Frequently Asked Questions

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Our Group Mission can be a maximum of 2 weeks long (usually 7 to 10 days) depending on the needs in the field and supply availability.

The length of an individual mission ranges from a minimum of 2 weeks up to 6 months with the possibility to extend after that period of time at the request of the volunteer.

A nonrefundable registration fee of 150 must be paid once your application is accepted. The program fee of $750 /week will be due in full at least 60 days prior to departure. Program fees will cover:

• Costs associated with the clinic (medical supplies, 
• Lodging
• Transportation
• Food
• Tips for services provided to the UMA team
• All logistics, including translation services and security as needed

Additional Cost the Volunteer is Responsible for:

• International and domestic flights to Togo. You have the option to fly independently, or on a group flight with UMA
• Passport fees, visa fees, and transit fees, including baggage or overnight accommodations/meals while in transit
• Required or recommended insurance
• Vaccinations and medications common for travel
• Spending money for souvenirs and personal purchases
• Required or desired mission supplies, personal equipment, or small gifts for the special people you meet
• Any lodging, meals, and transportation outside of the scheduled team mission, payable at the time of service to the local vendor
• COVID-related fees such as testing, vaccinations, and quarantines as required by in-country arrival/departure or USA arrival/departure

For more information please contact us. 

A nonrefundable registration fee of $85 must be paid once your application is accepted. The program fee of $1165 will be due in full at least 60 days prior to your departure.

The program fee covers:

• Costs associated with the clinic (medical supplies, Medicine and accessories)
• Lodging
• Transportation
• Food
• Tips for services provided to the UMA team
• All logistics, including translation services and security (as needed)

Additional Cost the Volunteer is Responsible for:

• International and domestic flights to Togo. You have the option to fly independently, or on a group flight with UMA
• Passport fees, visa fees, and transit fees, including baggage or overnight accommodations/meals while in transit
• Required or recommended insurance
• Vaccinations and common medications for travel
• Spending money for souvenirs and personal purchases
• Required or desired mission supplies, personal equipment, or small gifts for the special people you will meet
• Any lodging, meals, and transportation outside of the scheduled team mission, payable at the time of service to the local vendor
• COVID-related fees such as testing, vaccinations, and quarantines as required by in-country arrival/departure or USA arrival/departure

For more information, please  contact us. 

• Minimum age of 18 years old at the mission start date
• Have an unexpired passport and necessary documents to apply for a visa. 
• Participant must be able to provide a clean background check if necessary.
• Up- to- date on recommended vaccines including, but not limited to, yellow fever, typhoid fever, rabies, meningococcal meningitis, Cholera, hepatitis B, covid, and flu.
• Able to purchase health and travel Insurance
• Speaking French or other local languages is not necessary but having a basic level of French will enhance your overall experience. (A translator is always available)
• Licensed or auxiliary  healthcare professional. (If currently a medical/nursing student, must be active in your program for at least 2 years.
• Ability or willing to work in a chaotic, rural and under-equipped environment.
• Experience in wound care, acute care, critical care, medication administration and previous medical mission experience is an asset.
• Must agree to attend training sessions in preparation for the mission.
• Be able to pay program fee and ensure own expenses: (Flights and Visa fees, vaccinations, travel and health Insurance, and other personal expenses (souvenirs, internet, phone, transportation, etc.))

             Click here to Apply now

While volunteering on the medical mission in Togo you’ll be adding value to the local community by:

• Helping rural communities’ access to vital healthcare 
• Educating local people on important health issues
• Learning new skills, gaining more worldly and medical experiences, and networking with other medical professionals
• Developing your communication skills
• Immersing yourself in the Togolese way of life (culture, tradition, food, language, clothing, and history)
• Exploring Togo’s small rural towns and learning their unique way of life.
• Gaining experience in volunteering, contributing to a meaningful cause and learning a great deal about the challenge others are facing on a daily basis.

                Click here to Apply now 

When you arrive at your volunteer destination, you’ll be met at the airport by a member of our local team who will take you directly to the mission site.

All volunteers complete an in-country Program Orientation, which includes a detailed briefing about the mission site and the community to be served, as well as guidance around using transportation, accessing nearby amenities, free time activities and identifying any risks that are specific to your location. Our local team is available 24/7 to provide direct support.

As a volunteer, you will work with local healthcare professionals for an average of 5 hours per day, Monday through Friday with occasional Saturdays. You will also have the opportunity to participate in local outreach programs with other healthcare professionals in community centers or schools. 

Upon completion, every volunteer will receive certification of mission completion. 

Official Name: Republic of Togo or Togo

Capital: Lomé (located in the extreme southwest of Togo and extends along the coast of Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Ocean) Population: about 1.8 million(2020).

Time Zone: UTC + 00:00

Currency: West African CFA franc (XOF) 

Language: French (Official language), Ewe (Spoken predominately in the southern regions of the country but can be found throughout the country), Kabye (spoken in the northern regions), and many more dialects.

Total area: 57,000 km2 (about 22,000 sq. miles).

Population: About 8.6 million(2020). Most people live in small villages scattered throughout the rural areas. 

Independence Day: April 27th, 1960

Geographic Location: West Africa between Burkina Faso to the North, Atlantic Ocean to the South, Benin to the East and Ghana to the West.

Climate: Togo has a tropical climate. In the south,  the rainy seasons occur from mid-April through June and from mid-September through October. The north has only one rainy season from June to the end of September. 

Mean annual temperatures vary from the high 70s F (mid-20s C) along the coast and in the mountains to the low 80s F (high 20s C) on the northern plateau. Daily minimum temperatures reaching the high 60s F (low 20s C) are recorded in the mountains in August. Daily maximum temperatures reach the low 100s F (high 30s C) occur in the north during March and April at the end of the long dry season.

Some Cultural Practices:

- It is best to use your right hand or both hands to give and receive , as 

the left hand is mostly considered unclean.

- There are about 37 different ethnic groups in Togo in which Ewe, Mina, and Kabye are the largest with so many cultural practices.

- Extended eye contact can be taken as an affront or a challenge to authority. It is often considered more polite to have only sporadic or brief eye contact, especially between people of different social rank (like a student and a teacher, or a child and his elder relatives).