our work
about us
In January of 2005, fourteen UW-Madison students studied abroad in Uganda , a small country in eastern Africa filled with beautiful landscapes and beautiful people. This study abroad experience not only opened our eyes to a rich culture and history, but also to the many problems of a developing country. The necessities that one may take for granted, such as clean drinking water, food security, and physician availability, are daily struggles for the majority of Ugandan citizens.
While we were studying, we saw things that left lasting impressions: young children climbing down into stagnant water pits to collect drinking water, long lines of people waiting hours to be seen at an AIDS clinic, and scores of small children whose bellies were swollen due to malnutrition. After seeing things like this, the group collectively felt a sense of helplessness and futility. We were there but could do nothing to help the people we saw. Upon returning to the United States we felt compelled to take action. Our goals were to find ways to make a difference in the lives of Ugandan people and also to provide future study abroad students with hands-on opportunities to help while in Uganda . Since then, we have established the Village Health Project at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a means to help us reach our goals.
overview
We are a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. VHP is also a registered student org. at the University of Wisconsin -Madison, though we do not receive funds from the university.
note
The VHP website is currently undergoing an update and redesign. We appreciate your patience during this process. We hope you will check back with us soon!