Ssamba Foundation

I have spent two months in Kyampisi. This has been the best time of my life. The people are so cordial, I directly felt like being home. Once I got to Uganda, everyone was very happy to help and very supportive. I had an amazing time at my project teaching Spanish.

I worked in a local high school and helped the classroom with Spanish lessons, I taught 3 classes. The children were eager and motivated to learn. I was encouraged by Mr. Ssamba to teach Spanish lessons and it turned out to be a really good experience and I enjoyed to be a teacher although that were really exhausting days.

At the end of my volunteer project, I ended my time here with a weeklong safari to Bwindi for Gorilla trekking experience and Queen Elizabeth national park, all organized by Mr. Ssamba.

After the school teaching, I went to the gardens and I always joined the family on farm work, planting beans, matooke (bananas), and feeding the chicken at the volunteer house. Sandy my sister who runs the house was a wonderful host throughout my stay and she is the kindest most loving person you can imagine.

The people I have met have all been so wonderful and with the biggest hearts. There is so much to see and do here. I am very sad to leave Kyampisi, it has been the most humbling, eye opening and wonderful experience. Thank you to everyone who has opened their hearts to me. Uganda truly is a very beautiful place.

My trip to Uganda with Ssamba Foundation was incredible. I went for six weeks, and enjoyed every moment of it!! The activities were explorative, the wildlife was mind-boggling, the scenery was awe-inspiring and the staff were utterly fantastic.

This is not my first time volunteering but it is my first time volunteering anywhere abroad. At first, I didn’t know what to expect so I was a little apprehensive but pleasantly surprised when I got there. As an Aussie I can confirm this is the best free volunteer program in Uganda and in the world.

The teaching out there is challenging and rewarding, especially when you get to talk to the locals and begin to understand how much difference you can make to improve lives.
I can honestly say that “I really did not want to leave!”. I hope that, when you consider doing this project, you understand that yes it is an adventure and yes it is a once in a life time experience; but also you get as much as you put in.

The whole experience was brilliant for me. Simply living in the rural jungle and going back to basics, cooking lunch and dinner for each other every day and enjoying a truly communal atmosphere was totally unique and wonderful.

I learnt so much from the endless knowledge of the staff members, more especially Hon. Isaac Ssamba, the Founder and George my daily contact, and learnt even more about myself from simply going out there on my own and seeing how I coped. I took some excellent photos, I grew as a person and I made some now beloved friends in the process.

I would highly recommend this project for anybody who is outgoing, adventurous and enjoys having simply an amazing time.

My name is Julie; I am an American university student who volunteered with Ssamba Foundation this past summer. Isaac asked me to leave a review by sharing my experience with his organization, I am glad to do so. Like other participants who shared their experiences here, volunteering in Uganda was an amazing life changing experience, and I would 100% do it again given the opportunity.

I was nervous going to a place so different from anywhere I had ever been before, without my family or anyone I knew, for four weeks, but the support from Isaac made it seem possible. From the get-go, he answered all my questions by e-mail and WhatsApp. He sent me all the information I needed to know, so that I felt prepared for my trip to Uganda.

While in Uganda, I stayed with his family at Kalaji, a small town north of Mukono. Isaac also arranged the safari trips for the volunteer team to Queen Elizabeth and Murchison falls national parks, we also visited Jinja to see the source of river Nile.

I worked with a microcredit program with local women groups in the surrounding villages of Kalaji, helping them design business plans. I was able to meet and work with the local people, as well as with other volunteers from all over the world.

I would recommend Ssamba Foundation for anyone looking to volunteer abroad for the first time! The best moment of the experience- its free, I paid 200$ donation to confirm my stay and that was all (we paid for safaris separately). I covered my flights, visas, insurance and all logistics of the trip.

Thank you Isaac and your team for the giving me the opportunity to serve and explore Uganda.

Isaac Ssamba started Ssamba Foundation, a community-based organization that change lives in Mukono, central Uganda in 2006. He started to empower the vulnerable rural communities of Mukono district.

Today, Ssamba Foundation has grown into one of the biggest community-owned charities in Mukono, Uganda. Ssamba and his team offer free charitable support in the community, from building classrooms for village school, constructing boreholes for the community to get clean water to supporting women with skills and capital to start on the independent life.

I was lucky to volunteer with Ssamba Foundation for a few months. During that period, I saw several lives being changed; vulnerable youth helped to join vocational skills training institutions, orphans and vulnerable children enrolled to school, people with HIV given a new hope for living and helpless children being given their first formal lessons and dressing.

I have no doubt in my heart, Isaac Ssamba is my hero. A super hero he is!

Having spent the last couple of months on this project in Uganda, I can honestly say it has been one of the best and most rewarding experiences of my life. The location of the projects is fantastic, a remote Ugandan village covered in gardens and farmlands, the chance to mix with the locals and get a real feel for Ugandan culture.

The home life is basic but is a welcome relief and is what traveling and project work like this is all about. Getting to eat local food direct from the land was fantastic and being able to cook as a family was great and a real bonding activity. The people you live with become your best friends and family and you get to experience so much together.

I had an amazing time and really enjoyed this project, it was a culture shock when we first arrived however Isaac briefed us on what to do and where to go. I recommend future volunteers make sure that they carry more than enough insects’ repellant

I can't recommend this project enough and look forward to coming back again soon! If you want to experience real Ugandan culture, make friends for life and contribute to a project that is really helping change people’s life and the environment then you should choose Ssamba Foundation, Isaac is doing some amazing work in his community!

The connections I made with other volunteers and the community members will never be forgotten. Mr. Ssamba (the founder) is incredibly kind and caring and made me feel so welcome and safe. I did the community outreach program with other local and western volunteers and this was awesome because the children and the women were so sweet and welcoming.

This experience truly made me a better person, taught me new things and has allowed me to see the world differently. I was able to discover a completely new culture and community.

Isaac offered us unbelievable support during our stay. Every concern or query we raised was dealt with immediately and he and his family went out of their way to make sure all our needs were met and we were comfortable and happy on all levels - offering physical and emotional support whenever needed.

Sandy was fantastic! She made the most amazing meals, served us tea, took care of us when we were ill and was there for us all day every day and night with a smile on her face.

Isaac also organized our Murchison Falls Safari which was fantastic, memorable and affordable! Very well organized, and wonderful sightseeing.

Overall this is one of this is a great organization making real positive impact. Highly recommended to anyone interested in visiting Uganda!!