Overview
Be a volunteer for the 2 Weeks Special Volunteer Program in Kenya and experience the best that the country has in store for you! Work at a childcare center, aiming to make a difference in the lives of the little ones by showering them with utmost love and care. Additionally, volunteers at the project also get to spend adequate time with the indigenous Maasai people and understand their ways of living.
And of course, no journey to Kenya can ever be complete without experiencing the thrilling game drives! So set out for the Maasai Mara Region and spot the lioness and her cubs in their natural habitat. You can also explore the city of Nairobi, binge on some delicious food, and soak in the authentic Kenyan vibes!
Program Requirements
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.
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) – Program Orientation followed by visit to Giraffe Center and city tour of Nairobi Post breakfast, your program coordinator will discuss your program itinerary for the days to come and brief you with the essential information. You will begin your day with a visit to the Giraffe Center where you can feed Giraffes and explore the landscape of the city.
After the visit to Giraffe Center, we will take you for Nairobi City Tour in which you will pass through famous tourist attractions in the city. You can also visit a local weekly market in Nairobi.
(Meals – Breakfast/Dinner)
Day 3 (Mon) to Day 7 (Fri) – Volunteering in Nairobi
Volunteer work begins. Volunteers will be working in the Orphanage Project in Nairobi suburbs. Under this project, volunteers take informal lessons, design fun games and make a playful atmosphere at the center.
Volunteers work in day care centers 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) to Day 9 (Sun) – Masai Mara Safari (2 days/1 night)
Embark upon a thrilling weekend as you get to pay your respects to the “Big 5 of Africa” in the Masai Mara which happens to be one of most popular national parks in Kenya. Icing on the cake during this safari will be spending the night in a tent. Volunteers will get to see the wide variety of wildlife and its majestic beauty which will be an experience like no other. An evening game drive on Day 8 followed by a morning game drive on Day 9 will be highlight of this trip.
(Meals – Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner)
Day 10 (Mon) to Day 13 (Thu) – Volunteer work in Nairobi
Volunteer work continues. As you will get familiar with the kids, volunteer work will be more enjoyable and rewarding.
(Meals – Breakfast/ Dinner)
Day 14 (Fri) – Mamba Village and Bomas of Kenya
Thank God it’s Friday! Today’s the day when you will get to witness Nairobi up, close and personal. From Mamba village where you will witness the unique Nile crocodile to beautiful landscapes and ostrich farms. Enjoy some scrumptious meal in the village with your group. Make sure you eat some traditional Kenyan food.
Later in the day, we will take you to Bomas of Kenya. This is a tourist village which displays several traditional villages belonging to Kenyan tribes. You can see different aspects of Kenyan culture including living styles, arts, culture, crafts, music and dances.
(Meals – Breakfast/ Dinner)
Day 15 (Sat) – Departure from Nairobi
Program ends on this day. You can contact program coordinator if you would like to arrange for airport drop at a nominal cost.
Living
Just pack your bags and land in Nairobi and get working at your volunteering placement. The rest is for us to handle, from your airport transfers, your stay, food and weekend tours, we manage and facilitate everything for you.
Airport Transfer
You will be met by our representative at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi from where you are transferred to the accommodations in Nairobi itself. Volunteers who will be already in Kenya or arriving overland would need to give us their contact details so that the pickup can be arranged from a specific location.
Accommodation
Volunteer Accommodations is provided in a volunteer house or in a homestay. The volunteer house is taken care of by localhost and has all the modern amenities available to ensure a comfortable stay for the volunteers. Some of the facilities available are showers, microwave, and refrigerator in the kitchen and a lounge area for the volunteers. Rooms in the volunteer house are typical dorm style rooms with 4-8 participants of the same gender sharing a room.
Orientation
A half day orientation will be provided by our staff in Nairobi. Areas like culture, safety, locations, transportation are covered in the Orientation. After your orientation is over, you will be introduced to your project.
Meals
Volunteers are provided with 2 meals(Breakfast and Dinner) on weekdays and three meals during the weekends. Typical meals include Ugali, Chapatti, Chai (Tea), Bread and rice with vegetables and fruits. Volunteers also purchase supplies from the supermarkets and take with them packed food cooked on own to the project.
During your Free Time
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.
Program Cost
Please Note: -An application fee of $229 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment. (A 4% international banking fee is charged at the time of payment)
What are you Paying for?
- Comprehensive pre-departure information
- Airport pickup from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi
- Round the clock assistance of our in-country coordinator
- Program orientation by our in-country program 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
- 2 days Masai Mara Safari (park entry fees included)
- Certificate Of Completion (Upon Request)
What's 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 $40-$50)
Program Dates
| Months | 2023 | 2024 |
| January | 0721 | 0620 |
| February | 0418 | 0317 |
| March | 0418 | 0216 |
| April | 0115 | 0620 |
| May | 0620 | 0418 |
| June | 0317 | 011529 |
| July | 0115 | 062027 |
| August | 0519 | 0317 |
| September | 0216 | 0721 |
| October | 0721 | 0519 |
| November | 0418 | 0216 |
| December | 0216 | 0721 |
FAQ's
FAQ's Application and Program Details
VolSol recommends all its volunteers to apply well in advance. Our major booking seasons are from January to July and September to December.
As we have limited spots available in our programs and we serve on first come first basis, it is strongly recommended to apply for the program and reserve your spot in the program well in advance. You can book your spot in the program by filling an online form and pay the application fee.
Once you complete your application, your individual 'My Account' will be active in which you will receive your placement confirmation after which you can pay the program fees. You can pay the program fees later as well in installments, but 45 days before the program starts.
After you complete your application, your personalized ‘My Account’ will be active.You will need to upload your CV/Resume along with your photo in the same. Our backend team and the placement site takes around 10-12 days to review your application. After we review your CV and documents, your booking is confirmed and booking confirmation is updated in your ‘My Account’. Some projects need a mandatory criminal background check and the same is mentioned in the project info of your program. Approval of your application depends on your qualification and eligibility criteria for each project.
Yes, the program requirements are as follows:
Volunteers must be 17 years or older at the time of joining the program.
Need to have an open mind and flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. Keep your expectations real and humble.
The volunteer should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference.
Participants must be in good health.
For Medical /Healthcare Program, participants must be at least 18 yrs old and be a Pre-Medical, Medical, Nursing Students or Medical Professional. Participants possessing other qualifications such as CNA, midwives are also welcome to join the program. All medical program participants need to provide a copy of their certifications/ credentials along with their passport copies.
We encourage our participants to volunteer in a group. We take special care in providing you a placement and also customize your itinerary to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for. Also, we can design special group programs for groups of 5 or more. Our programs are designed to be safe, affordable and offer a great group volunteering experience to the volunteers.
In our experience of more than 12+ years we have enabled and facilitated volunteer program placements for college groups, university groups, high school groups, group of families, group of couples as well as groups of colleagues.
Kenya is one of our popular destination among student groups and is highly recommended for family volunteering as well.
Volunteering Solutions offers programs in Nairobi and its suburbs such as Kikuyu, Riruta, Zambezi and Kawangware. Popularly known as ‘Green City in the Sun’, Nairobi is the capital of Kenya and is the largest city in the country.
All volunteers need to arrive on the mentioned program arrival dates.
Volunteers are picked up from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi, by the in-country coordinator or representative and will be transferred to the accommodation. Those who are arriving overland or are already in Kenya? will be picked up at a meeting point decided beforehand.
Flights and Visa
Participants can attain the Visa on arrival at Nairobi airport or can apply for Kenyan Visa beforehand at the nearby embassy. Citizens of most of the countries can get Visa on arrival at the airport in Nairobi. Further details will be provided in the Pre-departure booklet for the participants.
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi is the busiest airport in East Africa and serves as the hub for international flights in that region. It is well connected with flights from major European, Middle Eastern and Asian cities.
Some of the major airlines operating in Kenya are:
Kenya Airways
British Airways
Turkish Airlines
KLM Dutch Airlines
Swiss Air
Emirates
Etihad Airways
Egypt Air
Health and Safety
Kenya is one of the most popular destinations of the world visited by many tourists and nature enthusiasts. The Kenyan people are very warm and friendly towards foreigners.
Volunteers are informed about the necessary safety precautions during the Orientation session as well as in the pre-departure information guide. You will have the assistance and support of the in-country coordinator in Kenya. It is strongly recommended to follow the safety rules and regulations provided by the in-country coordinator.
Participants are recommended to consult their travel doctor before their arrival in Kenya.
All travelers are required to carry an International Certificate of Vaccination (Yellow Card) to show proof of yellow fever immunization.
The recommended vaccinations are as follows:
Yellow Fever
Hepatitis A and B
Typhoid
Yes, for all volunteers it is mandatory to have a travel medical insurance. To provide the best option to our participants, we offer comprehensive insurance coverage in collaboration with a leading insurance provider.
Accommodation and Living
After providing the Orientation about city, placement, project and culture, your in-country coordinator will take you to your project placement on the first day and introduce you to everyone. You will be given the directions to reach the project location from your accommodation and briefed about the mode of transport to be used.
The accommodations are provided in a volunteer home in Nairobi. The volunteer’s home is well equipped with all the modern amenities to ensure a comfortable stay for the volunteers. In certain cases, volunteers are also accommodated in the orphanage project premises itself.
Volunteers are provided two meals a day. Breakfast usually comprises of toast, tea, fruits, ?and eggs. Dinner usually comprises traditional Kenyan or Western foods.
Yes - please do ensure that you inform the local team about your food preference and they can help ensure you are able to order the best food! Also, please do mention your specific food preference in the application form as well.
Volunteers work for 5-6 hours in a day for 5 days a week depending on the program requirements. You will have the evenings and weekends free for you to explore in and around the city. During the weekends, you can take a safari to Masai Mara and Lake Nakuru National Park or the Nairobi National Park. You can also go on a short excursion and interact with the locals, learn about their cuisines and customs. In Nairobi, volunteers can visit Masai market, Bomas of Kenya, Giraffe center and Carnivore Restaurant.
We encourage our volunteers to travel. We have designed various weekend tours which can be booked under the ‘Add-on Tours’ section in your ‘My Account’. You in-country coordinator will also help you book and organize the tours once you are in the country.
We recommend comfortable, casual and semi-casual clothing: sweat shirts, shorts, jeans, skirts and any other daily wear. It is recommended to include warm clothing for nights, especially if you are volunteering in July and August. Avoid flashy and expensive items such as jewelry etc.
While traveling, it is recommended to follow local etiquette and customs. Female volunteers need to wear pants and/or long skirts. Dressing in Nairobi is quite liberal. However, approach it with cultural sensitivity in mind. You will be provided with a kit list in your pre-departure? booklet. As for footwear, hiking boots, old sports shoes or open-toed sandals are recommended.
Your program fee covers your food, accommodation, airport pick-up, orientation, pre-departure information and in-country staff support. You will need to cover yourself for your personal expenses, such as traveling, airport drop, telephone, the internet, shopping, sightseeing etc. Traveling to Kenya is cheap; however, you should carry around $50 - $75 per week for your basic personal expenses, such as water, local transport, phone etc. The cost for return airport transfer is around $50.
For organizing weekend excursions, the in-country coordinator will help you to book the same at the best prices.
Volunteers usually work for 5 to 6 hours a day, for 5 days a week depending on their program. You will have weekends free to explore in and around the city. However, volunteers need to be flexible, open minded and understand that work requirements can change as well on certain occasions.
You can change money at any bank or at the airport by showing your passport. Volunteers can exchange money at the currency exchange counters located at the airport. There are ATMs located all around the capital city, Nairobi.The major banks in Kenya are Barclays, Equity Bank, NIC Bank and Kenya Commercial Bank.
Connect with Past Volunteers
We encourage volunteers to get in touch with former Volunteering Solutions participants and also other program participants joining our projects. You are recommended to join the Volunteering Solutions Facebook Page or Facebook Group to connect with other participants and our team.
To read alumni interviews from past participants, visit ?the Meet a Volunteer section on our website.
