More photos from this internship can be found here.
PROMETRA Uganda, founded in 2000, is a non-governmental organization whose mission is to promote traditional medical knowledge and practices for improved health through mutual cooperation amongst health systems. Its vision is to see a healthy, well informed productive population. Interns will engage in community outreach activities in areas of health, environmental conservation, and ecological organic farming basing on indigenous knowledge and culture.
PROMETRA Uganda is affiliated with PROMETRA International whose headquarters are in Dakar, Senegal. PROMETRA International has 26 chapters worldwide.
PROMETRA Uganda, founded in 2000, is a non-governmental organization whose mission is to promote traditional medical knowledge and practices for improved health through mutual cooperation amongst health systems. Its vision is to see a healthy, well informed productive population.
PROMETRA Uganda is affiliated with PROMETRA International whose headquarters are in Dakar, Senegal. PROMETRA International has 26 chapters worldwide.
PROMETRA Uganda has five main objectives, which include:
The activities of PROMETRA Uganda include
An intern would participate in activities such as research and information management, publicity and advocacy, collaboration and networking, monitoring and evaluation, mobilizing and organizing traditional healers, and community to community exchange programs. An intern would be expected to assist the PROMETRA Uganda team in any activity by bringing both an open mind and outsider’s perspective to the project.
Students interested in social and ecological sustainability may find this internship of interest.
*This fee is based on a 10-12 week internship, includes housing and food
**Costs vary depending on individual medical history and insurance coverage. Consult your healthcare provider
*3 meals/day included in Host Site Fee
The host site fee for PROMETRA includes:
Interns will be based at PROMETRA’s field site the Forest School of Traditional Healers, in rural Buyijja Uganda
“I feel like my time here in Uganda has contributed immensely to my personal development and goals. I have made drastic progress in my cultural perspective of developing countries and their healthcare. I have made personal connections with people here in Uganda and have taken the opportunity to utilize their input and knowledge...”
-Madelyn Miller, Oregon State University
“This internship has indeed provided me with the insight and perspective that I initially sought. Having lived in a village in rural Uganda and worked amongst traditional health practitioners throughout their training and treatment of patients for the past three months, I was able to see the importance of traditional medicine as well as the many barriers preventing rural Ugandans from accessing adequate health care services to maintain their health. PROMETRA – Uganda was relevant to my own pursuits because their approach to promoting health is holistic and deeply rooted in the traditional culture of the people they serve. Their programs are developed upon and driven by the expressed needs of their beneficiary populations. Their approach also encapsulates the entire scope of health, including physical, mental, social, and most importantly, the spiritual aspect. Spirituality is the backbone of traditional medicine and traditional culture making it an extremely important component for health promotion programs to take into consideration. Gaining a deeper understanding into culture and the importance of cultural-competency was also invaluable...
The first few weeks of my stay in Uganda were a process of acclimating, lowering some standards, and forcing myself to remain open to every new experience…By the fourth or fifth week of my internship, however, I experienced a transformation. What once overwhelmed and perturbed me became a general component of my everyday life and I learned how to go with the flow. I found it most rewarding to accept the differences and live the way that my community lived. It allowed me to really understand and appreciate their way of life.”
-Elizabeth Ragan, Oregon State University
“…I have worked alongside the PROMETRA Uganda team in research, information and documentation gathering, training and capacity building, and mobilization activities, and more. Through my internship experience, I learned how an NGO manages its activities and daily routines. I worked side-by-side with PROMETRA Uganda staff members in many different activities and in doing so, I learned a great deal about teamwork. I developed my skills in how to work with multiple people with different perspectives and attitudes…”
-Ann Tezak, University of Montana
Summer: January 25
Fall: April 15
Winter: September 1
Spring: November 15
-Students studying within all arts and science fields such as medicine, forestry, conservation, anthropology, agriculture, business, sociology, psychology, economics, journalism, education, research, botany, and international development.