Lugazi, Uganda, 2025

The cost of this trip for each volunteer is tax deductible donation of approximately $900.00.  You will be notified of the final cost as soon as possible.  Volunteers are also responsible for purchasing their international airfare to Entebbe, Uganda (EBB). 

About the trip: GFR has been invited again by our long-time partners focusing on education and health improvement in rural areas in Lugazi, Uganda to provide primary care medical camps.  Lugazi is located on the northern shore of Lake Victoria.  Our team will provide medical care and our partner organization will provide health education to villagers of all ages.  Our 5 clinic days will focus on rural communities and we will provide care for approximately 150-200 patients per day.  We will see everyone from pregnant women and tiny babies to the very oldest community members.  Many of our patients normally travel all day by foot or bicycle to obtain healthcare, and frequently can’t obtain it due to the long distances.

Our team will have a total of 15 volunteers (mostly physicians, dentists, PA /NPs, dental technicians, EMTs and a few non-medical staff) due to the limitations of the compound where we are staying.  Apply early as this trip will fill quickly!

Sustainability:  GFR is partnering with our partner NGO in Uganda to provide professional education for nurses and student nurses.  We will continue to provide community health education and supplement the work our partners do all year.  In 2023, we provided a water purification facility and we continue to monitor the use and continued operation of this important community asset.

Up to two-thirds of the Ugandan children in this area have lost one or both parents, affecting all aspects of their growth, development, and futures. Many of these orphans now live with relatives who struggle to feed their own children and have difficulty funding additional school costs and medical care. Their futures are uncertain and their health status is compromised from an early age.

About GFR: GFR has a long history of building and repairing schools, clinics, and community centers in areas where we provide care, as well as placing permanent drinking water treatment facilities in communities that have great need.  In 2022, we built a school in the Peruvian Amazon, and in 2023 we built a community center and orphanage in Liberia in addition to completing the installation of water purification systems in India, Zambia, and Uganda. In 2024 we added additional water treatment facilities in Zambia and India and built a large community center in the Peruvian Amazon.  We will ensure their continued operation of these facilities in 2025 and will also be providing a new community center in the Peruvian Amazon and our first water treatment facility in the Luapula District of Zambia.

Arrivals and Departures for the Medical/DentalTeam: Please arrive in Entebbe, Uganda (airport code EBB) prior to the start date of the trip (arrival on or before July 19 , 2025).  The official start of the GFR trip is early morning on July 20.   The official end date of the trip is July 27, when you will return to Entebbe by arranged ground transportation.  Hotel stays in Entebbe are “on your own.”    Please see the “after the trip” section for more information on staying longer in the “Pearl of Africa”.

What’s Included: This trip includes lodging, transportation, translators, water, and all meals within the official dates of the trip (July 20 – July 27).  Round-trip ground transportation to your clinic location and the return to Entebbe is included.  Most clinic supplies and any special projects are covered by GFR but in 2025, we are adding a $100 per person fee to cover the increased cost of medications and supplies.

What’s Not Included: Your international airfare, snacks and drinks other than water, personal vaccines, and pre/post trip travel costs and expenses, trip insurance, your online e-visa (if required), and any post- trip adventures you wish to engage in while in Africa!

Cost: The cost of this trip is approximately $900.00 per person plus airfare. You are responsible for purchasing airfare that meets the required arrival and departure times.  We always suggest giving yourself extra time for delayed or cancelled flights and that you purchase trip insurance from a reputable carrier.  This trip is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.  You or your donors will receive a tax receipt upon making your donation.

How is your cost calculated?: At Global First Responder we strive to keep your costs low and our quality high.   We value your participation and willingness to volunteer your time and expertise. Everyone at Global First Responder is also a volunteer, donating their time to administrative tasks and paying their own way to participate in medical and construction missions around the world and here at home.  The fee you pay covers the actual cost of your expenses in country including lodging, transportation, meals, and translator fees and expenses. In 2025, we are adding a $100 general fee to each volunteer cover the increased costs of medications and supplies so that we can continue to provide excellent care for our patients.   At GFR, no one is paid a salary and everyone is a passionate volunteer, doing our part to help drive our mission of “One Global World, One Global Family”.

After the trip:  There is so much to do in Uganda that it is hard for us to choose what to highlight for you!

The famous Murchison Falls National Park is the most popular national park, and you may choose to join safari game drives, boat cruises, bird -watching of over 450 species of birds, and chimp tracking, to name a few amazing options. Uganda guides are license and registered so you can feel comfortable when you book a trip.  The park is about a 6 hour drive from Entebbe (don’t look at google maps! – that is as the crow flies and we aren’t crows…) or an 8 hour drive from Lugazi.

Another amazing option for extending your stay is a trip to the Mountain Gorillas (either in Uganda or neighboring Rwanda).  You can fly or drive and the options are endless for where to stay around the park you choose for your gorilla trek.  If you choose Bwindi, the Impenetrable Forest for your mountain gorilla trek, you can also trek to see the Golden Monkeys before or after your gorilla trek.  Please note: if you are considering the Mountain Gorillas, check them out now – only 8 passes per day per gorilla family are released and the sooner you apply for passes, the more likely you are to get them for the day you want.  This is even more important if you intend to go with other members of the team or your family.

A visit to Ngamba Island, a chimpanzee rehabilitation center right in Entebbe is also a great option that doesn’t require multiple overnights. You can ride with the team to Entebbe, book a hotel for the night and easily set up a tour of the island.   Finally, the zoo and the botanical gardens in Entebbe are a wonderful experience for those not looking for a full day trip!

Click here to apply for this trip:  I want to join the GFR team in UGANDA!                                                                                                          

If this is your first time applying in our application system, please create a login and password.  You may use this login and password for all future trips you apply for (and we hope to see you on LOTS of GFR trips!!)

Sample Itinerary: 

Prior to July 20, 2025:  Plan to arrive in Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport as required.  Meals, lodging, and transportation are “on your own” prior to 8am on July 20.

July 20, 2025: This is the official start of the GFR trip. Your team will be told the meeting point in Entebbe for an early morning departure to Lugazi, Uganda ahead of time.  You will need to be at the meeting point no later than 8am on July 20.  

Your team will travel by private van from Entebbe to Lugazi (3 hour drive) to a simple but comfortable guesthouse where we will spend the rest of our trip.  This is a family compound and our host family and local women will cook delicious Ugandan cuisine here for us each day.   Upon arrival, your team will come together to organize supplies and get ready for the week.

July 21 – 23, 2025: Your team will hold clinics in the surrounding communities, working with our host’s education team and local providers.

July 24, 2025:  Today is your rest day!  You can choose to rest at the compound where we are staying or join the team on an excursion!  Past trips have included an excursion to the mouth of the Nile River, Jinja Town, or some hiking for butterflies!

July 25 and 26, 2025: We will continue to work in 2 more communities with our translators and health educators, providing health care for 150 – 200 patients each day.

July 27, 2024: Your airport transfer is provided to Entebbe International Airport (3 hour drive) in the morning.  You may choose to fly home or choose to extend your stay in Africa!  Please schedule your flights in the late afternoon or later to allow for transport to the airport and traffic.  Early flights can not be accommodated but arrangements at your own cost can be arranged.  We hope you will stay longer in the “Pearl of Africa”!