African Buy-A-Net Volunteer Village Netting Uganda Program
Buy-A-Net is pleased to offer the opportunity to experience first-hand the life saving work that we do in Uganda.
Departing from Toronto, Ontario, a select group of individuals will fly to Entebbe, Uganda to join the Buy-A-Net team in the rich, full program of malaria prevention and control as well as immerse themselves in the culture and beauty of Uganda.
If you are interested in this most rewarding experience, and becoming an informed advocate, please send your resume to Gail Fones, Canadian Director of Ugandan Operations, gail@buyanet.ca.
Requests are reviewed as they are presented.
We generally coordinate this program on an annual basis in the early summer (May) or early Fall (September). All volunteers are required to fund their own costs.
Testimonials
For me, this has been a nursing experience of a career!
Kathy McPhail, Buy-A-Net Volunteer Handing out Bed nets in Uganda
“ I was one of a group of 10 volunteers on this trip (Voluntour) and it was made even more special as I traveled with one of my daughters who was also part of this work. We worked with community leaders in areas identified by Buy-A-Net in the less fortunate areas of Kampala, a city of 1.5 million and also in a few villages in rural Uganda. In the designated areas, our team along with local leaders registered homes one by one and assisted local trained Ugandans to provide group education sessions about Malaria, the etiology, signs, symptoms and prevention methods which include the medicated malaria net. We also monitored homes to ensure the nets were hung and being used by priority persons within the homes and community leaders evaluate the success of the Buy-A-Net projects. One net per home is distributed and yet every 30 seconds, a child dies in Uganda with Malaria.
The nets are made possible by Canadians’ donations to this effort. A net costs $6 which is not much to us but is about 14,000 Ugandan shillings and far from reach for many of the Ugandans we met.
We also had the opportunity to immunize children in one of the rural villages where Buy-A-Net has a presence, visit two schools, one a rural boarding school and one within the city of Kampala. These have made a lasting impression on me personally. They have so few to no resources for the children and with our kids being able to pick up the lists of things for their new school year, I think of these children again with near to nothing, not even a lunch for their 12-hour school day! We also visited Mulago Hospital which is a 2,000-bed facility within the city. Again, they seem able to achieve much with very very little. The ethical decisions that nurses and physicians face daily are so overwhelming. Yet, in spite of many of these situations, I was awe struck by the overall spirit of happiness, warmth, and appreciation the Ugandan people shared with us. The kids are amazing and love to sing, play games with you or cuddle, just like all kids. That is the most lasting impression I will keep with me: the wonderful people and their spirit! … For me, this has been a nursing experience of a career! ”
—Kathy McPhail, Chief Executive Officer of The Regional Health Authority – Central Manitoba Inc.
Speaking about her Voluntour experience with Buy-A-Net in August 2009
My life’s Purpose.
Heather Haynes with her Son, Whitney, in Africa. 2008
It’s been almost a year since my trip with BAN to Uganda Oct. 2008. I should have written this long ago but my life seemed to take a flip after my return from Africa.
The experience was life changing and I will always cherish this first trip, of many I’m sure, as the tipping point in my life.
I traveled to Africa with my son who was 11 years old at the time. We got involved through a few different fundraising events held for Buy-A-Net. I donated either my time or a painting to help raise awareness and money for bed nets. From the first time I talked to Deb ( Debra Lefebvre, Founder) I had this feeling I would be going to Africa with her one day… well, that came true!
We were introduced to so many aspects of Ugandan life in the two weeks we were there.
I will be forever grateful to Gail Fones for allowing us to see how the children lived, and what the schools they attended were like – so unbelievably poor. However, the spirit of the people did not reflect their surroundings. They have a magic about them that is beyond our level of consciousness. This is the gift I brought home with me.
We were given the opportunity to see the Ugandan Buy-A-Net staff educate the people on how to use the bed nets to prevent Malaria and other deadly diseases. Through this education they are empowering communities to work together and making them realize they must be accountable for the continued use of their bed nets to ensure continued success.
To date, I have created 40 paintings based on my experience last fall. With help from Buy-A-Net and their support on Parliament Hill, I launched my Worlds Collide paintings series in the chambers of The Speaker of the House, the week prior to World Malaria Day. To supplement the paintings, I published a book illustrating my experiences, which also gave insight as to how I created each piece, and how I felt during the process. I have also been spending countless hours on a series of documentary short films focusing on Buy-A-Net and the charities and schools they support.
This experience has been so rewarding to my whole family that we have sold our house and are in the process of planning a trip back to Africa for 3 months in 2010. We are filled with hopes to continue spreading awareness through film, paintings and music… what we know best.
We all have different skills and if we work together we can do anything.
I would like to sincerely thank Buy-A-Net for helping to shape my life’s purpose.
Sincerely,
— Heather Haynes, internationally renowned Artist
www.heatherhaynes.com
Speaking about her Voluntour experience with Buy-A-Net in October 2008
What a life lesson!
Joanne, with Daughter Emma, In Uganda. 2008
In October of 2008, my 13 year old daughter, Emma, and I had the unbelievable opportunity to travel to Uganda with the Buy-A-Net Malaria Prevention Group to witness, first-hand, the amazing work that they do there.
I knew that this trip would serve as a valuable “connection” between the volunteer work that I had been doing for Buy-A-Net in Canada and the realities of life in Uganda.
As the Volunteer Marketing/Public Relations Consultant for B.A.N., I longed to be able to speak from my heart on the impact of malaria, and not just from my head. I also hoped that my daughter’s efforts to raise funds before she left would demonstrate to her (and her school mates) the difference one person can make in the lives of their global brothers and sisters, thousands of miles away.
I was excited for Emma to be able to look into the faces of people who would be protected from the malaria-infected mosquitoes at night, only because she took the time out to care. What a life lesson!
For all of the research I had done on Uganda, I knew little about what was in store for us. The one thing I did know was that this adventure would change our lives and, at the very least, allow us to feel a new appreciation for our extremely comfortable lives in Canada.
The adventure did not disappoint. Even as a relatively informed volunteer – I still don’t think that I had any real idea about both the extent and the importance of the work that they do.
For instance – I always knew that Buy-A-Net was unique in the field of malaria prevention in that, in addition to providing the life-saving bed nets, they not only educate Ugandans about malaria-related issues, but also monitor and evaluate the use of previously handed-out bed nets.
As it turns out – it is one thing to know this intellectually and write about it in communication pieces, but it is quite another to look into the faces of those who show up for the two-day long registration, education and distribution, strike up conversations with them and their children and be embraced by the warmth of their spirit. These people are real. This situation is dire. It is a fact that malaria kills one child every thirty seconds…over 3,000 every day. My daughter wondered every day whether any of the children we encountered on our trip would fall victim to malaria. It would have been nice to say otherwise – but the only response I had was “probably”. Luckily, we knew that if we furthered the work of Buy-A-Net, fewer and fewer children would die from this preventable and highly-treatable disease.
As hard as it was at times to face these and other harsh realities of everyday life in Uganda, I would not trade the experience for anything. I am deeply indebted to Debra Lefebvre and Gail Fones and all of the Buy-A-Net Uganda team for allowing us to be a part of something so important.
— Joanne Langlois,
Buy-A-Net Volunteer, Media & Public Relations Consultant, Board of Directors
Speaking about her Voluntour experience with Buy-A-Net in October 2008
Costs
Buy-A- Net Volunteer Village Netting Uganda Program 2010
$4,000 all-inclusive cost for fall 2010 departure which includes:
- Two week round trip.
- 100% of return air travel from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to Entebbe, Uganda.
- 100% of program coordination including in-country living expenses with secure guest house accommodations, food, and ground transportation.
- Pre-departure manual and assistance.
- Cultural orientation and preparation pre-departure.
- Airport reception.
- Program orientation in-country.
- Full-time in-country support staff.
- A charitable donation receipt will be issued for the full cost.
Terms:
$100 deposit and signed waver are required upon application. Payment is non-refundable after final selection and applicant’s acceptance at 90 days prior to departure.
100% of balance due within the 10 day period after final selection/acceptance in writing is received.
No refunds will be issued after the 10 day period unless BAN cancels trip due to unforeseen circumstances.
Program costs are accurate at this time. Final cost is determined 90 days prior to departure due to any volatility affecting currency rate, fuel costs, etc., which are beyond Buy-A-Net’s control.