Kenya Medical and Community Volunteers

Your project work will vary and be determined by your level of medical experience, skills and expertise. For those with medical experience and qualifications, you can expect to be placed at one of the many local health care centres that the programme supports or the local hospital. For those who do not hold any medical qualifications, you will be placed in one of the many local orphanages, pre-schools and other worthwhile community programmes. Typically you will be spending Monday to Thursdays at your volunteer project.

Every other Friday, volunteers will be involved in a fantastic feeding programme in Limuru; preparing and serving meals to children and local people, followed by a fun afternoon of sports and activities. On alternate Fridays, volunteers will be going out and about in the local communities to raise awareness, support and raise vital funds for the programme.

If you have medical qualifications and expertise:
There are a number of different projects that volunteers with medical experience and qualifications will be able to get involved in. The programme works alongside a number of Public Health Care Centres in Limuru and the surrounding area; volunteering at these health care centres is a real eye-opener into African medical care. You’ll be volunteering under the supervision of a local health qualified professional and could be involved in opportunities such as maternity, paediatric and child-care unit, orthopaedics, administration, outpatient care, pharmacy, comprehensive care clinic (for HIV and TB patients), laboratory and counselling.  

If you are a qualified healthcare professional you may be placed at a small government hospital which has a out-patient department along with a dental and maternity clinic. As well as being involved in these departments you may also be able to prepare and run workshops for patients and staff.

If you have no medical background, expertise or qualifications:
For those with no medical qualifications or experience, you’ll be placed at one of number of pre-schools or orphanages in and around Limuru. You’ll be helping children from a variety of different backgrounds including illness, poverty, HIV/AIDS and abuse; they are typically aged between 4 and 15 years with many having delayed mental development, so your extra help and support is greatly needed by both the children and the staff at the centres.

Some of highlights of this project work include:

• Making improvements and light renovations – perhaps brightening up a classroom with a colourful mural
• Giving vital support and guidance to the children
• Teaching of basic subjects
• Introducing some extra-curricular activities to the children including arts and crafts and fun sports
• Providing general care – helping to prepare meals and organising fun activities

You’ll be volunteering at your main projects from Monday to Thursday every week. A typical day at the project will normally run from 9:00am until around 3:00pm, this could vary depending on the project that you are placed with. After your project you will have free time, perhaps you may like to spend this checking emails and getting in touch with friends and family back home, visiting the markets, preparing for your next day of volunteering or simply relaxing with fellow volunteers.

On Friday’s all volunteers will be able to get involved in the fantastic local feeding programme. This is bound to be a thoroughly memorable and rewarding experience as well as a great highlight of your trip. The time spent at this project will be variable depending on which week you are on; on fundraising days you will normally spend the afternoons out and about, and the days you are working at the feeding programme you will normally start mid morning and finish late afternoon. 

Your weekends are your free time to spend as you please. You may like to relax and chill out at the volunteer accommodation or take part in some of the optional activities available such as an exciting safari in one of Kenya’s famous and beautiful national parks.

The in-country team will also have plenty of suggestions on things to do and places to visit during your time off.