Volunteering

On September 15, 2009, the PWMMC volunteer program was founded. Service to the medical center began immediately with our first volunteers from the US based Conejo Compassion Coalition (CCC) with leadership from Dr. Robert Bland, Shirley Bland, Dr. Stephen Mungoma, Dr. Richard Malfatti, and Mr. Charles Nangosia.

Little African boy outdoors happy to get some rain, water for Africa symbol and concept - handsome sweet child posing outdoors.

Value of Volunteering

PWMMC volunteers are often retired professionals, high school, or college students. These may be individuals who are retired after a lengthy career. Each month, many caring individuals come to PWMMC to volunteer. They assist patients who are arriving at, and departing from the facility, greet and direct visitors, staff the Greenhouses, and so much more. Volunteering will improve your self-esteem, help develop empathy for the problems of others, affirms personal values, and aids in personal development. Volunteering helps you feel connected to our global community and is a great opportunity to meet new people. PWMMC has many and varied opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds. We provide high-quality, cost-effective healthcare services to develop healthy communities in Eastern Uganda.

Volunteer Training

We prepare you for your volunteer assignment through:

Thorough Orientation and Training
Clear-Cut Position Description
On-going Feedback
Continued Support and Reinforcement
On-going Recognition
Good Communication

Volunteer Program and gain hands on experience by learning directly from our tested and skilled professional staff. Currently there are several placement opportunities to choose from, including working at the hospital, evaluating current development projects, and working at our greenhouse facilities. We believe now, is a perfect time get a deeper understanding of our healthcare services, participate in sustainability projects and enjoy relaxing at our cozy residence in the village. We’ll teach you about how we’re utilizing technology to treat diseases, fight malaria and actively advocating on behalf of the local community. You’ll be able to rotate through different departments, which can help you choose a future career path. Once you are accepted, we shall arrange your stay at a hotel in Mbale City or our classic residence closer to the medical center. You will learn about the Bamasaba culture and their way of life.

Medical Volunteer

Are you a student considering a career in the medical field? Or you are a medical student looking for practical experience? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then this is the volunteer for you. You’ll learn directly from experienced local doctors and nurses, and you’ll have a supervising doctor to shadow. You will gain a valuable insight into the healthcare challenges people face every day in Uganda. This will add a lot of value to your resume and give you interesting points to talk about in interviews and essays. The outreach work will also help demonstrate your commitment to healthcare and helping those in need. There are no requirements to join. All you need is a strong interest in medicine and a willingness to learn. There are several placement options you can choose from, so that you can pursue your area of interest. Depending on how long you stay, you may also be able to rotate through many different medical center departments. Our medical volunteer in Uganda is available year-round, from a minimum of two weeks. Our start and end dates are entirely flexible, so you can choose a time which suits you. We encourage you to stay longer, so you can learn more and get involved in multiple outreaches.

Medical Volunteer Activities

The Medical Volunteer consists of a mixture of observational and practical activities, which makes for a fantastic learning experience. You can get involved in:

Shadowing

Your key role is to learn by observing our healthcare professionals such as, clinical officers, midwives, and nurse’s work. You’ll encounter a range of conditions and diseases that you wouldn’t usually see back home, and we’ll teach you how to diagnose and treat them. This is a great way to gain work experience during your volunteer in Uganda.

Other Medical tasks

Depending on your level of experience, you may have the opportunity to assist with more practical tasks. These include writing charts, taking blood pressure, and giving oral vaccinations. You could help with wound dressing and stitching as well. These activities are supervised. You will only be permitted to do them if you have the training and have proven your capability to the local staff.

Community Outreach

Our Village Health Teams organizes regular medical outreaches at schools or in villages in Tororo, Mbale, Manafa and Butaleja districts. These outreaches serve people in under-resourced communities who would otherwise not receive regular medical care. Under the supervision of a trained VHT staff, you’ll help to carry out medical checks and provide basic treatment to members of the local community. These checks may include taking vital signs such as blood pressure or blood sugar levels. You will also dress wounds, administer oral vaccinations, and administer HIV tests.

Educational workshops

You will also have the chance to broaden your knowledge and learn new skills at our outreach workshops, which are usually run by our clinical officers. Here you’ll have the chance to ask questions and share experiences. You’ll also learn new techniques which you can then put into practice during outreaches or at your placement. If you choose to work in the medical center, there are a number of departments you can rotate through:

You can also choose to work in maternity, children’s section, or a palliative department instead.

Typical Day

After breakfast, it is time to head to work. You will be picked up from the hotel or walk to the medical center if you decide to live at our private residence in Lwaboba. The medical center owns a van, which will pick and drop you off each day. A typical week runs from 8am - 4pm, Monday to Sunday. Your exact working days or shift will be worked out between you and the in charge on a weekly basis. There is also the option to work night shift, upon prior arrangement. Your exact daily activities will vary based on your experience. Medical students and graduates will be able to take part in more practical work. In general, you will spend time observing the local medical staff on their rounds. It’s a great way to see what a day in the life of a doctor looks like, especially in a limited-resource setting. If they are not too busy, doctors will often take the time to explain procedures or cases with you. You may also find yourself assisting where needed on tasks such as taking blood pressure or giving oral vaccinations. On days where there are medical outreaches you will also be given more hands-on work. This may involve taking vital signs or dressing wounds. At the end of the working day, it’s time to immerse yourself in local life. You can spend time getting to know the locals over a delicious homecooked meal or join in on our regular outdoor social events. These are a great way to make friends!

Volunteer impact?

An opportunity to share lessons learned from your life experience and to provide basic services to under resourced communities. If you’re looking for practical work experience. On this journey, you will learn from doctors and nurses and gain new skills. There is also an altruistic dimension to this program. Many Ugandans do not have access to basic healthcare services, due to financial constraints. The Professor Wamukota Medical Center staff organizes regular medical outreaches. These provide people with basic medical treatment that they would otherwise not receive. The treatment includes malaria treatment, bed net distribution, HIV testing, deworming, and more. Join us on a medical volunteer project in Uganda and broaden your health expertise while making a positive impact.

Nursing Volunteer

We encourage you to sign up for our nursing program and get valuable work experience as a nursing volunteer. You’ll learn from qualified nurses and doctors at the Professor Wamukota Memorial Medical Center. Shadow them on their rounds and while they do their daily work. You will rotate through different medical center departments. We’ll teach you about various conditions and diseases, and how to diagnose and treat them. You’ll also get the chance to do basic health checks and dress wounds during community outreaches. You’ll work at our medical center in Lwaboba and live at a hotel in Mbale town. Make the most of your free time to explore eastern Uganda, local food, and cultural attractions. This project is designed so that you can gain nursing work experience in our medical center setting. It will give your resume the edge it needs if you want to study nursing. You’ll get to explore different nursing specialties that could help you plan your future career.

No experience?

No problem! The goal of this volunteer is for you to learn. You’ll gain a lot from shadowing local nurses and doctors. We recommend you take notes and ask many questions. If you participate in a community outreach, our clinical officer will teach you what you need to know before you start working. All outreach work is supervised by medical professionals. Our Nursing Volunteer run all year, and you can join at any time. The minimum duration for this program is two weeks but we will work with you. We always encourage you to stay longer to learn and gain as much experience as possible.

Activities

You will work at our medical center. During your Volunteer, you will:

Shadow Nurses

Your role will be observational. You’ll shadow the local nurses during their daily rounds, and gain insight into the work they do. It’s important to make notes and ask as many questions as possible. When the nurses see that you’re enthusiastic and interested, they may give you more responsibilities. Any practical work you do will be fully supervised. It is important to build trust and a good relationship with the local medical staff. This will help you get involved with more practical work. The kinds of tasks you may help with include dressing wounds, monitoring a pulse, and checking blood pressure and temperature. You will also do health checks during community outreaches in communities which usually have limited access to basic healthcare services.

Attend workshops.

We hold regular workshops for all our interns. These are usually run by our clinical officer. Use the workshops to ask about specific things you’ve observed. You can also use the workshops to learn techniques and skills to put into practice during outreaches, like measuring blood sugar levels.

A typical day

Start your day with breakfast. Then set off to the medical center. Work usually begins at 8am. You’ll help local nurses prepare for their rounds and will then shadow them during their rounds as they see to the different patients. Lunch will be between 1:00pm and 1:30pm. In the afternoon, you will continue shadowing nurses on their rounds. The afternoon is therefore the best time to assist nurses with more basic practical tasks. These can include monitoring heart rates, taking blood pressure, or temperature. Evenings and weekends are your free time to relax, explore and learn more about the Bamasaba culture attractions. A safari travel will be arranged with the other volunteers to Sipi Falls, Wanale, and Mt Elgon! Watch amazing wildlife in a national park or go hiking through the beautiful nature.

Nursing Impacts

As a Nursing Volunteer in Uganda, you will collaborate with medical professionals and explore the different departments. This will give you the opportunity to explore various specialties and learn more about different conditions and diseases. This will be an amazing lifechanging experience. You will also get to make a difference through community outreach work. Many of the communities we work with have limited access to basic healthcare services or cannot travel for medical care. These are some of the goals for the nursing program.

We encourage you to join our nursing volunteer program and help us achieve these long-term goals, while gaining professional work experience.

CCC Ambassador

This is an invitation to support our health and sustainable development projects in Uganda. As CCC Ambassador you will work with young people your age to help needy communities. As a volunteer you’ll participate in organizing sports events and educational activities. You’ll also take part in basic renovation work. Something as simple as painting a room, church, or classroom block. This is a wonderful way to get practical hands-on experience and give back at the same time. You will live in Mbale town and commute to the village daily. We’ll teach you about the Bamasaba, Jopadhola and Itesot culture through events and activities in the evening, and we organize weekend trips for you.

Youth Ambassador

Are you a high school student? Do you enjoy working with children? Do you want to make a positive impact while experiencing a different culture? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this is the ideal project for you. You will split your time between organizing educational classroom activities, and light renovation work. It’s a great way to gain hands on experience. You’ll also learn important skills such as communication, teamwork, and planning. We know that travelling by yourself to a different country can be scary. But don’t worry, you’re in good hands! Our medical center staff are with you constantly to make sure you have everything you need. The youth program is fully supervised by our local staff, so you won’t be left alone.

Expectations?

Here are just some of the activities you can get involved with at local primary or secondary school special:

Impact

The main aim of this project is to provide extra support to students and staff at under-resourced schools. Many rural schools in Eastern Uganda are overcrowded. This means that teachers cannot provide students adequate time needed to lean and thrive. Furthermore, a lack of resources means that it can be difficult to make the learning process fun and engaging for young students. Some of the school structures are in dare need for renovation, which means that the learning environment is not conducive for learning. As a youth volunteer, you will help to address these issues, working alongside others. You’ll act as a pair of extra helping hand.

Youth Trip: 2023 Dates TBD

Uganda it is a fascinating country with a variety of diverse environments and animals. A Gorilla Trekking Safari in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It has some of the most untouched Reserves and Parks in Africa. Spend time in the Queen Elizabeth National Park, or at Murchison Falls National Park. Bird life is stunning. Chimpanzee trekking is another of the primate highlights. There are three mountain ranges the Rwenzori (Mountain of the Moon), Mt Elgon and the Virunga Volcanoes. All provide incredible hiking opportunities for those with an adventurous spirit. Lake Victoria is the largest freshwater lake in the world. Game viewing, white water rafting on the Nile and the local culture adds to the diversity of Uganda. Mt Elgon is a must see for our volunteers. We have handpicked some Sipi Falls and Wanale are must see attractions. Luxury accommodation like the Nangosia Mansion, Hotel Oval and Wash & Wills and Shine on Hotel are preferred. Loose yourself in Lwaboba, save a life and enjoy the experience of a lifetime. This trip is limited to 10 teens total. The cost for the 2023 trip is $1,000 per person, which does not include the flight to Uganda. A $500 deposit is due by May 31, and the balance is due by July 15. The trip cost covers:

Inland transportation & meals
Accommodation at a motel in Mbale town
Trip to Queen Elizabeth National Park Kasese
Boat cruise & bird watching on the Nile River Jinja
Guided to Sipi Falls and Wanale Mbale

Adults Trip 2020 Dates TBD

Let us change the mindset by being more than a tourist and spend your upcoming holiday with a community who will put your skills to a good use. Help people in need by volunteering your time to assist on one of our projects and we will organize an all-inclusive package including support, tours accommodation at our classic mansion, food and transport so you can make the most of your experience.

Attractions

Uganda it is a fascinating country with a variety of diverse environments and animals. A Gorilla Trekking Safari in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. It has some of the most untouched Reserves and Parks in Africa. Spend time in the Queen Elizabeth National Park, or at Murchison Falls National Park. Bird life is stunning. Chimpanzee trekking is another of the primate highlights. There are three mountain ranges the Rwenzori (Mountain of the Moon), Mt Elgon and the Virunga Volcanoes. All provide incredible hiking opportunities for those with an adventurous spirit. Lake Victoria is the largest freshwater lake in the world. Game viewing, white water rafting on the Nile and the local culture adds to the diversity of Uganda. Mt Elgon is relatively new on our volunteer tourists. We have handpicked some Sipi Falls and Wanale are must see attractions. Luxury accommodation such as our Mansion, Mbale Resort and Wash & Wills and Shine on Hotel are preferred. Loose yourself in Lwaboba, save a life and enjoy the experience of a lifetime. The cost of the Adult Trip is estimated at $2,200 per person, which does not include the flight to Uganda. A $500 deposit is due by May 15, and the balance is due by July 15. All fees are non-refundable. The trip cost covers:

Inland transportation & meals
Accommodations
Visits to the homes of sponsored students
Guided Safari to Sipi Falls, Wanale Mbale
Boat cruise & bird watching on the Nile River Jinja
Queen Elizabeth National Park Kasese