Health and Safety:

What types of inoculations will I need?
As soon as we confirm your acceptance in the program, it is imperative that you determine which inoculations you still need, and where you can obtain them. For Kenya and Uganda, please refer to our Volunteer Health and Safety section. Be sure to take with you any necessary medication or medical equipment that you may need. Note: In some cases, you may need to be immunized 2-3 months before your departure, so be sure to start as soon as possible.

What if I get sick during my placement?
Your local GIVE project coordinator is well trained in how to handle medical emergencies and will ensure you are well cared for. GIVE INTERNATIONAL projects are located less than 20 minutes from an excellent International Medical Clinic, and we have an excellent relationship with them. For further information, please refer to the Volunteer Health and Safety section.

Will I be safe?
GIVE volunteers live and work in some of the poorest regions on earth, and we encourage passionate and adventurous
individuals to accept this challenge. Obviously, there are certain inherent risks involved within this type of work, but we do our best to prepare our volunteers for these challenges. In fact, apart from the occasional travelers' diarroeah and sprained ankle, we have never had a serious incident or injury. All GIVE volunteer placements have an established
and recognized contingency plan to deal with emergencies, and should it prove necessary, volunteers will be evacuated from the area that they are in. Fortunately, most GIVE projects are in rural areas, and rural areas are usually the safest places to be in times of unrest.

In addition, GIVE INTERNATIONAL representatives keep in close touch with the Canadian High Commission and US Embassy, along with other non-governmental organizations working within the same regions. For further information, please refer to our Volunteer Health and Safety section.