I first visited Uganda in 2012. I spent three months in Kanungu district and fell in love with the country. I then visited Uganda every year for the next seven years before moving to the country permanently in 2021.
Entering my third year as a full-time resident of the Pearl of Africa, I feel like I’m in a reasonable position to answer the question – are Ugandans friendly?
Disclaimer: I married a wonderful Ugandan woman in 2020, so I’m biased! But here’s my opinion about the friendliness of the Ugandans that I encounter on a daily basis to help you know what to expect when you visit the country for the first time.
So, are Ugandans friendly?
Yes. 100%. I spent my twenties travelling around the world, visiting 50 countries along the way. The welcome I received in Jordan was perhaps the most incredible hospitality I have ever experienced, but my welcome in Uganda – when I first visited in 2012 – was a close second.
What struck me about my first impression of Ugandans was that they are notably cheery. They have positive dispositions. Whether you’re chatting with someone in a shop or hailing a boda-boda on the street, you will find that the majority of people you meet are extremely friendly and happy to chat with you.
Scratch the surface a little more, and you will find that Ugandans are also extremely personable. When you’re invited into a friendship group or over for a family meal, you will enjoy engaging in conversation about your roots, your interests, and, of course, football.
Of course, it’s difficult to generalise about an entire population – not everyone you meet in Uganda is going to welcome you with open arms. It’s the same in any place that you visit.
But you can reasonably expect people who work in the tourism sector (guides, hoteliers, waiters, etc.) to be extremely friendly and happy to help you. You will also find Ugandans that you meet as you travel through the country to be courteous, polite, and happy to talk, which is likely to make your time here all the more special.
Do Ugandans speak English?
Celebrating my birthday last year with Ugandan friends and family
You might be surprised to learn that English is the national language of Uganda In other words, it is widely spoken across the country, from Kampala to Kanungu.
In Entebbe and Kampala, you will be able to speak English in practically every place you visit without issue, making it easy to find what you’re looking for while meeting people at the same time.
When you travel “upcountry” (i.e. to a national park like Queen Elizabeth), you might find that people speak their local languages first and foremost, with English as a second language.
Uganda is an exceptionally diverse country, with 40+ languages spoken! The languages are spilt into four main groups – Bantu, Nilotic, Central Sudanic, and Kuliak. So, be mindful that should you visit Karamoja in the north of Uganda, the local language will be totally different to that spoken at Lake Bunyonyi in the south!
Case in point – my very talented wife speaks five languages. I, sadly, am struggling to learn Runyankole-Rukiga (I’m getting there, but I’m not a great student!).
Is Uganda safe?
Generally, Uganda is a safe country to visit, but you should always check for up-to-date government advice before travelling. In recent months, there have been a few attacks from rebel groups in tourist areas, so be aware of your surroundings and take the necessary precautions to keep yourself safe.
I would say that the safety of the country goes hand in hand with the friendly nature of the people. In general, Ugandans make you feel safe when you visit their country. Their welcoming and hospitable nature helps you feel comfortable, and you will find that when you ask for help, people will be only too willing to provide it.
The verdict: Are Ugandans friendly?
The bottom line is that Ugandans are very friendly people. They welcome visitors and are happy to help in most situations.
If you’re planning to travel independently in Uganda, you shouldn’t have any trouble meeting local people across the country.
Just make sure you’re courteous and mindful that you’re visiting people in their own country. You might like to read up on African time to prepare yourself – it will help to manage your expectations and keep you in good spirits as you travel!
In September 2022, I spent one month working in Mauritius as a digital nomad with my family. We stayed in the north of the island in Grand Gaube, which is a quiet, coastal spot with sea breeze and delicious food.
Mauritius has recently developed a reputation as one of Africa’s hottest digital nomad destinations. The visa is easy to obtain, the Internet is fast, and the people are super friendly.
As a result, I’ve seen lots of generic blog posts explaining why you should consider Mauritius as your next digital nomad destination.
Therefore, I’ve decided to write this article to give insight into what it’s actually like to spend time working in Mauritius, so you can decide for yourself – is Mauritius good for digital nomads?
Here are 10 things to consider.
Hiring a car is pretty much essential
When you look at Mauritius on a map, one of the first things you might think is just how small it looks, particularly when compared to other African islands like Madagascar.
But to get around Mauritius as a digital nomad, you really need to hire a car. The island is served by buses and there is even a metro in Port Louis (the capital city), but given that many of the island’s “must sees” are in different regions, a car is the best way to get around.
We hired a car for around $25 per day for our trip and we used it every day. The Airbnb that we rented was stunning, but it wasn’t close to any amenities or points of interest, so we would have been stuck without it.
The reason I mention this here is that if you’re spending a long time in Mauritius as a digital nomad, the cost of hiring a car is something that you should incorporate into your budget.
But traffic can be a problem
You would be forgiven for thinking that paradise islands like Mauritius don’t need to worry about traffic. But you would be wrong.
If you travel through the Quatre Bornes area or in and around Port Louis at rush hour, expect to be stuck in gridlocked traffic for a fair amount of time.
Granted, traffic isn’t much of an issue in the coastal areas, but you do need to plan your movements accordingly, particularly if you’re spending time in Port Louis or Ebene, as I introduce below.
Ebene is the business hub on the island
Ebene is the main business hub in Mauritius and is located in the west of the island. If co-working is important to you as a digital nomad, Ebene is perhaps the best spot on the island.
Regus has a co-working space in Ebene with affordable rates, and it’s a good office space to set up in with great internet and the opportunity to meet other digital nomads, entrepreneurs, and freelancers.
There are lots of short and mid term rentals available in and around Ebene, too, so it’s potentially a great spot to choose if you’re thinking about spending some time as a digital nomad in Mauritius.
Though Airbnb is a good option if you’re looking for short-term rentals, check out Lexpress for longer term rentals in Ebene and the surrounding areas.
But it’s not by the coast!
We stayed in the north of the island in Grand Gaube – the beaches were stunning, particularly at sunset!
Though Ebene is the business hub of the island, it’s not by the coast. Given that many digital nomads are attracted to life in Mauritius because of its stunning beaches, this can be an issue.
The closest tourist spot to Ebene is the coastal town of Flic en Flac, but the beaches are a good 30-60 minute drive away, depending on traffic.
Of course, every digital nomad is different, but if you want to benefit from living and working from Ebene, you need to sacrifice your dream of renting a beach-side apartment for the duration of your stay on the island.
Mauritius isn’t cheap
I’ve seen several writers online suggest that Mauritius is a good option for digital nomads because it’s cheap. I don’t think this is necessarily true.
Cost is relative, and while Mauritius has a cheaper cost of living than many countries in Western Europe and the US, it’s expensive compared to popular digital nomad spots in Eastern Europe (Georgia) and Southeast Asia (Thailand, Cambodia, etc.).
I found the cost of groceries to be comparable to those in the UK, though eating out was slightly cheaper than enjoying a meal out at a restaurant back home.
As mentioned, cost is relative and what is cheap to someone is expensive to someone else. I’m certainly not saying that Mauritius is expensive, particularly for digital nomads from Western Europe.
But I think it’s important to look past lazy suggestions that imply that Mauritius is this super cheap island paradise that is the perfect spot for digital nomads.
Nuance is required and you need to do your own sums, based on how you plan to live and where you plan to stay when you visit Mauritius as a digital nomad.
There are good international schools for nomad families
We enjoyed our month in Mauritius so much that we’re seriously considering returning for a longer spell (perhaps up to a year), in the near future.
Given that we’re a family of four (with another on the way!), the quality of international schools in Mauritius is something that we have done a fair amount of research into.
If you’re a digital nomad family, you can opt to send your kids to international schools in different parts of the country, depending on where you’re planning to live.
After doing lots of research online and contacting various schools directly, my wife and I settled on the following three schools that we could potentially send our kids to, should we return to Mauritius as a nomad family:
If you’re a digital nomad family, you can use these three schools as the starting point for your research, but be mindful that there are lots of other good schools available in Mauritius!
The food is great
Enjoying freshly caught fish at one of our favourite restaurants during our time as a digital nomad family in Mauritius.
One of my favourite things about spending time in Mauritius as a digital nomad was the food. Mauritian food is best described as a Creole infusion, with delicious spices, flavours, and textures.
Seafood is a big part of the local culinary scene, and one of the best meals I had was a Creole fish curry that was one of the most delicious plates of food I’ve ever tasted!
The malls in Mauritius also offer chain restaurants (McDonalds, Spur, etc.) that are great if you’re looking for cheap eats for the kids.
You will also find Chinese cuisine, Indian restaurants, and a host of other brilliant restaurants dotted around the island that you can eat out at with your family and friends.
Depending on where and what you eat, you can expect to pay $10-$20 for a meal in a standard restaurant in most parts of Mauritius, which I think is good value given the quality of the food on offer.
The digital nomad visa is easy to apply for
In my opinion, the biggest stumbling block to life as a digital nomad is bureaucracy, particularly visas.
Mauritius’ Premium Visa, however, makes entering the country as a digital nomad extremely straightforward. It’s free to apply for and you can stay in Mauritius for up to one year. You don’t even have to prove how much you earn to apply.
One thing you should be aware of is that you need to prove to the immigration official where you are staying, by signing some form of rental agreement.
Still, the Mauritius digital nomad visa is extremely easy to apply for and makes the whole process so much easier. You can find out more or apply for the Premium Visa here.
Mauritians are extremely friendly
My wife enjoying a stroll through the botanical gardens in Mauritius, one of our favourite spots for weekend relaxation.
Last but certainly not least, I found the people of Mauritius to be extremely friendly and welcoming. Our Airbnb host Michael couldn’t do enough for us and helped us in practically every way imaginable.
Any time we ate out as a family we found restaurant owners and staff to be chatty and accommodating and it certainly added to the experience.
Though we weren’t in the country long enough to make any friends, one of the reasons that we hope to return to Mauritius is because we found the people to be so awesome.
This is undoubtedly one of the best things about the island and you will find Mauritians to be open and welcoming of visitors.
My verdict: Is Mauritius good for digital nomads?
So, is Mauritius good for digital nomads? I would say yes, it absolutely is.
As a family, we loved the month that we spent in the country, so much so that we’re seriously considering returning to the island for a year in the near future.
I hope that this guide has revealed some helpful insights into what it’s actually like to spend some time in Mauritius as a digital nomad.
But if you have any more questions about life as a digital nomad in Mauritius, be sure to drop them in the comments below and I will get back to you!
If you’re keen to explore other digital nomad options in East Africa, refer to my short articles that explain whether Uganda and Kenya have special digital nomad visas.
I tend to shy away from generalisations and oversimplifications when writing about Africa. They’re typically not helpful and are sometimes offensive, depending on the topic.
After all, Africa is a diverse continent of 54 individual countries. Cape Town is as different from Cairo as Birmingham is from Beijing.
But on my travels throughout eastern and southern Africa (I’ve been to 12 different African countries so far!), one thing is fairly typical of each of the countries I have passed through – a concept known as African time.
I was listening to Michael Palin’s brilliant travelogue, Sahara, recently, and he mentioned that public transport in Mauritania (western Africa) also runs on African time. So, perhaps it’s a concept that truly unifies this diverse continent.
To prepare you for your upcoming visit to East Africa, I introduce you to the concept of African time in this article and explain why it’s important to acknowledge it ahead of your trip!
What does “African time” mean?
Depending on the context in which it is used, African time typically refers to people (or modes of transport) running late. The concept is rooted in the western perception of time, however, as being late is something that in itself is subjective.
Many western countries – the UK in particular – regard being on time as one of life’s most fundamental courtesies. If you’re due to start work at 9.00 am, arriving at 9.10 am is unacceptable.
If you agree to meet your friend for coffee at 3.00 pm and don’t show up until 3.30 pm, you’ll be lucky if they’re still sipping their latte when you finally arrive.
And if you head to Euston station to catch the 4.10 pm train to Birmingham New Street Station, expect the train to leave at 4.10 pm on the dot, unless a delay is indicated on the station’s departure screens.
Why is this important to African time? Well, at least in my opinion, African time only becomes an issue when you regard it within the western concept of being “on time.”
I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had with my wife (who is Ugandan) about keeping time. If, for instance, we are planning to arrive at church “on time” for the 8.30 am service, my wife might start getting ready at 8.30 am. Or she might not.
To me – as someone who grew up in the UK – this is baffling, and sometimes frustrating.
I’ll give you another example.
We arranged to go out for lunch last weekend and agreed in the morning that we would sit down to eat at 1 pm (I wanted to be home to watch the football that was starting at 3.30 pm!). So, by 12.30 pm, my son and I had showered and were ready to go. My wife, on the other hand, was busy chatting to friends and had been working in the garden, so she needed to get washed and dressed before leaving. Turns out we left at 1.30 pm and I missed the start of the football.
Now – I’m not criticising my wife! I love her to bits, and she is a truly wonderful person. But when it comes to being “on time” for something, she fails every single time.
Before writing this article, I sat down and asked her about the concept of African time. She basically told me that her understanding of being “on time” is completely different to mine.
For instance, she didn’t think she was late for lunch last week. We agreed a time and she got ready at (roughly) that time, and we enjoyed a lovely lunch. What difference does it make that we arrived a bit later than we had planned?
And in that, I came to terms with the most important thing about African time – it’s totally subjective and open to interpretation.
Let me explain.
Acknowledging “African time” as a tourist
Just like the minor issues that my wife and I experience with our different understanding of what it means to be “on time,” you’re likely to encounter issues with so-called African time during your vacation.
If, for instance, you’re planning to travel on public transport, it might be difficult for you to accept that your bus won’t necessarily leave at a specific time.
While the conductor might tell you that the night bus will leave at 7.00 pm, you might still be sitting in the bus park at 9.00 pm, waiting for the bus to fill up.
I’ve experienced this precise issue in Uganda, Kenya, and Malawi when traveling on public transport – buses, in particular, usually leave when they’re full!
This can be difficult to process as a tourist used to western travel schedules, where public transport leaves at a specific time each day. But as a visitor to Africa, you just need to accept it.
If you’re planning a journey ahead of your international flight home, you need to prepare for the fact that the bus might not deliver you to your destination on the schedule that you have planned for.
Therefore, as a rule of thumb, I always give myself one extra day when traveling on public transport in East Africa. If I’m traveling across country on a bus to get a Saturday morning flight, I will travel on Thursday, not Friday.
There are countless other examples where African time might impact your trip in some way. Your safari driver might agree to pick you up for a game drive at 6.45 am and arrive at 7.15 am. Or the new friend that you meet for dinner might arrive an hour late without texting or calling you in advance.
However you experience African time, remember not to get annoyed or frustrated. You’re a visitor in Africa and it’s not your place to change things.
Also – lots of things (and people) run perfectly on time in Africa!! This is so important to acknowledge. I genuinely can’t remember ever experiencing a flight delay in Uganda or Kenya, for example.
And although my wife isn’t particularly punctual, many of my friends are much timelier, and if we agree to meet at a specific time, there’s no issue.
The bottom line: African time
The purpose of this blog post was simply to make you aware of the concept of African time and to acknowledge it ahead of your trip.
I now live in Uganda, and I have tried really hard to change the way I look at time, as the people in my life don’t necessarily agree with my time-keeping priorities!
So, when you arrive in East Africa for your upcoming vacation, be mindful that African time is a thing – as the legendary Michael Palin points out in Sahara – and don’t let it stress you out.
So many freelancers and remote workers in different parts of the world are opting to travel while working, as part of a global community known as digital nomads.
But does Kenya have a digital nomad visa? How do you enter Kenya legally to work as a remote worker? Read on to find out everything you need to know about whether Kenya has a digital nomad visa in 2023.
So, does Kenya have a digital nomad visa?
No, Kenya does not have a digital nomad visa. If you wish to enter Kenya for work, you are legally required to apply for the relevant work permit. For short-term stays of up to ninety days, you can apply for a tourist visa. Read on to learn more about how to legally enter Kenya if you’re planning to live and work in the country as a digital nomad.
How can you legally enter Kenya for remote work?
As is the case with many countries around the world, if you want to legally work in Kenya, you must obtain the relevant work permit. Currently, Kenya offers Class A – Class K work permits, ranging from prospecting & mining to approved religious or charitable activities. You can find a detailed breakdown of all of the available work permits, as well as details of how to apply for them, here, via the Kenyan Directorate of Immigration Services.
Basically, to legally work in Kenya, you need to be sponsored by a Kenyan-registered company, as one of the main requirements is to provide an invitation letter. As most digital nomads are freelancers or self-employed business owners, this rules out the work permit option for the vast majority of remote workers looking to settle in Kenya.
What about a Kenyan tourist visa?
A Kenyan tourist visa is extremely easy to apply for and you can do so online, via the government’s electronic visa portal. When I visited Diani Beach for a family holiday last year, I obtained my e-visa in less than two days, and it was an extremely easy and effortless process.
Now, can you enter Kenya as a digital nomad on a tourist visa? Legally, no, you can’t, as the tourist visa clearly stipulates that any type of work is prohibited during your stay in the country. I’m a member of several online communities and I know of people who enter various countries around the world as digital nomads on tourist visas. However, it’s not legally permitted in Kenya, and I wouldn’t advise you to do so.
Unfortunately, Kenya doesn’t currently offer a visa for digital nomads. This is also the case with most East African countries, as I explained in my guide to Uganda for digital nomads.
Right now, the best country in East Africa for digital nomads is undoubtedly Mauritius – a stunning island off the East coast of the continent that has one of the easiest digital nomad visas to apply for.
You can apply for a Mauritius digital nomad visa if you earn more than $1,500 per month and meet some other pretty basic requirements. Find out more about becoming a digital nomad in Mauritius here, if you have your heart set on working remotely in Africa.
The verdict: Does Kenya have a digital nomad visa?
Right now, Kenya does not have a specific visa for digital nomads. If you wish to legally enter Kenya for work, you must apply for the relevant work permit, depending on the industry that you’re employed in. As more and more countries open their doors to digital nomads, I will update this article if Kenya decides to launch a digital nomad visa in the near future.
Before I moved to Uganda permanently, I applied for the East Africa Tourist Visa several times. I found the process to be exceptionally straightforward and hassle free.
However, if you’re relatively new to this part of the world, it’s helpful to know how the visa application process works ahead of time.
To help you, I’ve put together this complete guide to applying for the East Africa Tourist Visa (Uganda).
What is the East Africa Tourist Visa?
The East Africa Tourist Visa is a visa specifically designed for tourists who wish to enter Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya during the same trip. The visa allows multiple entries between the three countries for a period of up to three months.
Who can apply for the East Africa Tourist Visa?
Citizens of more than 100 countries can apply for the East Africa Tourist Visa online, making it a super accessible visa. If you’re visiting Uganda from the UK or other parts of Europe and the US, you can easily apply for the visa online.
Crucially, you must apply for the East Africa Tourist Visa from the country that you plan to visit first. So, for instance, if you’re flying into Entebbe Airport in Uganda, you need to apply for the visa from Ugandan immigration.
This guide is specifically for people traveling to Uganda, although the application requirements are similar for each of the three countries.
What you need to apply
The visa is available to anyone (from specific countries) who wishes to visit Uganda, Kenya, or Rwanda for tourism purposes only for a period of no more than three months. As a result, you need the following details before completing the application process:
Copy of the bio-page of your passport. Your passport should be valid for a period of at least six months.
A recent passport-sized photograph.
Proof of yellow fever vaccination.
A return airline ticket showing that you won’t exceed a stay of ninety days.
Your travel itinerary. This can be directly from a tour company or you can put one together yourself in a Word doc. Just include things like your flight details, any internal transport, where you’re staying, what activities you’re doing, etc.
A debit or credit card to pay the visa fee, which is currently $100.
Applying for the East Africa Tourist Visa Uganda (Step-by-Step)
As visa applications go, the East Africa Tourist Visa (Uganda) is super simple. Here are the straightforward steps that you need to follow to get this visa ahead of your trip to East Africa:
Step 1: Prepare your documentation as listed above. You will need to upload these to your computer to submit them as part of your application.
Step 2: Go directly to Uganda’s immigration portal here. Please be careful – you don’t need to go through a third party website! (My Mum and Dad accidentally did this when applying to come and visit me last year – it cost them an extra $50!).
Step 3: Select the visa type that you’re applying for. In your case, it is the East African Tourist Visa.
Step 4: Complete the application form accurately and carefully.
Step 5: Upload your documents.
Step 6: Submit the application. Please note – a six-digit number will be generated at this stage. Write this down as you might need it to access your application!
Step 7: Continue to the payment portal and make the non-refundable payment of $100 via debit or credit card.
Step 8: Await your approval. Once processed the invitation letter will be sent directly to the email address that you have provided.
Recap
The East Africa Tourist Visa (Uganda) is extremely easy to apply for and is perfect if you’re planning to visit Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya during the same vacation. I hope you have found the step-by-step guide above helpful. I’ve also included some FAQs below that you can refer to for more information about this visa.
If you have any questions that I haven’t covered here, drop me a comment below and I will get back to you.
East Africa Tourist Visa FAQs
How much does the East Africa Tourist visa cost?
The East Africa Tourist Visa costs $100.
How long does it take to get the East Africa Tourist visa?
Approval depends on how busy the immigration office is. In my experience, it takes between 2-3 working days to receive your approval letter. However, give yourself as much time as possible before departing on your vacation.
How do I know which country to apply to?
You must apply for an East Africa Tourist Visa from the country you visit first, be it Uganda, Kenya, or Rwanda. You can then move in and out of the other countries throughout the duration of your visa.
Is the East Africa Tourist Visa multiple entry?
Yes, you can travel through Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda as many times as you like for the duration of the visa.
How long is the East Africa Tourist Visa valid for?
The East Africa Tourist visa is valid for a period of three months.
Can I renew the East Africa Tourist Visa?
You can apply for another East Africa Tourist Visa when your current visa expires. Contact the immigration office in Uganda/Kenya/Rwanda for more information about visa extensions.
Can I apply for the East Africa Tourist Visa online?
Yes, you can only apply for the East Africa Tourist Visa online. You can follow the link I have shared to go directly to the Ugandan immigration website.
What happens if my East Africa Tourist Visa application is rejected?
There are several reasons why your visa application might be rejected. You should email the immigration office directly to ask for some feedback before submitting a second application.
Africa, as a continent, is late to the digital nomad party. While there are some brilliant programs up-and-running on the continent – Mauritius, Cape Verde, and Namibia – for instance, there certainly isn’t as much choice here as there is in Asia and Europe for anyone looking to work remotely as a digital nomad.
I live in Uganda with my family and a reader recently asked me – does Uganda have a digital nomad visa?
So, in this article, I layout everything you need to know about whether you can currently be a digital nomad in the Pearl of Africa and what the immediate future looks like for remote workers in this part of East Africa.
So, does Uganda have a digital nomad visa?
No, Uganda does not have a digital nomad visa. At the time of writing, the government has not announced any plans to launch one, either.
How can you legally enter Uganda for remote work?
As is the case with many countries in Africa, Uganda does not currently have a dedicated remote work or digital nomad visa.
Rather, the country operates a conventional work permit system, where you’re required to apply for a work permit based on the work that you’re planning to do in the country.
Unfortunately for remote workers, there currently isn’t a category that covers digital nomads generically. Essentially, if you want to work in Uganda legally, you must be invited by a Ugandan company.
You can find out more about Ugandan work permits and how to apply here.
What about a Ugandan tourist visa?
Residents of most countries can apply for an online tourist visa to enter Uganda. The visa is valid for a maximum of three months.
However, it clearly states on the tourist visa that any form of work is prohibited while in Uganda on this visa, whether that’s remote work or work undertaken with a Ugandan company.
I’m part of several online communities where I know of digital nomads who enter countries on tourist visas to work remotely. But I certainly wouldn’t recommend this in Uganda.
Though it’s disappointing, the fact that Uganda doesn’t have a digital nomad visa means that the government hasn’t yet decided to open the country to remote workers. I will update this article if this changes in the near future.
Alternatives to Uganda for digital nomads?
I fully understand why digital nomads might be attracted to Uganda. There are so many stunning natural places to explore and Kampala is a vibrant city (if not a bit chaotic!).
If you have your heart set on continuing your digital nomad adventure in East Africa, I highly recommend Mauritius as the number one destination.
Mauritius has a dedicated digital nomad visa that is available to remote workers who earn over $1,500 per month. What’s more, it’s completely free to apply for and it has a relatively quick turnaround time.
The verdict: Does Uganda have a digital nomad visa?
Unfortunately for would-be remote workers, Uganda does not currently offer a digital nomad visa. Unless you’re invited to work in Uganda, it’s difficult to obtain a work permit. As such, most international visitors who come to Uganda do so with a tourist visa, which can be obtained online.
Can volunteering your time to seemingly help people in need really be a bad thing? In some instances, yes. And it’s within this context that I introduce you to the problems with voluntourism in East Africa.
Here, I explain what voluntourism is, why it’s usually a bad thing, and how you can avoid it in favor of a meaningful and beneficial volunteerism opportunity in East Africa.
So, what is voluntourism in Africa?
The term “voluntourism” brings together two distinct concepts: volunteering & tourism. As such, a voluntourist can simply defined as someone who volunteers their time to a specific cause while participating in tourism.
But defining voluntourism isn’t quite this simple. The term is loaded with unhelpful connotations of saviorism and righteousness, and there’s a big debate about whether voluntourism is inherently good or bad.
In East Africa, voluntourism is rife, as it is in many parts of south-east Asia. The reason for this is that there is a perceived need for voluntourists in these parts of the world, as well as a whole host of enjoyable tourism activities for well-intentioned volunteers to do during their stay in countries on the other side of the world.
Following my experience as a voluntourist in 2012, I wrote a book about my time in Uganda and how the concept of voluntourism didn’t sit well with me. I also undertook research into the concept of voluntourism during my Masters program at the University of Birmingham, given my interest in the concept.
In what remains of this article, I explain what voluntourism is, how it differs from volunteering in East Africa, and how you can avoid certain volunteering placements in different parts of the world that can potentially do more harm than good.
Voluntourism in Africa vs. Volunteerism: A crucial difference
I firmly believe that anyone who is willing to volunteer their time to a cause that they’re passionate about has good intentions. After all, if the world had more people who were willing to volunteer to help out in different ways, there’s no doubt that it would be a better place.
Lots of people are motivated to volunteer in their own communities, while others want to do so in other parts of the world. Both are admirable, and no matter where you give your time to a worthy cause, you can make a positive difference in the world around you.
However, if you are motivated to volunteer abroad, there’s a fair chance that you will come across voluntourism programs when you perform a simple Google search looking for opportunities that interest you.
Here’s what voluntourism in Africa might look like:
It’s easy to apply for: There probably won’t be an interview process, and the program will not necessarily be looking for people with specific skills or experience to sign up. One of the main prerequisites might be a “positive attitude” or something similar.
It’s expensive: One of the distinguishing features of a voluntourism placement is that it is expensive to participate in. You might, for instance, be asked to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for a short-term voluntourism placement in East Africa or elsewhere.
It’s tourism-focused: If a firm offers voluntourism placements, its website will likely feature imagery that reflects the tourism opportunities in the country in question, be it photos of safaris or other exciting tourism activities. The focus of the website is not usually on the volunteer placement itself.
There’s a saviorist agenda: While often subtle, a voluntourism placement is likely to invite you to make an unrealistic contribution in a short space of time. For instance, you might be invited to “change lives,” “transform communities,” or “give children a chance.”
It’s offered by a business: Most voluntourism placements available online are offered by for-profit companies, as opposed to not-for-profit charities. This is a crucial distinction to be aware of and will help you differentiate between voluntourism and volunteerism. Most voluntourism businesses merely partner with charities, and it’s not clear how much of your money goes toward the projects in question.
Now, compare the above to how a volunteerism opportunity might look like in Africa:
There’s a clear application process: Applying for a legitimate volunteering opportunity in East Africa is like applying for a job. There will be a clear role description and role specifications, and you will need to complete an application process before being invited to join the charity in question. You will almost certainly have to supply references to back your credentials, too.
It’s free: Most volunteer placements don’t charge you for offering your time! In fact, many charities offer volunteers a stipend to cover certain living or travel expenses. After all, why should you have to pay a huge sum of money to volunteer your time?
It’s impact-focused: Rather than focusing on the amazing tourism activities you can do and how much fun you will have while in East Africa, volunteer opportunities are more concerned with the impact that you can have in the community in question.
There’s a collectivist agenda: Instead of inviting you to come and save a village, a charity looking for a skilled volunteer will market the opportunity as an invitation for you to make a contribution. Your skills and experience can contribute to the collectivist cause, which is a much more realistic message than asking you to travel across the world to save a community from X, Y, or Z.
It’s offered by a charity: When you find a volunteering opportunity in East Africa, it will almost certainly be offered by an NGO or grassroots charity. Therefore, you can be sure that the experience that you sign up for is actually part of a community cause, as opposed to a profit-making venture.
As you can see, the characteristics of voluntourism and volunteerism placements in East Africa are very different from one another, and recognizing them is crucial. But is voluntourism really a bad thing?
The problem with voluntourism in Africa
I think it’s important to preface this section with a clear statement: not all voluntourism placements are bad. When done correctly, voluntourism can be a successful business model that benefits tourists, international businesses, and local communities. It can work.
Sinisterly, some voluntourism experiences can be downright dangerous. Just look at the story of Renee Bach and her ill-fated time spent in Uganda. While shocking, it helps you understand how inexperienced and unskilled individuals can lead to fatal consequences for local populations.
In my opinion, the problem lies in the fact that inexperienced and unskilled individuals believe that they can make a positive impact in East Africa simply by showing up and lending a hand.
This mindset often leads to unqualified teachers being placed in already underperforming schools, inexperienced medical practitioners offering assistance in under-funded medical centers, and a whole host of other placements that seek to fill round holes with square pegs.
As a result, voluntourism placements send out the message that wealthy tourists are able to make a positive contribution in practically any discipline, simply because they’re willing to pay for the right to get involved in a project that they’re not necessarily suited to.
What does this suggest to the local populace? It reinforces negative stereotypes – particularly the white savior industrial complex – and often holds communities back, as opposed to helping them move forward, as is often the claim of voluntourism supporters.
Attitudes aside, voluntourism projects also cause problems for local relationships and experiences. Local people, understandably, see opportunity when voluntourists arrive in their communities. Maybe the voluntourist will pay their child’s school fees or make a donation to help them repair their home, for instance.
This creates an unhealthy relationship between voluntourists and the local people that they interact with, one that is inherently transactional in nature. It also breeds discontent, particularly if the voluntourist leaves the area after a short time, following a period of spurious contribution.
Ultimately, even if voluntourism placements aren’t dangerous, they’re usually unhelpful and unsustainable. If you want to make a real contribution in East Africa, voluntourism is not the way to do it, as I explain below.
How to avoid voluntourism in Africa?
When I decided to travel to East Africa in 2012 before heading to do my Masters, I thought that voluntourism presented the perfect opportunity. Frankly, I didn’t know there was a difference between voluntourism and volunteerism, and it wasn’t until after my experience that I realized that there are different ways to volunteer your time in East Africa.
If you search for volunteering placements online today, you will come across voluntourism placement providers offering you a whole host of potential projects, from turtle conservation in Kenya to primary school teaching in Uganda. But if you really want to make a positive contribution during your time in East Africa, you need to look beyond the marketing of voluntourism placements.
A great way to ascertain your suitability for a volunteering opportunity in East Africa is to question if you would be skilled and experienced enough to do the role in your own country.
If you don’t have the skills to volunteer at a health facility in the US, why do you think that you can do so in a health center in Uganda?
You have a responsibility to think carefully about what you’re skilled, qualified, and experienced to do. After all, your willingness to volunteer isn’t enough to make you an asset to a community project in East Africa, and you need to have the skills necessary to make a positive impact.
You can also use this super helpful infographic to guide you as you search for a volunteering opportunity in Africa:
There are lots of volunteering opportunities available in East Africa, but you need to do some due diligence to ensure that you apply for a placement that, at the very least, does no harm to the local community that you’re planning to visit.
The problem with voluntourism in East Africa is not an easy one to solve. While for-profit organizations continue providing voluntourism placements to impressionable young people in western countries, a conveyor belt of voluntourists will continue arriving in East Africa every year.
However, by educating yourself about some of the issues associated with voluntourism in East Africa, you can seek out rewarding, impactful volunteering placements that can be rewarding for you and beneficial to the people that you work with.
We all have a responsibility to consider an opportunity before signing up for it, so make sure you understand what you’re getting yourself into before joining a volunteering placement in the near future.
So, if you have your heart set on participating in a volunteering project in Africa, check out this recent article where I provide you with eight questions to ask yourself before joining a placement. It will help you avoid negative opportunities.
Volunteering in East Africa is admirable, and it’s something that motivates people from all over the world to visit the region each year.
After all, my first experience of Uganda in 2012 was through a volunteering program, and I know many others who first arrived in this part of the world via similar projects.
But volunteering in East Africa is complex, and it’s not something that you should participate in without due diligence and research.
I also want to make this point loud and clear: not every volunteering program in East Africa is beneficial to the people it pertains to support.
After my experience as a volunteer in Uganda in 2012, I returned to the UK to study for a Masters in International Development from the University of Birmingham, to get some answers to the questions that arose during my three-month stay in the country.
I wanted to know more about the dynamics between so-called ‘developed countries’ and those that are seemingly ‘developing.’ I also wanted to know why so many people are motivated to travel to East Africa every year to offer their services as volunteers.
Following a research project in Uganda, I had some answers to my questions, and I learned all about something called The White Savior Complex – a complex that completely reversed my views about what is at the crux of volunteering and development in East Africa.
This article is not about the White Savior Complex, but it’s really important to acknowledge the position that Teju Cole introduced when he wrote the above article in 2012 to add context to this piece.
To avoid being a “White Savior,” it’s imperative that you fully understand the volunteering project that you’re planning to apply for in East Africa.
While I have no doubt that the vast majority of western volunteers arriving in East Africa are undoubtedly well-intentioned, it’s crucial to question the purpose and structure of a volunteering project before signing up.
With that in mind, I want to introduce you to eight questions that you must answer before volunteering in East Africa. They’re a result of my university research, as well as an interest in the topic of voluntourism & ethical volunteering in Africa more broadly.
I hope you find them helpful as you seek to make a positive impact during your upcoming visit to East Africa.
Volunteering in East Africa: 8 important questions to ask yourself
Volunteering in East Africa can be impactful for you and the people that you’re trying to help, but this is not always the case. To avoid unscrupulous organizations when looking at volunteering in East Africa, ask yourself the following eight questions and answer them truthfully:
Q1: Is the organization a business or a charity?
A young boy studying in Wakiso, Central Uganda. Photo credit: Felicia Montenegro, Unsplash.
First and foremost, you need to differentiate between a volunteering placement that is offered by a business and one that is offered by a charity. Businesses that offer volunteering as part of an industry known as voluntourism do so primarily for profit, which is in stark contrast to the characteristics of charity-led volunteering placements.
The easiest way to discern whether a volunteering placement is offered by a business or a charity is to conduct an independent search into the organization. For instance, in the UK, you can search for the organization via the UK Charity Commission to see if it is registered. You can also look at business records on Google to find out if the organization is a profit-making entity.
The reason this is important is that charities and businesses offer completely different types of volunteering opportunities for completely different reasons (more on this throughout). You can use the below comparison to understand which type of volunteering placement you have found:
Business (for-profit) volunteering opportunities are:
Expensive (Often thousands of dollars for short volunteering trips).
Advertised with emotive imagery and suggestive tag lines (e.g., Change a child’s life, transform a rural community, etc.).
Available to anyone regardless of qualifications, experience, or skillset.
Engineered to the satisfaction of the volunteer, as opposed to the benefit of the local community in question.
Inclusive of tourism and leisure activities such as safaris.
Provided by organizations that are not registered as charities.
Charity volunteering opportunities are:
Usually free. Many charities also offer a stipend to volunteers to cover living and travel expenses while in the country.
Offered to fill a specific role that you are qualified, trained, and skilled to do. For instance, if the role is for a volunteer teacher, applicants must have teaching qualifications and experience to apply for the position.
Aligned to the charity’s mission statement and overall objectives that you can find on their website.
Subject to an interview/application process, as well as pre-employment checks.
Provided by organizations that are registered as charities.
As you can see, the differences between for-profit and charity volunteering placements are stark, so it’s vital that you are able to differentiate between the two before proceeding with an application. If you’re satisfied that you are indeed applying for a legitimate volunteering placement offered by a registered charity, you can proceed to the following question!
Q2: Am I qualified for the role in question?
One of the biggest issues with volunteering placements in East Africa is that positions are often filled by people who are not skilled or qualified for the role in question, which can often lead to disastrous consequences. The story of former American volunteer Rene Bach articulates this point.
While not all volunteer positions filled by unqualified candidates have such dire consequences, the reality is that they provide very few benefits to local communities.
Think about this for a moment.
If you’re keen to work in a medical center back home, what requirements would you need to be approved for a placement? At the very least, a basic understanding of medicine, some relevant experience, and perhaps studies to show that you’re working towards a qualification.
Equally, if you want to get some experience in construction, surely your employer would want to see some credentials to support your candidacy, as opposed to taking someone who has never stepped foot on a building site in their life?
But due to issues relating to the undercurrent of the White Savior Complex, western volunteers often assume that because a placement is taking place in East Africa, it doesn’t necessitate the same requirements as it would if they were applying for the role back home.
As a result, placements are often filled by individuals who simply don’t know what they’re doing and are only in the country because they have shown a desire – and paid a fee – to be there.
You don’t need me to tell you that this is a huge problem.
Therefore, you need to be honest with yourself. If you’re not qualified to do a volunteering role at home, you’re not qualified to do it in East Africa. It’s as simple as that.
Q3: What is the cost of the program?
I’m a firm believer that volunteering is an admirable act of altruism that the world could do with more of. After all, if more people gave their time to causes that they care about, the world would undoubtedly be a better place.
Some paid volunteering programs will tell you that the cost they charge is necessary because it covers the costs associated with your placement. But in reality, it does a lot more than that, particularly when you consider the fact that you pay so much in order to offer a helping hand.
If you’re willing to give your time to contribute to a cause that you’re passionate about, you shouldn’t have to part with thousands of dollars to make it happen.
What I mean by this is that you can find ethical volunteering placements offered by charities that actually need volunteers, as opposed to for-profit organizations that offer volunteering projects that are easy to apply for – for a fee – whether they’re required or not.
Everything in life is subjective, but I strongly believe that you shouldn’t be required to pay a sizeable fee to contribute to a cause that you care about.
Q4: Who benefits from my volunteering?
There’s no doubt that volunteering in East Africa can be a positive thing, and I have anecdotal evidence to support this claim.
I’m friends with the good people who run placements at Bwindi Community Hospital in southwestern Uganda, and their structured volunteering opportunities have long proven to bring benefit to the hospital, as well as the people that donate their time to be there.
The hospital welcomes trained medics and medical students from different parts of the world to collaborate with in-country health teams, share best practices, and improve the clinical services to the people that use Bwindi Hospital on a day-to-day basis.
From the outside looking in, it’s a great model for how volunteering should work, as local people, Ugandan professionals, and the volunteers themselves all seem to benefit from the arrangement.
What’s more, there are no exorbitant fees associated with the volunteering placement, and visitors are housed in the adjacent Hospital Guest House at a reasonable fee for the duration of their stay.
I use this as an example because it shows what is possible when responsible volunteering placements are put together. It illustrates that skilled, well-meaning people can offer their time to make a positive contribution in East Africa without exacerbating the White Savior Complex.
So, when you find a volunteering placement in East Africa that interests you, be sure to question: who actually benefits from my volunteering? It will help you make the right decision about a viable, ethical placement.
Q5: Can I make an impact during my stay in the country?
A child photographed by a volunteer in Wakiso, Uganda. Photo credit: Felicia Montenegro, Unsplash.
Next, you need to think about what you can achieve during your stay in East Africa. While some people come with grandiose assertions about what they believe to be possible in a week, others are more measured with their expectations.
The reality is that you’re not going to change someone’s life by volunteering for a couple of weeks in East Africa, and it’s unhealthy to think that such an occurrence is possible. That’s not to say that you can’t make a positive contribution, but you need to be realistic about what is achievable in a short space of time.
People who are able to spend 3+ months in East Africa are much more likely to feel like their presence has made an impact than those that pass through for a week or so during a summer vacation.
I appreciate that not everyone has the time to volunteer for several months at a time, and telling contributions can also be made in a short amount of time.
The key is to acknowledge the limitations of your potential impact and enter into your placement with your eyes open about what you can achieve.
When you’re realistic about your impact, you are much more likely to have a meaningful experience, and you can utilize your time in East Africa efficiently. Equally, if you don’t think that you can make an impact in a short space of time, there are other ways to make a contribution, as explained below.
Q6: Could my money be better used elsewhere?
I’ve alluded to the fact that some volunteering projects can be costly, particularly those that are offered by for-profit organizations for relatively short in-country stays.
In many instances, if you have $1,000 to spend on a one-week volunteer placement in East Africa, you will almost certainly find that donating the money to a grassroots charity in the region will have much more impact than if you were to pay to volunteer for the same amount of money.
You could look into organizing your trip to East Africa independently before making a donation to a charity directly during your trip to one of the countries in the region. This way, you still have an excellent opportunity to visit East Africa while making a positive contribution, even if you don’t spend your time actively volunteering.
My good friends over at AJ Tours work with a number of great causes – including Project Rabies – and help people visit several projects in Uganda, Rwanda, and DR Congo without necessarily volunteering.
You can reach out to Andrew and the team directly or leave a comment below if you’d like me to introduce you.
Q7: Am I taking away an opportunity from the local labor force?
Another interesting way to look at volunteering is whether or not your presence in the country is potentially taking opportunities away from local communities.
Some voluntourism projects that place unqualified teachers into roles within schools in East Africa often inadvertently take job opportunities away from qualified local teachers.
After all, if a cash-strapped school can rely on a steady stream of unpaid foreign volunteers to teach their students, they are unlikely to look for ways of generating income to pay salaries for local teachers.
This is a problem that I’ve seen firsthand in Uganda – my wife sits as the chairperson on the board of a local primary school – and the issue of paying teachers’ salaries is always at the forefront of discussion.
Again, it’s all about how an organization approaches a volunteering program, and some interventions can certainly make a positive contribution.
But merely filling plugs in the local labor market in East Africa with short-term, often unqualified volunteers is certainly not going to solve any long-term, systemic issues that are prevalent within East African communities.
Q8: What visa do I need to volunteer?
Last but certainly not least, you need to think about the visa that you need to volunteer in East Africa. While many short-term volunteers often arrive in East African countries with tourist visas, the reality is that doing so is not permitted under immigration laws.
All countries in East Africa have special permits that volunteers should apply for, so it’s super important that you read up on how to apply and what documents you need in order to arrive in the country legally.
Legitimate charities that invite volunteers to East Africa will be able to help you with the process of acquiring the correct permit for the duration of your stay, but it’s a super important issue that many volunteers overlook.
Further reading on volunteering in East Africa
As I bring this article to a close, I hope you have a much better idea of what to think about before volunteering in East Africa. Personally, I love the fact that so many people are motivated to donate their time to causes that they’re passionate about, and I think it’s something that should be celebrated.
But I also think that we need to be clear about the differences between voluntourism and volunteerism, to ensure that qualified and skilled professionals fill placements in East Africa.
During my first visit to East Africa in 2012, I participated in a voluntourism program, which is why I’ve been keen ever since to raise awareness about the different types of volunteering in this part of the world.
I actually wrote a book about my experiences in Uganda as a voluntourist – Tie Up The Lion – , which you can order from Amazon if you want to learn more about what a voluntourism placement in East Africa is really like.
