Description:
Kenya offers a wide range of volunteering opportunities, allowing for individuals to apply any skills they have, or adapt new ones. Volunteers can choose from teaching, working with orphans, sports education, HIV/AIDS work, music education, women's education, and medical treatments and education. Placements are available in both the urban and rural parts of the country. Volunteer NOW through International Volunteer HQ's partner organization in Kenya!
* Teaching
Volunteers are placed in community schools, public schools or orphanage schools. Many of the schools we work with are constantly understaffed and are always in need of new volunteers. In this program, volunteers can work by themselves or alongside other teachers and volunteers. Typical subjects taught include English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Art and Physical Education. School in Kenya runs for three terms a year (Term One - January to March, Term Two - May to July, Term Three - September to November). There are short breaks between these terms in the months of April, August and December during which time volunteers can take a break, travel, engage in tourist activities such as safari, take tutorials for senior students, or participate in another placement. N.B. Volunteers DO NOT need to be a qualified or experienced teacher.Dagorretti Primary School - This school is located approximately 10 minutes out of Kibera and provides education for over 300 children ranging age from 5-15. Similar to many schools in this area, there is a desperate shortage of teachers and professional to help educate the children.
* Orphanage Work
Due to the high incidences of poverty and illness orphanages in Kenya can host 50-300 children at any one time and there is always a high demand for more volunteer assistance. Volunteers who work in an orphanage help with general work and daily chores. This work ranges from cooking and cleaning to farm work, assisting with feeding programs, caring for children and babies and teaching.Merciful Redeemer Children's Home is located in Nairobi's South C Mitumba Slum. South C is in Nairobi West Sub-Location, Kibera Division. Mitumba Slums is about 4 kilometres from the Nairobi City Centre just next to Wilson Airport. The home was started in 2002 by its Founder and Director Mrs Anne Mugane. The home admitted its first 5 children in 2002 in the Director's house. The home's present capacity is 80 Children. The children admitted range from 3 years to 16 years. Most of them are orphans or street children brought to the home by relatives and friends. (Please Note - This is just one of many orphanages on our program and not necessarily the one you will be working at).
* Sports Education
The Sports Education program is designed for people who wish to work with children and in schools but not necessarily spend all their time teaching in a classroom. The Sports Education program consists of volunteers working in local schools to broaden children's knowledge of sports, teach foreign sports and games to the children, and educate children on general fitness, health and well-being in addition to taking general lessons at the school. It is up to the volunteer to plan lessons and design the teaching of their sports program. Children are extremely enthusiastic and willing to learn, however past volunteers have found it important to be prepared if they are to teach the children foreign concepts and ideas (such as a new sport). While football is extremely popular in Africa, many volunteers have found it rewarding to teach the children in the schools different sports (or popular sports from the volunteers home country). If a volunteer wishes to do this, they must plan ahead and often bring the required materials and equipment themselves as it is highly likely this will not be available in local stores and shopping centres. NB While the volunteer DOES NOT require any teaching experience for this program, it is important to note the volunteer may be required to take other classes (such as Math or English).
* HIV/AIDS Work
In many African countries such as Kenya, HIV/Aids is responsible for the deaths of thousands of people each and every year. In an effort combat this deadly disease, many hospital and local NGOS are presently running HIV/AIDS testing, counseling, and an awareness campaigns in Kenya. Our HIV/AIDS volunteer program is aimed at giving care and support to the HIV infected and also creating awareness to vulnerable groups about the dangers of HIV/Aids through HIV/Aids outreach programs. These Outreach programs are generally done through schools and community groups while work consists of; visiting patients in their homes, helping with medical care and food, conducting lessons to educate people on the dangers of HIV and how to prevent themselves from getting infected. Our program is organized in collaboration with Government institutions, NGOs, and community based organization CBOs who are working very closely with the communities and HIV/Aids patients.
* Medical Placement
Healthcare is neither easily accessible nor affordable for many Kenyans living in the rural villages and slums such as Kibera. Poverty creates a large barrier to the acquisition of healthcare in general, but in rural areas in particular. The Kenyan Government has authorized our program partner to place medical students and professionals in their clinics and hospitals. These dispensaries and hospitals have very basic equipment and facilities. Volunteers are placed in a hospital or dispensary based on previous medical training and experience. N.B. For the medical placement, volunteers need to be training or qualified in a relevant medical field. Therefore, volunteers are required to present a copy of their qualifications and certificates to our program partner on arrival in Kenya.
* Music Program
Music, spanning all corners of the globe, especially in East-Africa, is best described as a pure and true representation of cultural richness by means of worship and devotion, celebration and mourning, and overall communal strengthening and enjoyment. Through music, they are able to see through the shroud of suffering and sorrow to a life worth living. Music is their passage to a better life, if even that means that this better life lasts for only a few minutes of song. The music education program is designed to give the children of the slum a chance to let their voices and songs be heard. Those taking part in this program will provide students a basic understanding of musical theory (note reading, etc.) as well as instrument and vocal training. It has been set up by past IVHQ volunteers in Kenya in addition to current school curriculum. Current classes include guitar, piano, introduction to music, and traditional music lessons where students share and learn from each other cultural and tribal songs. The children of Kibera have music ingrained in them. Not a moment goes by that you cannot find them singing and dancing, creating music by clapping, stomping, and banging. By taking part in this newly developing program you can give these children a chance to transcend the confines of the slum through the joy and celebration, the creativity and inspiration that is music. NB: A background in music and basic knowledge of musical theory and practical ability is imperative if you are to be a successful participant on this program.
* Women's Education Program
The women's education program is a developing initiative designed to bring sanitary supplies and HIV/Aids and sex education to young women in need throughout Kenya. This program began in response to IVHQ volunteers at schools taking notice of young women missing up to a week of class each month due to a lack of sanitary supplies. Further inquiries revealed a general lack of knowledge and misunderstanding of the natural process within their bodies: young women, many without proper sex education being giving at home, choose to take council from their peers, often resulting in unplanned pregnancies and/or the contraction of STDs. The women's education programs has been established by past IVHQ volunteers and local staff to provide a safe environment in which young women may be able to receive correct sex education and counselling. The program will focus on HIV/Aids education, sex education and general health classes and providing supplies to women in schools and institutions within the greater Nairobi region who otherwise would not be able to access this. NB: This program operates only on Saturdays. During the week the volunteer teaches standard curriculum at schools or works at an orphanage. As this program grows and if the volunteer has a strong background in this area there may be the possibility of arranging the women program to also run during the week.
Highlights:
* Extremely affordable program fees
* Quality Programs
* Flexible Placements
* 24/7 Support
* Loyalty Program
* IVHQ Information Booklet
Qualifications / Skills Needed:
Volunteers must be over 18 years of age at the beginning of the program and have at least a high school education. Volunteers participating in the Medical Placement must have appropriate training and certification (to be presented to IVHQ partner staff on arrival in Kenya).
Language:
English
Cost in US$: Program Fees from USD 250 for 1 week to USD 2,220 for 6 months
Cost Includes:
Food,
Housing,
In-country orientation/Training,
In-country staff support,
Language instruction,
Pre-departure orientation/Training
and Registration fees
- You will also receive a dedicated program coordinator.
Experience Required: no
Typical Volunteer Projects:
AIDS,
childcare/children,
community development,
community health,
counseling,
education,
English teaching,
environment,
food,
gender issues,
grassroots organization,
health care,
health education,
home visit,
medicine,
nursing,
orphans,
population issues,
primary education,
public education,
recreation,
sanitation,
social services, social work,
sports,
street kids,
teaching,
tutor,
volunteering,
women,
youth,
youth development
and youth ministry
Age Range: 18-70
This Program is open to
Worldwide
Participants.
This Program is also open to
Families, Couples and Individuals.
Typical Living Arrangement:
Home-stays
Participants Travel to Kenya
Independently
Or
in Groups
Typically Participants Work
Independently
Or
in Groups of 2-10
Application Process Involves:
Typically The Application Process Time Is 1 week
Post Services Include:
International Volunteer HQ's Mission Statement: International Volunteer HQ aims to provide volunteers with quality, flexible, safe and highly affordable volunteering placements in developing countries. In addition to providing aid and assistance to these countries, International Volunteer HQ endeavors to increase education and heighten awareness through not only the skills and expertise taken by volunteers to their host communities and institutions, but also through the experiences and lessons volunteers will in turn take back to their own countries and cultures.
Year Founded: 2007