2009 AGLI WORKCAMPS
BURUNDI, KENYA, RWANDA, UGANDA
Sunday, June 21 to Saturday, July 25, 2009
1) Burundi Workcamp – Kamenge
Host Partner: Friends Women’s Association (FWA)
Location: Kamenge, Burundi - On the outskirts of Bujumbura
Objective: The Workcamp Peace Team will build additional rooms for the clinic which primarily serves HIV positive women and children. Read more about the FWA <<click here>>.
Housing: Workcampers will stay in an apartment at the Friends Center in downtown Bujumbura.
2) Kenya Workcamp – Friends Peace Centre – Lubao
Host Partner: Friends for Peace and Community Development (FPCD)
Location: Lubao, in western Kenya near Kakamega
Objective: The Workcamp Peace Team will continue building at the Friends Peace Centre-Lubao. Learn more about the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) in Kenya <<click here>> and read A Little Peace of Kenya <<click here>> in the Winter 2007 PeaceWays.
Housing: Workcampers will live at the Peace Centre.
3) Kenya Workcamp – Lugari District
Host Partner: Friends for Peace and Community Development (FPCD)
Location: Lugari District in western Kenya between the town of Eldoret and Mt. Elgon
Objective: The Workcamp Peace Team will build simple houses for vulnerable people whose homes were destroyed during the violence at the beginning of 2008. (See above for more information.)
Housing: Workcampers will live with Kenyan host families
4) Rwanda Workcamp – Gisenyi
Host Partner: Gisenyi Friends Church
Location: Gisenyi, Rwanda. On the northern edge of Lake Kivu, west of Kigali.
Objective: The Workcamp Peace Team will continue construction of Gisenyi Friends Peace Center. This is the third year for this project. Gisenyi is on Lake Kivu on the border with Congo. Peace work there includes Rwandans and Congolese.
Housing: Workcampers will live with Rwandan host families.
5) Uganda Workcamp
Host Partner: Bududa Vocational Institute & Children of Peace - See visit their website <<click here>>
Location: Bududa, Uganda about 20 miles north of Mbale on the slopes of Mount Elgon
Objective: The team will build a structure for the Vocational School, either a shop for carpentry class or a dormitory for boarding students.
Housing: Workcampers will stay with villagers or in the new guest house.
Workcamper Qualifications/Expectations
General: We accept all ages: workcampers have been as young as 8, as old as 84 and have included an entire family of five. Our goal is for each team to include 6 international (non-African) and 6 local workcampers plus professional builders.
Physical & Skill requirements: Good health and willingness to do manual labor. Construction skills and experience are not necessary.
Living conditions: All workcamps will be spartan. There may be no running water (pit latrines and splash baths), limited electricity, and, email may be non-existent or erratic.
Expected Conduct for Team Members While in Africa: The African Great Lakes Initiative (AGLI) partners with African Quaker Yearly Meetings. Team members will be in close contact with members of these Yearly Meetings. Workcampers are expected to abide by local Quaker behavioral expectations as delineated below. These restrictions apply during the entire time the individual is considered a member of an AGLI Peace Team.
• Respect and follow directions of the African workcamp leaders supervising the workcamp.
• No use of tobacco products, including smoking, (it is now illegal to smoke in Uganda except in the privacy of one’s own home and Kenya is considering the same law); no alcohol; no illegal drug use; and, no sex (heterosexual or homosexual) outside of marriage.
• There are many ways of behaving that Westerners take for granted which may be perceived as rude or insensitive by Africans. Clean clothing without tears and holes must be worn at all times and good casual attire is expected at official functions such as church events. Women should wear dresses at least knee length with sleeves and men a nice shirt and long pants.
• Do not go barefoot outside the place where you are sleeping.
• Do not go out at night unless accompanied by a local (African) workcamper or an adult member of your host family
• Be extremely careful with the gadgets with which internationals are so well endowed -- video games, laptops, camcorders, CD players, cameras--including taking of pictures and videos.
• Do not take expensive items (including jewelry) when modestly priced ones will do. Be keenly aware that funds are very scarce for Africans. What you might consider a modest expense (dinner for $3) might be better used by Africans for family welfare.
• As a Westerner you will frequently be asked for assistance. Under no circumstances should you give funds to individuals -- no matter how much you want to help. In addition, gifts must not be given to individuals as this will create gossip, envy, and hostility in the community. If you would like to be generous, give funds or gifts to the local organization with which you are volunteering, or which is hosting you (e.g. FWA or FPDC). Ask them to use your donation for whatever they consider to be the most pressing need in the community. Families that host workcampers are adequately compensated by AGLI so there is no need to give additional funds to anyone in a host family. This will be further addressed in pre-service training.
• If, after you have returned to America, you decide to raise funds to support a project in Africa, we strongly recommend that you first seek advice from AGLI. Ideally funds for such a project should be channeled through AGLI. This will be addressed during Orientation.
• As possible, try to attend social events near of your workcamp, including church services.
• Wear a seat belt whenever you are in a vehicle that has them. Seat belts are required by law in Kenya and Rwanda. Be very cautious about riding a motorcycle.
• It is safer not to give a lift to armed people, except when there is no choice. Do not give beer to or buy beer for soldiers, guards, or any other individuals.
Orientation for North American Workcampers: Sunday, June 21 - Monday June 22, 2009 at Wellspring: a 210 acre conference center in Germantown, Maryland near Washington D.C. www.wellspringministry.org. Sessions begin at noon on Sunday and continue on Monday. Workcampers will leave together on Monday afternoon for Dulles Airport to depart for Africa.NOTE: Workcampers coming from Europe are not required to attend in this US orientation.
Responsibilities of Workcamp Team Members:
1. Each workcamper is expected to conduct fundraising -- a minimum of $2300 plus their airfare to/from Africa (roughly $2000). AGLI will assist you and your support committee with fundraising endeavors. $2300 includes: the cost of Orientation at Wellspring for North Americans; cost of food and lodging in Africa; $1200 towards building materials for your work camp project; and $450 for AGLI expenses. Airline tickets will be purchased for a workcamper when we have received the first $2000 in donations. If these funds are received by April 1st it is likely that the airfare will be $2000 or less. Later purchases will cost significantly more.
2. North American workcampers must arrange and pay for travel to/from Washington, DC for Orientation.
3. Visa fees: Burundi--$80 at Burundi Embassy in US/$40 at Bujumbura airport; Kenya--$50; Rwanda—none required.
4. Shots and medicines you may need -- more info will be provided to accepted applicants.
5. One 50 pound suitcase with children's clothes, shoes, school supplies, and over-the-counter medicines -- details will be provided to accepted applicants.
Application: To receive an application email Dawn@aglionline.org or download it <<click here>>
Application deadline: We will continue to accept applications until all workcamp quotas have been filled. Send completed applications to Dawn@aglionline.org via email. Remember that applications will be processed only after receipt of a clearness committee report from the clerk of the clearness committee, via email. Applications will be considered on a first come/first served basis. AGLI will inform applicants regarding acceptance within a two weeks of receiving both the application and the clearness committee report.
A Workcamper Handbook will be sent to those who are accepted.
AFRICAN GREAT LAKES INITIATIVE
FRIENDS PEACE TEAMS
1001 Park Avenue
St Louis, MO 63104
Phone: 314.647.1287
Email: Dawn@aglionline.org