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In Uganda, many areas are severely lacking in sufficient medical services and HIV/Aids awareness.

Nearly every family in Ugandan villages and townships has had someone who is sick or has died from HIV. Therefore, education continues as an important weapon in the fight against this prolific disease. IVHQ volunteers work alongside local staff to provide awareness programs at both a community level (to schools, community groups and institutions) and at a personal level (with individual counseling and home visits). The program is divided into four areas and volunteers generally participate on these as they are required and where they have experience/where they feel comfortable – HIV/Aids Education and Awareness, HIV/Aids Counseling Training (TOT), Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) and HIV/Aids Community Outreach. Volunteer duties can include the following; Training members of the community to become peer educators in HIV/AIDS, nutrition and to be counselors; Providing outreach to HIV/Aids sufferers, through counseling, cooking, washing clothes, cleaning and delivering food supplies to those infected or affected by HIV/Aids; Compiling information and assisting in printing HIV/Aids awareness materials such as booklets, handouts and brochures which will be given to the Ugandan communities in which you work to prevent the spread and reduce the stigma of HIV/Aids; Educating secondary schools, churches and other community groups about HIV transmission and prevention. This can also include the provision of free HIV blood testing and counseling to schools and other members of the community. NB Due to the specialized knowledge and skills required for the program, volunteers must have a working in history in an HIV/Aids environment or strong background knowledge on the subject.