Fact Sheet for Visitors to Youth With A Mission, Jinja, Uganda

Welcome!

The following is intended to give background information to visitors to YWAM Jinja attending the "Mercy for All" conference

For more information please contact [email protected]

YWAM In Uganda

In 1986, Nick and Cheryl Dekoning and Alphonse Rwiririza came from Kenya to pioneer Youth With A Mission (an international, interdenominational missions organisation) in Uganda. Since then we have grown to include four bases and a number of different ministries. Jinja, 2nd largest town in Uganda, is the home of the National Office and the administrative centre of some of the projects, which include TORCH, and Kangulumira Integrated Health Programme (KIHP), which works in villages just outside Jinja. Hope Land is the main base, which now houses most of the training schools that we are currently running. Soroti is a town in the east of Uganda and the YWAM base there has been heavily involved in various community development programmes, including a sub-base at Katakwi, further east. The Buvuma Islands are located in Lake Victoria just south of Jinja and we have two bases on Lingira and Namiti islands from where healthcare projects are operated. Arua base is in the northwest of Uganda and its vision is to be a ‘bridge of healing’ to the war torn nations. More information on the bases and ministries in Uganda will be available at the conference or from YWAMSCA web-site.

Where will the conference take place?

The conference will take place at the YWAM Hopeland base. Hopeland is located near to the village of Wairaka about 10km outside Jinja along the road which runs to Iganga and the Kenyan border.

How Can I Travel to Uganda?

Uganda has an international airport at Entebbe, receiving direct flights from Africa, Europe and Asia. Entebbe is located approximately 40km from Uganda’s capital Kampala which is itself located about a further 80km from Jinja.

Arrangements can be made to meet and transport conference participants from Entebbe at a charge of approximately $20 US. Please inform us if you want to be met and your flight number and time of arrival. Alternatively you can take a taxi from the airport to Jinja for approximately 100,000 Ugandan shillings (about $55 US). The taxi can take up to 3 passengers if you don’t have too much luggage.
If you are travelling within Africa there are regular bus services from several neighbouring countries to Kampala.

Will I Need a Visa?

Nationals of many countries require visas to enter Uganda. If you require a visa you should apply for a tourist visa. Tourist visas can be purchased at Entebbe airport, but this may cause a brief delay. The alternative is to purchase the visa before travelling but this may cost more.

Nationals of the countries listed below are exempted from visa requirements for travel to Uganda. They do, however, need to have a current passport issued by their respective countries.

Members of COMESA: Angola, Burundi, Comoros, Eritrea, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Others exempted are: Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Fiji, Gambia, Grenada, Jamaica, Lesotho, Malta, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Tonga, Vanuatu, Italy (only diplomatic passport holders), Cyprus.

Visa requirements may change and we therefore recommend that you check the following web-site (www.immigration.go.ug) or other reliable source for up to date information prior to travel.

What is the weather like?

Jinja is located very close to the equator at an altitude of approximately 4000 feet. The climate is generally warm and sunny though frequent heavy rain showers can be expected during March / April. In times of rain, areas around the conference venues can become very muddy. Evenings and nights may be cool.

What should I wear?

Clean, smart clothes should be worn at all times. Ladies should wear a skirt or dress which reaches below the knee with an underskirt. Trousers or shorts are not generally acceptable. Strappy tops are also best avoided. Men should generally wear long trousers but long shorts can be worn in some circumstances. There are a number of swimming pools and tourist venues around Jinja which you might visit and where swim-wear and other more relaxed clothing are acceptable. A sweater or other warm clothes may be useful in the evening. A raincoat may be useful at times.

Money
The local currency is the Ugandan shilling (US$1 = 1700 shillings, _1 = 3100 shillings, _1= 2200 shillings, these rates are variable). Most transactions require cash. There are a few large hotels around Kampala and Entebbe which accept credit cards. Cash can be withdrawn from an ATM in Jinja using Visa debit or credit cards. A small fee will be charged by the bank for this service. Major foreign currencies can be exchanged in Jinja though a slightly better rate can be obtained in Kampala. Exchange rates at the airport are poor. US dollars can be exchanged at banks and forex bureaux but denominations below $50 receive a poor exchange rate and notes printed before 1996 are not generally accepted. Travelers checks can be exchanged in Kampala or Jinja but you will need a passport to exchange them and proof of purchase and there is often a fee for exchanging.

What should I bring with me?
As well as the usual personal possessions you should bring the following:-
Torch – in case of power failure.
Bed sheets
Personal medications
Malaria prevention tablets
Mosquito repellent
Mosquito nets can be purchased cheaply in Jinja (about $8US for a double net)
Baby’s nappies (diapers) can be purchased in Jinja but they may be more expensive than your local brand.
Tampons and sanitary towels can also be purchased in Jinja but may be not your preferred brand.

Language
Many people in Uganda’s towns speak good English because it is used in schools and is the official language. Uganda has many tribes which use different languages. The most widely understood, around Jinja are Luganda and Lusoga.

Social Behaviour
Ugandan culture is warm and hospitable. Ugandans will happily welcome you to their home if you turn up unannounced. Gift giving is a real sign of appreciation and love. Ugandan culture values spending time with people but not strict time-consciousness.

Public displays of affection are rare, which goes for husbands and wives as well, but whilst it is unusual and potentially offensive to see people of different genders holding hands, it is common for two men or two women to do the same.

Drinking alcohol and smoking are completely taboo for Ugandan Christians so please do not do either during your stay in Uganda.

Greetings involve a shake of the hand and rarely anything more than that unless relationships have been created. They follow a set pattern, which is easy to pick up and implement. Taking time to greet someone properly is a mark of courtesy. It is common for Ugandan women to kneel while greeting to show respect and appreciation. The young especially do this to older people.

Security
Uganda is generally considered a very safe country to visit (with the exception of some Northern areas which can be easily avoided) but be sensible with large amounts of money and do not be too ostentatious with cameras and jewellery etc. Be conscious of thieves especially in Kampala and other main towns. Try to return to the base before nightfall (around 6.30pm).

Health
You are unlikely to encounter any serious health problems as a result of your visit especially if you follow simple precautions. Avoid eating uncooked foods such as salads when away from the base.
All drinking water should be boiled so do not take water straight from the tap. Boiled water will be available at the base and for trips bottled water and bottled soft drinks can be easily purchased. If you are from a country with a cool climate remember to drink plenty while in Uganda. If you have a pale skin take precautions to avoid sunburn.

Immunisations
Please check with your doctor which immunisations he recommends before you travel. We recommend at least hepatitis A and yellow fever.

Malaria
For those people coming to Uganda from countries without malaria, malaria is the main health risk you will face but the risk can be greatly reduced by taking preventatives regularly, sleeping under a mosquito net which has been treated with an insecticide and applying insect repellent in the early morning and evening.

If you develop a feverish illness a week or more after arriving in Uganda or up to 1 year after returning home please seek medical advice and tell your doctor you have been in a country with malaria. If malaria is treated promptly it is a mild illness. Delay in receiving appropriate treatment can result in serious or fatal illness.

HIV
Uganda has made good progress in reducing the number of people infected with HIV but the virus is still common. Take precautions to avoid direct contact with spilled blood or other body fluids. Blood transfusions given in hospitals have all been screened for HIV.

The virus is not transmitted by normal social contact. There is no risk from using cups or plates which have previously been used by someone with HIV or sitting next to or shaking hands with an infected person (The obvious exception to this rule is when the person has open skin wounds). The virus is not transmitted by insect bites.

Bilharzia (Schistosomiasis)
Jinja is on the shore of the beautiful Lake Victoria. Unfortunately, though it looks very inviting you stand a high chance of catching bilharzia if you swim in the lake.

E-Mail /Internet Services
These are widely available in Jinja town and we may have facilities for use at the base.

Telephone
A public payphone is available on the base. There are three mobile phone networks in Uganda all of which have good coverage in the Jinja area. If you want to use a mobile while here your options are a roaming agreement with your local provider or to buy a SIM card for a Ugandan network.

Emergency contact numbers
+256 43 122 040 Hopeland Office
+256 77 738177 YWAM National Office

Attractions
Jinja is the hub for a number of tourist attractions. The most popular is white water rafting on the Nile which you can do for a half or full day from Jinja. Jinja is also at the Source of the Nile (entrance to a pleasant garden overlooking the source 2000- 3000Ush) and also on the River Nile are Bujagali and Kalagala Falls, which are within easy reach for a day trip. Mabira forest is a large rain forest about half an hours drive from Jinja and visitors can take guided walks through the forest with a good chance of seeing a variety of monkeys and birds. There are several hotels in and around Jinja with swimming pools open to non-residents which are pleasant locations to spend an afternoon. We hope during the conference to organise afternoon outings to one or more of these places. Please come with a little money to pay for outings if you are interested.

Further a field Uganda has a number of spectacular attractions. Among the most popular are gorilla-tracking in south-western Uganda and Murchison Falls in the north-west. There are also a number of game parks with the opportunity of seeing the full variety of African wildlife. Possibly the best guide book if you are interested in reading more is the Bradt Guide to Uganda.

For more information on any of these topics please contact [email protected]

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