Volunteering in Kenya

Volunteering in Kenya

EXIS organizes volunteer work stays in Kenya in collaboration with local NGOs. Volunteering in Kenya is a unique way to explore yourself, discover a country, its culture and people while doing a meaningful job.

You must be at least 18 years old, independent, outgoing and have a sincere desire to do volunteer work. You should expect the unexpected and be flexible and enthusiastic. These are probably the qualities that made you contact EXIS in the first place.

Remember this is not a holiday or a guided tour. It is a unique experience to learn, make new friends and also make a difference with your volunteer work.

Internships are also possible. [email protected]

Board and accomodation

Volunteers will – unless stated otherwise in the work description – be accommodated with the coordinator with full board. Normally it is a double bedroom with another volunteer in the centre of Nairobi.

Kenyan food includes ugali – a kind of porridge made from corn meal; chapatti – bread similar to a tortilla made from wheat flour; irio-porridge of corn, beans, vegetables, potatoes and rice. Volunteers normally share a room.

Below you will find descriptions of the voluntary work places. Tasks and working hours differ from place to place, but are generally between 20-30 hours per week

The Projects in Kenya

Below you can learn about the different projects in Kenya.

Teaching

As a volunteer you will be motivating, inspiring and expanding the horizon of the children. No special qualifications are needed. But is it, of course, necessary that you have knowledge about the subjects you teach. That could be English, math, physics, sports etc.

All public and private schools in Kenya teach in English. Volunteers get help and guidance before they start work. It is also expected that you help the children with homework and participate in administrative work.

Examples of tasks:

• Teaching English
• Administrative tasks
• Participate in school activities
• Any other tasks suggested by the teachers

School holidays
The educational system has three terms per year in primary and secondary schools. Dates for the school terms (semesters) are as follows:

Term 1: 4th Jan – 8th April
Term 2: 2nd May – 5th August
Term 3: 5th Sept. – 18th Nov.

Vocational training and rehabilitation

Kenya’s vulnerable youth need careful attention to assist them to become responsible citizens who can play a productive role in society. This NGO has a short term program (one year) with the focus on returning boys from the street either back to family, to mainstream schools, employment and/or industrial attachments that will lead to employment.

The overall objective is to contribute to the improvement of the communities in the Mukuru slums of Nairobi by assisting the community towards self-sufficiency.

Various projects are run in the slums i.e. informal education, vocational training, health etc. The poorest of the poor live here and the work is not always easy. Street children projects focus mainly on rehabilitating children from the streets through education, drama, feeding centres etc.

The NGO supports 4 primary schools, a rehabilitation centre for up to 65 boys who participate in the one year long program, a medical clinic with a HIV/AIDS testing centre, a community based Skills Centre for up to 60 students, a secondary school sponsorship programme and an adult education programme.

Your tasks will be, depending on your skills:

• Assist children in classroom and after school with their homework
• Arrange activities like dancing, games
• Cleaning and repairing the children’s surroundings, clothing, shoes, etc.
• Take part in clubs like, reading, spelling bees, drama, music and dancing
• Help children with personal hygiene

Working hours are 20-30 hrs. per week from Monday to Friday.

Hospital

St. Mary’s hospital was founded especially to offer treatment to the poor population in Nairobi. It has a 150 inpatient capacity and covers all major specialities. Volunteers, interns, nursing and medical students can work at the following departments: radiology, gynaecology, paediatrics, ophthalmology, HIV/AIDS counselling and ARV therapy, diabetic clinic and maternal and child health care.

There may also be opportunities to attend outreach sessions at rural areas. Your tasks will of course depend on your education and experience. For technical and insurance related reasons, the hospital cannot allow you to perform operations, even though you should have the necessary qualifications. But observations are allowed, so you can learn how Kenyan physicians work.

You will have to expect completely different working methods, mainly due to traditions, lack of equipment and resources. Volunteers and interns will not be obliged to work on Sundays, but if your internship requires more hours, you are more than welcome to do so. You will agree upon a time table for your entire stay, with a member of staff.

Medical/HIV-AIDS Program

Every year AIDS takes the lives of thousands of Kenyan children and adults. An estimated 900,000 Kenyans are infected with HIV/AIDS. There is a great need for information about HIV/AIDS in order to increase awareness in the local communities and thus change attitudes.

Organizations offering help to HIV positive children and their families operate in several Nairobi slum areas.

They counsel and test the local population, give antiretroviral medical treatment, educate caregivers, establish nutrition programs and fundraise.

Their goal is to reduce the number of HIV/AIDS cases and improve quality of life for about 3000 HIV positive children and about 15,000 family members. Experience has shown that help and counselling at home has a positive effect and is cheaper than hospital care.

Examples of tasks:

• Home visits
• Distribute food to patients
• Counsel patients and their families
• Teach hygiene and nutrition
• Infection-prevention counselling

Volunteers with medical experience can work at the HIV clinic and will have the following tasks:

• Distribute medicine
• Treat injuries
• Laboratory work
• Other odd tasks at the clinic
• CD4 counts

Cirkus

In Nairobi there is professional acrobatic training program for teens and youth from Nairobi’s slums.
They practice handstands, juggle and perform acrobatic acts on the trapeze, unicycle and tight rope. The slum area is a busy residential and market area just outside central Nairobi. Half of the population of about 320,000, lives below the poverty line. Residents face problems such as a lack of adequate housing, water shortages, sanitation and waste removal issues. Many families cannot afford to pay school fees for their children.

The”Circus Academy” is a professional acrobatic training program for children and teens. It provides an alternative space for them to engage in the arts, sports and learn a lucrative trade. For two years, room and board is provided. Through their outreach program, the students teach workshops with kids in the slum area and perform at local schools. This project is part of a series exploring the role of sports and art as part of re-education for those who have experienced traumas from violent conflict or from the daily grinding of poverty.

For volunteers with gymnastic or circus experience, this would be a unique place to work and help out.

Nursing homes

Kenyan nursing homes are in need of interns and volunteers to help the staff taking care of the residents. Traditionally the older generation has been living with and being cared for by their family. This tradition has however over the last decades changed dramatically and today there is a great need for nursing homes in the Kenya.

Many older people have lost children and grandchildren to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Furthermore many young people move to other regions with job possibilities, leaving their elderly relatives behind. This increases the need for assistance and care.

An Irish nun, named Sister Hellena, decided in the early 90’s to do something about this serious situation and set up a nursing home in Nairobi. In order to provide the residents of this home better care, the staff needs helping hands from interns and volunteers, both for practical tasks and for providing care and warmth to the elderly.

You will be helping with:

• Feeding
• Providing personal care
• Distribution of medicine
• Physical activities
• Personal hygiene
• Spending quality time with the inhabitants

Music School

In Mombasa there is a music school for underprivileged children. This school works with neighbouring children’s centre’s located at the Bombolulu slums. Western music is not new to anyone here but most of these kids have never seen a piano, or even knew a saxophone existed.

Many of the children reached by this program have experienced extreme poverty and violence. The children are aged 4 to 17 years and follow piano, guitar, drums, saxophone and singing lessons.

Volunteers with musical skills are welcome to help the teachers. Volunteers will be working from 9:00am to 3:00pm Monday to Friday. The school has 4 decent rooms at the music school and can accommodate up to 8 volunteers. You will get 3 meals a day at school.

National Park

The Nairobi National Park is part of the Kenyan Wild life service unit, located in Langata only 7 km from the city center. This park is a new conservation based recreation facility with an extraordinarily rich and unique animal and plant life. The park was established to protect Kenya’s wild life that is under great pressure, due to the fact that natural areas are being converted into agriculture. Kenya is the only country in Africa with a national park within the city environment. The combination of skilled and creative landscape design, unique wildlife species offers perfect possibilities for tourism and conservation education.

You will get a taste of Kenya’s rich fauna, including the rare bongo, white rhino, albino zebra, a collection of cats, antelopes and primates. The park is also home to a collection of 150 species of local trees.
The park needs veterinary doctors, students and dedicated volunteers to help with the many daily odd tasks. Experience is not required. Previous experience with working with animals is not required.
Example of tasks:

• Daily feeding of the animals
• Preparing educational material
• Assist in handling visitors
• Distributing medicine to animals
• Monitoring the animals
• Guiding visitors on how to feed the animals
• Administration
• Tree planting and watering of the nurseries
• Supporting staff in any other conservation activities