Come to Uganda

A group of children and an adult playing guitar outdoors on a sunny day, sitting and standing around a stone slab with trees and a brick building in the background.

Are you interested in coming to see first hand the work that The Gem Foundation is doing in Uganda?

Come serve with us at the Gem Village! 

You will be an encouragement as you serve alongside our amazing Ugandan staff in loving and caring for the Gems. Additionally, our Gem Village provides many opportunities to share and use your skills and passions. Check out our Giving Community for more information about the different areas within the Gem Village and how you can be a blessing.

Be sure to check out the What to Expect section for additional information. We’d love to talk to you more about serving at the Gem!

Four people, including two children, are joyfully interacting outdoors. One adult, wearing sunglasses and a hat, is holding a young boy in a blue shirt, while another adult, wearing a cap backwards, is reaching out towards the boy. They are smiling and appear to be having fun.

Get Started!

Woman with long dark hair wearing a red soccer jersey holding a boy in a yellow shirt and light blue shorts, with a group of boys in line in the background.

Timeline to Uganda

1. Fill out Inquiry Form

3. Submit Application

5. Team Zoom Call

7. Come to the Gem Village

2. Interview with Staff

4. Weekly Preparation Emails

6. Final Travel Arrangements

8. Post-trip Debrief

A short-term volunteer hanging out with one of our children.

What to Expect

  • In preparation for travel, you will need the following:

    • Your passport should have at least 6 months left when you are traveling.

    • Make an appointment with a travel clinic to discuss necessary vaccinations and medications. You will need the yellow fever vaccine (or waiver) and malaria medication at a minimum.

    • Apply for a Single Entry Tourist Visa 

  • Team fees are $1,450 (which includes a $50 application fee), plus airfare and cost of a team outing.

  • Every time a team comes to the Gem, there are different needs and service projects they may be asked to help with while there, depending on skills, interests, and abilities. However, there are some standards:

    1. Bring donations (clothes, cloth diapers, toys, books, education material, etc.), since those items are difficult to find in Uganda.

    2. Take a group of Gems on an outing (pool, zoo, or botanical garden).

    3. Organize a staff party to thank them for their hard work and show our appreciation. It’s usually a themed party with games and special food. 

    4. Team outing: 2-day safari

    5. Attend a local church service on Sunday and have an opportunity to shop at the craft market in Kampala.

    6. And the most important part of the trip is loving the Gems and helping the nannies with playtime, school time, feeding time, etc.

  • Including travel days, you should expect to be gone approximately 13 days.

  • For 2026, we have 3 teams visiting Gem Village with no more open spots. However, we have just opened our 2027 team calendar, so please fill out the above form to let us know if you’re interested in joining a team.

Already part of a Go Team traveling to the Gem?

Please use this payment form if you have already filled out the online application and are ready to pay your application and/or team fees.

If you are making a donation towards the team fees for a specific team member, please indicate their name in the form.

A woman and a young boy sharing a joyful moment outdoors in a park. The woman has blonde hair tied back and is wearing earrings and a necklace with a round pendant. The boy has a bald head and is wearing a white t-shirt with a design. They are close together, smiling and looking at each other, with a background of green grass, trees, and a pavilion.