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Childcare Volunteer Program in Kenya
Volunteering in Kenya with children is the most rewarding experience for volunteers. Volunteers work alongside the existing staff to care for the children, teach and play with them.
In Nairobi, you work at a childcare center in the suburbs, in areas such as Gitaru and Kikuyu, supporting local caretakers and teachers who look after children from toddlers through school age. Day to day you help with feeding, dressing, teaching, and play, plus cleaning, cooking, and administrative tasks the center needs. The program suits volunteers age 17 and up, family-friendly, with no previous childcare experience required.
Placements run 1–24 weeks, starting every week (sundays), with the next start on 20 Sep 2026. You live in a gated apartment complex in Nairobi's Lower Kabete area, sharing a room with other volunteers (private rooms available), with breakfast supplies and a weekday dinner provided and three meals at weekends. Prices start at $599, deposit included. Free weekends let you visit the elephant sanctuary, giraffe center, and Mamba Village, or travel further into Kenya.
- Opportunity to volunteer for children in Kenya, take care of children, teach and play with them
- Assist local staff and in taking care of children, such as feeding, dressing and keeping the children active within the homes
- Engage deeply with the locals and understand the issues and concerns prevailing in the region
- Live in Nairobi suburbs and meets lots of like minded fellow volunteers
- Get to visit the elephant sanctuary, giraffe center, and Mamba village in Kenya
- Travel around and explore the country during weekends
Your role on this program
- Work alongside existing staff to care for children at the childcare center
- Help with feeding, dressing, and keeping children active within the home
- Assist local caretakers with cleaning, tidying, and cooking for the children
- Teach children using interactive methods and prepare their daily records
- Play with children and take part in structured activities with them
- Help wash children's clothes and support general housekeeping tasks
- Assist in the center's office with organizational tasks if you are able to contribute
- Support fundraising efforts for developmental projects at the children's home
Exact duties vary with the placement's needs, the season and your experience.
Role boundaries
You work under the direction of the center's local caretakers and teachers, assisting with daily care, teaching, and play; you are never left in sole charge of children. Volunteering Solutions does not place volunteers in orphanages, and duties may vary with the placement's needs.
A typical day and week
Volunteering Solutions provide accommodation in Nairobi at a volunteer house. The schedule for the volunteers remains as follows;
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Sunday – Arrival at the program destination
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Monday – Orientation + introduction to the placement (commute + local staff + kids +places to eat etc.). An orientation session will be conducted by the local coordinator, covering topic areas; such as safety, culture, language, places to visit, food, and other suggestion over things to do in Kenya
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Tuesday to Fri – Volunteer work
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Breakfast – 07:30 am onwards (self made by volunteers at the accommodation)
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Leave for the project – 08:00 am
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Working hours at the placement – 09:00 to 04:00 pm
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Lunch – 01:00 pm to 02:00 pm (volunteers need to manage lunch on their own)
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Dinner – 07:30 pm onwards (provided at the accommodation)
The same volunteer work schedule continues from the second week onwards
Weekends – Free to explore the city, and do activities such as;
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Visit the elephant sanctuary, giraffe center, Mamba village
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Visit the local markets and buy souvenirs
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Go for a safari
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Spend time at Karura forest in the city
For those inclined to travel further away for fun activities, one can go biking to Hell’s Gate National Park in Naivasha (1.5 hours from the accommodation), climb Mt. Longonot (1.5 hours from the accommodation), or visit Thompson Falls (3 hours from the accommodation).One could also go to Mombasa and experience sandy beaches on the weekends.
Note: Please note, the schedule may vary depending on the particular project the volunteer is participating on.
Timings are the placement's usual pattern; the local team confirms your hours at orientation, and they can change with school terms, clinic rotas, weather and the project's needs.
Who can join and what you need
- Minimum age 17 (a parental consent form is required for participants under 18)
- No previous childcare experience required, but a flexible, open-minded attitude toward a new environment
- A genuine interest in working with children and a willingness to take initiative
- A clean criminal background check report issued within 12 months of the start date
- Travel and medical insurance for the full duration of the placement, your own policy or one arranged through Volunteering Solutions
The placement, its limits and your part in it
The placement is a childcare center in Nairobi's suburbs, staffed by local caretakers and teachers who run day-to-day care for children ranging from toddlers to school age. Volunteers work alongside this local staff rather than in their place, helping with feeding, teaching, play, and the center's daily upkeep. Volunteering Solutions does not arrange orphanage placements, and a criminal background check is required of every volunteer joining a childcare program.
Local staff remain responsible for the children at all times, and volunteers are never left in sole charge. Your contribution is best understood as extra hands and attention for staff who are stretched, not a replacement for trained carers or teachers, and the tasks you take on depend on what the center needs during your stay.
Our standards
- Responsible volunteer travel policyHow we choose, run and review every project
- Safeguarding policyBackground checks, supervision and our code of conduct with children
- Child & vulnerable adult protectionThe rules every volunteer follows on placement
- Certified B CorporationSocial and environmental performance verified by B Lab
- How we volunteer responsibly in KenyaCountry-level partner context and standards
Start dates
Weekly start dates, year-round — pick any week across the next two years.
Program fees by duration
Prices include your $249 booking deposit — which is deducted from your total program fee. Your deposit stays valid for one year, during which you may enroll in multiple programs. A 5% international banking fee applies to credit-card payments in USD or AUD.
| Duration | Total price | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week | $599 | |
| 2 weeks | $729 | |
| 3 weeks | $859 | |
| 4 weeks | $989 | |
| 5 weeks | $1,119 | |
| 6 weeks | $1,249 | |
| 7 weeks | $1,379 | |
| 8 weeks | $1,509 | |
| Each additional week | +$150 / week |
Indicative conversion — your booking is charged in the currency you choose at checkout.
✓ What you're paying for
- 24 hrs Assistance and support from Staff
- Comprehensive Pre- Departure Information
- Airport Pickup
- Orientation
- Food – 2 meals a day
- Accommodation
- Travel & Medical Insurance(Available at an extra cost)
- Certificate of Participation(On Request)
Not included
- Airfare
- Return Trip to Airport (Can be arranged at an extra cost)
- Local Transportation
- Visas
- Vaccinations
Accommodation & meals
Airport Transfer
Volunteers are picked up from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi by the local coordinator or representative. Those volunteers who are arriving overland or are already in Kenya will be picked up at a meeting point in Nairobi decided beforehand.Nairobi is a major hub for airlines in East Africa and has good international flight connections.
Accommodation
Volunteers in Nairobi are provided accommodation in the Lower Kabete area.The area is located around 20-25 minutes from Westlands and Parklands area which is famous for good restaurants and shopping areas. The CBD (Central Business District) is around 30 minutes away by car.
Volunteers stay in a gated apartment complex in which we use 4-5 different apartments for volunteers. The volunteer apartments are located on different floors such as the ground floor,third floor and fifth floor. The rooms in the apartments are shared rooms with usually four participants sharing one room with two bunk beds. There are some private units also available in the apartment complex for any volunteer interested in having a private room.
Some of the facilities available are hot showers, microwave, induction top, refrigerator and WiFi internet. There is no air conditioning in the apartments as it is not required in Nairobi as such.
Volunteers purchase their bottled water on their own. It can be purchased easily from the local market at walking distance from the apartment complex.
For Laundry, volunteers usually hand wash their clothes or alternatively give clothes to a Laundromat located not far from the volunteer accommodation at walking distance.
Orientation
An orientation about your program will be provided by the local coordinator in Nairobi. Areas like culture, safety, locations, project, transportation and weekend trips are covered in the orientation. During the orientation day, the coordinator will also give you information about the nearest market, help you in getting money exchanged and get a local sim card from the market.
Meals
Volunteers are provided with 2 meals(Breakfast and Dinner) on weekdays and three meals during the weekends. For Breakfast volunteers are given supplies such as Bread, Eggs, Butter/Margarine Spread, Fruits, Tea and Coffee. Volunteers need to cook breakfast on their own.
Lunch is not provided/ included in your fee and volunteers usually take a packed sandwich or fruits to the placement or have food at/ near the project.
For Dinner, food is cooked by the caretaker and cook at house and meals generally include dishes like Lentils, Mandezi, Chapatis, Spaghetti, Pilao, Chips, Githeri (Maize and Beans) and Fruits. In case you are allergic to any particular item or have a particular requirement feel free to inform the coordinators.
Volunteers also purchase supplies from the supermarkets and take with them packed food cooked on their own to the project.
Local Transportation
Volunteers prefer to use mostly Uber or Bolt for their commute to the projects and local malls and places of interest in Nairobi.
During your Free Time
The majority of the volunteers go on safari trips on the weekends.Volunteers usually take the two days or the extended three-day safari. While in Nairobi you can explore the different places of interest in the city. The city has so much to offer and there are a lot of places to see and explore during free time. Places like Masai market,Bomas of Kenya, Giraffe centre and Karura Forest are visited by volunteers during free time and weekends.
Volunteers are also free to plan quick getaways and explore Kenya. We also arrange programs for groups in safari to Masai Mara, Amboseli National Park and Lake Nakuru National Park or the Nairobi National Park. The costs for weekend trips are extra.
Life on the program
Getting there and who looks after you in Kenya
Airport pickup
You are met at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi by the local coordinator or a representative. Volunteers already in Kenya or arriving overland are picked up at a meeting point in Nairobi agreed in advance.
First night
Arrival day is Sunday, and you settle into the apartment accommodation in the Lower Kabete area of Nairobi.
Orientation
On Monday, the local coordinator runs an orientation covering culture, safety, transport, and weekend trip options, and helps you exchange money and get a local SIM card.
First project day and ongoing support
Volunteer work at the childcare center begins Tuesday and follows the same weekly pattern from then on. The in-country coordinator in Nairobi provides round-the-clock assistance throughout your stay.
From volunteers in Kenya
Frequently asked questions
What will I actually do as a childcare volunteer in Nairobi?
You assist local caretakers and teachers at a childcare center, helping with feeding, dressing, teaching, play, and daily tasks like cleaning and cooking, with duties depending on what the center needs.
Do I need experience or qualifications to join?
No previous childcare experience is required, but you should have a flexible, open-minded attitude and a genuine interest in working with children.
What does a typical day look like?
On weekdays you make your own breakfast, travel to the placement, and work Tuesday to Friday, 9am-4pm, with lunch managed on your own and dinner provided at the accommodation.
How long can I volunteer and when do programs start?
Placements run 1–24 weeks, and you can start on every week (sundays), with the next intake beginning 20 Sep 2026.
What is included in the fee?
Prices start at $599, deposit included, covering airport pickup, orientation, accommodation, two meals a day on weekdays and three at weekends, and 24-hour staff support; airfare, visas, and vaccinations are not included.
Where will I live and what meals are provided?
You stay in a gated apartment complex in Nairobi's Lower Kabete area, usually sharing a room with other volunteers (private rooms are available), with breakfast supplies and a weekday dinner provided and three meals at weekends.
Will I be picked up from the airport?
Yes, you are picked up at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi by the local coordinator or a representative; those already in Kenya are met at an agreed meeting point.
What support is available if something goes wrong?
An in-country coordinator in Nairobi provides round-the-clock assistance, and the local team gives you a 24-hour emergency contact.
Do I need a visa or vaccinations?
Visas and vaccinations are not included in the program fee, and specific guidance is sent before departure.
Is a background check required?
Yes, all volunteers on the childcare program must provide a clean criminal background check report issued within 12 months of the start date.
Will I ever be alone in charge of the children?
No, you work alongside local caretakers and teachers at all times and are never left in sole charge of the children.
Who is this program suited for?
It suits volunteers age 17 and up, including families, who want to support a childcare center's daily routine without prior childcare experience.
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