Help us empower vulnerable communities on the foothills of Rwenzori Mountains in Kasese, Uganda

Infos

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  Description

  WELCOME!
  
  You can find our organization in Kasese, the largest town in the Rwenzori region (Western Uganda). The town is neibourinng the copper mine at Kilembe, but the economy later turned to cobalt mining. The town of Kasese offers you all you need, from fruit and veggie markets to small restaurants and even possibilities to enjoy nightlife. Besides that, Kasese functions as a gateway to the Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kibale park and the stunning Rwenzori mountains.
  
  This is part of the foundation Uganda programmes where culture, community and local traditions come together in the beautiful foothills of Rwenzori Mountains National park. Volunteers go beyond ordinary tourism and experence Uganada through its people,stories,music crafts,food and local farming traditions, from cultural dance and story telling to handmade crafts, honey,coffee and traditional food , each experience offers an opportunity to learn, participate , connect and share with the local community.
  
  OUR EXPERIENCES.
  
  Welcome to a cultural experience under the foundation Uganda a community based organisation working with communities in kasese on the foothills of Rwenzori mountains National park.
  
  It means xylophone, reflecting our connection to traditional music, dance and cultural heritage.Our troupe brings together school going young cultural ambassadors who are passionate about preserving and sharing the cultural heritage of the Bakonzo and other ugandan communities .
  
  Through traditional dance, music, story telling and cultural exchange, we create an opportunity for visitors and volunteers to experience Uganda from a local perspective.
  
  ■WHAT CAN WORKWAYERS DO
  Volunteers can support and participate in
  ▪︎Traditional dance and music activities.
  ▪︎Cultural exchange with our young performers.
  ▪︎Story telling and cultural documentation.
  ▪︎Photography and videography.
  ▪︎Social media and digital marketing .
  ▪︎Arts , creativity and drama.
  ▪︎Community activities connected to the foundation.
  You dont need to be a professional dancer or cultural expert, we value enthusiasm ,creativity , respect and willingness to learn.
  
  ■WHAT WILL YOU GAIN.
  Your experience is two way cultural exchange .You can learn about:
  ▪︎Bakonzo culture and tradition.
  ▪︎Traditional dance ,music and instruments.
  ▪︎Local stories and community life.
  ▪︎Uganda foods and traditions.
  ▪︎Community based tourism
  ▪︎Life around Rwenzori and Queen Elixabeth National lark.
  At the same time you can share your own culture, skills ,language ,ideas and experiences with our community.
  
  ■WHY VOLUNTEER?
  Your time can help us develop cultural tourism opportunities ,support young people's talent and strengthen the preservation of local heritage.
  Because it works with children, children protection policy and safeguarding are very important to us. Voluntèers are expected to respect our safeguarding procedures,children ,privacy and appropriate boundaries when interacting with young people.
  
  ■WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
  
  ▪︎We welcome friendly, open minded and respectful workwayers who enjoy cultural exchange and community interaction, skills in music, dance, teaching, photography and videography ,social media ,digital marketing ,tourism,story telling , business development ard welcome.
  ▪︎But most importantly come with an open mind, a wilingness to participate and desire to learn.
  ▪︎You may arrive as a volunteer but we hope you leave as a friend with new skills,new stories and a deeper connection to Uganda.
  
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  ■CRAFTS EXPERIENCE
  Welcome to our crafts experience , a community based cultural and creative programme under the foundation Uganda based in kasese on the foothills of Rwenzori mountains national park.
  
  Our crafts experience is designed to connect traditional knowledge with creativity, learning and sustainable community tourism.
  
  ■WHAT WORKWAYERS DO
  
  Volunteers can support and participate in:
  ▪︎Learning and making traditional crafts.
  ▪︎Basket weaving and decorative wearing.
  ▪︎Making crafts from locally available and recycled materials.
  ▪︎Learning about local patterns, colours and cultural meaning
  ▪︎Helping develop new craft products and designs.
  ▪︎Packaging, pricing and displaying crafts
  ▪︎Social media and digital marketing.
  ▪︎Helping connect local crafts with responsibke tourism
  ▪︎Participating in community activities connected to the Foundation.
  You dont need previous craft making experience, our artisans are happy to share their knowledge with volunteers who are interested in learning.
  
  ■WHAT WILL YOU LEARN
  You will discover:
  ▪︎Traditional ugandan craft making technique.
  ▪︎Local materials and how they are prepared.
  ▪︎The cultural meaning behind some handmade products
  ▪︎The daily experiences of some local artisans.
  ▪︎Community based entreprenuership.
  ▪︎How traditional crafts can become sustainable sources of income.
  You can also share your own creative ideas ,skills and experience with artisans.
  Your contribution will help our artisans improve their creativity, presentation, marketing and access to wider market.
  For volunteers it is an opportunity to learn with your hands,meet local people and take part in sometime genuinely connecting to the community.
  
  ■WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
  We welcome workwayers who are:
  ▪︎Creative and curious
  ▪︎Interested in arts and crafts
  ▪︎Interested in sustainable tourism
  ▪︎Good at photography and videography
  ▪︎Experience in social media or digital marketing
  ▪︎Interested in small business and entrepreneurship.
  ▪︎Willing to learn from local artisans.
  No special qualification are required,just bring your creativity, respect and wiĺingness to learn.
  
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  ■STORY TELLERS.
  Welcome to story tellers, a cultural experience under the foundation in kasese district, western Uganda.
  In our communities, stories have traditionally been a way of sharing history, teaching values , entertaining families and passing knowlege from one generation to another.
  
  Story tellers brings traditions to life by sharing local stories, legends, traditional wisdom and everyday community experiences with visitors and volunteers.
  Our story telling experiences gives you the opportunity to sit with local people, listen to ask questions and discover Uganda through the voice of its community.
  
  ■WHAT WORKWAYERS DO.
  Volunteers can participate in activities such as
  ▪︎Listening to and learning traditional stories.
  ▪︎Supporting story telling sessions
  ▪︎Helping document local stories
  ▪︎Photography and videography
  ▪︎Digital story telling and social media
  ▪︎Helping develop stories for visitors and tourists
  ▪︎Support cultural tourism.activities.
  If you enjoy writing, story telling ,history, photography, videography, film making or cultural exchange, there are many ways you can contribute.
  
  ■WHAT WILL YOU LEARN
  
  Through Story tellers, you will discover:
  ▪︎Local history and tradition
  ▪︎Bakonzo cultural heritage
  ▪︎Traditional beliefs and values
  ▪︎Uganda way of life
  ▪︎The importance of oral story telling
  ▪︎How communities preserve knowledge through generation.
  You can also share stories from your own country,making the experience two way cultural exchange.
  As a volunteer, you can help bring these stories to a wider audience while learning directly from the people who know them.
  
  ■WHO ARE LOOKING FOR.
  We welcome workwayers who are:
  ▪︎Curious about different cultures
  ▪︎Good listeners and communicators
  ▪︎Interested in hidtory and story telling
  ▪︎,Creative writters or content creators
  ▪︎Interested in photography and videography.
  ▪︎Experienced in social media management.
  •passionate about cultural preservation and respinsible tourism
  You dont need to be a professional story teller, bring your curiosity,grow your own stories.
  Come and listen to our stories , we believe that every community has stories worth learning
  
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  ■HONEY EXPERIENCE
  
  Honey – From Nature to the Hive
  Welcome to Honey, a community-based honey experience under the foundation Uganda, located in Kasese, western Uganda.
  
  Honey connects visitors and volunteers with the fascinating world of beekeeping, local honey production and community livelihoods. Our honey is locally produced, giving volunteers an opportunity to learn how beekeeping can support families while contributing to sustainable community development.
  
  🌿 WHAT WORKWAYERS CAN DO
  Depending on the season and activities taking place, volunteers can participate in:
  ▪︎Learning about local beekeeping practices
  ▪︎Understanding how bees and honey production work
  ▪︎Supporting honey-related community activities
  ▪︎Learning about honey harvesting and processing
  ▪︎Helping with packaging and presentation
  ▪︎Photography and videography
  Social media and digital marketing
  ▪︎Developing ideas for promoting Honey
  ▪︎Sharing ideas about sustainable small businesses
  ▪︎Volunteers do not need previous beekeeping experience. Our team will guide you through the activities and ensure that safety procedures are followed.
  
  🐝 WHAT WILL YOU LEARN
  Through Honey, you can discover:
  ■How local beekeeping works
  ■The importance of bees to agriculture and the environment
  ■Traditional and modern approaches to honey production
  ■How locally produced honey can create income
  ■Community-based entrepreneurship
  The connection between nature, farming and livelihoods
  You can also share your own knowledge and ideas about food, agriculture, business or environmental conservation.
  
  ❤️ WHY VOLUNTEER WITH HONEY.
  Your contribution can help us improve the development, presentation and promotion of our locally produced honey while supporting community livelihoods.
  It is also a chance to experience a different side of Uganda — not simply as a tourist, but by learning directly from local people and participating in a real community activity.
  🏔️ Our Location
  
  Honey is based around Kikorongo, Kasese District, near the Queen Elizabeth National Park area and the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains.
  The experience can be combined with our other activities, including cultural dance, storytelling and crafts, as well as exploring the natural beauty and communities of western Uganda.
  
  🌟 WHO ARE LOOKING FOR?
  We welcome Workawayers who are interested in:
  Beekeeping and agriculture
  Environmental conservation
  Sustainable livelihoods
  Food production
  Entrepreneurship
  Photography and videography
  Social media and digital marketing
  Community-based tourism
  No previous beekeeping experience is required — curiosity and willingness to learn are what matter most.
  
  🇺🇬 Come and Discover the World of Bees
  Come and learn how something as small as a bee can contribute to nature, food and community livelihoods.
  
  Honey
  Nature • Bees • Community • Livelihoods
  A programme of the foundation Uganda
  Absolutely. Here is a short, engaging Workaway-ready version that matches the style of your other experiences.
  Writing
  
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  ☕ Coffee Experience – From Farm to Cup
  
  Welcome to the Coffee Experience, where you can discover the journey of coffee from the local farm to the cup.
  Coffee is an important part of life and livelihoods for many farming communities in Uganda. Through this experience, Workawayers can meet local people, learn about coffee production and discover the work behind one of the world's favourite drinks.
  
  🌱 WHAT CAN WORKWAYERS DO?
  
  Depending on the season, volunteers can participate in activities such as:
  ●Visiting local coffee gardens
  ●Learning how coffee is grown and cared for
  ●Understanding coffee harvesting
  ●Learning about processing and drying
  ●Exploring traditional and local coffee practices
  ●Taking part in coffee preparation and tasting
  ●Photography and videography
  ●Helping promote local coffee through social media and storytelling
  
  🌍 WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
  You can discover:
  ●How coffee is grown in Uganda
  ●The journey from coffee cherry to finished drink
  ●The role of coffee in local livelihoods
  Small-scale farming and ●entrepreneurship
  ●The importance of sustainable agriculture
  ●The connection between farming, culture and tourism
  You can also share your own experiences and ideas about coffee, farming, business and sustainability.
  
  ❤️ WHY EXPERIENCE COFFEE WITH US?
  This is more than simply drinking a cup of coffee.
  It is an opportunity to meet local farmers, experience rural life, learn about agriculture and understand how local communities turn natural resources into livelihoods.
  
  🏔️ Our Location
  
  The Coffee Experience is based around Kikorongo, Kasese District, near the Queen Elizabeth National Park area and the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains.
  You can combine the coffee experience with our other activities, including cultural dance, storytelling, crafts and honey, while exploring the beauty of western Uganda.
  🇺🇬 Come and Taste Uganda
  Come with curiosity and discover the journey behind your morning cup.
  
  Coffee Experience
  Farm • Culture • Community • Coffee
  A programme of the foundation
  
  We focus on the following groups in society:
  
  Children.
  Health care, nutrition and basic education are basic requirements for the development of a generation capable of change and growth.
  
  Youth.
  Talent enhancement and skill development is needed make this generation a self-reliant one. The future needs independent, strong and creative individuals who will invent the tools and the Ugandan-made solutions to the challenges this country is facing.
  
  Women and girls.
  Education and development of current mothers and future mothers is key to change. Time and energy lost in water fetching, poor health and the combination of single crop farming and climate change are among the obstacles on the

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Bénévolat

  Projets artistiques

  Pratique d’une langue

  Aide avec des éco-projets

  Enseignement

  Jardinage d'entretien

  Projets DIY créatifs

  Aide dans une ferme

  Baby-sitting et jeux créatifs

  Cuisine/repas pour la famille

  Aide à la maison

  Accueil / tourisme

  Aide informatique/internet
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  Centres d’intérêt

  

  Photographie

  

  Musique

  

  Auto-stop

  

  Jardinage

  

  Fitness

  

  Camping

  

  Cyclisme

  

  Sports d'équipe

  

  Nature

  

  Montagne

  

  Randonnée
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  Objectifs de développement durable de l’ONU que cet hôte essaie d'atteindre

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  Qu'est-ce que c'est ?
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  Our volunteers will live in a typical Ugandan family home. They will experience African culture firsthand through living style, food, and daily activities. There are plenty of opportunities to learn Lukonzo from locals. We can also arrange classes for volunteers if there is interest.
  
  On days off, we are happy to arrange trips for our volunteers, including safaris, museums, parks, and other expeditions. There are many sights to see in and around Kasese, where our organization is located.

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  Projets impliquant des enfants

  Ce projet peut impliquer des enfants. Pour en savoir plus, consultez nos directives et conseils ici.

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  Aide

  We are looking for innovative, creative, hands on and autonomous workawayers in the following fields:
  Permaculture and environmental conservation.
  
  For farming and gardening projects, we are looking for innovative engineers in the fields of permaculture and environmental conservation. We need to live up to our responsibilities, even with limited economical resources available in this part of the world, and create a sustainable present for an everlasting future. We are looking to combine environmental conservation and crop variety to fight the disastrous consequences that climate change has on food supply in this region of the world.
  If you have experience in permaculture projects and ecological design or are familiar to irrigation using solar water pumps, please come and join us, we need your knowledge!
  
  Grant and proposal writing.
  
  As we are an NGO, it needs funding. Instead of personal fundraising, we want to focus on funding for projects that will eventually become sustainable. Therefore, we are in search of creative but professional grant and proposal writers, able to find the niches in our projects qualified for one-time big funding.
  
  Education.
  
  Initially, we will need teachers for several subjects who will educate the students, help them unfold their potential to prosper and flourish. Subjects will include the regular ones (math, geography, English, sports, etc.) but also new fields such as theater, French, Spanish and Chinese. Think out of the box and create ideas of how to provide the students (nursery and primary) with the knowledge and tools needed to thrive and change the future of Uganda and possibly Africa.
  
  It is important to know, in case your reason for coming here is linked to your willingness to teach to our students, that the school season goes from February to December. But you can always contact us, so we can give you the most updated holidays or vacations.
  
  Social work.
  
  Always in need of social workers, preferably with experience in developing countries. We are trying to map the challenges faced by (single) mothers and families in rural areas to categorize the main obstacles to a promising and prosperous future. This is not a simply task, since there are many obstacles that can be initially underestimated or even overlooked. Prejudices or a Western-biased attitude create solutions that in the end won't work in Uganda. Therefore, it is crucial to possess cultural empathy, to be very open minded and capable of carefully listening and registering details as if your brain were a tabula rasa.

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  Langues

  Langues parlées
  Anglais: Courant
  Français: Intermédiaire
  Swahili (Kiswahili): Intermédiaire

  Cet hôte propose un échange linguistique
  I would be happy to learn each others languages
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  Hébergement

  We provide accommodation and basic meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) free of charge. We can accommodate vegetarian diets.
  
  Volunteers will share rooms. We are unfortunately unable to provide private rooms for couples.
  
  We happily provide this service and accommodation free of charge to our beloved volunteers for the time during which they are a part of our organization's family.

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  Autres infos...

  Market.
  
  You can find fresh fruits and veggies for your breakfast right next to the accommodation.
  You will understand that it is best to ask first for the price and compare it to our table, because it might happen that you can be charged a tourist price. (Mzungu price)
  
  Pineapple: between 2000/3000 UGX (0,70 EUR; 0,80 USD)
  Avocado: 1 CAD 500 UGX (0,12 EUR; 0,13 USD)
  4 Tomatoes: 1000 UGX (0,25 EUR; 0,26 USD)
  Bananas: 2000 / 5000 UGX (depending on the quantity) (0,50/1,25 EUR; 0,53/1,3 USD)
  
  
  Supermarket.
  
  There are several small supermarkets in Kasese, where you can find everything you need: soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, food, water, soda, toilet paper, sunblock (!), etc. Prices are generally low except for Western products.
  
  
  Restaurants.
  
  There are good restaurants to be found in Kasese, serving traditional food or Western food. You will find a plate of pasta bolognaise for 12000 UGX (3,26 USD; 2,88 EUR), a club sandwich with chips for 15000 UGX (4 USD, 3,60 EUR), a big milkshake for 11000 UXG (2,99 USD; 2,64 EUR) and a refreshing fruit juice or a cold 0.66 Nile beer for 3000 UXG (0,82 USD; 0,72 EUR).
  
  Transport.
  
  There are different ways of traveling from one place to another in Uganda.
  In Kampala you most likely use Uber and Bodaboda. A bodaboda is a motorcycle that functions as a taxi, carrying up to 3 people. It is often a pleasant ride with the possibility of observing the environment with a cooling breeze in your hair. When in Kampala, we suggest downloading the application “SafeBoda”, you can book your Boda and travel around the city safely. When you are in smaller towns like Kasese, we advise you to establish the price before hopping on the bike so as to avoid ugly discussions. With time you will understand the pricing system and how to deal with bodaboda drivers.
  
  Volunteers are entitled to their own transportation. Don’t worry, going around is affordable.
  
  Here you can find some useful prices:
  
  Buses:
  
  Kampala → Kasese : 45000 UXG (11,27 EUR; 11,94 USD)
  Kasese → Fort Portal : 10000 UXG
  
  Bodboda:
  
  
  Home → School/Youth center : 2 people, 4000 UXG (1 EUR; 1,06 USD)
  School/Youth center→ Home : 2 people, 3000 UXG ( 0,75 EUR; 0,80USD)
  Home → Farm : 2 people, 7000 UXG (1,75 EUR; 1,86 USD)
  Farm → Home : 2 people, 5000 UXG (1,25 EUR; 1,33 USD)
  
  As you can see, driving back to town is always cheaper, so be mindful of this whenever you hustle with your Bodaboda driver.
  
  Moving around Kasese with Bodaboda is most likely 1000 UXG (0,25 EUR; 0,27 USD)
  
  
  
  Leisure.
  
  A quick Google (maps) search will show you that Kasese is located in an area with many tourist attractions. Examples of the activities that you can fill your free time with are visiting the several national parks, hiking and trekking in the Rwenzori mountains, relaxing in the natural hot springs or visiting the crater lakes.
  Kasese is next to the Queen Elizabeth National Park, we can help you to organize your safari, where you can stay astonished by the beauty of several animals (from elephants to lions).
  Kalinzu forest is just a two-hours drive away from Kasese, there you can enjoy a beautiful hike along the company of many primates. Chimpanzees are often seen!!
  
  You can truly find different activities to fulfill your free-time and we will be happy to help you to spend an unforgettable time in the Pearl of Africa.
  
  
  
  Visa.
  
  Volunteers are recommended to apply and pay online for the visa they want to obtain. On the website of the government of Uganda you can find information about the different visas, requirements and costs. For a three-month single-entry visa, you'll have to attach a copy of your passport, a recent passport size photograph and a copy of the yellow fever page of your vaccination booklet. The three-month tourist visa costs 50 USD. Other visa possibilities include among others, a multiple entry visa and an East Africa visa (Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya). At the airport in Entebbe they will ask you for proof of yellow fever vaccination, sometimes a cholera non-indicated stamp, and for your printed approval of visa application.
  
  Feel free to ask us for any further information/help.
  
  Diseases/ Health.
  
  The malaria mosquito is alive and buzzing around from sunset to sunrise, so Volunteers are advised to bring enough anti-repellent with DEET. In this area there are not so many mosquitos, but it will depend mostly on the season, but better safe than sorry.
  If you have any doubts, don’t hesitate to contact us.
  You might want to bring your own mosquito net if you are planning to travel around. Regarding other diseases, volunteers are advised to contact the vaccination center in their home country.
  Kasese is provided with numerous pharmacies that work efficiently and where you might find top quality medicine to cure specific diseases, such as malaria.
  
  
  Clothing.
  
  Many travellers ask what clothes they are supposed to bring to Uganda. Of course, it depends on what you're most comfortable in. However, do not think that because this is Africa you needn't bring anything fashionable. People in Uganda dress very well! Colourful dresses, good jeans, branded shirts, shining shoes; Ugandans like to look good. It's possible to wear short clothing like skirts, dresses and shorts, just leave your sexy hot pants home. At the accommodation, you'll probably want to wear thin, short clothing and flip-flops. Keep in mind that items are cheaper here and that you can even have your custom clothing tailored here. You will pick a fabric and explain or even draw what you would like to have (jumpsuit, trousers, jacket) and voila: your personal design clothing..

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Possibilité d’accueillir les digital nomads

  Internet. Currently there is no Wi-Fi at the compound. Workawayers are advised to purchase a Ugandan SIM card with internet bundle. There are different providers of SIM cards with internet bundles and minutes but MTN and Airtel are most common. You can purchase a SIM card upon arrival in Entebbe or Kampala, but there are also possibilities in Kasese. A SIM card including registration free will cost you around 20000 UGX (5,44 USD, 4,80 EUR). The Ugandan mobile system works with mobile money that you put on your phone as it were a mobile wallet. Mobile money can be used to buy internet bundles, to call or to send messages and it's also possible to withdraw or transfer money through your phone. In general, a monthly 10G internet bundle will cost you 50000 UGX (13,59 USD; 12 EUR). In order to use social media in Uganda, you need to pay taxes to the Ugandan government. Monthly social media tax is 6000 UGX (1,63 USD; 1,44 EUR). In Kasese town there are some internet cafes to be found, or if you want to relax while browsing, you can order a coffee in a hotel with Wi-Fi zone.

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  Espace pour garer des vans

  We also provide a space where workawayers can park their vehicles

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Plus de 2

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