We are excited that you are interested serving others as a U-VOL medical mission outreach volunteer in Nigeria, July 5-15th, 2024!  Nigeria is the most populous country within Africa with a population of approximately 170 million people. It is also the third most multilingual city in the world. It is noted to have a rich cultural heritage and history, as well as, a diverse landscape including mountain ranges, beaches, tropical forests, city skyline and even deserts. Nigeria is located in Western Africa on the Atlantic Ocean and is bordered by 4 countries. This will be a great opportunity to share hope & healing to others while making a lasting impact!

Overview

Healthy women and children are the base for healthy and thriving societies both now and in the future. Women in particular are most often the foundational pillars of both families and communities, which means that their health and well-being is essential for the success of those around them. Adequate healthcare in the village we are serving in is rare, and the needs are tremendous. Our primary goal of this trip is to help improve residents’ access to Women’s and Maternal-Child healthcare and health education. On this outreach we will help many of the sick and hurting who would otherwise go without much needed treatment. We will set up primary healthcare clinic with additional specialty sections focused on on women’s health, maternal health and newborn care. We’ll treat patients’ needs of all ages as they present. At the clinic, medical volunteers will provide general women’s care (including primary care), newborn care, and maternal care, all while strengthening the knowledge and skills of the local doctors, nurses, midwives and community health workers. In addition, our teams will also treat commonly encountered conditions within the area, such as malaria, typhoid, intestinal parasites, cholera, diarrhea, tuberculosis, measles and skin conditions. You will also help provide general health screenings, education and treatment for chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.

Health education is vital. You and the rest of the volunteer team will also help to educate the community on how to stay healthy and how to care for their loved ones, by providing education on topics such as general hygiene, sexual reproductive health, pre and post-natal health, infant care, medication management, when to seek medical attention, and proper wound care, for example.

Transport/Lodging

The team will be lodging securely in a modern hotel in Abuja and within a clean communal housing setting within Otukpo LGA(local government area), Benue State, Nigeria dedicated to our volunteers. Our lodging destination in Benue State is approximately a 3 and a half hour drive drive from Abuja, Nigeria. Volunteers will be shuttled by safe and trustworthy drivers to and from the airport, to lodging destinations, and daily to the clinic site. The safety and protection of our volunteers is paramount to us. As an extra layer of security, onsite security will be present during transport, at lodging sites within Benue and daily at the clinic.

Volunteer Costs

Cost: $950 per participant. Group Rate: $600 per participant (Registered Groups of 4 or more-*Note Groups must register at the same time under one group name).
Cost covers: Daily Meals, clean bottled water, Lodging, Ground Transportation within Nigeria(includes transport to and from the airport), Interpreters, Security, U-VOL Foundation Outreach T-shirt, and post mission excursion experience costs*. Total fees are due no later than 4 weeks prior to the medical mission.

Volunteers are also responsible for their own flight costs. Estimated roundtrip typically ranges from $800-$1400 depending on your departure city and the time of year. The registration is paid to U-VOL Foundation Inc, and you will pay the travel agent we use directly for your flight. U-VOL Foundation has partnered with the travel management company, Diversity Travel, for medical mission travel bookings. They offer extra flexibility and humanitarian fees.

***Since a portion of the costs help in funding the medical missions, we are unable to waive program fees or provide program fee reductions. We encourage those for whom the cost of attending a medical mission presents a financial challenge to fundraise for program fee or flight costs. Please contact volunteer@u-volfoundation.org for more information on fundraising for the program fee or flight costs.

Volunteer Requirements

-Volunteers must be ages 18 and over.

-For medical volunteers, medical credentials must be valid for the duration of the medical mission(This includes all licensed clinicians (ie-Nurses, Doctors, Pharmacists etc).

-Non-medical volunteers are also need in a variety of service capacities and are welcome to apply.

-Program fees must be paid in full at least 4 weeks before the medical mission.

A $450 non-refundable deposit is due upon application approval and will be subtracted from total program fees.

-All Program fees paid are considered donations are non-refundable.

-Valid Passport. Passport must be valid for the duration of your trip. *(You are responsible for securing your own visa, if required for your country of citizenship. You are also responsible for confirming that your passport meets entry requirements and that you have proper documentation to reenter the U.S. (i.e. valid Permanent Resident Card).

-Volunteers must be able to withstand up to 95 degrees F without air conditioning.

Before you apply review our Application Process.

History of our work in Nigeria