep understanding of the complex relationship between humans, nature, and culture in Uganda.

Do I need to have any previous construction experience?

No. Most of our volunteers come with no experience whatsoever. Come prepared to get your hands dirty and learn. We will have a foreman working alongside you to help guide you through the process. If you have construction skills, you will be able to use some of your skills with more complex tasks, such as carpentry. However, to join the Health & Medical project, you must have certification or proof of experience in a medical field, such as a medical student ID, EMT or paramedic certification, or nursing or physician’s credentials. Due to the health risks involved, volunteers who are not properly trained in healthcare cannot support this project.

Do I need to be in good shape?

You should be in decent shape to come on a trip. We recommend that all our prospective volunteers be physically fit to take on this trip.

How long are volunteer days?

Volunteers will work Monday through Friday, approximately 5 hours a day. There will be no work on Saturday or Sunday. The length of the workday can vary depending on the workload.

What’s a typical day like?

A typical work day starts at about 8 AM with breakfast and heading to the job site. The work is usually done by 5 PM, and volunteers can use the evening to explore the area they are in. Dinner is approximately 7 PM. Volunteers have opportunities to experience the nightlife and hang out with other volunteers.

Will I be working on the same projects or multiple projects?

For the most part, you will be working on the same project. However, in some instances, if the amount of work is finished, then volunteers might work on another project. Also, if you are staying for a longer term (over 3 weeks), expect to work on multiple jobs.

How do I become a JTF participant?

Enrolling in a JTF Volunteer program is easy. Fill out an online application with a $250 deposit fee to validate and initiate the application process. It will only take you a short time to complete this online application form. However, to simply start the placement process, an upfront deposit of $250 is needed, which will be deducted from the total program fee. This deposit fee is nonrefundable! You can make your payment via a bank wire transfer to the Justice Tourism Foundation Bank Account. Please click here to access our bank account details for your fee payment.

How does the program deposit fee work?

Once we receive your application and the program deposit fee, we begin to arrange your placement. If, during this process, we determine that we are unable to accept your application or are unable to place you in the program you have applied for, we will refund your deposit fee. If you decide not to participate in the program or wish to cancel for any other reason, the deposit fee is non-refundable.

Why do I have to pay to volunteer abroad?

Consider the burden of hosting volunteers. It takes a lot of time and money for an organization to take on volunteers. The volunteer’s contribution should be greater than the resources they consume during their volunteer placement.

In some cases, people who are considering volunteering or doing an internship overseas sometimes express surprise at being asked to pay a program fee or fundraise for the project that they will be working on. However, it needs to be remembered that volunteering and internship can be an expensive undertaking, with possible costs including transport, accommodation, food, administration, training, on-the-ground support, and potentially, medical and other insurance. Most local organizations, such as the Justice Tourism Foundation, cannot cover these costs unless the volunteering work or internship for that particular volunteer will make a significant contribution to our work, or unless we are in receipt of substantial financial support, for example, from regular public donations or from International financial grants. In our case, Justice Tourism Foundation is a social tourism organization that is 100% financially self-supported through its program fees revenue, individual financial contributions, and from our tourism trip programs. We are therefore seeking volunteers and interns who will be ASSETS to our organization, who understand the needs of the rural communities in the developing world, and are ready and willing to contribute their time and financial resources rather than becoming a drain on us.

When should I apply?

There is no deadline for registering your program. However, we encourage participants to submit their applications or book their program as early in advance as possible due to visa requirements and other processes involved in coordinating placement. We recommended that participants submit their applications at least 12 weeks before the intended departure date. Last-minute program placements are possible in some cases. Please give us a call so we can work with you to arrange your project.

Can I extend my stay while volunteering?

Yes. Please contact us when in the country if you are interested in extending your trip.

What’s the farthest in advance I can book?

We offer trips on our site up to 1 year in advance. If you are sure you are going to take a trip farther than a year out (such as with a large group), please contact us directly.

How long can I stay?

We offer trips as short as 1 week and as long as 6 months. If you wish to volunteer for an extended stay (longer than 6 months), please contact us directly.

Will someone meet me at the airport?

Yes, please send your flight itinerary to the Justice Tourism Foundation at least two weeks in advance of the expedition start date. One of our staff or representatives will meet you in the public area outside Customs and bring you to your hotel or to the volunteer guest house.

What should I do if my flight is delayed?

Please notify Justice Tourism Foundation as soon as possible and confirm your new arrival times so the expedition leader can arrange your transportation.

What should I do if I arrive before the scheduled arrival date?

If you choose to spend time in-country before the expedition begins, please plan to meet your team at the designated airport or hotel within the specified arrival window on the first day of the program in order to be transported to the local office and the field sites.

What happens when I arrive?

You will be met upon arrival at Entebbe International Airport by a friendly Justice Tourism Foundation representative and taken to your hotel or guest house for an overnight stay. Once you have had time to rest, the Justice Tourism Foundation local staff or program coordinator will conduct an orientation with you. Orientation begins on the morning of your chosen start date and covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Uganda – introduction to Uganda, culture and customs, rules and expectations, safety, language basics (Luganda), travel opportunities, introduction to project and placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.

And after the orientation, the program coordinator will introduce you to your project and the local area. Your in-country coordinator will be more than happy to help you settle in and acclimatize; you’ll feel at home in no time in this friendly, vibrant country.

Are your locations safe?

All our locations are safe. Although it would be foolish of us to try to “guarantee” anybody’s safety, we do everything in our power to ensure your volunteering trip is as safe and secure as possible.

How much free time do volunteers have?

Volunteers have plenty of free time. Our goal is to allow people the chance to experience the country they are visiting. Volunteers work Monday through Friday, approximately 8 hours a day. Evenings and weekends are free to explore. Most people use the weekend to take a trip to a nearby site or take on a three-day (2 nights) gorilla trekking safari or wildlife safari. We can help organize these safari trip excursions for you. Please contact our CEO to arrange your safari.

Uganda is a large and extremely diverse country in terms of both culture and nature. For three days, you can undertake a safari that ushers you into the vast Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for Gorilla Trekking, the Murchison Falls National Park for Uganda Wildlife Tour, or the famous Queen Elizabeth National Park for Uganda Bird Watching, or the Kibale National Park for Uganda Chimpanzee Trekking. You can also take a journey for a Cultural Tour from Central to Eastern Uganda, to tour Kampala, the Capital City of Uganda, Buganda and Busoga Kingdom, or to Western Uganda, to tour Bunyoro, Toro, and Ankole royal monarchy, tradition, and culture. The adventures will provide you with a break from your project, a chance to see your host country from a different perspective, and time to maybe live out a few dreams.

Do I need travel insurance?

Yes. All our volunteer projects require travel insurance.

Where will I be staying?

Where you stay during your time as a volunteer can have a huge impact on your ability to enjoy the experience. That’s why all of our projects ensure that the accommodation we provide is safe, secure, and comfortable. The type of accommodation depends very much on the project you are working with, but generally it will fall into one of the following categories: Home-stay, Hostel, Volunteer Apartment/ House sharing with other volunteers; Private apartment; tented camp (for expeditions); Eco-Camp.

Depending on your project placement location, most of our accommodations are set in a guest house style. The accommodation will, of course, be clean and comfortable and will quickly become your second home. In these accommodation settings, volunteers live together but in self-contained private rooms. These can be the most fun places to stay, and also the most diverse when you mix together several different cultures. You will generally find in these houses that you will share a room with another volunteer. Each Volunteer Guest House is taken care of by a “housekeeper” who is responsible for preparing all the meals for the volunteers and the general cleanliness of the house.

All our accommodation facilities do have western toilets and hot water showers. While we can’t always guarantee the hottest water, the facilities are more than adequate. The house is equipped with a lounge, TV, kitchen, hand-washing facilities, spare electricity sockets, and Wi-Fi internet access.  Life at the guesthouse is simple, unsophisticated, and fun, perfect for unwinding from a busy day!

If I’m traveling with someone, can we be placed together?

Of course! When signing up, please tell us the name of the person you are volunteering with, and we will place you two in the same guest house compound.

Will I have access to Wi-Fi?

Almost all of our guest houses have Wi-Fi access. Wi-Fi access in developing countries is usually not as quick as you are probably used to, though!

What is included in my costs?

Housing, 3 meals per day, accommodation, orientation, in-country support, as well as project supervision. Please see the price quotes below:

PROGRAM DURATION	PROGRAM FEES IN USD PER PERSON
2 weeks Program Placement fees	$2,225
4 weeks Program Placement fees	$3,225

 

THE ABOVE PRICE COSTS INCLUDES:	NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE FOR THIS TRIP
Airport Transfers	Flights Air ticket
Full Board accommodation in a Secure Housing with beautiful surroundings	Visa fees
All meals (Buffet) – Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner	Travel Insurance
Program supervision	Medical insurance
Daily Chimpanzee Tracking (Habituation) and other wildlife Monitoring in the forest	Bar Bills
Conservationist / Wildlife ranger	Personal insurance
Ecologist	All other Services of a personal nature
Forest ranger	Tips
JTF Administration	Porters
All government taxes/levies	Laundry services.
Farewell dinner
Certificate of International Volunteering
24/7 in-country support
Daily bottled water

What is not included in my costs?

Flight, travel insurance, background check, and any spending money for souvenirs or excursions.

Do you offer group trips?

Of course! Learn more on our group trips page.

How many people can you accommodate?

We can accommodate groups up to about 50 people.

Where do you offer group trips?

We offer group trips in all our locations.

Can you plan excursions or weekend trips too?

Yes, when you book a group trip with us, we will work with you to make a fully customized trip. We have options for different excursions and transportation options. Please click here to view a full list of our trip excursions.

How much do group trips cost?

Group trips can vary based on several factors (number of people, excursions, transportation, etc.) Contact us directly, and we can put together a quote.

What do group trips include?

As a base, group trips will include airport pickup, accommodations for the week, and 3 meals a day for the week. Our group trips are completely customizable, and we can arrange different types of accommodation, transportation, excursions, and activities.