Uganda LVC LACROSSE INFORMATION PACKET VOLUNTEER CORPS. Coach. Serve. Learn. Play. Message from the founder & program director:

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Gertrude Spencer
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LACROSSE VOLUNTEER CORPS Cach. Serve. Learn. Play.

prbably even mre s, ur vlunteer parents, have a lt f questins abut what the Lacrsse Vlunteer Crps

This is intended t help answer mst yur questins and includes: Fast Facts & FAQs Meal, Ldging,

designed t be a pwerful and inspiring experience; ne where yu harness yur passin fr service,

Simply put, I want this t be ne f the best experiences f yur life.

1 LACROSSE VOLUNTEER CORPS Cach. Serve. Learn. Play. Uganda LVC INFORMATION PACKET Message frm the funder & prgram directr: I knw vlunteers, and prbably even mre s, ur vlunteer parents, have a lt f questins abut what the Lacrsse Vlunteer Crps experience is all abut. This is intended t help answer mst yur questins and includes: Fast Facts & FAQs Meal, Ldging, Transprt, Safety Pre-Trip check list General Itinerary and Phts Packing list The LVC prgram is designed t be a pwerful and inspiring experience; ne where yu harness yur passin fr service, educatin and lacrsse int meaningful impact. I want yu t learn, grw, develp, and have fun. Simply put, I want this t be ne f the best experiences f yur life. If yu have additinal questins r cncerns after reviewing this dcument, PLEASE me and I will persnally respnd. In service, Kevin Dugan Funder & Directr kevin.dugan@fieldsfgrwth.rg Fields f Grwth PO Bx 2, Avn-by-the-Sea, NJ lacrssevlunteercrps.cm (888)

2 Uganda LVC Inf Packet Fast Facts t answer FAQs: Hw much des it cst? The Uganda LVC prgram csts $3,900, which includes airfare, rm and bard, grund transprt, service and cultural activities including a safari and emergency health insurance. It des nt include any additinal baggage fees beynd what yur airline ticket allws and it des nt include yur $100 visa t enter Uganda. Wh runs the prgram? Fields f Grwth was funded in 2010 by Ntre Dame Lacrsse alum, and frmer NCAA cach, Kevin Dugan. A native f Avn-by-the-Sea, NJ, Dugan nw lives between the USA, Uganda and Jamaica, where he directs the Lacrsse Vlunteer Crps (LVC) prgrams. Dugan crdinates the vlunteer activities in Uganda thrughut the experience. Shuld I feel cmfrtable visiting Uganda? Is it safe? Thusands f Americans visit Uganda each year and in 2012 Uganda was ranked #1 in Lnely Planet s Best in Travel. Uganda, like many develping cuntries, has a war trn past, but it is in the midst f a peaceful perid f relative prgress and develpment. The biggest security cncern in Uganda is ne we share here in the USA; terrrism frm radical Islamic extremists. There has nt been a majr attack in Uganda since tw islated suicide bmb blasts in 2010, which did nt stp us frm running ur prgram that summer. Our prgram has a strng track recrd ver the past five years, hwever, we cannt guarantee yur safety any mre than an vernight lacrsse camp in the USA will guarantee yur safety. Wh ges n these trips? The LVC is fr bth males and females and is typically attended by high schl & Cllege students, with strng participatin als cming frm recent cllege graduates, caches and even lacrsse Mms and Dads. Yu need t at least be a freshman in high schl t participate in the prgram. Over 250 vlunteers have traveled t Jamaica and Uganda with ur Lacrsse Vlunteer Crps prgram. While we have had MLL and US Natinal team players serve in ur prgram, yur skill level and experience is nt imprtant (We have actually had athletes frm ther sprts participate in the LVC and have a great experience). What yu d need is a strng wrk ethic, a passin fr lacrsse and a heart fr service. D I sign up by myself r with friends? Many vlunteers jin ur LVC grups as individuals, sme cme with a friend r a grup f teammates. Yu shuld feel free t sign up n yur wn r t cme with friends. Parents with a passin fr lacrsse are als welcme t jin us. In the past sme parents have stayed in nearby htels r resrts while their children were serving in the LVC. Where d we stay? What are the accmmdatins like? We stay in traditinal Ugandan guesthuses, which is similar t drm style husing. All f ur accmmdatins are cncrete structures with aluminum rfing and electricity. Is the water safe t drink? What d we eat? Vlunteers drink purified, bttled drinking water thrughut the LVC. Yu will have safe & simple, lcal meals. Typical breakfast: tast with butter and 1

3 Uganda LVC Inf Packet jam, beans, eggs, fresh fruit, tea, cffee, water. Typical lunch: Rice & beans, steamed green bananas, fresh fruit, peanut butter & jelly. Typical dinner: Beef r chicken stew ver rice, pasta with tmat & nin, beans, ptates and fresh fruit. It is very easy t be a vegetarian r g gluten free n ur trips. What shts d I need? Yu will need t make sure yu have taken all yur hepatitis shts and a Yellw Fever sht. Yu will als need t get a prescriptin f Malaria pills frm yur dctr. D vlunteers ever get sick r injured? If s, what happens? Frtunately we have nt had any majr injuries r illnesses ver the past five years, but we are prepared in the case f an emergency. The district capitals f all f the lcatins we visit have hspitals. Lcal trading statins have clinics that can treat the mst cmmn health issues we face which are diarrhea and dehydratin. In the event f a serius r life-threatening injury we wuld ntify the US Embassy and immediate take the vlunteer t Kampala Internatinal Hspital. We the US Embassy s list f recmmended medical practitiners in the event that a vlunteer had any dental, specialist r pharmaceutical needs during their LVC experience. We purchase emergency health insurance that wuld enable us t fly a vlunteer hme in the event f a majr health emergency. Hw d we travel when we are n the grund? We travel in private, insured caster buses thrughut the experience. The Purpse f the Trip: Cach (and play): Yu will serve as a vlunteer cach thrughut the experience as we run clinics, but will als represent the USA in the Uganda Friendship Games where yu will play the Uganda Natinal Team. Serve: Yu will participate in service activities that enable yu t lve and uplift thers in need. (Assisting in develpment at the HOPEFUL schl, hme visits t deliver care packages and farming supplies, wrk with the Twekembe Slum Prject, deliver supplies and spend time with children at Sanyu Baby hme and rphanage and much, much, mre.) Learn: Yu will receive readings in advance f yur trip and will be part f guided reflectins and learning experiences thrughut the trip. In additin t yur service wrk and caching, yu will be n an experiential learning missin that tuches upn a multitude f cultural, plitical and sci-ecnmic tpics. *Culture & Fun: In additin t Caching, Serving and Learning, we will als be sure t wrk in time fr sme fun and culture. These activities g hand-in-hand with the experiential learning aspect f the prgram and include; a safari in Queen Elizabeth Natinal Park, a musical perfrmance frm the HOPEFUL chir, a rural village experience, dancing lessns, friendly sccer, netball and vlleyball matches and a visit t a Batwa Pygmy resettlement. 2

4 Uganda LVC Inf Packet Phts t demystify the Uganda LVC Experience (Nte that there is a full virtual tur n ur website): Ntre Dame alum, Mlly Shawhan serving at the HOPEFUL schl Yung Trevr snacks n sme pumpkin in between lacrsse games. At the equatr during a Safari in Queen Elizabeth Natinal Park. A lk inside the means f transprt fr the LVC; a caster tur bus. A lk at a typical rm & bed during the LVC Experience. Spending time with children at the HOPEFUL schl. 3

5 Uganda LVC Inf Packet Vital Pre-Trip Check List: Meet with a dctr and ensure yu have had yur hepatitis and yellw fever shts. Malaria Pills (yu need t get a prescriptin frm yur dctr.) Make sure yu have a passprt and a pht cpy f yur passprt $100 fr yur visa at the airprt upn arrival in Uganda. We will purchase yur internatinal health insurance. Our staff will have all this infrmatin in the event f an emergency, but yu d need t cmplete ur nline emergency health and cntact infrmatin frm. Scan and signed cpies f ur Scial Behavir Plicy, ur Waiver f Liability and ur Statement f Respnsibility t lacrsse@fieldsfgrwth.rg. Yu can als mail them t PO Bx 2, Avn, NJ Additinal spending mney: Yur primary n the grund expenses are all cvered, hwever yu shuld bring sme additinal spending mney if yu intend t purchase gifts fr family and friends. It is als nice t have a little mney in case yu want t buy the ccasinal Cca-Cla when we are traveling thrugh trading statins etc. $100 is plenty f extra spending mney. Yu can als use ATM machines in certain lcatins in the district centers. Our staff will assist yu with exchanging mney r ATM withdrawals. If yu intend t use an ATM card fr withdrawal, be sure t let yur bank knw in advance that yu are travelling t Uganda. Cntacts and cmmunicatin n the grund in Uganda: Arrival & cmmunicatin with yur family: When yu arrive in Uganda yu will walk ff the plane and get in line fr yur visa (Yu will need a $100 bill fr a visa t enter the cuntry - Yu d nt need t get a visa in advance). Then yu will mve t the baggage claim area. Once yu get yur bags yu will walk ut the ne and nly exit fr arrivals and will nt be able t miss the LVC supprt team. We will be there with signage. We will let vlunteers share ur cell phnes t call hme and let their parents knw they arrived safely. The vlunteers will share a cell phne thrughut the experience. Internet: Yu will have access t the internet apprximately 3 times during the LVC Experience. Lcal Cmmunicatin: All f ur Ugandan supprt staff all speak English, which is the natinal language f Uganda. The lcal language f Luganda is als spken, and we will teach yu sme basic phrases. Schl is taught in English and yu will have less f a prblem cmmunicating then yu might think. General Itinerary: Day 1: Arrival at Entebbe Airprt After yu get thrugh the line fr yur visa yu will g t the baggage claim carusel and get yur bags. Frm there yu will walk ut f the nly exit pssible frm the baggage claim area and see ur LVC staff there ready t meet yu. 4

6 Uganda LVC Inf Packet We will lad yur bags int ur cater bus, and then give yu a cell phne t call yur parents t let them knw yu made it safely. Please nte this culd be upwards f 1.5 hurs after yur flight arrives as it takes time t g thrugh the lines. We will have sme lcal Ugandan pizza when yu arrive and then check int the Sisters f Ntre Dame guesthuse in Entebbe. Days 1-3: Uganda Friendship Games & Service in Kampala Lcatin: Entebbe & Kampala, Sisters f Ntre Dame Guest Huse Uganda Lacrsse Friendship Games; Girls HS Games, Yuth Games, Adult male & female league games. Main Event: Team Uganda v USA Vlunteer Team (Male and Female Games.) Visit t Sanyu Baby Hme Orphanage Service activities with Twekembe Slum Prject Days 4-6: Rural Village Experience Lcatin: Masaka District, HOPEFUL schl Activities: Yu will have a nice lk at what typical village life is like in rural Uganda. Yu will participate in lacrsse clinics, games and activities with children and d a lt f service wrk at the HOPEFUL schl. Additinal activities: Hme visits with rural Ugandan families. Visit the site f the first lacrsse clinic in Uganda and hear abut hw the cncept fr Fields f Grwth was develped. Receive an verview f varius village develpment effrts at HOPEFUL Uganda. Manual labr and service at the HOPEFUL schl (Painting, cleaning and farming.) Attend a perfrmance frm the lcal children s chir Visit elderly shut-ins with care packages Get an verview f the USA s effrts t help fight the AIDS epidemic in Masaka, an epicenter f the AIDS epidemic. Visit Lake Victria. Days 7-9: Safari Experience, Clnial Histry, China & Uganda Business Develpment Lcatin: Safari Ldge, Queen Elizabeth Natinal Park We will stay in a ldge n the perimeter f Queen Elizabeth Natinal Park, hme f a wide array f African wildlife. We will als be traveling thrugh resurce rich land and will have guided discussins n clnial histry and recent business develpments between Uganda and China. We will enjy a bat ride thrugh the Kazinga Channel, an area f the park teeming with wildlife. We will als g n a mrning game drive thrugh the park t bserve African wildlife; Lins, Elephants, Crcdiles, Hipps, Mnkeys, Water Buffal, Ugandan Cbbs (Similar t Antelpe), many varieties f birds, Wart Hgs, Lepards, and mre! 5

7 Uganda LVC Inf Packet Days 10-12: Bwindi Impenetrable Rain Frest & the Plight f the Batwa Pygmies Lcatin: Buhma, Grilla Friends Ldge, Edge f the Bwindi Impenetrable Rainfrest Activities: The fcus f this part f the trip will be learning abut the plight f the Batwa Pygmies f the Great Lakes regin f East Africa. They are the riginal inhabitants f East Africa, the cradle f civilizatin. They had a truly sustainable lifestyle that was eliminated when they were frced frm the Rainfrest. Their stry is a sad ne, and this is sure t be an extremely pwerful part f the trip. We will visit a field that Fields f Grwth purchased and built fr the Epiphany Schl t help Batwa children integrate with lcal yuth thrugh sprts. Yu will visit Batwa resettlements & learn abut their histry and the sad irny in their lst way f life that was arguably the mst sustainable relatinship between man and earth in the histry f the human race. Participate in a culturally rich cmmunity walking tur and gain an understanding f creative ec-turism. Bill Gates and ther wealthy adventure travelers have visited this lcatin. Learn hw places like this have been turned int prfitable ec-turism destinatins. Participate in an exciting cmmunity sprts festival, bringing tgether the Batwa Pygmies with the lcal Bakiga peple. This festival will be held n a field cnstructed by Fields f Grwth n the perimeter f the Bwindi Impenetrable Rain Frest. Days 13-14: Farewell celebratin at the HOPEFUL Schl Lcatin: HOPEFUL schl, Masaka Yur LVC experience will wrap up with an inspiring farewell celebratin at the HOPEFUL schl that will include; Musical perfrmances Dance cntest Games & activities Speeches frm lcal cmmunity leaders Discussin n What nw? Hw d yu keep this experience with yu as yu prepare t g back t the USA? We will discuss that and mre! Transprt t Entebbe airprt fr yur return flight hme. Packing List We will d laundry tw times during the trip, s please d nt ver pack: Lse fitting and light weight clthing 1 hdie t keep yu warm in the evenings. 1 lightweight windbreaker / thin water repellant cat. 2 Lightweight khakis / nyln pants ( Patagnia / Nrth Face type r lightweight cttn khakis) 3-4 Pairs f Athletic/Lacrsse Shrts (Girls need t avid shrt shrts, wear lnger bys style lacrsse shrts!) Girls shuld avid shrts utside f sprts. They shuld stick t lng skirts r Capri pants. 1 pair f jeans 2 Lightweight glf shirts r lightweight buttn dwns. 8 T-Shirts 6

8 Uganda LVC Inf Packet 8 pairs f underwear Be prepared fr sme rainy weather, as well as ht, dry weather. Bring 1 pair f running sneakers, 1 pair f sandals & 1 pair f casual shes. (Yu dn t need intense hiking bts r anything like that. Yu can wear running sneakers t play lacrsse. Cnsider bringing ld sneakers r shes t wear that yu might be able t give away at the end f yur trip. ) Wmen shuld plan t dress mdestly, and pack LONG skirts, n make-up. Medicatin/prescriptins used regularly (In emergency mst prescriptins can be acquired at Pharmacies in Kampala and District Centers.) Aspirin r ther pain reliever, cld medicatin/decngestant Eye drps and eyewash if yu have cntacts Travel sickness medicine if yu are prne t mtin sickness Sunscreen Band-Aids Dedrant Sap and shamp Msquit repellant Vitamin supplements (if yu take them) Hand wipes and/r antibacterial hand wash. Backpack Light raincat smething that flds up small Water Bttle Twel lightweight Extra pair f glasses/cntacts if yu wear them. Extra batteries fr all electrnic items Sunglasses & a hat Ziplc bags (a few) Granla bars/cliff Bars/energy snacks Pwdered drinking mix (yu can mix this with yur water if yu want, ptinal) Small flashlight Outside f sme f the mre valuable and nicer clthes yu pack, please cnsider leaving sme f these items in Uganda at the end f yur trip; twel, tiletries, scks, ld t-shirts etc. Electrnics: Yu can bring a camera, but must bserve ur media plicy (See scial behavir plicy). Mst vlunteers d bring their smart phnes t take pictures, listen t music and t use the internet when we have access t Wi-Fi. D nt bring a laptp unless yu plan n ding serius blgging, vide wrk r high level phtgraphy and need t use yur laptp fr writing r file strage. DONATIONS: 7

9 Uganda LVC Inf Packet In additin t bringing persnal clthes and necessities fr the LVC experience, vlunteers are als encuraged t pack dnatin items. Vlunteers are encuraged t run used equipment and stick drives within their teams and lcal lacrsse cmmunities. Dnatins are als appreciated fr the HOPEFUL schl. Here is a list f sme suggested items: Men s & Wmen s sticks. If yu are packing a lt f sticks, unscrew the heads prir t packing as it helps yu save space. Lacrsse Balls Men s equipment: Helmets & glves are the main pririty, then elbw pads. Shulder pads are nt a pririty right nw. Yellw Flags fr Officials and Whistles Stick kit items (Athletic tape, ld mesh pckets, sidewall string etc.) Jck Straps with Athletic Cups Lacrsse DVDs and Game film (Men s and Wmen s.) Lacrsse Rule Bks Lacrsse Magazines and bks Children s bks Office & Schl Supplies Jlly Ranchers (they are small and individually wrapped which makes them easy t hand ut t children.) Basic First Aid Supplies Lacrsse gear/clthing. Cleats/Children s Shes/Sneakers Deflated sccer balls, basketballs, vlleyballs, rugby balls, frisbees What nw? If yu wuld like t jin the Lacrsse Vlunteer Crps yu will need t: Sign up nline via the registratin link at and select the sessin yu wuld like t attend. We will then yu t cllect yur flight infrmatin and send yu an invice fr yur depsit. We will yu with the link and passwrd t the Glbal Learning Prtal where yu will find links t dcuments, article and mre all intended t help prepare yu fr yur LVC Experience. Additinal Questins f Cncerns? D nt hesitate t us with any fllw up questins r t set up a phne call. Yu can reach us at lacrsse@fieldsfgrwth.rg Sprt has the pwer t change the wrld. It has the pwer t unite in a way that little else des. It speaks t yuth in a language they understand. Sprt can create hpe where nce there was nly despair. It is mre 8

10 Uganda LVC Inf Packet pwerful than gvernments in breaking dwn racial barriers. It laughs in the face f all types f discriminatin. Nelsn Mandela 9

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