Global Health in Uganda (Kabale)

Program participants will find their home away from home in comfortable apartments, screened by CFHI Local Coordinators in Kabale and following CFHI’s health and safety guidelines. The apartments are located in a safe neighborhood in Kabale, only five minutes from the Primary Care Clinic. At the apartment, there will be a local caretaker on site who will cook and provide cleaning. In some cases, CFHI scholars share the apartment and/or a room with fellow program participants.

Going beyond mere lodging, staying in a local apartment provides a unique opportunity to learn about the local culture. Accommodations include two meals per day. At the welcome orientation, participants will be instructed on culture and work etiquette to have the best experience in both the home and the health settings.

Participants should arrive at Kigali International Airport (KGL) in Rwanda. This is the only location where pick-up is provided and it is the closest airport to Kabale (2-3 hours away). The local team will escort participants to southwestern Uganda, across the Rwandan-Ugandan border into Kabale.

All US citizens should apply for an East Africa tourist visa in advance. More information will be provided by CFHI after acceptance into the program.

What’s Included

CFHI Program fees include the majority of your on the ground costs. As a nonprofit, CFHI strives to keep fees low and offers fundraising opportunities, scholarships and discounts.

Pre-Departure Support

• Program advising and support via email, phone, and web meeting from CFHI’s Central Leadership team
• Detailed online Pre-Departure Training that includes modules on program logistics (flights, visas, immunizations, and more), intercultural learning, introduction to health realities at your program site, and much more

On-Site Services

• Airport pick-up upon arrival and transportation with a local CFHI representative to your program lodging
• Welcome orientation 1-2 days after arrival covering safety, transportation, and other logistics
• CFHI Local Team that provides instruction, logistical support, and 24/7 emergency response
• Meetings and lectures on local healthcare system, socio-economic determinants of health and current cultural/historical topics. 
• Placement and coordination of clinical and any public health activities (if relevant)
• Accommodation and two meals per day
• Local cell phone or support obtaining a local SIM card
• International emergency medical and evacuation insurance (unless waived by your university or institution)

Post-Return Resources

• Opportunities to engage as a CFHI Alumni Ambassador, reviewing scholarship applications, speaking on CFHI panels, and more
• Access to CFHI alumni-only social media group/s featuring news and career opportunities related to Global Health
• CFHI alumni newsletter highlighting events, professional development opportunities, resources, and ways to stay involved

Uniquely, 60% or more of CFHI student program fees go directly to the communities they will be visiting, benefiting the local economy at large.

Sarah Drapkin

Hi! My name is Sarah, I participated in the CFHI program in Kabale in 2019. My experience was amazing and motivated me to study Global Health at Princeton University along with History. In my work as a Clinical Research Coordinator at MGB, I hope to address issues of equity, sustainability, and community-based healthcare. Fun fact: I got typhoid while in Uganda (the doctors on the program took great care of me) and two and a half days later I left for a gorilla trek!