Childcare Volunteer Project in Kenya - Nairobi
Excited to be a Childcare volunteer in Kenya? International Volunteer HQ’s Childcare project empowers volunteers to assist in early childhood centers, community centers and kindergartens. These centers can be overcrowded and underfunded so the extra help volunteers can give is highly valued. Volunteers gain experience teaching and caring for young children and support local staff so they are better able to focus on providing quality care and education.
Highlights:
- Programs start on the 1st and 15th of every month
- Affordable fees from $375 for 1 week
- Includes accommodation, meals, airport pick up, orientation and 24/7 support
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Help provide care for children in busy and under-resourced kindergartens
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Discover Kenya’s incredible wildlife and stunning vistas
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Experience life in Nairobi by staying with a local family
Key information
This program is ideal for:
What to expect and how you'll make an impact
Kindergartens in Kenya can have classes of between 15 and 100 children at any one time and are often under-resourced with a genuine need for support. As a result, there is a high demand for energetic volunteers who enjoy children and can keep up with the fast-paced atmosphere at these placements.
As a Childcare volunteer in Kenya you can expect to help out with the day-to-day operations in a range of preschools, daycare centers and kindergartens. Each center caters to children of differing ages, however, you will typically work with children between 1 and 6 years old. The children love interacting with volunteers and will be sure to keep you on your feet. Volunteer duties can vary but often include:
- Teaching basic English and maths
- Assisting local teachers
- Helping with the running of the center
- Cooking and cleaning
- Feeding and caring for babies and children
- Assisting with farm work
School holidays 2024: Please note, this project is not available during the school holidays. If you apply for this project during school holidays, you will be switched to either Sports Education or Women’s Education. If you apply for this project during a half-term break, you will have these days free to explore the local area, embark on a safari, or another other tour/excursion.
- February 29th - March 1st (half-term break)
- April 8th - 28th (school holidays)
- June 20th - 21st (half-term break)
- August 5th - 25th (school holidays)
- October 24th - Dec 15th (national exams & end of year break)
- December 15th - program closes for 2024
Why do Childcare volunteering in Nairobi with IVHQ?
When you volunteer with children Kenya you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:
- Improving access to early childhood education
- Helping students develop life skills in a safe place
- Developing your communication skills
- Gaining childcare experience
- Immersing yourself in Kenya’s diverse culture
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.
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Kenya photo gallery
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 credit
Recommended online TEFL course
We encourage volunteers on IVHQ’s Teaching and Childcare projects to come prepared by completing some relevant training, such as a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) course. Although formal teaching qualifications are not required on these projects as volunteers are supported by local staff, taking a TEFL course enables you to gain more from the experience. Visit our Online TEFL Course page to learn how to gain an internationally recognized TEFL certification at a discounted rate.
Get TEFL certified onlineRead reviews from Childcare volunteers in Nairobi
”I received very good guidance and preparation resources from IVHQ - my Program Manager was good at keeping in contact and answering any questions! My overall experience volunteering in Kenya was absolutely amazing, I gained some lifelong friends and memories I’ll never forget. I’m so grateful to have met the children at school, the teachers and my host famil...” read more
Niamh, British, 25
Read reviews from Childcare volunteers in Nairobi
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 center.
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.
Pricing
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.
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|---|---|
| 1 week | $375 Equivalent to $54/day |
| 2 weeks | $515 Equivalent to $37/day |
| 3 weeks | $655 Equivalent to $31/day |
| 4 weeks | $795 Equivalent to $28/day |
| 5 weeks | $935 Equivalent to $27/day |
| 6 weeks | $1,075 Equivalent to $26/day |
| 8 weeks | $1,355 Equivalent to $24/day |
| 10 weeks | $1,635 Equivalent to $23/day |
| 12 weeks | $1,915 Equivalent to $23/day |
- Accommodation
- Meals
- 24/7 in-country support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Airport pick-up
- Personalized 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.
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of US$329 (approximately $329) in addition to the Program Fee. This covers all pre-departure support services.
- A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.
- Additional things to budget for include: Visa, flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, public transport to and from your placement each day, criminal background check and return to the airport when your program finishes.
- Recommended spending money: Volunteers in Kenya generally find US$150-200 per week to be sufficient for expenses.
Check what's required to visit Kenya
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
| 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.
