Volunteer in Kenya

Are You Ready For Your African Adventure?
Volunteer at IPI Community Project in Kenya

Our volunteers programme in Kenya offers you a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Kenyan life and culture.

Volunteer with Ecologia Youth Trust for an amazing opportunity to see Kenya and experience community development in action! While you’re there, support disadvantaged children affected by HIV/AIDS, empower women through skills training, learn about organic agriculture, and gain a deep understanding of the challenges facing Kenya today.

You will be staying at the Kithoka Amani Community Home (KACH), run by our partner International Peace Initiatives (IPI), who work from the grassroots up to tackle disease, poverty, climate change, stigma, discrimination and violence, through skills-training workshops, community-led campaigns and advocacy.

Voluntary activities can be tailored to your skills/interests, or you can help out where needed. This is your chance to be part of an exciting, innovative programme while gaining practical experience of cutting-edge development work from an expert in the field – Dr Karambu Ringera.

You can be involved in one or more of the following:

* Living, working, playing with the children at KACH to enrich their lives; helping in the kitchen or even organising some after-school clubs and weekend activities for the children
* Assisting with women’s skills-training workshops, empowering them to support themselves and their families
* Working on the organic farm studying permaculture, sustainable agriculture and renewable energy solutions; planting trees; helping to construct eco-buildings
* Assisting with lessons at local schools; promoting nonviolence and peace building in those schools and their communities; teaching English
* Working with a women’s cooperative; developing small business enterprises with women and youth
* Supporting women’s and children’s human rights advocacy efforts; promoting reproductive health care for women and girls
* …and much more!

There is no “typical day”, and the activities that you will take part in will depend upon both the needs of the community and the skills / experience of the volunteer. Generally, you can assume that you will be participating in community activities between Monday to Saturday including some (but not all) evenings, with some afternoons off as well. Sundays are free.

Our programme is open to anyone who feels they have something to contribute: useful skills include being able to teach music, IT, arts & crafts, ESL, and sport.

Costs range from £1,450 (3 months) to £2,700 (12 months).
This covers the cost of your food and accommodation, airport transfers to/from Nairobi, pre-departure and on-return support from Ecologia, and on-site support from IPI’s staff. It does not include the cost of your airfare, travel insurance, inoculations, visa, or personal spending money should you wish to do some sight-seeing or take a safari.

This opportunity is perfect for a volunteer who is open-minded and open hearted. Someone who loves children and living in the community. Someone who loves to play and to go with the flow. Whilst you will of course be given substantial support when you first arrive, IPI needs a person who is independent and who does not need a rigid programme. If you can be flexible, proactive and easy going with whatever experience might throw at them, then KACH is perfect for you. It is a place of ‘finding who you are’. They want people who can talk openly, who believe that together it is possible to make a difference in the world, and that each individual has their own contribution to make. They are not looking for ‘experts’ in the traditional manner, but for people who wish to explore opportunities for building and transforming relationships across cultural and ethnic divides.

To support IPI to become sustainable and help fund projects towards its development, we ask each volunteer to fundraise a minimum of £100 in addition to the fee. You’ll be able to see for yourself the direct impact your money is having on the project and and the people who benefit.
To help you fundraise, you will receive our Fundraising Pack, full of tips and advice, and comprehensive support from our Volunteers Coordinator in Scotland to inspire your friends, family and wider community to give generously and help you reach – or even smash – your target!
The more you raise, the more you can support the children at KACH to receive things we often take for granted: a loving home, a good education, food, clothing, even simple toys!