HIV/AIDS volunteers will work with local health care workers providing free HIV testing, outreach and counselling. This work is carried out in a variety of public spaces in the local area, including market places, residential areas and cafes (“pubs” in Kenyan parlance). Home visits are also made to help families affected by HIV with business, cooking and housework.
After being introduced to the health workers you'll be joining and discussing the work ahead of you, you will accompany them on their rounds. You will approach people with the offer of free HIV testing, and then log their personal details and test results.
Carrying out tests requires a qualification and is usually carried out by local health workers. However, the Kenyan government runs a course which volunteers can take which qualifies them to administer HIV tests. This course lasts 2 weeks and a place can be organised for you by Agape Volunteers for £370. This fee includes funds for the HIV testing kits which Agape Volunteers buys and that you will need to work effectively as a volunteer after you complete the course, as well as outreach work with HIV positive families. Testing kits are difficult to source and official lines of provision often break down, so it is imperative that we can ensure a ready supply.
For volunteers on placements of more than six weeks, this course is highly recommended, as it will allow you to achieve much more during your time in Kenya and be a real boon to your placement project. If you think you would be interested in taking this course, inform your trip adviser.
Top Tips
Take the 2 week course! If you are in Kenya long enough, completing this course is an invaluable asset for you and your placement project. Providing you with a qualification for life, it allows you to carry our HIV testing and counselling independently. As a result, your placement project will not need to hire a nurse for testing to go ahead, which over a number of weeks means savings of hundreds of pounds. The HIV/AIDS projects we work with in Nairobi tend to be non-profit organisations run by Kenyan volunteers, so this kind of saving is incredibly helpful.
Get to know your colleagues. The Kenyan health workers you will accompany are often volunteers themselves, and there is a huge amount you can learn from them.
Hold on to your sense of humour. HIV/AIDS has gained an air of tragedy and hushed tones in western countries, but this will not help you as you offer tests. For the most part, people are very open to being tested and you'll probably see some high fives when the results come back. Maintaining a good sense of humour will help you interact with the public and families affected by HIV, put people at their ease, and deal with any awkward situations.
All volunteers bring a variety of skills with them. As well as helping with testing and logging data, you may be able to help in other ways. HIV testing and counselling projects are usually run on a volunteer basis, and extra help with computers, data recording and other task is greatly appreciated – have a think about what you might be able to offer.
Volunteers are generally expected to work at their placement five days a week. Weekday mornings will start with breakfast with other volunteers at our volunteer house before you head off to work. Working on our HIV program brings unique challenges every day, but you’ll often start out at a local clinic, helping to administer tests. We also run regular counselling and education projects, and you’re likely to be asked to assist with these.
You will generally finish your placement at around 5pm, though this will depend on the day. When you finish you’ll get a chance to unwind with other volunteers and local team members over dinner, and we often organise games and activities of our own in the evenings. Weekends are also your own but there are always plenty of extra Adventures to do in Kenya!
All of Agape's volunteers in Kenya also get the opportunity to take part in at least two extra trips free during their stay in Kenya.
The first of these is to the IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps an hours drive from the volunteer house. These camps were set up during the election violence in 2007 to house those who lost their home during the troubles. Thankfully the situation is much more peaceful now, but sadly many residents have not moved since. Agape is committed to continuing to offer as much support as possible to some of the most vulnerable people in Kenya. We help to run a school there and are also engaged in various other infrastructure projects to help the local community. During your day there you will help out with whatever projects we have ongoing at the time. This may include medical outreach work, distributing supplies, or helping with the building and maintenance of ongoing construction projects.
The other trip Agape offers free in Kenya is our Nairobi City Tour. This is your chance to relax after the stresses of your placement or work in IDP, and provides the opportunity to get up close and personal with giraffes and elephants at the animal orphenage. It will also help to orientate you in Kenya's capital city - a vibrant and exciting place, with plenty to explore!
On the side of optional extras in Kenya, you can choose from the following: Three Day Maasai Mara Safari, Four Day Safari, Maasai Cultural Excursion, Diani Beach Getaway, Mount Kilimanjaro Climb, Mount Kenya Climb, Hell’s Gate Biking and Hiking Day Trip, Mt. Logonot Day Hike, Kibera Outreach Day Uganda Adventure Holiday Break and Uganda Gorilla Trekking. Our most popular trips are the Safari, and the Hell's Gate Biking and Hiking, along with climbing Mt Kilimanjaro for those on longer trips. Please ask for further information about any of these, and for a full list of prices.
The programme fee includes your accommodation, two meals a day, transfers to and from the airport, all Agape registrations, orientation, a dedicated trip adviser to guide you through your booking, a donation to your placement, a guided tour of Nairobi and a trip to the IDP camp where we do a lot of our work.
It doesn't include the two week HIV qualification course, which is optional and costs an extra $545.
You'll be picked up by a uniformed member of staff and driven to the volunteer house. You'll be provided with a list of emergency contacts, and a description of the visa/arrival process.
Most of our volunteers in Kenya live in our purpose-built volunteer house, supervised and run by our local team. Living in our volunteer house is great fun, and provides the perfect balance between getting involved in a big Kenyan family and having the opportunity to relax with other like-minded volunteers.
Our volunteer house has hostel-style dorm. In peak seasons, you may be housed with one of our host families in Nairobi. You can also request a private double room if you volunteer in a couple. Other facilities at the volunteer house include a roof terrace with barbecue, games room, and plenty of communal space for games and activities.
Breakfast will be bread, butter, jam, eggs and chai, a type of African tea. Kenyan food often has an Indian influence, and dinner consists of rice, beans, mixed vegetables, chapatis, ugali and stewed meat. You are encouraged to try out the local vendors and stalls near your placement for lunch. Your host mum can provide you with a packed lunch if you prefer. It is recommended that you drink only bottled water. If you have any special dietary requirements, do let us know.
Your trip adviser will take you through the arrival procedure. They will also provide a checklist covering all the necessary preparation for your trip (vaccinations, visa, etc.), as well as a list of contact numbers to take with you in case of difficulties.
HIV Prevention and Outreach
You'll be conducting outreach work and counselling sessions for local people. You'll have the opportunity to gain an international qualification.
$484/week
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