Volunteer
Description
We
have a wide range of volunteering opportunities available in teaching,
orphanage work, HIV/Aids work and medical placements in both urban and
rural Kenya.
Teaching
Volunteers
are placed in community schools, public schools, nursery 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 April, Term Two May to August,
Term Three September to November). There are short breaks between these
terms during which time volunteers can take a break, travel, engage in
tourist activities such as safari, take tutorials for senior students,
participate in another placement or visit our partner organization in
East Africa countries. N.B. Volunteers DO NOT need to be a qualified or
experienced teacher.
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.
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 slums in Nairobi and Obunga
slums in Kisumu. Poverty creates a large barrier to the acquisition of
health care 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. But those who are interested to volunteer
with the team to help arrange the mobile clinics by pitching tents,
helping patients to be in line can join
Sports
Through
our project on Community Development Through sports which take place in
the slums in Kisumu volunteers could get a chance to interact with slum
kids, play with them every evening after school, help them in cleaning
the slums and doing community activities.
Qualifications
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 our partner staff on arrival in Kenya).
Volunteers Hosting
Those
who will be working with the orphanages will be hosted in the
orphanages while those who will not be volunteering in the orphanages
will be hosted on secure hosting houses which will be organized by our
organization.
