Be prepared to be a little uncomfortable but in a good and different way, and just be open about what you experience and expect! You are there to give back!
Women's Education Volunteer Program in Kenya - Nairobi
Purpose
Support women to gain independence
Start dates
Programs start on the 1st and 15th of every month
Duration
Choose from 1-12 weeks
Volunteer hours
Up to 5 hours a day
Age
Volunteers aged 18+ and families
Accommodation
Homestay
Who is going?
Group video calls
Once you have secured your place, join regular video calls to meet your Program Manager and other volunteers before your trip.
This program is ideal for:
Open-minded and compassionate volunteers who are interested in gender equality and helping women upskill. As you will be volunteering alongside local staff, you don’t need to have experience in HIV/AIDS support or women’s education, however it’s strongly recommended that you gain some understanding of these areas prior to your arrival in Kenya.
Project details
Interested in Women’s Education volunteering in Kenya? International Volunteer HQ’s Women’s Education project enables volunteers to assist at centres that support women affected by HIV/AIDS and their families. Volunteers will gain experience working with women in under-resourced communities by providing companionship, guidance and sometimes childcare. The primary aim of this project is to empower women through income-generating projects, education and skills training. Volunteers may also have the opportunity to take part in outreach and HIV/AIDS education campaigns in the local communities and food programs in schools.
What to expect and how you'll make an impact
More than 1.6 million Kenyans live with HIV/AIDS, and women make up a disproportionately high percentage of that number. They often also lack access to education, healthcare and employment meaning there is little chance for them to improve their wellbeing or circumstances.
As a volunteer on the Women’s Education project in Kenya, you will work closely with centres that support women affected by HIV/AIDS and assist in a range of areas, including counseling, skills training, providing education and childcare. This project is particularly good for those with skills and interests in arts and craft-making, as well as an interest in supporting women to become self-sufficient. Volunteer duties may include helping with:
- Sewing and tailoring
- Candle-making
- Jewelry creation
- Courses on finance and small business management
Not all of the women this project works with suffer from HIV/AIDS; some have joined the centres to help improve their overall living situation and upskill with the goal of becoming financially independent. You may also help on community outreach work and HIV/AIDS education and feeding programs in wider local communities, schools, and slum areas.
Why do Women's Education volunteering in Nairobi with IVHQ?
When you volunteer with women in Kenya you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:
- Improving access to education and support services for women
- Helping women develop skills and confidence
- Developing your communication skills
- Gaining experience in HIV/AIDs support
- Immersing yourself in Kenya’s diverse culture
- Discovering Africa’s amazing wildlife
Volunteer requirements
- Volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to participate in this program
- All volunteers aged 13+ are required to provide a criminal background check to IVHQ prior to departure. Those aged 13-17, if unable to obtain a criminal background check, can provide two character reference letters instead
- All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance
- All volunteers must speak fluent English.
Are you eligible to volunteer?
Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.
Not sure which program to join?
Get personalized recommendations >
Who is going?
Group video calls
Once you have secured your place, join regular video calls to meet your Program Manager and other volunteers before your trip.
Kenya photo gallery
IVHQ Childcare project
IVHQ Women's Education project
IVHQ Childcare project
IVHQ Women's Education project
IVHQ Women's Education project
IVHQ Childcare project
IVHQ Special Needs project
What recent volunteers said about their IVHQ experience
DG
Denise Grisham
09 Oct 2024
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KR
Katie Roberts
26 Sep 2024
My experience was great, I learned a lot and had the opportunity to explore. I would advise future volunteers to try to be as helpful as possible and embrace the opportunity.
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CB
Chenece Blackshear
26 Apr 2023
The time we had a power outage and brought some candles inside to have dinner with my host family at my home-stay was my favourite part of the volunteer experience. It was a very joyful experience and such an intimate, family-like moment. My volunteering experience made the most impact on me when I realised that joy does not come from possessions, regardless of how much or how little I have. Joy comes from connections with people in a meaningful way. If someone is hesitant to volunteer abroad, I encourage them to take the positive risk. There's a whole world within worlds that exist, and being able to see the similarities, differences, and complexities is something that every person deserves to embrace.
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WM
Wendy Melwich
11 Feb 2022
I take my hat off for the volunteer work people are doing in Kenya. It made me appreciate things I use to take for granted . It’s not the road we covered but the road up ahead that counts.
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XB
Ximena Becerril Tapia
10 Sep 2021
They are right, the experience is life changing. You meet the family and the fact that they consider you part of the family is what amazes me the most. There are no words to explain how amazing it is to work and have the opportunity to share your time and love with all the kids, the women, everybody.
...
DJ
Dani Jimenez
04 Feb 2021
I don't think I can put into words what my favorite moment was. The time passed too quickly and I am holding onto every moment for the rest of my life. Seeing the women become empowered, seeing my students light up and be encouraged to learn. I will cherish it all for the rest of my life. I have learned so much about myself and others and I thank the Kenya team and IVHQ for the wonderful experience.
...
To read all reviews, visit our reviews page.
Academic course credit
Academic course credit
Gain course credit from your college or university and meet your academic requirements when completing a volunteer abroad program with International Volunteer HQ!
Learn about course creditLocation
Location
Nairobi is home to IVHQ’s Kenya program. The capital city of Kenya is a dynamic, diverse metropolis known for its natural beauty and wildlife safaris. Volunteer projects are set in and around Nairobi and the Kibera Slum which is home to hundreds of thousands of people living below the poverty line. Volunteers can help by providing support to local initiatives designed to improve their quality of life and access to basic essentials.
Arrival and orientation
The program orientation begins on the 1st and 15th of every month and volunteers need to arrive in Nairobi the day before orientation.
After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi. Your airport pick-up is included in your Program Fee.
When you arrive, a member of the local team will greet you at the airport and bring you to temporary volunteer housing in Mlolongo, just a short drive from the airport in Nairobi, where you will spend the night before your orientation and before being transported to your homestay. Your accommodation is covered by your Program Fee and includes the night before your program orientation. If you are traveling in Kenya prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up overland in Nairobi the day before your program orientation
Orientation is hosted by our local team in Nairobi on the morning of your chosen start date and covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Kenya – an introduction to Kenya, Kenyan customs, language training details, rules and expectations, safety, travel opportunities in Kenya, and an 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 your orientation is complete, you will be transported to your homestay and introduced to your host family.
Volunteer schedule example
First day
You will be escorted to your placement by a member of your homestay family or another volunteer and introduced to the placement staff.
Weekdays
You may have a morning or afternoon shift, or both, and can expect to work a minimum of 3 hours, Monday through Friday. Work and hours at the placement are dependent on the project and placement that each volunteer is working at, but a typical volunteer day would be as follows:
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast with the host family |
| 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM | Volunteers travel to their placements and meet with the placement staff. There is usually a morning tea break and lunch break. |
| 2:00 - 5:00 PM | Work at the placement usually ends. Volunteers are free to travel back to their homestays, go sightseeing or do some shopping. |
| 7:00 - 8:00 PM | Dinner with the host family |
Weekends
During the weekends, volunteers have free time to relax or take the opportunity to explore Nairobi, wider Kenya and Eastern Africa. Sunday is a religious day of rest. If you wish, you can accompany your host family to their local church, as a Kenyan church service is a unique and special experience for many volunteers.
In Nairobi you’ll have the opportunity to get up close to a wide variety of wildlife including elephants and giraffes, visit the Nairobi National Park, shop at the many markets and malls, learn about Kenya’s history at museums, or tour Nairobi city, the Kibera Slum, the Maasailands, or the Bomas cultural centre.
Long weekends can be taken to travel further afield including to Mombasa, Uganda or Tanzania, or to embark on a safari.
Accommodation and WiFi
Volunteers are accommodated in homestays with local families who have been approved by our local team in Kenya. Volunteers can expect to share a bedroom with two to four other volunteers of the same gender.
Bedrooms have single or bunk beds and bedding is provided. Living is comfortable and most homestays have electricity, running water and western bathrooms. It is important to note that there are often power outages and water shortages, and volunteers need to be prepared to have the occasional bucket shower and periods of time without power. Some rural homestays do not have electricity or running water and in these locations you can expect to find squat/pit toilets and bucket showers.
Our local team gives your host family a fee for your support, food and board. It is exciting to stay with a host family, and you’ll have a unique opportunity to learn about the Kenyan way of life, meet local people, try local food, speak the local language and engage in local customs and traditions.
WiFi can be accessed from local cafes and restaurants within walking distance of most homestays in Nairobi.
Meals
The wide range of Kenyan tribes, ethnicities and cultures are reflected in the diversity of the local cuisine. Volunteers are provided with three meals a day which are served at the accommodation and tend to be rich in carbohydrates.
Breakfast is served around 7 am and generally consists of chai tea, coffee, toast, fruit and sometimes mandazi - African donuts. A typical lunch can include vegetables and lentils with rice, occasional meat and fruit served around 1pm. If you are not returning home from your placement for lunch, you will need to pack your own lunch in the morning. Dinner is usually served around 8 pm and typically includes traditional food, such as ugali; a cornmeal porridge, mboga; a vegetable dish, irio; mashed potatoes with peas and corn, meat and vegetables.
Tap water is not safe to drink in Kenya, though bottled water is readily available. Volunteers typically drink around half a gallon, or two liters per day, which costs around US$15 a week. If you have any special dietary requirements, please make a note on your application so arrangements can be made. However, it is important that volunteers should not expect to eat as they normally do at home.
Group of IVHQ volunteers
Typical volunteer lunch
Typical volunteer dinner
Typical volunteer breakfast
Typical volunteer bedroom
Typical volunteer homestay kitchen
Pricing
Secure your place for just US$299 (approximately AU$474), pay your Program Fee later.
Spots are limited. For a Registration Fee of just US$299 (approximately AU$474) you secure your spot and unlock all our preparation and training tools.
You don't need to worry about paying your Program Fee until you get closer to your start date.
Duration |
Program FeeDue 30 days before you start, or within 48 hours if you register inside of 30 days. Covers the cost of hosting you.
|
|---|---|
| 1 week | $385 Equivalent to $55/day |
| 2 weeks | $525 Equivalent to $38/day |
| 3 weeks | $665 Equivalent to $32/day |
| 4 weeks | $805 Equivalent to $29/day |
| 5 weeks | $945 Equivalent to $27/day |
| 6 weeks | $1,085 Equivalent to $26/day |
| 8 weeks | $1,365 Equivalent to $24/day |
| 10 weeks | $1,645 Equivalent to $24/day |
| 12 weeks | $1,925 Equivalent to $23/day |
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of US$299 (approximately AU$474) in addition to the Program Fee. This covers all pre-departure support services.
- A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.
- Recommended spending money: Volunteers in Kenya generally find US$50-100 per week to be sufficient for expenses.
- Meals
- Airport pick-up
- Accommodation
- 24/7 in-country support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Personalised preparation tools, guides and check lists
- Access to IVHQ’s preferred insurance and flights partners
- Certificate of International Volunteer Service
Learn more about what's included in your IVHQ Registration Fee and Program Fee.
- Transport to and from your placement each day
- Return airport transfer when your program finishes
- Flights
- Visa (if required), travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check.
- Personal spending money for snacks, laundry, public transportation, drinks and leisure activities during your free time.
Popular add-ons & experiences in Nairobi
Take your volunteer experience to the next level with these popular add-ons and experiences. Explore your options below and learn how to book them once you've been accepted onto the IVHQ Nairobi program.
Extra Night of Accommodation
Arriving early or departing a few days after your program finished? Book your extra nights of accommodation.
From AU$50
Check what's required to visit Kenya
Safety and support
Safety and support
IVHQ follows best practice and industry-leading health and safety procedures, which are regularly reviewed and optimized as part of the B Corporation recertification.
- All volunteers encouraged to complete our interactive pre-departure training.
- All local teams trained on best practice volunteer management & First Aid.
- All IVHQ programs are required to adhere to IVHQ's Risk Management Policy.
- All volunteers have access to 24/7 in-country support from our local team.
Essential country information
Essential country information
| Capital | Nairobi |
| Population | 52.57 million |
| Languages | Swahili and English |
| Currency | Kenyan Shilling (KES) |
| Time zone | UTC+03:00 |
Weather and 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. As Nairobi is close to the equator the weather does not vary much. The summer months, from December to February are warm with temperatures ranging between 30°C and 14°C. June is usually the coldest month, with temperatures averaging between 13°C and 22°C.
Apply to check if you're eligible!
