Bordered in the south by the Indian Ocean, the terrain of Kenya is primarily savannas, mountains, and valleys. Typical for another beautiful country in East Africa. You can find many free-roaming lions, elephants, buffalos, and leopards on an area of 581,309 km2. But Kenya is more than nature and wildlife animals; Kenya is also worldwide known for its distance runners. Catherine Ndereba and Henry Rono are among the list of great Kenyan athletes 🌅
Some other facts that might be interesting if you want to travel there, too:
- The two official languages are English and Swahili
- Nairobi is the capital and as well the largest city in the country
- The Maasai shield (found on the flag) is a traditional symbol in Kenya. It symbolizes the defense of the country
- Mount Kenya is the highest and most famous mountain in Kenya.
Imagine being there and explore the stunning nature and culture by yourself!
Volunteer in Kenya
So, the country and its various cultures are amazing experiences;
Just as the project areas there!
You can choose between many offers from agriculture to wildlife conservation. Among them are popular destinations like childcare, teaching, healthcare, or environmental conservation. There are also options for building & construction, culture & arts, social work, and women empowerment. Furthermore, additional areas are sports (e.g. football coaching), international development, NGO management, and marketing & IT. To take a closer look into specific programs, get inspired here.
But no matter which project you’ll support, all of them contribute to the strengthening of our one-and-only home – The Earth 🌍
“I learned that my lifestyle and everything I have, should not be taken for granted.”
Deborahs experience
Deborah has chosen a program in NGO management. After completing the program, she is very joyful about it. She gave us an account of her experience there. As a result, we can tell you some detailed insights on her interesting program:
The arrival
When Deborah arrived in the popular East-African country, her first thoughts were about typical characteristics of Kenya: The basic lifestyle, the atmosphere, and the heat! By no surprise as Mombasa can get up to 32 degrees throughout the year ☀️
Side fact: Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya, having a constant tropical climate. There is an average humidity of 77% because it’s directly located by the sea.
Deborah joined on March 1st, 2021, and stayed for 5 sunny weeks.
The project
Firstly, Deborah participated in the volunteer program “Business Administration & Training Assistant”. Secondly, it is established for women, living in poverty, economically weak, who are the sole providers for their families. So this could be widows and single mothers. Thirdly, the program aims to provide business training, support, and funding. As a result, these women should start and successfully manage their own small businesses, securing their future financial independence.
Deborah explains, “I identified and interviewed over 100 women, successfully enrolling them in the program. I structured and conducted a small business management training course incorporating business and budget planning, record keeping, microfinance, motivation, and time management.”
A daily routine
Consequently, volunteers have lots of tasks. Here is a general volunteer day on weekdays:
| 7.00 AM | Breakfast (in the volunteer house or with the host family) 🍛 |
| 7.45 AM | Travel to the project, volunteer joins work members, gets a duty roster & plan for work 🏜 |
| 12.00 – 2.00 PM | Lunch break. In Kenya, all workplaces have a lunch break for about 2 hours. (some start earlier or later) 🍲 |
| 2.00 – 5.00 PM | Work at the project usually ends. The volunteer at this point is free to travel home, sightseeing, or do shopping 👜 |
| 7.00 PM | Dinner (in the volunteer house or with the host family) 🥘 |
| Weekends -> Freetime | Doing free time activities like relaxing or explore the country 🗺 |
So, now we know what the project is about and what Deborah has done. But, how exactly did it affect her? For this, we asked more closely:
Deborah, what did you learn from your volunteer experience?
“I learned that my lifestyle and everything I have, should not be taken for granted.” It’s a fact, that this part of Kenya is a very popular tourist location, which offers luxury accommodation and facilities. But on the other hand, most local people are living in unbelievable poverty. She told us, that COVID has contributed to their hardship because it has a devastating effect on all of the small independent shops and businesses. They rely on the tourist industry. Moreover, Deborah learned a great deal about Kenyan culture and the breakdown of family structure. Women must take on the role of sole provider for their families. “I was overwhelmed by the strength and resilience of the women that I met. Their belief, faith, and determination to overcome the hardships that they currently suffer and the willingness to work with the program are a credit to them.”
Memorable moments
So, the program had a lot of effects on the organization, the needy people, and of course the volunteer itself. But, where were the highlights on this beautiful journey? We asked Deborah for more details, “There were many memorable moments,” she answered, “but graduation day for the women who had attended the training was wonderful.” Deborah said that she designed a Diploma for the women. Further, the ceremony was attended by a female member of the local council. She added, “A display of tribal dancing in my honor was also a very memorable experience.”
Sounds like a really impressive and appealing volunteer experience! 🎒
Conclusion
So, Deborah learned a lot about the culture and the families in Kenya. She got a lot of unforgettable moments and created a positive impact with her volunteer work.
In short, the project was a success for the NGO, the volunteer, and above all, the women in need 😊
Have you had the chance to experience Kenya or are you planning to do so? Check out all our volunteer programs in Kenya or let us know about your previous experience to get featured on our blog!