Lugazi, Uganda, 2026

The cost of this trip for each volunteer is tax deductible donation of approximately $750.00.  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 14 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:  In 2026 GFR will add a water purification facility in a very poor community and will continue to work hand in hand with our partner NGO in Uganda to provide professional education for nurses and student nurses.  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.  In 2026, we have already completed another community center building in partnership with Engineers Without Borders with GFR doing the build and EWB adding the water storage and purification system.

Arrivals and Departures for the Medical/DentalTeam: Please arrive in Entebbe, Uganda (airport code EBB) prior to the official start date of the trip on August 30, 2026.  Your team will leave early in the morning from Entebbe for the 3+ hour drive to Lugazi, where the the team will work and stay.  The official end date of the trip is September 6, 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 (August 30 – September 6).  Round-trip ground transportation from Entebbe to your clinic location is included.  Most clinic supplies and any special projects are covered by GFR but in 2026, 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!

Cost: The cost of this trip is approximately $750.00 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 canceled flights and that you purchase trip insurance from a reputable carrier.  This trip is tax deductible to the full extent of the law.  You or your donors will receive a tax receipt upon making a donation. Please note: All donations made on your behalf through the application system or the Global First Responder website are non-refundable to you.  Any funds that you or your donors donate will be 100% utilized for patient care or projects directly benefiting our partner communities.  

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 2026, 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”.

ABOUT THIS TRIP: 

We want you to be prepared for volunteering and caring for others!  Please read this section carefully and make sure that you are capable of participating fully in the following conditions. If you are not flexible regarding accommodations, transportation, food, and working conditions, we recommend seeking other volunteer opportunities that will better suit your needs.

YOUR TEAM LEADER IS A VOLUNTEER!  Our experienced team leaders are in place for your safety and to ensure that the clinical experience is excellent for both patients and team members.  Any and all concerns on the trip should be addressed in a timely manner directly with the team leader. Your team leader will do their best to address your concerns and will take appropriate actions.  However, changes to your satisfaction will not always be possible.

Physical Conditions:  All volunteers need to be in good basic physical health and free of physical impairments that would prevent participation. The areas where we work may be remote and often have only rudimentary facilities.  This means that there may not be flush toilets, you maybe working in austere buildings that are in poor condition, and there may not be enough desks and chairs.  Clinics may be far from where you are staying, roads may be rough, you may need to walk on uneven surfaces, and lunch may be delayed.   We always recommend bringing nutritious snacks to clinic. Daytime temperatures are expected to be in the low 80s with low 60s at night and you will find a well-organized and busy clinic when you arrive.

Food: GFR will do our best to provide well cooked, nutritious meals that are on time.  However, this is not always possible.  All team members need to prepared with personal snacks if food is late and you are hungry.   

If you have food allergies or personal likes or dislikes, you are responsible for bringing food that meets your needs.  We recommend you bring bars, nutritious snacks, camping food, and other food items that will keep you healthy and satisfied on the trip.  In general, our trips provide local, well-cooked and safe food that is a mix of home-cooked, small restaurants, and guest house cooked meals.  If you have special requirements, you need to be prepared to feed yourself.  Additionally, if you have life-threatening allergies, please make this known to the team leader prior to each meal so it can be discussed with the cooks. You should also assume that the food may not be allergen-free, regardless of what you are told.  If you require an EpiPen, make sure you have at least 2 pens within date with you at all times. 

Lodging: Lodging is determined by our in-country host and what is available in the areas where we work.  We strive to ensure that it is clean and safe.  Flush toilets, overhead showers, hot water, air-conditioning, and other things you may be used to may not be available.  You will be staying in a compound that is very nice, clean, and has wifi and electricity (which may not be available at all times).  Sleeping arrangements are bunk rooms with 2 – 3 bunk beds per room.  Single rooms /double beds are not an option.  There are communal toilets and shower/bucket rooms with cool water within the compound. There is no air conditioning. Your laundry can be done by the host family at your own cost.  Please bring only biodegradable soap/shampoo for your personal use.

Personal Electronics: GFR equipment and personal medical equipment takes priority for charging.  Please bring a solar charger or extra batteries as required for your personal items and a strip so that multiple items can be plugged into a single outlet.

After the trip:  There is so much to do in Uganda that it is hard for us to choose what to highlight for you!  Our host can help you to arrange tours or transportation at your own cost.

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 August 30, 2026:  Plan to arrive in Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport as required.  Meals, lodging, and transportation are “on your own” prior to 8am on August 30, 2026.

August 30, 2026: 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 after we have confirmed your participation.  You will need to be at the meeting point no later than 8am on August 30, 2026.  

Your team will travel by private van from Entebbe to Lugazi (3+ hour drive) to a simple but comfortable guest house 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.

August 31 – September 5, 2026: Your team will work in 5 different communities and will have one day off during this week.  You will see approximately 200 patients each day and work side-by-side with local physicians, nurses and community educators to provide care for all ages.  The day of is to be determined at this time. 

September 6, 2026: Today you will say goodbye to your hosts and head for a truly amazing adventure or home.  Your airport transfer is provided to Entebbe International Airport (3+ hour drive) in the morning.  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”!   Please see above in the “After the Trip” section for some ideas of what you can see and do while extending your stay.