Volunteer TESOL tutors wanted – Uganda

Before

TEFLstop is proud to be working with Soft Power Education (SPE). SPE is a British registered, non-religious charity which has worked for the past 7 years improving primary school facilities in the sub-county of Budondo, Uganda.  During this time SPE has built and continues to fund two pre-schools for orphans and is currently 3 years into a 5-year plan to rebuild and refurbish the 20 government primary schools in the area. SPE has also opened a health clinic together with its sister organisation, Soft Power Health, providing subsidised treatment and consultation for local people.

SPE relies entirely on volunteers and donations to operate and has been lucky to have been supported by lots of wonderful travellers and tourists who either give a day, a week or several months to help SPE achieve their goals – and who continue to fundraise when they return home. For more information about Soft Power’s general work go to www.softpowereducation.com or email admin@softpowereducation.com

After

SPE is now embarking on a new project – the Omugezi Cultural Centre.  This centre, amongst other things, will provide Ugandan primary school children with a chance for a ‘school trip’. The facilities in Ugandan primary schools are basic, to say the least, and the Omugezi Centre will have a fully-equipped science lab, a computer room, a theatre, fully stocked library, playground with jungle gym and merry-go-round (which pumps water from a well as it spins!) and much more. The Centre will also provide street children with access to educational tools that will equip them to return to school and be a central point for health information and outreach work with families in villages to spread knowledge about malaria, nutrition and child health.

Opportunities for TESOL tutors…

SPE would also like to provide English lessons to local people – mostly adults - but they need help! 

In Uganda there are upwards of 20 different languages spoken by different tribes in different parts of the country. The official language in the country is English but whilst many people do speak it well the levels of literacy and general understanding are quite poor – especially with older people who were unable to attend school during Uganda’s less peaceful times in the past.
 

SPE would like to offer people the opportunity to improve their English to enable them to more effectively participate in society.  Local people have  identified English lessons as something they would like to access through the Omugezi Centre. SPE would therefore like to offer TESOL tutors who have completed the TEFLstop Introductory Certificate in TEFL, the opportunity to gain some experience in Uganda teaching English to local people.

    

As stated above, SPE runs entirely through donations and as such these teaching opportunities would be voluntary.  Depending on the amount of time a volunteer could spend with SPE they would ideally like to offer local people English classes for the duration of the volunteer’s stay (eg 1 week short basic courses or more advanced classes over a month or two months).  These classes would take place in the evenings or at weekends due to the Centre playing host to school children during weekdays and also due to local people farming or working.  SPE would also like volunteers to spend some time developing resources for them. Through SPE’s links with primary schools volunteers could also spend their free time helping out with English lessons within these schools if they would like to – an experience no volunteer should miss!

SPE cannot provide accommodation or food.  However, they are able to link volunteers with local families who provide bed, breakfast and evening meal for £2 per day – many past volunteers have found that living with a family is a fantastic way of integrating into the community.  Alternatively, there are various campsites with dorm or hut facilities, hot showers and food available.  There are also plenty of cheap restaurants in the village and in Jinja town so volunteers are spoilt for choice when it comes to where to stay and what to eat! 

Why come to Uganda?

SPE’s main office is in Jinja town and much of the work takes place around Bujagali Falls (9km outside town). The Omugezi Centre is situated in the village of Kyabirwa, a 5 minute walk from Bujagali Falls.

Jinja is the second largest city in Uganda, but by far the prettiest; Jinja’s architecture has an Asian influence and the city is small enough to be intimate but large enough to have a bustling market, plenty of shops, restaurants, internet cafes and bars. It is situated at the source of the river Nile and on the shores of Lake Victoria.  Bujagali Falls is Uganda’s “Adventure Capital” with bungee jumping, white water rafting, quad biking and much more.  It is also a beautiful part of the world with stunning scenery and amazingly friendly people. 

Uganda itself has much to offer – from game parks with elephants, lions, hippos, zebras and giraffes to relaxing lodges where you can be spoilt rotten watching the sun set over an African landscape.  Uganda is also one of the only places left on earth where you can see gorillas in their natural habitat. SPE has links with tour companies who can easily arrange for you to experience all this, and more!

How can you get involved?

The Omugezi Centre is due to open in November 2006 – for a look at the work as it progresses and for some information on what has already been achieved go to www.softpowereducationcentre.blogspot.com. 

Applicants must take the TEFLstop Introductory Certicate and must submit and up-to-date CV and photograph. There is an arrangement fee of £100 to be paid to TEFLstop.

Contact Lynda Hazelwood or David Buckle at TEFLstop on enquiries@teflstop.com  or 0044 (0)1565 621661 for more information or to express an interest in volunteering as a TESOL tutor in Uganda.

FEES

The fee of £295 includes TEFLstop Introductory Certificate in TEFL course on CD ROM plus placement fee.