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Volunteer Teaching in Kenya

Volunteer teaching program in Kenya is an opportunity to teach to the children of undeserved communities, directly engage with locals and meet passionate volunteers from across the globe.

Kenya

country

1-24 Weeks

duration

from $350

price

17 years+

min age

Highlights

Volunteer to teach English to the children of underserved communities of Kenya and assist local teachers as well
This is a great opportunity to bring the families out of the vicious circle of poverty as English is a professionally rewarding language to be learnt
Get a chance to directly engage with locals and meet passionate volunteers from across the globe
Volunteers work on weekdays and weekends are free to explore the country

Volunteers joining the Teaching Volunteer Program in Kenya assist with the teaching of different subjects in Kenyan elementary and high schools. Volunteer teachers can assist with subjects such as mathematics, science, geography, social studies, history, business education, English, art, and music.

Please note that Kenyan school holidays occur in April, August, and from late November to the end of December. No teaching will be available during these times. Instead, volunteers will be placed in childcare and youth programs.

In this program, volunteers teach the classes on their own or assist the current staff and teachers.Volunteering in the Teaching program would give the volunteers an invaluable work experience of working overseas on a Teaching placement.

A majority of our volunteers work in primary school placements in the suburban areas of the capital city of Nairobi.

Sample Placement Profile – Kanjeru Primary
Kanjeru Primary School is a public school which is located in Kabete constituency of Kiambu County in suburban Nairobi. It was started in 1954 as a community informal school with mud structures and grew to a fully registered school in 1962. It occupies 9 acres of land and has 16 permanent classrooms, ablution, block, a hall and an administrative block.

The current enrolment of the school is more than 850 pupils which consist of around 790 pupils in primary, 56 in special education and 79 in early childhood development education.

The school has classes from pre primary to grade 9.The school follows the approved curriculum by the Ministry of Education and all the teaching staff in the primary school are qualified and are employed by the Teachers Service Commission.

Want to see other ways to make an impact? Check out our Volunteer in Africa programs.

Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities

Volunteer teachers are a precious resource and always welcome. Usually volunteers work alongside the staff English teachers, or even lead the classes in improving the pronunciation and conversational skills. Volunteers are welcome to bring in their own ideas to the classroom as well to make it more engaging and fun to study. A typical list of tasks of volunteer working for the Teaching program in Kenya includes;

Preparing lesson plans (if possible)
Assisting teachers in conducting classes for children
Helping with general work which comes up (Reception, translations)
Preparing tests
Helping in improving the vocabulary of the students
Implementation of new ideas and teaching methods (if possible)

Volunteers can also get involved in teaching other activities such as art, music or physical education depending on the participants interest and skill level. After consultation with the school management, you can impart valuable life skills such as first aid training to the students as well.

Requirements & eligibility

Volunteers must be 17 years or older at the time of joining the project. Participants should have an open mind and flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. Volunteers need to be flexible, open-minded and have a passion for working with children. You should also be proactive and have the ability to take initiative All volunteers must provide a clean criminal background check report prior to joining the program. A parental consent form shall be required for Under 18 participants joining the program.

Volunteer work schedule

A typical day

Volunteering Solutions provide accommodation in Nairobi at a volunteer house. The schedule for the volunteers remains as follows;

Sunday – Arrival at the program destination
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
Tuesday to Fri – Volunteer work
Breakfast – 07:30 am onwards (self made by volunteers at the accommodation)
Leave for the project – 08:00 am
Working hours at the placement – 09:00 to 03:00 pm
Lunch – 01:00 pm to 02:00 pm (volunteers need to manage lunch on their own. Timings can vary depending on school timetable)
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;

Visit the elephant orphanage, giraffe center, Mamba village
Visit the local markets and buy souvenirs
Go for a safari
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.

Gallery

Life on the programme

Living

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.

Dates

Start dates

Weekly start dates, year-round — pick any week across the next two years.

AvailableFilling fastFully booked

Costs

Program fees by duration Currency

A one-off application fee ($249 / £179 / €229 / AU$350) is charged in addition to the program fee — valid for one year, during which you may enrol in multiple programs. A 5% international banking fee applies to credit-card payments in USD or AUD.

Duration	Program fee
1 week	$350
2 weeks	$480
3 weeks	$610
4 weeks	$740
5 weeks	$870
6 weeks	$1,000
7 weeks	$1,130
8 weeks	$1,260
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

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Application & getting started

When should I apply?

Apply as soon as your dates are decided — spots are limited. The application fee is valid for a full year, so you can apply early to secure your place.

How do I apply and when do I pay?

Fill in the online application form and pay the application fee. The program fee can be paid later, even in instalments, but must be complete 45 days before the program starts.

What are the requirements?

Participants must usually be at least 17 (families welcome with younger children), with an open mind, good health and respect for local customs. A clear criminal background check is required from all adults.

Accommodation, meals & support

Where will I stay and what about food?

You stay in a volunteer house or with a host family, with meals provided. Private-room upgrades are usually available.

Is there support while I'm there?

Yes — a local coordinator gives you an orientation on arrival and is available 24/7 throughout your placement.

Health, safety & visa

Do I need insurance and vaccinations?

Valid travel-medical insurance is mandatory (available from us at a nominal cost). Consult your travel doctor for recommended vaccinations; your pre-departure pack covers the details.

Do you help with the visa?

Yes — all enrolled participants get visa-requirement information in the pre-departure manual, and your point of contact can answer questions.

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