Community Service to improve life for the needy
Coordinator | Kingsley
Coordinator | Kingsley
Book with Flex Option!
Choose new departure dates or change to a different volunteer program at no extra costs.
Highlights
You will have opportunity to experience the truly African way of life, which will expand your perspective of the world, and memories that you'll never forget during your weekend excursions & safaris
Good opportunity for students, seniors 50+, and volunteers who loves Cultural Exchange, Community outreach, Community Development , to help , improve life for the needy in the slums and Kenyan village
You will become more passionate about your major and propel your career with international experience. This could possibly count as an internship if acknowledged by your University & future employers
You will grow as a person and improve health wise - As you will be Taking on responsibility for other people and putting their needs before your own will also help you discover a new side of yourself
Opportunity to Build relationships and ‘social connectedness’ with Kenyan peoples and communities which will expose you to diversity and multiculturalism and heart for "giving back" and helping others
If you’re a people person, your help is crucial to support some programs we are doing for the community to encourage cultural interchange and community development.
This volunteer program is especially suitable for:
Age 18+
Singles
Couples
We are inviting volunteers interested in community service programs we are doing in Kenyan Slums & villages to apply and join us, support some programs we are doing for the
community to encourage cultural interchange and community development. some activities you will be involved in include; running a donation drive, walk kids home from school, take and donate photos during community events, place campfire safety plaques near campsites, river and local green space clean up, make quilts or blankets for kids in our clinics, put together first aid kits for local shelters, make birthday cards for kids, and community newsletter.
Get to know local communities while doing something meaningful. If you love working with people, engaging in social and community development work is perfect for you!.
Typical day
1. Volunteer task
We are committed to addressing poverty among disadvantaged households in slums and rural villages in Kenya, Africa. Volunteer with us, to positively impact underprivileged communities in Kenya as you will fully be immersed in Kenya's culture.
2. Your induction and orientation
On your first day, you will receive a comprehensive induction to your new town. A staff member will take you on a tour of the surrounding area, and point out places that might be useful to you. You will also be taken to buy a local sim card or exchange money if you need to.
3. Daily program/ Timetable
Volunteer work is for only 4 1/2 hours in the morning every day, in the afternoon, we have free activities such as sports, Kenya traditional dance classes, traditional cooking classes, and sports. Weekends are made for exploring our country and Safaris with our local volunteers and your fellow overseas volunteers. Below is a tentative Weekdays timetable;
- 6:00 am - if you are feeling motivated, you are welcome to join the daily meditation or morning exercise of running for some KM / GMY
- 8:00 am - We serve a delicious and healthy breakfast
- 9:00 am - 13:30 pm - Volunteer work depending on your skills and interests and our necessities at the time
- 14:00pm to 18:00pm - Complementary activities (free time activities stated below)
- 4:00 pm - Yoga class, and learn Kenyan traditional songs, Dances, and cooking that will make you love Kenya even more, including our local Swahili language if interested. The classes are suitable for all levels and usually last about an hour and a half.
- 8:00 pm - Dinner is served
4. Climate and Weather
- Like much of the rest of the world, Kenya's weather can vary widely. However, some obvious climatic patterns can tell you what to expect. There are two rainy seasons in Nairobi. The major rainy season generally falls between mid-march and the end of May. The minor rainy season generally falls between the beginning of November and the end of December. During these periods, you will see a fair amount of rain, especially in the evening and during the night.
- July and August we usually rain-free, although they can be quite chilly, especially at night. Temperatures are fairly consistent throughout the year-around 20' C during the day, chiller in the evenings.
- January and February are usually the hottest months.
- It is safest to plan for the hot sun as well as pouring rain, whatever the month, a raincoat is necessary, as is sun cream. Remember that the sun is stronger on the equator, so you will likely burn much quicker than you're used to after a long day or with sensitive skin, you can even burn when it's completely overcast.
5. Clothes
There are a couple of things to bear in mind when packing clothes for Kenya. The first is the weather - it can vary quite a lot, so it is best to plan for hot sun and pouring rain. You will need to dress to protect yourself from the sun, but also be prepared for rain. Here is a suggestion of what to bring;
- T-shirts
- Shorts
- Lightweight trousers and tops
- Jumper and Jeans for the evenings
- Plenty of underwear
- Hait for sun
- Sports clothing
- Trainers or boots
- Sandals
- Day shoes
6. Packing
Below are some suggestions about what to pack. Everything on these lists is essential or useful
- Passport
- Yellow Fever vaccination certificate
- A negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate that is valid for 96 hours from the date of the test before departure, will be required at the immigration office
- Sleeping bag and Mosquito net are important to have it, especially when we will be traveling to rural villages or our monthly team-building camping. You can come with it or get it at our local markets but it will be expensive compared to your country.
- Travel pillow
- Towels
- Toiletries and sanitary products. Consider bringing dry shampoo and wet wipes, and hand sanitizer
- Anti-malaria tablets- We insist; volunteers purchase a full course of anti-malarial tablets before departure. Malarone is popular due to minimal side effects, Doxycycline, proguanil, and mefloquine are also alternative.
- Any other medication you require (e.g Epicenes, Inhales, etc)
First AID KIT is essential to bring, especially
- Plasters
- Antiseptic cream
- Indigestion tablets
Free-time activities
In exchange for 4 hours of work per day (usually in the morning) you can participate in activities such as;
- Meditation
- Hiking
- Cinema/ Films on a projector,
- Music therapy with oriental instruments
- Nature walks
- Trips to 50 different tourist attractions/safaris
- Teaching English, Drawing, and painting with our children
- Social activities like cleanliness to our schools
- Visiting people living with HIV/AIDS, and Elders
- Gym
- Riding
- Swimming
- Cooking classes. Our volunteers will learn how to cook different types of Kenyan food during their free time
- Sports
- Bonfire, etc
2. You also need extra cash for your personal expenses which include; Your trips, safaris, tours, gifts, souvenirs, shopping at local markets, and weekend excursions. The much you spend on these Safaris/ Tours depends on your affordability. It's more fun and secures to walk with one of our tours and travel Professional local volunteers to guide you. Below are 50 interesting sites we usually take our volunteers during their free time and Weekends. Let us know if there is any site below you may want to visit too while volunteering with us, so that we can fix your program/Schedule
- 5 Days Kilimanjaro Climbing
- Guided Day Trip To Crater Lake Game Sanctuary
- Road Drive To Fourteen Falls From Nairobi
- Hell's Gate And Geothermal Spa Tour
- Half-Day Ngong Hills Hike From Nairobi With Lunch At A Local Restaurant
- Day Olpajeta Conservancy From Nairobi
- Private Mombasa Full-Day Excursion
- Lake Magadi Day Trip
- Nairobi Highlight Guided Walking Tour
- Birthday Dinner Surprise & Cat Dance At Safari Park Hotel
- Nairobi Souvenir Shopping Experience
- Half-Day Nairobi Railway Museum Small-Group Tour
- 3 Days Maasai Village Rural Tour
- Nairobi Kenya Cultural Shopping Experience
- Lake Bogoria Flamingos Tour From Nairobi
- Baboon Cliff, Makalia & Forest Zip Ling Or Menengai Crater In A Day
- Kibera Slum Guided Tour From Nairobi
- Half-Day Tour To Nairobi National Museum & Snake Park
- Kariandusi Prehistoric Site And Hyrax Hill Day Tour
- The Nairobi National Park Half-Day Tour
- Full-Day David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Bomas Of Kenya, Karen Blixen, Kazuri Beads Factory And Giraffe Centre Tour
- Day Tour To Lake Nakuru National Park
- Mt Kenya Day Trip Hike From Nairobi
- Day Tour To Kiambethu Tea Farm In Limuru
- Mount Longonot Full Day Trip
- Naivasha Elsamere Conservation And Hells Gate Tour From Nairobi
- 3 Days Tsavo East Panari Safari And Watamu Package
- 3 Days Maasai Mara Safari
- Haller Park
- Karura Forest Nature Walk And Bike Ride Day Tour From Nairobi
- Full-Day Sweetwaters And Ol Pejeta Conservancy Small group Tour From Nairobi
- Aberdare National Park Day Trip From Nairobi
- Hiking & Zip Lining At Kereita, Kenya
- Mombasa - 3 Day Tour From Nairobi
- Adventure In Camp Ndunda (Embu)
- 1 Day Excursion From Nairobi
- Nairobi Safari Walk And Animal Orphanage Small-Group Guided Tour
- Overnight Safari To Amboseli National Park
- City Tours
- Day Tour To Ojiogi Conservancy
- Ostrich Farm From Nairobi
- Coffee Farm Tour
Water Sports
Swimming
Concert/
Music
Music
Sightseeing
Diving/
Snorkling
Snorkling
Shopping/
Souvenirs
Souvenirs
Climbing
Safari/
Zoo
Zoo
Hiking
Museum/
Opera
Opera
Sports
Riding
Yoga/
Meditation
Meditation
Requirements
In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.
You need to speak English (basic level)
or Swahili (basic level)
Passport and any form of identification
No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.
• a social mindset
• a good work ethic
• the ability to work as part of a team
• great communication skills
• adaptability to different types of tasks
• problem-solving ability
• initiative
• enthusiasm
• resilience
• a non-judgmental approach and respect for diversity
• great cultural awareness
• a professional attitude to work
• strong regard for health and safety
• eagerness to travel
• dedication
• a good work ethic
• the ability to work as part of a team
• great communication skills
• adaptability to different types of tasks
• problem-solving ability
• initiative
• enthusiasm
• resilience
• a non-judgmental approach and respect for diversity
• great cultural awareness
• a professional attitude to work
• strong regard for health and safety
• eagerness to travel
• dedication
Your helping hand will be required on
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
from
09:30
- 13:30
What's Included
- 60%-80% of volunteer fees is to take care of you while staying with us, sent to Host families/ Volunteer house management
- 10% - 20% goes to project Donations that you will be participating
- 10-30% goes to Local Country Office Expenses/Staffs for your facilitation.
- Accommodation (host family)
- Airport Pick up/Transfer
- Program Orientation
- In-country support
- Personalized project
- Pre-departure information
- Certificate of completion
- Breakfast and Dinner
- Hospital Transport (If needed we provide for free at any time)
- First aid support if needed
- Drop off (will be charged only USD 20)
- Laundry (5 USD/week)
- Local SIM card you need to purchase
- Weekend Tour
- Volunteer T-shirt
- Visas
- Airfare
- Personal expenses on soft drinks and foods
- Daily transportation
- Airport return transfer
- This fee is allocated to cover the basic operating costs of our organization, including, rent, staff salaries, utilities, taxes, and other operational expenses. Also in order to run our volunteer programs in Kenya, there are some basic costs that must be covered.
- Your accommodations and food. We pay this portion of the fee directly to our host families
- Paying our local staff and in-country coordinator. These individuals offer you individualized support and guidance throughout the entire duration of your volunteer project abroad and the service they provide to you is key to making sure you have the best experience possible.
- The projects UCESCO volunteers' work to support is often poor and struggling financially to continue our important and much-need humanitarian work. Your donation goes a long way to helping us continue to run.
In Summary,
Fee includes
Not included in the fee:
NB
ARRIVAL AIRPORT AND PICK ARRANGEMENT
- UCESCO-Kenya a staff member will be there to welcome you when you arrive at Nairobi Airport (NBO). From the airport, you will travel in our private car to your host family. Depending on traffic, this will be a 15 mins drive
- All volunteer houses have running water. Volunteers should not drink tap water – instead, drink only bottled water
- UCESCO- Kenya arranges accommodation for volunteers in a volunteer house or in homestays. Our volunteer houses and identified home-stay houses are equipped with a range of amenities and maximum security in order to ensure the safety of our volunteers.
- At the volunteer house, the rooms are spacious and of high quality. We have hot showers and permanent water supply, electricity, TV, and 24/7 security.
- Housekeeping and laundry are offered for $5 a week.
- For Homestay volunteers, You will be living in a host family house and become a member of that family, which gives you the opportunity to learn their culture, learn a new language, and virtually do everything with them.
- A mosquito net can be quite helpful to bring or buy-in Kenya at $5 and sleeping bag in case we are traveling outside the capital city to rural/Villages
- We provide 3 meals per day. If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know so we can make arrangements for you. We will do our best to see that you are well taken care of, but, as a volunteer, there is a need to be flexible.
- Kenyan food has many influences, including Indian and African flavors. Expect to eat rice, pasta, “Chapati” (flatbread), and “Ugali” corn flour dough reminiscent of mashed potato) as staples in your evening meal. These tend to be served with beans, meat, cabbage, and delicious gravy.
- As a rule, Kenyan food is tasty and flavorsome, but not spicy. Some meals will be more familiar – spaghetti Bolognese is quite common – but don’t be afraid to try the unfamiliar too, as you’ll be missing out
Good access at the project site
Visa, flights, travel insurance or vaccinations are NOT included in the program fees.
The nearest airport is Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi. We assist you to find cheap flights to Kenya.
Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Kenya provides security and is a plus to have.
If you are intending to volunteer in Kenya you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Kenya.
Dates & Fees
NO CREDIT CARD FEES
Details on arrival
1. Preparing for the arrival
- Volunteering in Kenya through our organization will be an exhilarating, horizon-widening time. You will find new friends and take on new challenges, experiencing a different way of life while you do so. To make the most of this opportunity, it is a good idea to make sure that you are prepared as possible, both physically and mentally.
2. Booking you flights
- In case you need our help when booking your flight, let us know. UCESCO-Kenya has over 10 years of experience arranging flights for hundreds of volunteers to Africa. Searching for flights online can be a time-consuming, overwhelming, and frustrating process. We can do the work for you in case you can't do it by yourself. We can help you book the best return flights, making sure you have the safest, most convenient, and cost-effective flight options, no matter how complex your travel plans.
3. VISAS Requirement for your volunteer
- One of the perks of volunteering with us is the visa guidance we give you. We have a dedicated visa team that has up-to-date information on Visa requirements. You can get in touch with us if you have any visa queries, big or small, and we will take you through the process. Once you apply, you'll also get a link, which includes all the necessary visa information.
4. When we need volunteers
- Throughout the year.
5. Communication
Immediately you arrive, it is reassuring to know you’ll be able to contact home and keep in touch with staff and volunteers during your stay. Here are some tips on communicating in Kenya
- Mobile phone- It is a good idea to have a mobile phone with you while you volunteer. They allow you to reassure your family and friends to know that you will be contactable. A local SIM card will usually offer much cheaper local and international rates than your SIM from home. You can buy a local SIM from many shops in Nairobi, and the Kenyan team or another volunteer can tell you where to go. Safaricom is the largest network provider in Kenya. You can buy or rent a handset after you arrive, or alternatively bring one with you. Some smartphones (including iPhones) will not accept SIMs from other companies, so please check before you travel.
- Internet - The cheapest way to stay in touch with friends and family is via the internet, via email, social networks, and telecom services like Skype. Many volunteers also choose to write a travel blog, and volunteers who fundraise may have promised an email diary for their sponsors. There are two ways to access the internet in Nairobi: on the internet, Wi-Fi in homestays, cafes, or using a modem stick plugged into your laptop.
- Local means of Transport -Matatus are the most common form of public transport in Kenya. After you have been in Kenya for a couple of days and are starting to feel more confident, you’ll find you want to explore the local area or get to the supermarket or an ATM. You may also need to take public transport to reach your placement project. If this is the case, one of the Kenyan team will accompany you on your first couple of days, until you are happy making the trip without them. Matatus are the most common form, a cross between a minibus and a taxi. They are often “pimped out” with neon lights, TV screens, and speakers, and they are a cheap and entertaining way to travel. Be aware that due to the cramped conditions, there is always a risk of pickpocketing. Avoid taking valuables or large sums of cash on a matatu. For longer journeys, we recommend organizing travel with the Kenyan team, who can arrange for you to be driven to your destination by one personal car/Van
5. Volunteer on budget
- Although the money is invested in the program to support our activities, we understand, not all volunteers are able to find this cost, kindly feels free to send us a message for consideration. We have kept some of our volunteer programs affordable, to allow eager volunteers, who are on a budget to work their magic abroad and help out those in need.
6. Group volunteering
- We give a good platform to groups coming for team building experience with our local volunteers. We love volunteers who come as a group. There's nothing that boosts the team-spirit like doing volunteer work together. Whether you are a youth group, a professional network, a family, or just a bunch of good friends, come and join any of our ongoing projects in Kenya.
7. Health check-up
- We recommend that you arrange medical, dental, and eye check-ups before you depart, to identify any issues that might affect your time in Kenya
8. Electricity
- You should have no problem charging phones, laptops, cameras, and other appliances. All volunteer houses have electricity. The majority of sockets in Kenya are 3 -pin; however, you may sometimes encounter 2-pin sockets. Adaptors for both kinds of sockets should be easy to find if the sockets are different at home.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
4 - 30 weeks
Program fees
4 weeks
(min. stay)
$840
5 weeks
$1,000
6 weeks
$1,160
7 weeks
$1,320
11 weeks
$1,960
19 weeks
$3,240
30 weeks
(max. stay)
$5,000
Average fees
$188
/week
Please note that the above shown program fees are estimated.
UCESCO Africa
will let you know about the final price during your application process.
The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.
Your final payment will be agreed with UCESCO Africa during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.
Why book with Volunteer World
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application process
- including all necessary payments. Planning your next meaningful trip with Volunteer World gives you free access to our:
Quality Assurance
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We refund your fees if UCESCO Africa cancels your trip
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We cover your back no matter what happens
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All program fees are charged directly by UCESCO Africa.
What are people saying about Volunteer World?
Community Service to improve life for the needy
If you’re a people person, your help is crucial to support some programs we are doing for the community to encourage cultural interchange and community development.
$188/week
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