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2 Weeks Special Volunteer Programme in Kenya
The 2-Week Special Volunteer Programme in Kenya allows volunteers to care for children in a childcare centre while enjoying a weekend safari to Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha. The programme also includes a 2-day city tour of Nairobi, offering a taste of local culture and cuisine.
This programme places you in childcare centre placements in Nairobi's suburbs, in areas such as Gitaru and Kikuyu, working alongside street children and orphans who receive basic education and meals at the centre. Day to day you help with informal lessons, design games, support administrative tasks and assist with meal preparation. No previous experience is needed, and the programme is family-friendly, open to volunteers aged 17 and up who want a short, structured placement.
The programme runs for 2 weeks, starting twice a month (saturdays), with the next start on 3 Oct 2026. You live in an apartment-style volunteer house in the Lower Kabete area, in shared rooms with bunk beds (private rooms available), with breakfast supplies and a cooked dinner on weekdays and three meals at weekends. The price starts at £973, deposit included. The itinerary is fixed and includes a Nairobi city tour with a visit to the Giraffe Centre, plus a weekend safari to Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha, built into the two weeks alongside the childcare work.
- Meaningful and affordable 2 weeks special volunteering opportunity in Kenya to work with children and contribute to their education and caretaking
- Live in the Nairobi suburbs and spend quality time with the natives of the land
- Experience the thrilling Game Drives, and explore Mamba Village and Bomas of Kenya
- Camp amidst wilderness and get to spot the African Big 5
- Explore the most famous sights of Nairobi
Your role on this programme
- Take informal lessons with children at day care centres in the Nairobi suburbs
- Design and lead games and activities to create a playful atmosphere at the centre
- Support basic education for street children and orphans at the placement
- Help with administrative tasks at the childcare centre
- Assist with meal preparation for the children
- Adopt creative teaching methods suited to the children's needs
- Spend structured time with children at the centre during weekday hours
Exact duties vary with the placement's needs, the season and your experience.
Role boundaries
Volunteers do not replace qualified teachers, social workers, or trained caregivers; work is limited to informal lessons, games, and support tasks, supervised by centre staff and the in-country coordinator, and duties may vary with the placement's needs. A two-week stay supports the centre's ongoing work rather than completing a project, and the itinerary's sightseeing days (Giraffe Centre, city tour, safari) run alongside, not instead of, the childcare placement.
Programme itinerary
Day 1 (Sat) – Arrival at Nairobi
You will be picked up from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi and then will be transferred to your accommodation. Relax on the day of arrival, meet your fellow volunteers and prepare yourself for the experience ahead. You can also venture out to the nearby local market and acquaint yourself with the area around the accommodation.
(Meals – Dinner – subject to arrival time)
Day 2 (Sun) – Programme Orientation followed by visit to Giraffe Centre and city tour of Nairobi Post breakfast, your programme coordinator will discuss your programme itinerary for the days to come and brief you with the essential information. You will begin your day with a visit to the Giraffe Centre where you can feed Giraffes and explore the landscape of the city.
After the visit to Giraffe Centre, we will take you for Nairobi City Tour in which you will pass through famous tourist attractions in the city.
(Meals – Breakfast/Dinner)
Day 3 (Mon) to Day 7 (Fri) – Volunteering in Nairobi
Volunteer work begins. Volunteers will be working in the Childcare centre Project in Nairobi suburbs. Under this project, volunteers take informal lessons, design fun games and make a playful atmosphere at the centre.
Volunteers work in day care centres at different contact points of the city which take care of street children/orphans and provide them with basic education and meals. Volunteers can adopt creative methods to educate the kids and also help in administrative and meal preparation tasks. Work hours are usually 4-6 hours a day and during weekdays only.
(Meals – Breakfast/Dinner)
Day 8 (Sat) – Lake Nakuru and Lake Naivasha 2 Day Safari (2 days/1 night)
- Departure from Nairobi at 9am and drive to Lake Naivasha via the picturesque Great Rift Valley.
- You will stop for some time at the Great Rift Valley viewpoint on the way to enjoy the amazing views of the largest Valley in the world, said to be visible from outer space.
- Lunch in Naivasha
- After lunch go for a boat ride at Lake Naivasha.
- Thereafter, leave for Nakuru
- Check into your hotel for an overnight stay.
Day 9: Lake Nakuru Game Drive
On day 9, you will have breakfast and then depart for a game drive that allows spotting of the magnificent wildlife in the park such as lions, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests and a variety of antelopes, various species of birds etc. (Of course, no guarantee that all these will be spotted).
You will then return to your hotel for lunch and then return to Nairobi and arrive by early to midafternoon.
(Meals – Breakfast/ Dinner)
Day 15 (Sat) – Departure from Nairobi
Programme ends on this day. You can contact programme coordinator if you would like to arrange for airport drop at a nominal cost.
Who can join and what you need
- Minimum age 17 at the time of joining; a parental consent form is required for participants under 18
- No previous experience needed
- An open, flexible attitude for working in a new environment
- A genuine interest in working with children, with the ability to be proactive and take initiative
- A clean criminal background check report, issued before joining the programme
- Travel/medical insurance, either your own policy or one arranged by Volunteering Solutions
- Willingness to help with basic cooking (breakfast) and adapt to shared apartment living
The placement, its limits and your part in it
The childcare placements are day care centres located at different points around Nairobi's suburbs, including Gitaru and Kikuyu, that care for street children and orphans and provide them with basic education and meals. These centres are run by their own staff, with the in-country programme coordinator handling orientation, logistics, and day-to-day support for volunteers.
All volunteers must submit a clean criminal background check before joining, and work at the centres is supervised by centre staff. Volunteers support existing routines through informal lessons, games, and help with administrative and meal preparation tasks; they do not take on the role of trained teachers or caregivers. Over two weeks, your contribution is additional hands and attention for the children already enrolled at the centre, within a project that continues after you leave.
Start dates
Weekly start dates, year-round — pick any week across the next two years.
Programme fees by duration
Prices include your £179 booking deposit — which is deducted from your total programme fee. Your deposit stays valid for one year, during which you may enrol in multiple programmes. A 5% international banking fee applies to credit-card payments in USD or AUD.
| Duration | Total price | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 weeks | £973 |
Indicative conversion — your booking is charged in the currency you choose at checkout.
✓ What you're paying for
- Comprehensive pre-departure information
- Airport pickup from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi
- Round the clock assistance of our in-country coordinator
- Programme orientation by our in-country programme coordinator
- Meals as mentioned in itinerary
- Accommodation in volunteer house
- Nairobi city tour and visit to Giraffe Centre
- Visit to Mamba Village and Bomas of Kenya
- 1 night/2 days Lake Nakuru/Naivasha Safari (park entry fees included)
Not included
- International/Domestic airfare
- Visa fees
- Insurance (can be purchased from us at a nominal cost)
- Cost of vaccinations
- Local transport and personal expenses
- Airport transfer while departing
- Entry fees during Nairobi City Tour (approx £43-£51)
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 programme 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 programmes 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 programme
Getting there and who looks after you in Kenya
Airport pickup
You are picked up at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi (or at an agreed meeting point if arriving overland) and transferred to your accommodation. Dinner is provided on arrival day, subject to arrival time.
First night
You settle in, meet other volunteers, and can walk to the nearby local market to get your bearings.
Orientation, Giraffe Centre and city tour
Your coordinator briefs you on the programme and covers culture, safety, transport and weekend trips, and helps with money exchange and a local SIM card. The same day includes a visit to the Giraffe Centre and a Nairobi city tour, including Mamba Village.
First project day
Volunteering at the childcare centre begins on day three, running weekdays only, with the coordinator on hand for questions.
Ongoing support
The in-country coordinator provides round-the-clock assistance throughout the programme, with a 24-hour emergency contact.
From volunteers in Kenya
Frequently asked questions
What do volunteers actually do at the childcare centre?
You take informal lessons, design games and activities, and help with administrative and meal preparation tasks at day care centres that support street children and orphans in Nairobi's suburbs.
Do I need experience or qualifications to join?
No previous experience is needed; you should have an open, flexible attitude and a genuine interest in working with children.
What are the volunteering hours?
Volunteer work runs Monday to Friday, usually around 4-6 hours a day, with weekends free for the built-in safari and city sightseeing.
How long is the programme and when can I start?
The programme runs for 2 weeks, starting twice a month (saturdays); the next start date is 3 Oct 2026.
What does the fee cover and what is the deposit?
The price starts at £973, deposit included, covering airport pickup, accommodation, meals as listed, the Nairobi city tour, Giraffe Centre and Mamba Village visits, and the Lake Nakuru/Naivasha safari with park entry fees; the £179 deposit counts toward this total and is refunded if no placement can be offered.
Where do I stay and what meals are included?
You stay in a gated apartment complex in the Lower Kabete area, usually in shared rooms with bunk beds (private rooms available), with breakfast supplies and a cooked dinner on weekdays and three meals at weekends; lunch is on you, usually near the project.
Will I be picked up from the airport?
Yes, pickup from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is included; departure transfer can be arranged with your coordinator at an extra cost.
What support is available if something goes wrong?
An in-country coordinator based in Nairobi provides round-the-clock assistance and a 24-hour emergency contact throughout your stay.
What about visa, insurance and vaccinations?
Travel/medical insurance is compulsory, either your own policy or one arranged by Volunteering Solutions at an added cost; visa fees and vaccination costs are not included, and specific guidance is sent before departure.
Is a background check required?
Yes, since this placement works with children, all volunteers must submit a clean criminal background check report issued before the start date.
Who is this programme best suited for?
It suits volunteers aged 17 and up, including families, who want a short, structured two-week placement combining childcare work with a fixed safari and city-tour itinerary, without needing prior experience.
Does the safari or city tour replace project time?
No, the Lake Nakuru/Naivasha safari and Nairobi city tour are scheduled on weekends and the first orientation day, alongside, not instead of, your weekday childcare placement.
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