Orientation
Once you have been met and picked up from the airport, you will be taken to the project to settle in. Then, your coordinators will guide you through the project and help to answer any questions you may have in your orientation.
Your orientation will cover:
- Local language and culture – social norms, traditions and culture
- Expected behaviour – dress code at project, school and house rules
- Safety – areas and places to avoid, what to do in an emergency
- Locations of important amenities – banks, hospitals, embassies
- Transportation and travel in Kenya – where to go, how to get there
- Volunteer placement – what your project involves, who you need to report to, other volunteers etc
Accommodation and Meals
During your stay, you will be accommodated in houses that you will share with the other volunteers on the programme. The houses are comfortable, but very basic and are enclosed in a walled and gated compound. The house cook will provide all meals, made from locally produced ingredients.
Free Time
The rural area where the programme is situated is very beautiful and there are many natural landmarks such as waterfalls and caves to visit. The programme is also 60km from Kitale where there is a local game reserve that you can visit.
Being in Kenya means that you are close to the Maasai Mara, amongst other popular destinations, so why not combine your work placement with a tour? We have a number of different tours, from 3 days to 56, from Nairobi to Cape Town.
Please do not hesitate to contact us to enquire about these options, and we will be happy to send you further details and help you explore Africa.
Programme Support
Mary and James are your programmes coordinators. They will provide you with competent field support and assistance, and help you with any questions or support you may need during your stay. The team are really friendly, and will be there for you to contact each day. However, with over 2,000 people to care for, they are often very busy, and so you must undertake this programme with a sense of initiative and independence, to work to your own motivation and ideas a lot of the time.
In addition, we will provide you with a 24 hour emergency contact number before you depart, so that you can contact one of our UK staff at any time should you need to.
PLEASE NOTE: Schools in Africa are not in any way the same as western standards. The structure is poor, and time is certainly not a priority. Caning is still a common practise, and many times it is the teachers who fail to turn up instead of the children.
Minimum age 18, maximum decided on potential participant's health
