Description
Agribusiness & Economic Development Volunteers assist Ugandan households in achieving economic security and improved food security. Volunteers work with community members to build the capacity of women, youth and farmers to apply improved money management practices, develop their entrepreneurial potential, support the communities to implement income generating activities and increase households’ adoption of nutritious diets and food choices. Volunteers work in rural communities where people have a higher need for food security and economic development opportunities especially in areas not reached by other organizations. Volunteers also work with schools, health centers and other stakeholders to promote the adoption of nutritious diets and food choices among households.
In communities where Volunteers work, household members often lack the skills to pursue available employment opportunities, the capacity to create their own employment and economic opportunities and the critical money management skills needed to manage household income and expenses. Volunteers work to strengthen the skills and capacity individuals need to contribute to the economic security and upward economic mobility of their households.
Activities may include but are not limited to:
• Train community groups on money management best practices which include: budgeting, bookkeeping, record keeping and financial literacy.
• Support the formation and strengthen village savings and loans associations.
• Train youth on entrepreneurship and livelihoods.
• Train the youth, farmers and women on the selection and implementation of viable income generating activities.
• Advise farmers on post-harvest handling to reduce waste and increase profitability through value-addition and income generating activities as a form of achieving food security.
• Demonstrate and assist community members in preparing household gardens to grow variety of nutritious diets.
• Train households on how to cook recipes that incorporate nutrient rich foods to improve women’s and children’s diets.
Volunteers work with an array of unstructured and semi-structured groups and host-organizations, including Farmer Groups, Women and Youth Groups, Coffee Cooperatives, non-governmental, community-based, and faith-based organizations. Each host-organization and community is unique in its needs, opportunities, and challenges. One opportunity that will present itself across the board is the need for financial literacy and saving training. Many Ugandans are small business owners, yet there is a lack of basic budgeting and recordkeeping skills. Many women cannot access loans as a result of conditions attached by banks and other lending institutions which hinder their financial inclusion process. Village saving and loans associations present a great opportunity for Volunteers to serve.
Your ability to cope with these challenges will depend on your flexibility, patience, humility, and good humor to the point of not to come to Uganda and “fix” things. Rather, you will be most successful when you work with your community and host organization to collaboratively and creatively find ways to address issues with the limited resources that are locally available.
Peace Corps Uganda promotes gender awareness and girls’ education and empowerment. Volunteers receive training on gender challenges and have the opportunity to implement gender-related activities that are contextually appropriate. During service, Volunteers look for ways to work with community members to promote gender-equitable norms and increase girls’ sense of agency. As part of their work, Volunteers will also report on these efforts and their impact. Volunteers invited to this project are expected to work as professionals and will be periodically evaluated as such.
Agribusiness & Economic Development Volunteers assist Ugandan households in achieving economic security and improved food security. Volunteers work with community members to build the capacity of women, youth and farmers to apply improved money management practices, develop their entrepreneurial potential, support the communities to implement income generating activities and increase households’ adoption of nutritious diets and food choices. Volunteers work in rural communities where people have a higher need for food security and economic development opportunities especially in areas not reached by other organizations. Volunteers also work with schools, health centers and other stakeholders to promote the adoption of nutritious diets and food choices among households.
In communities where Volunteers work, household members often lack the skills to pursue available employment opportunities, the capacity to create their own employment and economic opportunities and the critical money management skills needed to manage household income and expenses. Volunteers work to strengthen the skills and capacity individuals need to contribute to the economic security and upward economic mobility of their households.
Activities may include but are not limited to:
• Train community groups on money management best practices which include: budgeting, bookkeeping, record keeping and financial literacy.
• Support the formation and strengthen village savings and loans associations.
• Train youth on entrepreneurship and livelihoods.
• Train the youth, farmers and women on the selection and implementation of viable income generating activities.
• Advise farmers on post-harvest handling to reduce waste and increase profitability through value-addition and income generating activities as a form of achieving food security.
• Demonstrate and assist community members in preparing household gardens to grow variety of nutritious diets.
• Train households on how to cook recipes that incorporate nutrient rich foods to improve women’s and children’s diets.
Volunteers work with an array of unstructured and semi-structured groups and host-organizations, including Farmer Groups, Women and Youth Groups, Coffee Cooperatives, non-governmental, community-based, and faith-based organizations. Each host-organization and community is unique in its needs, opportunities, and challenges. One opportunity that will present itself across the board is the need for financial literacy and saving training. Many Ugandans are small business owners, yet there is a lack of basic budgeting and recordkeeping skills. Many women cannot access loans as a result of conditions attached by banks and other lending institutions which hinder their financial inclusion process. Village saving and loans associations present a great opportunity for Volunteers to serve.
Your ability to cope with these challenges will depend on your flexibility, patience, humility, and good humor to the point of not to come to Uganda and “fix” things. Rather, you will be most successful when you work with your community and host organization to collaboratively and creatively find ways to address issues with the limited resources that are locally available.
Peace Corps Uganda promotes gender awareness and girls’ education and empowerment. Volunteers receive training on gender challenges and have the opportunity to implement gender-related activities that are contextually appropriate. During service, Volunteers look for ways to work with community members to promote gender-equitable norms and increase girls’ sense of agency. As part of their work, Volunteers will also report on these efforts and their impact. Volunteers invited to this project are expected to work as professionals and will be periodically evaluated as such.
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Benefits
Health coverage, Housing, Living allowance, Non-competitive eligibility (federal jobs), Stipend, Student loan forbearance, Training
Education Requirements
College Graduate
Desired Languages
English
Other Conditions
Prohibits paid work outside of the sponsoring agency at any time
Subject to criminal background check