Transparency
AVYEN guarantees a transparent way of operating with a proper accountability system, which implies responsible management of funding and community resources.
Youth exchange. Volunteer action. Shared peace.
AVYEN
Amani yetu Volunteer Youth Exchange Network
Serve, learn, and connect across Uganda through intercultural volunteering — from classrooms and health centres to community projects and wildlife education.
Who we are
A registered non-profit youth network grounded in peace, service, and intercultural exchange.
AMANI YETU Volunteer Youth Exchange Network (AVYEN–Uganda) is a registered non-profit, non-political, non-sectarian, non-governmental organisation, registered with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) under the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, and with the National Bureau for NGOs at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.
Our Foundation
Vision & Mission
Vision
Sustainable social economic transformation of the youth.
Through the intercultural exchange program in Uganda and meaningful interactions with people from different countries and continents.
Mission
A strategic, sustainable approach to intercultural volunteering.
Attaining a strategic sustainable program plan to promote intercultural exchange and to build a volunteer spirit for the youth in the community.
Core Values
How we work and what we stand for.
Our values guide every programme, partnership, and interaction across the AVYEN network.
Community Participation
Sustainable community empowerment can only be achieved through community participation and ownership. The target community is involved in project design and implementation.
Resource Orientation
Our approach starts from the available community resources, regarding our target group as individuals with a wide range of potentials and lived expertise.
Social Cohesion
We work with a heterogeneous group from diverse international, cultural, and religious settings, guided by fundamental human rights and the equal dignity of every person.
Programme Policy Guidelines
The principles that shape every project and partnership.
Volunteering Framework
To provide a clear and structured framework for volunteering, ensuring every volunteer has a meaningful, supported, and safe experience within the network.
Intercultural Learning & Youth Mobility
To promote activities that enhance intercultural learning, environmental protection, and youth mobility across local and international boundaries.
Health, Sanitation & Youth Development
To promote educational programs focused on good health, sanitation, and the holistic development of young people within their communities.
International Exchange Programs
To promote intercultural learning through structured international exchange programs that connect youth across countries and continents.
Volunteer Placements 2025–2028
Hosting projects you can apply for.
Choose a project that matches your interests. Most placements welcome both short-term (STEPS) and long-term (LTV) volunteers aged 18 and above. Placement depends on availability and your preferences.
Cornerstone Nursery & Primary School
Eastern Uganda · ~200 km from Kampala
Community nursery and primary school serving about 600 children, grounded in Christian values with a focus on quality education for underprivileged learners.
- Assist teachers (ages 3–6)
- Bible study, songs & kids’ church
- Sports, music, dance & drama
- Meals and laundry support
MYDEL — Mengo Youth Development Link
Nansana (Hoima Road) · ~10 km from Kampala
NGO working with a primary school in Nansana and the Kisenyi slum — language classes, football academy, dance groups, and skills for vulnerable youth and children.
- Assist with school duties
- Sports with slum children
- Teach languages (esp. English)
- Community cleanliness & rights awareness
Uganda Empowers
Rural Uganda
Rural charity offering HIV prevention and care for people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, with a focus on vulnerable children and women.
- HIV screening (with supervision)
- Community mobilisation & counselling
- Educational drama & home visits
- Clinic support & outreach data
Cannosa St Joseph Lweza Kindergarten
Lweza · ~5 km from Kampala City Centre
Catholic kindergarten offering holistic early childhood development in a clean, stimulating environment for young learners.
- Reading, writing, drawing & painting
- Games, sports, music & drama
- Serving food and playing with children
Venture Junior School
Semi-urban · near East African University
Day kindergarten with about 25 children (ages 2–7) following the national curriculum across Baby, Middle, Top and P.1 classes.
- Welcome children and organise games
- Painting and writing activities
- Accompany outings and drop-offs
Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC)
Entebbe · Lake Victoria · ~36 km from Kampala
Formerly Entebbe Zoo — wildlife education combined with leisure, rescue, and care for indigenous animals on the edge of Lake Victoria.
- Animal care, feeding & food prep
- Rescue & rehabilitation support
- Education & public entertainment activities
Extra fees apply: $300/month (+ $50 per extra week) paid directly to UWEC.
Bright Future Primary School Gayaza
Gayaza, Wakiso · ~15 km from Kampala
Community primary school with about 800 children and 32 teaching staff, improving local education services.
- English, reading, writing & drawing
- Computer training
- Music, dance, drama & sports
Female volunteers only, aged 23 and above.
St Theresa Primary School Buyege
Buyege · ~50 km from Kampala
Catholic day and boarding primary for children aged 4–14 (P.1–P.7), addressing low education access in a small community.
- Teaching, reading & writing
- Drawing, sports, music & drama
- Gardening and tree planting
Nawanyago Health Center
Kamuli District · Eastern Uganda
Health centre run by Banakalori Sisters Bwanda, serving poor rural communities with outpatient, maternity, antenatal, immunization, HIV counselling, and lab services.
- Support clinical teams as assigned
- Possible night shifts by timetable
- Medical background preferred
Long-term volunteers preferred (learning period ~2 months).
Wisdom Standard Academy
Bugema Kalung village · near Bugema University
Rural primary school (est. 2004) providing affordable quality education plus crafts, sports, tailoring, brigade, and gardening.
- Classroom teaching support
- Music, dance, drama & sports
- Gardening, sanitation & computer training
St Magdalene Health Center Lweza
Lweza, Entebbe Road · ~10 km from Kampala
Catholic health centre offering immunization, antenatal, general medicine, dental, laboratory, and pharmacy services.
- Pharmacy, lab & dental assistance
- Immunization & patient counselling
- Data filling & outpatient support
KIFAD — Kiyita Family Alliance for Development
Mende Sub-county, Wakiso District
Community NGO responding to disease, poverty, and ignorance — with care and support for OVC and people living with HIV/AIDS.
- Planning & coordinating project activities
- Community outreach & counselling
- Education support & home visits
St Noa Family Orphanage
Wakiso (Hoima Road) · ~15 km from Kampala
Family-style home for about 100 orphans and abandoned children (ages 0–12) in a green, serene setting.
- Feeding, playing & counselling
- Homework help & teaching English
- Laundry, meals & sports
Volunteers aged 20 and above.
Sesame Street Kindergarten
Makindye · ~5 km from Kampala
Kindergarten promoting local education through teaching, creative arts, sports, and music for young children.
- Classroom & play-time support
- Pick-up and drop-off with the school van
- Music, dance, drama & sports
St Theresa Primary School Gayaza
Gayaza Parish · ~12 km from Kampala
Catholic day and boarding school (kindergarten–P.7) with about 769 pupils, serving vulnerable and disadvantaged families.
- Assist teachers with younger classes
- Games, sports & co-curricular activities
- Gardening and farming with children
Our Lady of Guadalupe School Gombe
Gombe · Central Uganda · ~50 km from Kampala
Catholic primary and secondary community school for vulnerable children in a rural, multi-faith area (~300 students).
- Classroom support across both sections
- Sports and environmental conservation
- Community awareness; optional basic German
UYWEFA
Kazo Parish, Nansana Municipality, Wakiso
Uganda Youth and Women’s Effort Fighting AIDS — education, vocational training, youth-friendly services, and economic empowerment for people affected by HIV/AIDS.
- Football & athletics coaching
- Filming & videography
- Teach English, Maths & computer basics
Trust Future Uganda
Nansana Municipality · ~5 km from Kampala
Community work on education for OVC, adult literacy, HIV/health awareness, and vocational skills for youth and women.
- Teaching & field work
- Research, journalism & media
- Marketing, PR & management support
Angel’s Center
Nansana town
Residential centre for about 30 children with Down syndrome (ages 3–12), focused on early learning, counselling, and full social integration.
- Daily living & social skills training
- Communication & behavioural support
- Play-based mentoring activities
Missionaries of the Poor (MOP)
Kisenyi slums, Kampala
Catholic community serving needy children, youths, elderly, and refugees — shelter, food, medical support, and disability care.
- Feeding children (incl. special needs)
- Cooking, cleaning & compound care
- Play and sports during free time
Change African Child International (CACI)
Wakiso & parts of Kampala
NGO empowering families on child rights through skills training (hairdressing, tailoring, crafts, computers), adult literacy, and entrepreneurship.
- Adult education & child support
- Crafts, shoe-making & hairdressing training
- Counselling, care & home visits
Ready to apply? Tell us which project fits your skills and availability — we’ll match you with an active hosting placement.
Apply to VolunteerObjectives
What we are working to achieve.
a
To create awareness on the intercultural exchange program, volunteerism, climate change and its benefits.
b
To create opportunities for young people to experience different cultures, meet new people, and expand their horizons through volunteerism.
c
To provide psychosocial support and guidance through visits and face-to-face interactions with international volunteers.
d
To foster intercultural dialogue and learning through skills development and positive change of attitude.
e
To promote climate change programs through organising climate change camps and promoting tree planting.
f
To promote peace and coexistence among young people through local and international cultural exchange programs.
Our impact
Measured by people reached, partnerships built, and communities strengthened.
21
Active hosting projects for 2025–2028
300+
Volunteers mobilised annually
STEPS & LTV
Short-term and long-term placements across Uganda
Voices from the network
Young people, partners, and communities at the centre.
"AVYEN gave our young volunteers structure, confidence, and a real sense of responsibility to the community."
"The exchange program helped me meet peers from different places and see leadership in a wider way."
"Their approach feels professional, local, and practical. The results are visible on the ground."
Our Partners
Backed by a global network of youth exchange organisations.
AVYEN operates in partnership with leading international bodies committed to intercultural learning and volunteer exchange.
Gallery
Life inside the AVYEN network.
A glimpse of our volunteers, exchange visits, and community activities in action.
Get involved
Apply for a hosting project or partner with AVYEN.
Browse our 2025–2028 volunteer placements, or reach out if you are a school, donor, or community organisation ready to build impact together.
View Projects Start a Conversation