Thinking of donating to local projects, visiting a school, or giving away goodies to the locals? Make sure you donate responsibly and be aware of the possible counter effects. Read this article with some advice to consider when visiting Uganda.
Do not hand out money, clothes, pens, sweets, etc. to children. However cute and poor these kids may be, it encourages begging and a distorted view of foreign tourists. Instead, show genuine interest, play and talk as you would with children from your own country.
If you want to bring goods to distribute in Uganda, please consult a local organization on how best to do this. Consider whether you can buy these goods in Uganda instead, to support the economy. As for leaving stuff behind in your room: usually it's better to give it to the lodge manager than leave it for the maid to find, which might lead to friction among the staff.
Most lodges have a tipping box and distribute tips equally among all the staff. If you enjoyed the service, just be generous and contribute to the tipping box. As for your driver, guide, or ranger, tipping is highly appreciated.