No matter where you are, which language you speak (English, German, Polish or maybe Slovak), whatever your job is or how old you are….You can help us as a volunteer!! We need:
1.) IN EUROPE
- Fundraiser – courageous, patient and determined people. As the project is still quite new, there are a lot of areas for you to prove yourself in. But there is also a lot of work to do.
- IT specialists – our homepage has to be created and taken care of, as well as the project’s fanpage.
- Creative, communicative, open-minded people – for raising funds in your vicinity and daily life (work, school, …)
2.) IN KENYA
We are very flexible concerning voluntary work. There are some basic requirements but we won’t check every bullet point after your application. The most important things for us are your letter of motivation, your ideas of what you want to teach the kids, English skills and a meeting with the organizer (also possible via Skype).
If you want to travel to Kenya you have to know what you want to teach the kids. Could be languages, music, geography, history, maths etc.
If you know how to build passive houses or earthships, septic tanks, air conditioning and wells, or if your expertise lies in agriculture or other ecological areas that might help the village become self-supporting and independent – then you are welcome to find sponsors and get things started in Kathonzweni in many ways.
Doctors or nurses are also needed. There are two quite large hospitals in Kathonzweni, which is a lot for a village this size. Right now we don’t have the possibility for volunteers to work there yet, but you can always go there, talk to the people and offer help. Kenyans are open for such things.
Married couples. Trips in couples are most popular and actually we recommend travelling in pairs only. Married couples are also an example for love and appreciation for the children. A role model, so to speak, that they would be trying to equal.
Couples welcome!!
Requirements:
– 18 or older,
– experience in working with children, respective certificates are appreciated
– ability to teach (which shouldn’t be hard, with such eager students),
– proof of previous volunteer work (especially abroad)
– English on B2 level, written and spoken,
– ability to adapt to and work in a foreign culture
– flexibility in fulfilling the assigned tasks
– „easy going”, avoid or solve conflicts,
– teamwork ability, we especially appreciate experience in conducting workshops, trainings, presentations (e.g. at school or during your vocational training)
– exceptionally good organisational and interpersonal skills
– high degree of tolerance,
– ability to live and work in primitive conditions
The minimum duration of a voluntary service is 3 weeks. Shorter stays do not make any sense, since you will have to pay for the flight as well as for the transfer from and to the airport and since you will need time to get settled in the new environment and realize your plans.
Nevertheless, you can also take a few days off and go on safari. Depending on how much time you have and which responsibilities you take on in the village, individual trips can always be planned.
Please keep in mind that the whole group of kids (59 kids) will be in Kathonzweni only in April and August. For the rest of the year they are spread all over Makueni in boarding schools. So there will be about 15 4-to 14-year-olds. Nevertheless, you can always plan your stay for these months. Then you could focus on individual support for the kids in school or on environmental, ecological or maintenance matters.
Accommodation:
If you decide to travel to us, you have to keep in mind that you will be sharing a room with another volunteer and will be living the same house as the headmaster and his wife. Everyone works together and everyone keeps the house and school rooms clean. This house is directly on the grounds of the children’s home and therefore usually the centre of everything
The conditions are modest, African, but sufficient. You can see the volunteers’ room and some views of the inside of the house on these pictures.
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You will have to master the following challenges:
– you will have to go and get water for a bath or the laundry yourself (200m)
– there’s often no electricity,
– the internet connection is very often very weak,
– small meals will be provided for everyone and I promise that you will not suffer from starvation
Costs:
– plane ticket, about 450-650 €
– visa: Tourist visa for 3 months and one-way journey, 50 $, payable in Dollar directly at the airport in Kenia or online before your flight
– food 5 € per day – 3 warm meals a day plus snacks, such as tea, avocado or other fruit.
Unfortunately there’s no possibility for doing your own cooking. The kitchen is rather primitively equipped, the stove uses real fire, the meals are made by Mama and the children (you can watch or help and get to know the traditional Kenyan cuisine).
Please note: the food prices are about the same as in Poland. If you’re out and about and buying your own food, that will be about 10 to 15€ per day.
– Water – can be bought in the local store, 5 litres cost 1 €
– accommodation – 5 € per day
– insurance – please take care of this yourself
– transfer from the airport – this will cost more than you think, about 80€ for a one-way journey. Kenya is not cheap. But there is a way: none of us gets money out of that and we will do that only for people whom we know well enough – we can organize that the manager of the children’s home picks you up. There are taxis, mind, and they will take you anywhere for 100€, but that would be your own responsibility. So, let yourself get picked up.
All in all, the costs for a one-month-stay can amount to 4,500 PLN. Of course this number depends on your personal needs.
We will help you organise the journey and assist you in any way we can. Before you come here you will sign a contract. And after your departure we will give you a written reference that will probably help you in your career. All volunteers are coming to work at their own risk, even though many people know the area well and are always willing to help. What we have here is a unique community, with a cosy atmosphere and the feeling of absolute safety.
Volunteers will have to be physically healthy; they must not suffer from chronic diseases and have to keep in mind that finding a competent doctor here is not as easy as in Europe.