International Volunteer HQ’s partner NGO in Kenya – Maasai Village requires volunteers NOW! IVHQ has partnered with a Maasai community development organization in rural Kenya to assist Maasai villages as they assimilate into the modern Africa way of living while still preserving the traditional Maasai culture and unique way of life. This extremely popular volunteer placement has projects available in the fields of teaching, medical placement, HIV/Aids education and Maasai community development.
LOCATION OF MAASAI VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS
The IVHQ Maasai volunteer placements are located in a small village called Kimuka, approximately one and a half hours out of Nairobi. During periods where Kimuka has sufficient volunteers, new volunteers will be placed in neighboring villages such as Olosho-oibor and Olmararoi where they will work on similar projects.
START AND DURATION OF MAASAI VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS
Placements begin on the 1st and 15th of each month. Volunteers can choose to volunteer for periods of one week to six months.
MAASAI VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS
Volunteers must be over 18 years of age at the beginning of the program and have at least a high school education. Volunteers participating in the MEDICAL PLACEMENT must have appropriate training and certification (to be presented to IVHQ partner staff on arrival in Kenya). It is also necessary to have a good level of general fitness. Due to the remote nature of the Maasai villages, there is much walking between institutions such as schools and clinics and manyattas (home stays).
MAASAI VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT DESCRIPTIONS
TEACHING
With the introduction of free primary school education in Kenya, the Kenyan Government was faced with a dilemma. A large amount of students entitled to an education and a comparative lack of teachers. Teaching at a Maasai community school is an experience like no other. Giraffes often wander freely around the school grounds and it is no big deal to have some wild animal burrow holes through the school fields overnight. Typical subjects taught include – English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Art and Physical Education. School in Kenya runs for three terms a year (Term One – January to April, Term Two – May to August, Term Three – September to November). There are short breaks between these terms during which time volunteers can take a break, travel, engage in tourist activities such as safari, take tutorials for senior students, or participate in another placement. N.B. Volunteers DO NOT need to be a qualified or experienced teacher.
IVHQ Placement: Kimuka Primary School - Located in the small Maasai village of Kimuka, this school has over 500 children ranging in age from 4 to 17. Some children walk over 5 hours each day (to school and home) just to get a chance to go to school and yet there are only 7 teachers for these children. (Please Note - This is just one of many schools on our program and not necessarily the one you will be teaching at).
MEDICAL PLACEMENT
Life in a Maasai community is no different to other regions of Kenya and poverty still has a large impact on the quality of life the Maasai people are able to enjoy. One of the largest problems Maasai communities face through their remote location is a lack of medical knowledge, supplies and education. The Maasai Medical Placement encompasses a number of fields and medical professionals and students are sorely needed. Volunteer work on this project includes assisting with the running of a local health clinic, conducting lessons to Maasai community groups on the dangers of HIV and how to prevent themselves from getting infected, home visits, counseling and testing services for HIV and Aids. N.B. For the MEDICAL PLACEMENT, volunteers need to be training or qualified in a relevant medical field. Therefore, volunteers are required to present a copy of their qualifications and certificates to our program partner on arrival in Kenya.
IVHQ Placement: Saikeri Medical Clinic - Located in the remote Maasai village of Saikeri (approximately 2 hours from Nairobi), this clinic is the only medical establishment for miles servicing thousands of people. Because of this, a lot of the work here is basic first aid, however other work includes outpatient services, maternity services and HIV/Aids testing and counselling. (Please Note: This is just one of many clinics on our program and not necessarily the one you will be volunteering at).
MAASAI PROGRAM COSTS
One of the advantages of volunteering with IVHQ is our extremely affordable fees. CLICK HERE to see the program cost to volunteer in a Maasai village and what you receive in exchange for your fees.
ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS
Volunteers are accommodated in a home-stay where they will live with a local family. We give that family money from your fee for support, food and board. It is exciting to stay with a family; that way you will learn the Kenyan way of life, meet local people, eat local food and engage in local customs and traditions. Living conditions on the Maasai program are basic with most homestays having no running water or electricity, however despite the basic living conditions, volunteers are extremely well looked after and catered for by their host family. Volunteers can expect to share a room with one or two other volunteers. The Maasai eat three meals in a day. Bottled water is readily available in Kenya and volunteers should budget approximately US$5 per week for this (2 liters per day). Breakfasts generally consist of Chai (tea), toast, fruit and mandazzi (deep fried dough). A typical lunch can include meat and vegetables with rice, sandwiches and fruit while dinner usually sees traditional food such as ugali, chapatti, boga and irio accompany the meat and vegetables. Breakfast is taken in the morning, then lunch, which is served at about 1 PM (or you can take a packed lunch if you wish to eat at your project) and then dinner/supper served at 7 or 8 in the evening. If you have special eating needs, please let us know ahead of time so that we can make arrangements for you. However, we need to stress the point that you should not expect to eat as you normally do at home. We will do our best to see that you are well taken care of, but also as a volunteer, there is a need to be flexible.
ORIENTATION
Orientation will begin on the morning of the 1st or 15th of the month (dependent on your booking) and you will be picked up from your accommodation and taken to the orientation. Orientation will be conducted by the team in Maasailand and cover everything you need to know for your volunteering placement in Kenya – Introduction to Kenya and Maasailand, Kenyan and Maasai Customs, Language Training (Kiswahili and Kimaasai), Rules and Expectations, Safety, Travel Opportunities in Kenya, Introduction to your project and placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing. Once orientation is complete, volunteers will be transported to their home stay and introduced to all relevant parties – home stay family members and program placement staff.
VOLUNTEER WEEK
First Day: On the first day of the volunteering placement, the volunteers will be escorted to the project and introduced to the staff at the project you will be working with.
Weekdays: While our programs are flexible and can be fitted to your requirements, an example of a typical day is as follows.
- 7.30AM Breakfast with the host family
- 8.00AM Volunteer leaves home and is dropped (or walks) to the project;
- The volunteer joins with the local staff. You will be given a duty roster and a plan for your work. There is usually a tea break and a lunch break. Work and hours is dependent on the project and location that the volunteer is participating in.
- 2.00PM-5.00PM Work at the project usually ends. The volunteer at this point is free to visit and see places or do shopping. Usually we will have a guide to take you around. You may also want to hang out with the kids up to around 6.00PM.
- 8.30PM Dinner with the host family.
Weekends: During the weekend, volunteers have spare time and usually just relax or take the opportunity to explore other parts of their local town, Nairobi, Kenya and Eastern Africa. Long weekends can be taken to travel further afield (i.e. Mombasa, Uganda or Tanzania) or to embark on a safari.
WHAT PAST VOLUNTEERS SAY ABOUT THIS PROGRAM
Although IVHQ is a young volunteering placement organisation (we were formed in early 2007), we are getting tremendous feedback from our first volunteers who are finishing programs. Here are just a few small snippets of what volunteer's are saying about our programs.
"Having lived and worked in developing countries before, I thought I was prepared for the experience, and anticipated no real shocks. I was wrong. I couldn’t have been prepared for just how welcome I felt, and how much I began to feel like a member of the community. Volunteering wasn’t just about teaching or helping out, but it was more of a learning experience for everyone, including me. I have no doubt that I learnt more than I could ever teach, and I took away with me more than I could ever give...................................Teaching and living in Kenya is something I will never forget. I think about it everyday, and after resettling into Australian life, remembering my time in Kimuka is a pleasant way to escape the daily grind of Western life. Thanks so much to IVHQ for giving me an opportunity that turned into an experience that will always be a part of me." - Tim Hockham, 22, Australia
"My host family are lovely................. my single most rewarding impression so far is the outstanding friendliness of the people and to wake up to the sounds of laughter as they greet each other, and tend to the animals. A simple life but seemingly such a happy one. It really strips away the trappings of the material Western lifestyle and helps one focus on what really matters in life." - Jennifer Cody, 54, Australia.
KENYA INFORMATION
Capital: Nairobi
Population: 8 February 2007 census: 31,138,735
Official languages: Swahili, English
Currency: Kenyan shilling (KES)
Time zone: EAT (UTC+3)
Climate: Kenya enjoys a tropical climate. It is hot and humid at the coast, temperate inland and very dry in the north and northeast parts of the country.