Our current trip cost to Uganda is $3,850, and Nicaragua is $1,750 + the cost of the flight. The trip cost includes everything from the minute you leave the US: airfare, lodging, food, water, transportation and a fun-day activity. The only thing is does not include is your visa in to the country ($50 Uganda | $10 Nicaragua) and any vaccination costs.
Our volunteers typically pay for their trip by fundraising from friends and family. Once you are accepted onto the team, you will receive instructions on how to send out fundraising support letters as well as create a personalized online fundraising page. There will be two fundraising deadlines. At the time of the first deadline, the first half of your trip cost will be due. The total trip cost is due two weeks prior to our date of departure.
Uganda: 10 days; Nicaragua: 8 days
If you want to do a medical rotation, your term will depend upon your school requirements.
Our standard short-term trips are every February, March, May, August and December. The trip schedule is normally based around the academic calendar to encourage student participation. We also have an increasing number of specialty trips throughout the year that do not necessarily align with this calendar. You can find all of these dates on our volunteer page.
Safety is our top priority on these trips. While there are inherent risks associated with traveling abroad, OneWorld Health takes precaution to ensure that each volunteer’s trip experience is a safe one. We boast a 100% safe-return rate for our volunteers and have every intention of keeping it that way. Please contact Amie at [email protected] if you would like more information on our safety procedures.
Check out our trip information to see what trips are scheduled for the upcoming months, and apply using our online application and emailing us your passport, headshot and medical credentials.
Once we receive your application, we will reach out to you following the application deadline and let you know if you have been accepted to the team. Upon acceptance, you will take part in a mandatory pre-trip online training. This training will cover a wide variety of topics (cultural orientation, medical preparation, clinic roles, etc.) so that our volunteers feel fully prepared when they arrive in their host country. A member of our staff will be in weekly communication with the teams following the application deadline to ensure that everyone stays up to date on trip preparations.
Absolutely! You may submit your trip application for any of the trip dates listed on the website at any time before the application deadline.
When your application is received, we will send you an email confirming its receipt. Your application will be processed following the trip’s application deadline listed on the website. If you need expedited processing, email [email protected].
We suggest each volunteer contact a local travel clinic to receive vaccinations on an as-needed basis since your current needs will depend on what vaccinations you have had in the past. For more information on recommended vaccinations, you can visit the Centers for Disease Control website at wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel. Proof of Yellow Fever is required for entry into Uganda.
Each team member is allowed one carry-on bag and one personal item for the trip. We will provide you with a packing list before you depart.
Non-medical volunteers are a crucial part of every team. Non-medical volunteers have the opportunity to work in many different areas in the clinic, including registration, pharmacy, children’s therapy, glasses distribution and clinic coordination.
We are so thankful for each and every one of our volunteers and are eager for you to stay engaged. A month after each trip, we schedule a team reunion so everyone can convene once we return home. As a part of the OneWorld Health team, and someone who has experienced the work we do in person, we would love for you to partner with us financially so we can continue impacting the lives of people in need. It is also imperative for our growth that our supporters are telling their communities about the work that we do. Let others know about your great experience with OneWorld Health, and tell them how easy it is to get involved!
OneWorld Health is not a religiously affiliated organization, however we are led by our faith to do this work. We partner with churches both in the United States and abroad to fulfill our mission, and we ask that our team members remain open to the input of these partners. There is opportunity for teammates to participate in Christian ministry while on our trips, but it is not a requirement that team members be involved in this aspect of the trip.
When you partner with OneWorld Health financially, you can give in confidence that your donation is propelling our growth. 100% of your donation will go toward our goal of improving the quality of accessible healthcare across the globe, whether that is through direct project implementation, mobilization of stateside volunteers or enabling our staff to continually move our initiative forward.
OneWorld Health works closely with our in-country partners to identify the best site to hold outreach. We work with the local ministry of health, health officials and partners to conduct pre-site visits to determine the best places for our teams to conduct medical outreach. Each site has its own responsibilities to fulfill before the teams arrive, such as advertising the medical outreach in the community, organizing patients day of, identifying translators and providing clean drinking water for patients. In this way, our medical outreach is a partnership, empowering and giving responsibility to the community rather than simply a handout.
Volunteer Requirements
This is not a trip for the faint of heart.
To join a OneWorld Health team you must:
Be 18 or older
Be able to lift 50 pounds
Be able to sit/stand on hard surfaces and for long periods of time
Be able to walk a mile
We love partners who are willing to support our efforts stateside. Whether that is through financial partnership, in-kind donations, spreading awareness about OneWorld Health or partnering with us through prayer, your support is exceptionally valued. Since our physical volunteer opportunities are only available abroad, as you support OneWorld Health, we also encourage you to find a local nonprofit you can serve within your community.