Early Childhood Development Supporter

The program orientation begins on the 1st and 15th of every month and volunteers need to arrive in Nairobi on the day before orientation in Kitale outside in Nairobi.

After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi. Your airport pick-up is included in your Program Fee.

When you arrive, you will be greeted at the airport by a member of the local team and transported to the volunteer accommodation and project placement in Kitale outside Nairobi. Your accommodation is covered by your Program Fee and includes the night before your program orientation.

If you are traveling in Kenya prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up in Nairobi on the day before your program orientation.

Orientation is hosted by our local team in Kitale. Orientation begins on the morning of your chosen start date and covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Kenya – Introduction to Kenya, Kenyan Customs, Language Training Details, Rules and Expectations, Safety, Travel Opportunities in Kenya, Introduction to your project and placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing. Once your orientation is complete, introduced to your host family.

The volunteer house accommodates up to 5 volunteers and you can expect to share a bedroom with 2 to 4 other volunteers of the same gender. The volunteer house​ ​​is​ ​safe and secure in a quiet​ ​area. The bathrooms have western toilets and showers. There is electricity and running water in the volunteer house, however it is common for power or water to occasionally be cut off in Kitale Kenya. Bedding is provided and you will​ just​​ ​need to bring your own towel. It is recommended that you bring your own mosquito net and these can be purchased in Kenya if you prefer to save space in your luggage. There are staff who clean the accommodation throughout the week, however volunteers are required to keep their rooms and common areas tidy.

WiFi is available at the volunteer house, however the connection can be slow so we recommend bringing an unlocked mobile phone and purchasing a local SIM card when you arrive in Kenya.The local team can assist you with purchasing a SIM card during your program orientation. WiFi is also available at a nearby resort, which is located within the volunteer house.

Volunteers are provided with three meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner), prepared by an on-site local cook. If you wish to snack or eat outside of meal times, this will be at your own cost and there are local shops within the villages where you can purchase snacks. Breakfast generally includes tea, eggs, bread and fruit. For lunch and dinner, there is a revolving menu of local dishes, which include typical Ugandan stews (beef, chicken, pork, goat, fish and vegetable), beans, rice, chapatti, groundnuts and vegetables. Starchy foods such as white bread, white rice, pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes, matoke (boiled green bananas), and cassava are dietary staples. The tropical climate of Uganda also contributes to a healthy choice of seasonal fruits, including bananas, watermelon, papayas, mangos, jackfruit, and pineapples.

Bottled drinking water is readily available in Kenya and volunteers should budget approximately US$5 per week for this.

If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know well in advance of your program so our local team can make arrangements for you. We do, however need to stress the point that you should not expect to eat as you normally do at home. We will do our best to see that you are well taken care of, but also as a volunteer, there is a need to be flexible.