Kenya

Kenya Summer Volunteer Project

How long: 6 weeks
Where: Limuru, Kenya
Minimum age: 18
Dates:1 May – 8 June
15 July – 24 August
Cost: USD1995 or GBP1295

Kenya Orphanage, Teaching and Community Project

How long: 2 – 12 weeks
Where: Limuru, Kenya
Minimum age: 18
Cost: from USD1080 or GBP700

Situated on the equator of Africa’s east coast, Kenya offers beautiful landscapes, amazing wildlife and an ethnic diversity that has produced a vibrant culture. Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, is the country’s principal economic, administrative, and cultural centre and is one of the largest and fastest growing cities in Africa.

Just 30km north of bustling Nairobi, amidst the beautiful tea plantations of the Kenyan highlands, lies Limuru, a community operating at a much slower pace of life than the nearby capital. You will be spending your time as a volunteer in both Nairobi and Limuru, which will give you a diverse experience of life in Kenya.

Kenya’s population is hugely affected by the struggles of poverty, unemployment and HIV/AIDS. There are currently over 1.5 million people in Kenya living with HIV/AIDS, with a staggering 1.2 million additional orphans due to virus. There are various places with countless possibilities to impact the lives of those that are affected by this myriad of problems, such as the Nairobi slums, surrounding orphanages, schools and clinics.

The exact ministry schedule will be determined by the ACTS team and the various community partners and will be adjusted closer to the time, so as to best meet the exact needs of the communities volunteers will be working in. As a volunteer you will be involved in a number of ministries that are linked to local initiatives in the surrounding community or are led by missionaries in our area.

Orphanages/Children’s Centre’s in Limuru:
There are over a million orphans in Kenya mainly due to AIDS, of which only 5 % get any kind of support. These children, ranging from 0 – 16 years old, come from backgrounds that have been affected by HIV/AIDS, abuse, poverty or illness. Some have been taken in when they were found living on the streets, whilst others are developmentally delayed and need extra care to promote their growth. These children are all in need of love and attention.

Limuru Children’s Centre (LCC) serves orphaned and vulnerable children in the Limuru area. As a boarding home as well as daily feeding programme, the L.C.C. provides love, support, and basic needs for more than 150 children. Volunteers at the L.C.C. assist with daily preparation of meals, play football/soccer and other games with the children, and tackle practical projects such as painting, building, and chopping wood.

Angels Home for Abandoned Babies was founded by a local Kenyan woman with a passion for abandoned children. Angels is a home for ten babies and counting! Alongside a team of “Mamas,” volunteers can help with daily needs such as nappy changing, feeding, and bathing, as well as simple interaction with babies, including holding them, reading to them, facilitating developmental growth, etc.

The Power Women’s Group:
The Power Women’s Group is a support group of HIV-positive women. They have come together to support each other in trying circumstances, learning as a group how to deal with their sickness and how to provide for themselves and their families. They started a business selling their handmade crafts and have a small shop on the outskirts of the Kibera slums. Their business supports the women, with savings set aside for emergency medical needs, school fees, and the maintenance of the business.

Volunteers visit the Power Women’s Group once a week to do Bible study with the women. Volunteers began a chronological Bible study with the women and are continuing to progress with this. The weekly meetings are wonderful times of singing, prayer, and encouragement.

Teaching Ministry:
Volunteers help out mainly in pre-schools, working alongside and assisting the local teachers. The Kenyan teaching method is generally very repetitive and monotone (rote learning technique), and children aren’t encouraged to think for themselves. Volunteers are a great help in showing teachers new creative teaching methods that will give them more variety. Through this we aim to enrich the teaching programme and not to change it.

LCC-K (a branch of LCC):
LCC-K serves pre-school children between the ages of 4–7 years in the Kamirithu area. LCC-K was founded as a sub branch and outreach of L.C.C., having a feeding programme and offering pre-school education to prepare children for their next level of schooling. LCC-K has around 60 students in 3 classes, and teachers appreciate assistance in the classroom. Volunteers can assist teachers with regular lessons or by adding lessons in music, art, etc. LCC-K also provides a mid-day meal for many previous pre-scholars that have graduated to the primary level of education, and volunteers are welcome to help in the preparation of these meals. Furthermore, volunteers can assist with practical improvements such as painting, fence building and other general repairs, etc.

KENYA ORPHANAGES, TEACHING AND COMMUNITY PROJECT

Project Orientation and Support

Upon your arrival in Kenya, you will be oriented both to the projects and to the local culture. Your volunteer Coordinator will provide up to date information about each project along with a day of visiting projects. Your skills and passions will be matched with the needs and values of the projects to create a schedule of where your time will be spent. Scheduled days are Wednesdays and Fridays; on Wednesdays volunteers plan a bible study in the morning hours, enjoy a local Kenyan lunch, and then drive into Nairobi to do the Bible Study with the Power Women. On Fridays volunteers will partake in a particular task in one selected project altogether in the morning hours and then later on drive to the village market/ Maasai market for the afternoon.

When working with a project, it may be that you are the only volunteer placed at that project. Although your coordinator will be available to brainstorm, support and direct you where necessary, much of your time will be spent working directly with the local project staff. You will be doing your own lesson planning, preparation of Bible studies or designing a new look for one of the schools according to an individuals own strengths and abilities. So if you have any resources or books that could help you in your planning, this would be very helpful to bring along!

ACTS functions as your logistics and ministry facilitator, allowing you to get deeply involved in people’s lives and making your time here as meaningful as possible

Accommodation and meals

Accommodation:
Our volunteer house is a comfortable and safe home located at Brackenhurst International Conference Centre. You may be required to share ablutions and bedrooms with other volunteers of the same sex. All bedding is provided, so you will not need to bring a sleeping bag with you, unless you are thinking of doing a camping safari during your stay, although an extra cover sometimes is useful in the colder months (May – September). All meals, laundry and transportation to and from your projects will be provided and organised by your volunteer coordinator. ACTS staff are also available to organize tourist activities, which will be at your own cost.

Meals:
You will be provided with three meals a day, served at the ACTS volunteer house, and you will be expected to help out with certain meal preparations. Volunteers fix their own breakfast and lunches, and when you get back in the afternoon you will have a turn to assist our chef is preparing a meal for the house. This is a great opportunity to get stuck in and learn how to make some local Kenyan or foreign dishes.

Breakfast usually consists of cereals/porridge, toast, tea and coffee. Lunch usually consists of includes sandwiches, crisps, juice and fruit. Dinner is the main meal, and here you will be eating a variety of delicious local Kenyan dishes, along with the opportunity to cook and share your favourite foreign dishes with your fellow housemates. We do cater for vegetarians. You can also purchase a few extra treats on your weekly visit to the local supermarket, or enjoy some delicious meals at Brackenhurst’s Muna Tree Cafe. Please let us know before you depart for Africa of any food allergies or specific requirements. We do everything we can to provide for any dietary requirements, but we may have to ask you to bring some things with you if what you need is not available locally.

Getting there
We will meet you at the airport! Fly into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, where you will be met by one of our drivers or coordinator, who will transfer you to the project accommodation. It is around a 1 hour 15 minutes drive without traffic from the airport to Brackenhurst Conference Centre.

Church
ACTS provides several church options, based on your preferences. Tigoni Fellowship is a very typical local Kenyan church, located near Brackenhurst (5 minute drive), and is where the children from the LCC also attend. Another typically Kenyan church is Tigoni Baptist Church, only a 5 minute walk from the Brackenhurst main gate. Karuri Church is located closer to Nairobi and is a mix of Kenyans and Westerners. And finally, International Christian Fellowship meets at an International school in Nairobi. The format of ICF most closely resembles that of a Western church.

A day in the life of a volunteer…
Here is how a typical day in the life of a Kenya volunteer might take shape:
Please note that your schedule may differ from this, depending on your own experience/interests and the number of other volunteers on the placement at the same time. This is merely to give an example.

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
7:00 – 8:00 Getting ready and breakfast
8:00 – 8:30 Devotion time together with ACTS coordinator
8:30 – 9:00 Depart for project of the day e.g. LCC, Angels or LCC-K
13:00 – 13:30 Have a short break and enjoy your packed lunch
13:30 – 15:30 Continue with project work
15:30 – 16:00 You will be picked up from project and taken back to the volunteer base

*Three days a week you will have devotions from 8 – 8.30am with your ACTS team.

Wednesday
7:30 – 9:00 Getting ready and breakfast
9:00 – 10:30 Plan Bible study for the Power Women Group
10:30 – 11:30 Reflection Group (talking about placement experiences and expectations)
11:30 – 13:00 Enjoy a local lunch in Limuru or in Nairobi
13:00 – 14:00 Power Women Group Bible study
14:00 – You will be picked up from project and taken back to the volunteer base

Friday
7:00 – 8:00 Getting ready and breakfast
8:00 – 8:30 Discussing feedback and evaluation forms together with coordinator
8:30 – 9:00 Departing for the day’s project work
9:00 – 12:30 Project work
12:30 – 13:00 Leave project after completing work/duties; you can have your packed lunch in the car or have it before or after we depart from project
13:00 – 16:30 Village market and Maasai market: some leisure time as you get to experience a different Kenyan setting and Maasai crafts and curios.

Evenings are generally very sociable affairs. They may be spent at the volunteer cottage discussing the day whilst having dinner, preparing for the project the next day, hanging out at the cafe or using the internet at Brackenhurst. Volunteers are also welcome to plan their own activities such as having dinner in Nairobi.

Weekends
This is a time for you to relax! Weekends also provide great opportunities for you to see more of the beautiful country. You can also get involved in some projects that we only offer on weekends, like workshops on specific topics or Bible studies at youth groups and children centres.

Outside of ministry

African Adventure
ACTS Volunteers will have the opportunity to get away from project work to enjoy the many travel and adventure opportunities Kenya has to offer. Excursions include some of the finest African wildlife experiences, and a chance to get out and enjoy God’s creation.

Masai Mara
Most visitors to Kenya make time to experience the Masai Mara National Reserve, the northern extension of the Serengeti. Well known for the renowned migration of 1.4 million wildebeest (usually between July and November), the Masai Mara is famous for its prolific game-viewing and abundance of predators all-year round, and boasts the country’s highest wildlife density. Spend your days exploring the beautiful surroundings and searching for those unforgettable wildlife encounters. The Mara experience is a must and will never disappoint.

Abedare National Park
Enjoy wildlife at close range, as you spend your time in a tree lodge overlooking a waterhole, within the Abedare National Park. The wildlife can also be enjoyed whilst exploring the surrounding area on an optional game drive. Abedare National Park offers great views of Mount Kenya and its pristine mountain forest habitat is a precious part of Kenya’s rich wildlife heritage.

Amboseli National Park
Travelling south of Nairobi to the Tanzanian border, Amboseli National Park is situated perfectly for spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro. Whether you are camping at the foot of Africa’s highest peak or doing it in style at a luxurious lodge, this park is well worth the visit! The commanding backdrop provided by Mount Kilimanjaro and large herds of elephant and buffalo, ensure your game drives will be an unforgettable experience of the ‘African bush’.

Lake Nakuru National Park
Heading northwards from Nairobi, after travelling on the edge of the breathtaking Rift Valley, you will reach Lake Nakuru National Park. This unique game park offers impressive scenery and wildlife on the lake’s shores. The lake is home to thousands of flamingos, and is renowned for frequent leopard and rhino sightings.

Lake Naivasha
This is a great day trip only one hour drive away from Limuru. At the lake you can enjoy horse riding, hippo safaris, fishing, game walk in the Crater Lake Reserve, rock climbing or mountain biking through Hell’s Gate National Park.

Kenyan Coast
Kenya’s coast could easily be called paradise… The white sand fringed with palm trees and turquoise waters sheltered by coral reefs will take your breath away. Amongst the optional activities are snorkeling, dolphin safaris, dhow cruises (traditional Kenyan boat), fishing, scuba diving and bird watching.

Nairobi Day Trip
For those that do not want to travel far, you can experience the ‘African Bush’ a stone’s throw from the city centre and spend your day enjoying a range of wonderful experiences…

Nairobi National Park
The game park is a great escape from the busy city of Nairobi, and offers opportunities for exciting and unforgettable wildlife encounters. If you are lucky, you might find the ‘king of the beasts’, or the frequently seen Black Rhino as well as a host of plains game and great bird-life.

Giraffe Sanctuary
Experience these graceful creatures at close proximity whilst feeding them by hand. This unique experience is bound to be one of those unforgettable highlights of your visit to Kenya. Many of our visitors have been treated to a slobbery giraffe kiss(with the encouragement of a food pellet in their mouths)!

Elephant Orphanage
Here you can see how these young, orphaned giants are nursed back to full health on their way to being reintroduced into the wild. Watch them wallow in the mud puddles, trumpet their way to their milk bottles and perhaps even kick their soccer ball!

KENYA SUMMER VOLUNTEER PROJECT

Project Arrival:
Group 1: You must make sure that your flights arrives at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on either the 30th April or 1st of May, preferably any time before 10pm.
Group 2: You must make sure that your flights arrives at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on either the 14th or 15th of July, preferably any time before 10pm.
After your arrival at the end of your flight, you will be met by an ACTS representative who will be holding an ACTS sign as you exit the arrival hall . From there you will be transported 1 – 1.5 hours to your project accommodation in Limuru.

Week 1:
The first part of your week will be spent on given you a practical orientation and briefing on what the next few weeks will entail. A visit to the projects you will be working with will be done and most of the time will be spent building relationships and getting to know more about the project partners and their vision.
On Friday morning we will meet for a reflection and debriefing and confirm the placement for the next few weeks. Your Friday afternoon will then be sent at Village Market, which is a local shopping centre which hosts a cultural Maasai market every Friday.

Volunteers will also confirm which of the 4 excursions they would like to do on the Saturday.

Sundays
After a busy week, you deserve a day to do what you like. You will have the opportunity to visit one of the local community African churches or relax and catch up with some emails or quiet time.

Weeks 2 – 6:
For the remaining 5 weeks you will be divided between one of the projects as a focus project for every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. In your focal project you will have set goals and involvement areas as set by our ACTS team and the project partner and of course yourself.

Every Wednesday the whole group will be attending bible study with the ladies of Power Women’s Group. We start the day with bible study planning session, followed by a reflection group in which we will have an open space to discuss issues of development, community, serving, prayer or contentment.

All then meet in Limuru for a local lunch before heading to the Power Women’s group or Angels Baby Rescue Centre.

Friday mornings will be spent involved in a community project where the whole team gets together to either do a sports/community day, project clean up or a focussed practical activity. Friday afternoons are then spent at Village Market where you can relax, getting some shopping done, buying some souvenirs (testing out your bargaining skills) or just grabbing a slice of pizza.

Weekend Activities:
During your weekends you will have free time. We have 4 planned day trip excursions during your 6-week placement, which we will discuss with you to find the best dates to suit you.

These excursions include:
Nairobi Day Trip – You will visit the Elephant orphanage, Giraffe Sanctuary and the Boma’s of Kenya
Mount Longonot Climb – About a 6-hour hike around a dormant volcano in the beautiful Rift Valley
Hellsgate Cycling Safari – A beautiful and scenic cycling tour within a game park
Lake Nakuru Day Trip Safari – A full-day game drive to the Lake Nakuru National Park where you are bound to see a pink lake (flamingos), a large variety of plains-game, rhino, lions and hopefully the very elusive leopard. (excludes park entry fees of approximately $80 per person)

There are other weekend excursions available, which you can talk to the ACTS team about. These include two night trips to the famous Masai Mara, exploring the beautiful Kenyan coastline or an adventurous trip to Uganda for some bungee jumping and white river rafting … and many more.

Accommodation:
Our volunteer house is a comfortable and safe home located at Brackenhurst International Conference Centre. You may be required to share ablutions with other volunteers of the same sex. All bedding is provided, so you will not need to bring a sleeping bag with you, unless you are thinking of doing a camping safari during your stay, although an extra cover sometimes is useful in the colder months (May – September). All meals, laundry and transportation to and from your projects will be provided and organised by your volunteer coordinator. ACTS staff are also available to organize tourist activities, which will be at your own cost.

Meals:
You will be provided with three meals a day, served at the ACTS volunteer house. Breakfast usually consists of cereals/porridge, toast, tea and coffee. Lunch is packed for you and usually includes sandwiches, crisps, juice and fruit. Dinner is the main meal, usually consisting of casseroles, pasta dishes, stews and stirfries, etc. We do cater for vegetarians. You can also purchase a few extra treats on your weekly visit to the local supermarket, or enjoy some delicious meal at Brackenhurst’s Muna Tree Cafe. Please let us know before you depart for Africa of any food allergies or specific requirements. We do everything we can to provide for any dietary requirements, but we may have to ask you to bring some things with you if what you need is not available locally.

Includes:
Transfer from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi
Orientation and introductions to project work
All daily transportation to and from the projects
Full board and lodging which includes 3 meals a day at your accommodation
Assistance and support in your projects by ACTS coordinators throughout your time at your Kenya placement
10 % donation of your project fee, which entails financing that goes directly back into the project that you are involved with
4 excursions:
• Nairobi Day Trip
• Hellsgate Cycling Safari
• Mount Longonot Climb
• Nakuru Day Trip (excludes national park entry fees – $80 per person)

Excludes:
Personal travel insurance for the duration of your placement (expected to include cover for repatriation)
All items of a personal nature, such as curios, gifts, clothing (work and other)
Telephone calls, internet and soft drinks
All visas
Any excursions over and above your 4 planned excursions
Any flights
Optional activities

Kenya Summer Volunteer Project

How long: 6 weeks
Where: Limuru, Kenya
Minimum age: 18
Dates:1 May – 8 June (limit of 16 per group)
15 July – 24 August (limit of 16 per group)
Cost: USD1995 or GBP1295

Kenya Orphanage, Teaching and Community Project

How long: 2 – 12 weeks
Where: Limuru, Kenya

2 weeks: USD1080 or GBP700
4 weeks: USD1795 or GBP1165
8 weeks: USD3495 or GBP2265
12 weeks: USD5195 or GBP3365

Project costs include
• Project Fee: this entails financing that goes directly back into the project that you are involved with. This project fee facilitates funding for items such as teaching materials, sports equipment, supplies, etc.
• Transfer from the nearest airport, bus or train station in Kenya to the project accommodation in Limuru
• Orientation and introductions to project work upon your arrival
• All daily transportation to and from the project
• Full board and lodging which includes 3 meals a day at your accommodation
• Assistance in your projects by ACTS volunteer coordinators. Full support throughout your placement from ACTS volunteer coordinators and the ministry with which you get involved

Project costs exclude
• Personal travel insurance for the duration of your placement (expected to include cover for repatriation)
• All items of a personal nature, such as curios, gifts, clothing (work and other)
• Email/Internet, telephone calls and soft drinks (internet available within walking distance)
• All visas for border crossings (on extra excursions)
• Any excursions over and above your planned itinerary in Kenya
• Transport after hours and on weekends

Kenya Photo Gallery (click on photo to enlarge, click again to close)

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