Agriculture Study Abroad

Focus

Creating a School Garden: Service Learning in Uganda

Description

This service learning project in Uganda allows for undergraduate students from Iowa State University (ISU) and Makerere University (MU) in Uganda to work with and learn from primary school agriculture programs in Kamuli, a rural district in Uganda. Students assist with the development of a school garden and work with the teachers in grades 1 through 7 to develop curriculum to promote the study of agriculture, science, health and nutrition to the children at primary schools through the garden and independent team projects.

At ISU the program is led by the Departments of Horticulture, NREM, and ABE, and the Global Resource Systems program of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) working in close collaboration with two other CALS units: the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) and the Agriculture Study Abroad Office. In addition, this program benefits from extensive collaboration with VEDCO, a Ugandan NGO focused on rural development and actively working in the Kamuli district.

Professors from both universities guide the students through all stages of the program including pretrip preparation, in-country experiences, and disseminating what they have learned when they return to their home. Students spend the spring semester at their university preparing for the program by learning about Uganda and the goals of the program, and planning their assistance to the primary schools’ agriculture curriculum and developing their independent projects.

Program prerequisites

Students are required to have previous experience developing and completing an independent project. All students will be considered but preference will be given to students who have had international experience, students in the following subject areas: horticulture, nutrition, engineering, agronomy and ag-related social sciences, and students who are not graduating seniors since they will be required to report and promote the program during the 2009/10 academic year, and students who demonstrate flexibility, capabilities in the field and independence.

Criteria for selection (skills and additional requirements)

Students must be able to tolerate a variety of living conditions including but not limited to limited access to running water and electricity, heat and humidity, physical labor of working in a garden or agricultural field, and working with people of diverse backgrounds.

Travel itinerary: 

The group will fly into Entebbe, spend approximately two days in the capital Kampala, meeting their partners from Makerere University and participating in orientation.

On day three, the students will travel from Kampala to Kamuli District (about three hours north of the capital). The students will spend the next approx. three+ weeks living in rural Kamuli District, spending each day working on their internship projects and working at the schools in the school gardens and teaching agriculture, nutrition or science classes under direction of the local teachers. Daily activities will vary as each student has different projects. There will be planned group excursions during a weekend.

The final four days of the program, students will return to Kampala for a debriefing and
wrap-up session before leaving Uganda and includes a presentation at Makerere
University.

Please click here for FAQ's about this program.

Enrollment Limit: 6

Application Deadline: 12/4/2009

Term: Summer 2010   Travel Departure Date: 6/4/2010  Travel Return Date: 7/10/2010

To apply for this program, please go to http://isuabroad.iastate.edu/

Program Cost Description:

Program Fee - $975 (YES, YOU READ THIS CORRECTLY – ONLY $975!) which includes airfare, lodging, all meals, all in-country transportation, program coordination and emergency travelers’ insurance
Other Fees - 1) $10 program application fee to the Ag Study Abroad office; 2) $105 study abroad administrative fee charged by Study Abroad Center; 3) tuition and fees for 4 credits during summer 2010
Out of Pocket Personal Cost - 1) passport which costs $100 if you don't already have one; 2) visa ($50); 3) spending money estimated at $200; 4) health insurance if you are not covered on your existing policy; and 5) immunizations (varies based on what you already have).

Program fee, tuition and fees, and the $105 administrative fee will be applied directly to your Ubill in summer 2010. 

Specific Summer 2010 Scholarship

Students who participate in this program will receive the College of Ag and Life Sciences Summer Global Scholars scholarship. CALS students will get approximately $960 and Non-CALS students will get approximately $720. Students don't need to apply for this scholarship. It will be automatically applied to students' Ubills. You could be eligible for additional scholarships, so don't forget to check out other opportunities.