VOLUNTEER KENYA

The primary focus of this program is improved community wellness through health education, reproductive health services, targeted mentorship, psycho-social support and nutrition counselling as well as entrepreneurial skills building. Maternal and child health (MCH) care is the health service provided to mothers (women in their child bearing age) and children. The targets for MCH are all women in their reproductive age groups, i.e., 15 - 49 years of age, children, school age population and adolescents. Mothers and children make up over two thirds of the entire population. Women in reproductive age (15 – 49 years old) constitute 21%, pregnant women, 4.5%, children under 1 5, 47%, children under 5, 18%, under 3, 12% and infants: 4%. (This working estimate is very important in developing countries for project planning and implementation). 

The reality is, maternal mortality is an adverse outcome of many pregnancies. Miscarriage, induced abortion, and other factors, are causes for over forty percent of the pregnancies in developing countries which result in complications, illnesses, or permanent disability for the mother or child. About 80% of maternal deaths are directed obstetric deaths. They result "from obstetric complications of the pregnant state (pregnancy, labour, and puerperium), from intervention, omissions, incorrect treatment, or from a chain of events resulting from any of the above. Most pregnant women in the developing world receive insufficient or no prenatal care and deliver without help from appropriately trained health care providers. More than seven million newborn deaths are believed to result from maternal health problems and their mismanagement. Poorly timed unwanted pregnancies carry high risks of morbidity and mortality, as well as social and economic costs, particularly to the adolescent and many unwanted pregnancies end in unsafe abortion. 

Poor maternal health hurts women's productivity, their families' welfare, and socio-economic development.  A Large number of women suffer severe chronic illnesses that can be exacerbated by pregnancy and the mother's weakened immune system and levels of these illnesses are extremely high. Infectious diseases like malaria are more prevalent in pregnant women than in non-pregnant women and are most common in the first pregnancy. Given the magnitude of these problems and the interventions available, there is a lot that needs to be done. Most of the problems occurring all too often remain silent. They remain, to a large extent, uncounted and unreported.

This program focuses on addressing the ongoing problems, clarifying policy and program alternatives and identifying cost-effective health-related issues with like minded individuals or organizations. As an Intern or Volunteer on this program, you will get an opportunity to assist with training and mentoring young women on their sexual reproductive health, educating communities on the dangers of FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) as well as teaching communities on the importance of girl children in the society.

The primary focus of this program are mobile clinics, community health care centres, and clinics. As a volunteer on this program, you will have opportunities to work alongside health care workers in both rural or city hospitals, as well as in clinics. There are also volunteer programs available to assist with teaching individuals within rural communities the importance of general health and hygiene, assisting with educating locals about HIV/AIDS, prenatal care, and joining efforts with community outreach teams by visiting HIV infected areas to assess whether soon to be mothers are taking their prescribed medication. Throughout Kenya, there are HIV/Aids centres where volunteers can work with other community health care workers with monitoring the infected population, offering counselling to those that are open to it and visiting schools to educate youth of the implications HIV/Aids has on the community.

Another opportunity that is possible as a volunteer is to get involved with counselling or providing entrepreneurial skills to empower and equip single mothers with the necessary skills and mindset to eventually become self-reliant and be able to generate revenue to assist with providing their family or future family.

Depending on your education and background, volunteers with nursing certificates can work in clinics specific to their employment, qualifications or expertise. For those with specialized skills, there are additional opportunities to volunteer at health care centres that offer psychological services as well as opportunities to work alongside doctors and nurses within different communities across Kenya. Volunteers without any qualifications; but are interested in getting involved, are still able to by assisting in institutions that handle drug addicted people and other health care programs in the rural areas.

Living on the streets or becoming an orphan is incredibly difficult for most individuals to imagine but it is a reality for so millions of children in many developing countries, especially throughout Kenya. To make matters even more challenging, some families do not want female children and thousands of children every year are dropped off at orphanages and the parents are never to be seen again.

Luckily, efforts have been made by various welfare organizations to protect these children, to provide a safe and secure home environment and most importantly to offer them adequate education. Working at an orphanage requires love for children, maturity and self-discipline. As a volunteer, you will share your time, energy and skills to support these children and bring a bright ray of hope into their lives. During your stay, you will be encouraged to teach basic English, draw, help organize games or sports activities, sing, dance, or even perform theatre with the children. Providing general care for the children is also something that is highly encouraged. You may also be asked to perform general and special tasks and accompany children on outings as required by the program. As a volunteer, you have an incredible opportunity to empower these children and encourage them to achieve their goals and help them to reach their dreams. By becoming a volunteer on this program, you can help support these children by providing education with special emphasis on English, mathematics and computers, and also spending quality time with them, makes them smile and helps to promote their overall well-being.

We believe that the only way to ensure the long-term preservation of the forest is by instilling its youth with an understanding of and appreciation for the delicate ecology that lies within. The organization currently partners with 140 area schools (98 primary, 42 secondary) for its education initiative. Volunteers from AVP will conduct outreach programs twice a week with lessons ranging from different types of primates found in the forest to the importance of rainforest ecological systems on the world’s climate. Kenya Forest Service also offers free Saturday classes at its main office to all community members, with children’s classes in the mornings and adult seminars in the afternoons.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE: Assist with teaching sessions and the development of new teaching materials, conduct forest field trips to examine plants and animals discussed in classes, form new partnerships to enhance the education initiative and help staff in expanding and improving all project areas

REQUIREMENTS: No education or training requirements. A background in teaching, conservation, or environmental issues useful is beneficial. Lastly, an ability to walk moderately long distances if required.

This project is for both vet students on volunteer program as well as normal volunteers without any vet qualifications. Volunteers help in shelters for animals which are abandoned, homeless, lost or victims of cruelty. This program is meant to provide care and a safe environment until either they are reclaimed, or rehomed to carefully vetted new homes. The organization has a minimum kill policy, only animals that by reason of age, ill health or temperament cannot be rehomed, are euthanized.

Number of dogs rehomed per month: 45 to 50, number of cats rehomed per month: 20, average number of dogs in the shelter: 120, average number of cats in the shelter: 50, average number of donkeys in shelter: 10, average number of dogs spayed/neutered: 40 females, 10 males, average number of cats spayed/neutered: 25 to 30 females, 20 males, average admission of dogs: 60 to 80 and average admission of cats: 30

Location: Nairobi area and coastline

This program was created for continued research on the Colobus Monkey populations in Kenya. As a volunteer working on this program, you will be required to participate in studies on Colobus feeding ecology, primate censuses, feeding and behavioural monitoring, forest disturbance surveys and hotel pest assessments.

VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: cleaning cages, feeding the Colobus Monkeys, snaring projects, behavioural research, electrical work, maintenance and cleaning of environment or carpentry work.

Location: Vipingo (eastern coastline)

While volunteering on this program, you will work closely with local communities and help to educate them and discourage poaching of large marine species such as the whale shark. With proper education and support, the goal is to have local communities participate in beach clean ups and educate them about the importance of Marine Conservation. As a volunteer on this program, the activities that you will participate will include: Dolphin and Whale shark eco-tourism projects. Sustainable eco-tourism to eliminate poverty. Environmental welfare through advocacy. Teaching in Schools or local community centres. Dolphin and Whale shark Surveys i.e. population distribution and identifying hot spots (GPS), Fin identification. Educating tour boat operators on observation policies and behavioural ecology. For this particular program, you will be given different options for accommodations that range from cottages with shared rooms ($60.00 CAD per night), a home stay or a private arrangement such as air bnb. As a volunteer on this program, the duties and responsibilities vary depending on the time of the year. We documented the seasons and activities you may be requested to assist with below:

From January until April: Dolphin surveys, Citizen science, Stranding patrols, School programs and Community engagement.

From June until September: Land-based survey for humpback whale and Acoustic deployments.

Kenya Forest Service strives to save one of the last remaining rainforests in Kenya through environmental education, awareness building, development and the implementation of economic alternatives to the exploitation of forest resources. Its goals are to:

Promote conservation of the diminishing Kakamega Forest and its indigenous plant and animal species through educational sessions and outreach programs in local primary and secondary schools and throughout the local community. Preserve the forest and limit illegal logging activities by promotion and training in energy-saving practices such as fireless cookers, energy-saving stoves, and solar energy. Establish, support, and collaborate with other community-based organizations (CBOs) on income-generating projects in forest communities and organizations to ease the pressure on Kakamega Forest caused by unsustainable use of forest resources. Promote sustainable ecotourism in Kakamega Forest while educating visitors on the importance of the forest and its conservation.

This project was initiated with the goal of generating more revenue for the community. To give you an example of how this project works, three-day old elephant dung is collected, heated (by boiling) and then pounded using a traditional mortar and pestle while waste paper is also pounded. The two are mixed indifferent ratios depending on the colour of the paper you intend to make. They are then pounded together till completely mixed. The mixture is put in a basin of water, stirred, then scooped within a frame and dried on a table for three to six hours depending on the weather condition. The end product is a paper which is cut to size depending on what one intends to make.

This program is beneficial in the following ways: reduction of human elephant conflict, limits future conflict between communities and elephants, creates new ways of alleviating poverty through the elephants dung paper project, provision of habitat for the elephants and other animals, the net income is divided amongst the community members (land owners) based on the size of one's land, as compensation at the end of every year, certain amount of money is set aside for bursaries to needy students from the community members and employment (unless not available) All manpower is sourced from the community.

The Butterfly Farming Project has shown a fair degree of success as an income-generating activity. Kenyan Forest Service is currently expanding the project to include surrounding schools and communities. Home to over 400 species of some of the world’s most beautiful and exotic butterflies, Kakamega Forest is an ideal this activity. Select species of the insects are collected by volunteers and raised in a large outdoor screen-covered nursery containing flowering plants ideal for butterfly consumption. These butterflies lay eggs that hatch into caterpillars and, eventually, new generations of butterflies, which are then sold to a range of foreign buyers, including researchers and artists. The rarity of butterfly farming as an income-generating activity and the availability of a foreign market makes this project particularly lucrative for the self-sustainability of the organization.

As a volunteer you can assist in the following ways: collection of butterflies and cocoons from the larger forest, help staff with the maintenance of the nursery, create educational materials for schools and Saturday sessions, educate locals and foreigners on butterfly farming and its importance as an income-generating activity

VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS: No education or training requirements, background in sustainable agriculture, teaching, conservation, or environmental issues an asset and an ability to walk moderately long distances.

Established as an income-generating project and a means of conserving the forest’s rare indigenous plants, the tree nursery contains the seedlings of over a dozen different trees known for their medicinal properties. Volunteers will provide daily care for the delicate young trees, checking moisture levels and constructing pine needle lean-tos to shade them from the scorching sun. Once strong enough to be transported, the trees are sold for a small price to locals who will plant them in their own yards and later benefit from the leaves, fruits, or bark from these trees that are used as cures for ailments ranging from headaches and common colds to malaria and influenza. By selling these trees, Kenyan Forest Service receives valuable self-sustaining income and helps prevent illegal logging and foraging activities in the protected areas of the forest.

As a volunteer you can assist with the following tasks: assist with the tree nursery on a physical and theoretical level, learn to identify seedlings of trees and help to find and transport them back to the nursery, assist with routine daily tasks around the nursery, including watering, planting, and constructing shade huts, design marketing materials for the tree nursery to distribute in local communities, highlighting the benefits of the plants and their medicinal uses

VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS: No education or training requirements, a background in sustainable agriculture, marketing, conservation, or environmental issues is preferred and an ability to spend long hours walking and doing manual work outside.

In an attempt to reduce the illegal logging and poaching activities that have been ravaging the forest for many decades, we work with dozens of small communities scattered throughout the area to manage income-generating activities. By providing an alternate source of income for those who have depended on the sale of protected timber and the meat and skins of endangered animals, we hope to draw these individuals away from their illicit activities and guide them toward more sustainable methods of supporting themselves and their families.

As a volunteer you can assist with the following tasks: establishment and maintenance of community projects, consult with community groups and leaders for volunteers and funding, participate in the construction of butterfly farms and tree nurseries, help design and conduct training sessions on tree and butterfly farming and beekeeping and develop and implement additional income-generating projects

VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS: Experience or background in beekeeping, tree nurseries, or butterfly farming, a background in sustainable agriculture, teaching, conservation, or environmental issues, a willingness to spend long hours in the field visiting outlying communities and helping with the construction of project materials and an ability to walk moderately long distances (Kakamega is fairly remote).

VOLUNTEER ACCOMMODATION: The accommodation is within the conservancy and it's both accommodation and food. The conservancy is closer to Mombasa, it's called Tsavo. It is a ranch like set up with different rooms for each volunteer. Volunteers may have shared rooms depending on the number with separate toilets. All is within the conservancy or camp.