Community Work with Children in Nakuru, Kenya

  Kenya

Nakuru

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks and 9-12 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks
Dates: multiple dates year round

Description: Kenya continues to be one of the world's top tourist destinations with millions descending on its open plains every year. Unfortunately the revenue from a booming tourist trade has yet to find its way to the less fortunate of society and the number of children living on the street continues to be a major concern. By volunteering on this project, you will help to tackle the problem while enjoying a stunning location in the rift valley town of Nakuru.

*What the projects do and why they need you!
We work with one of several community based projects which are designed to provide support, basic education and social welfare to severely disadvantaged children and their families. The projects that we work with in Nakuru aim to bring the children in off the streets, or to protect them from becoming street children where their relatives cannot support them. Volunteers are desperately needed to support the staff running the centres, and to provide some basic skills and companionship. As English is a national language in Kenya, English teachers are a permanent necessity and by helping in these areas you can bring an invaluable skill to the children you work with.

*Who is it for?
You must have a love of children and a genuine commitment to the project, while some experience of working with young people is useful. You will need to be flexible, and have initiative and enthusiasm to face the many hurdles and challenges that you will inevitably encounter within your role. To ensure that you get the most out of and contribute fully to your project, a pro-active attitude is essential. Any skills that you, from sports, music, drama, art or fundraising will be more than welcome. Volunteers with experience in physical education and gymnastics will be welcomed to get involved with strenuous physical activities as part of detoxification and rehabilitation programmes for children coming off drugs.

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Highlights: What were the highlights of your trip that you couldn't wait to tell your friends about?

"The children were the most memorable part of the trip. I taught conversational English to 8-12 year olds who were all extremely eager to learn and we had a lot of fun together! I shouldn't forget to mention my housekeeper Monica's cooking; real Kenyan food in a real Kenyan village!" (Amy Attas)

Nakuru is Kenya's fourth biggest town and is about 160km from Nairobi. It's fairly laid-back and modern with relatively good transport, and is well linked to the rest of the country. Facilities are good, with several banks, internet cafes, tour operators and small hotels. Water and electricity may occasionally cut out, but in general they will be available.

Due to the nature of the centers, life at either of the centers will be varied and full. Your role will almost certainly involve an element of teaching usually English, but also math, health education, or any other areas that you can contribute to. In order to give the older children some more practical skills, there may well be the opportunity for vocational guidance, such as carpentry or arts and crafts for selling on. In the past volunteers have become involved with knitting projects and have even assisted in cooking meals, alongside the standard teaching roles. Volunteers will also find they become a role model figure, and offer friendship and confidence to such disadvantaged children.

Some of the children are at the center all the time while others go out to school during the day & return for lunch (from midday to 1.00pm). If you work over the weekends you will be able to get more involved in the extra-curricular activities. During the school holidays (April, August and December) the children will be at the center all day.

Qualifications: Who is it for?
You must have a love of children and a genuine commitment to the project, while some experience of working with young people is useful. You will need to be flexible, and have initiative and enthusiasm to face the many hurdles and challenges that you will inevitably encounter within your role. To ensure that you get the most out of and contribute fully to your project, a pro-active attitude is essential. Any skills that you, from sports, music, drama, art or fundraising will be more than welcome. Volunteers with experience in physical education and gymnastics will be welcomed to get involved with strenuous physical activities as part of detoxification and rehabilitation programmes for children coming off drugs.

What you'll be doing:
Due to the nature of the centres, your time will be varied and full! Your role will almost certainly involve an element of teaching - usually English, but also Maths, Health Education, or any other areas that you can contribute to. In order to give the older children some more practical skills, there may well be the opportunity for vocational guidance, such as carpentry or arts and crafts for selling on. In the past volunteers have become involved with knitting projects and have even assisted in cooking meals, alongside the standard teaching roles. Volunteers will also find they become a role model for the kids, providing them with friendship, stability and confidence.

Some of the children are at the centre all the time while others go out to school during the day and return for lunch (from midday to 1.00pm). If you work over the weekends you will be able to get more involved in the extra-curricular activities. During the school holidays (April, August and December) the children will be at the centre all day.

Cost in US$: USD 1535.00 for 2 weeks, USD 275.00 for every week thereafter

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: If you are interested in immersing yourself in another culture while giving your time to a worthy cause, then you are a typical i-to-i volunteer. We invite you to join the i-to-i community of dedicated volunteers aged 18-80 who are working on community development, building, teaching, and conservation projects across the globe. Together, we make a lasting impact that changes lives and helps preserve the planet through hundreds of worthwhile projects around the world.

Age Range: 18-80

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Kenya Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Phone Interview

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

i-to-i Meaningful Travel's Mission Statement: i-to-i is an award-winning organization providing unique opportunities for you to travel, work and live abroad. Thousands of travelers aged 18 to 80 have joined our volunteer vacations and over 50,000 have learned to Teach English as a Foreign Language through our tailor-made TEFL courses. With over 400 projects on 4 continents, you can join the worldwide i-to-i volunteer community on an extended adventure in areas such as teaching, community development, sports coaching, conservation, building or internships in tourism, marketing, journalism, or health.

Year Founded: 1994