Kenya's health care and provision suffers as much as any other public service sector in the country. Whilst structures are in place for an effective health service, there is an enormous deficit in terms of staff and resources. Which is why the volunteers' help is very much appreciated by the nurses and doctors we work with. 

As a volunteer, you will spend two days of the week in the Nairobi slums involved in our community support programme. The rest of your time as a volunteer will be split up between Kikuyu Hospital, and orphanages and day care centres in Limuru, the beautiful hilly area just outside Nairobi where we are based. This will give you the chance to make a positive impact on the health service in Nairobi, to gain unique medical experience and to make a profound difference in the lives of the surrounding community. 

Both qualified and non-qualified volunteers can join this project. Your medical background will determine your placement at the hospital. If you have no medical background at all, you will be placed at one of the orphanages in the mornings dedicated to hospital work; other than this, the volunteer duties and work will be the same. As with most other countries in the equatorial belt, seasons seem to merge into one and are not distinctly different. Summer begins in September and temperatures begin to rise until January and then cool off again. The rainy seasons are generally from March to May and November to December. 

Please expect there to be surprisingly large drops in temperature at night, with temperatures possibly dropping to 10C. Basically, you could say that Limuru, because of it’s location in the hilly tea plantation areas, is cold most nights and still chilly most early mornings and sometimes during the day as well. So please pack warmer than you would expect for this project!

7:00:	Get up and start getting ready for your project
7:30:	Breakfast at Brackenhurst (your volunteer base in Limuru).
8:00:	Head off on the short drive to your project.
8:30:	Start work at your allocated placement - Kikuyu hospital or Limuru orphanage.
12:30:	Lunch break. You will be picked up from your project, and taken to your volunteer house, where lunch is waiting for you. Alternatively, you may spend your lunch time at your placement.
14:00:	Return to your placement or your allocated ward.
17:00:	You will be collected by your coordinator/driver and taken back to the volunteer cottage at Brackenhurst. Here you will be able to check your emails, watch TV, socialise or just relax and unwind in the beautiful gardens of Brackenhurst.
17:30:	The evenings are very sociable affairs. Generally, volunteers discuss their days amongst each other whilst having supper together, prepare for your project the next day. Enjoy sundowners overlooking the Rift Valley – amazing viewpoints are only 20 minutes drive away.

Volunteers will have the opportunity to do tourist activities over the weekends. Kenya offers a variety of safari options, not far from its bustling capital, Nairobi, perfect for a weekend get-away. Our office in Kenya is able to put together a number of different 3-4 day safaris into the Masai Mara National Reserve, Amboseli National Park and Aberdare National Park, as well as trips to the Kenyan Coast, Nairobi’s Elephant and Giraffe Sanctuaries and much more.

Most visitors to Kenya make time to experience the Masai Mara National Reserve, the northern extension of the Serengeti. Well known for the renowned migration of 1.4 million wildebeest (usually between July and November), the Masai Mara is famous for its prolific game-viewing and abundance of predators all-year round, and boasts the country's highest wildlife density. Spend your days exploring the beautiful surroundings and searching for those unforgettable wildlife encounters. The Mara experience is a must and will never disappoint. Kenya’s roads in general are not in very good condition. These can make for sometimes long and somewhat uncomfortable travelling days by road. Many people prefer to fly into some destinations such as the Masai Mara.

Fly-in Option
Low Season from USD 780 per person
High Season from USD 840 per person

Drive-in Option
Camping from USD 345 per person
Lodge from USD 600 per person 

These prices include transport, transfers, full-board accommodation, services of driver/guide and park entry fees. Please note that the prices are guidelines and are subject to change. You will be staying at the Brackenhurst Baptist International Centre, where 2 two-bedroomed cottages are kept for our volunteers. Brackenhurst provides secure accommodation with everything that you will need. Internet and phone services are readily available. You will be sharing a room with other volunteers (maximum of four in one room). Your room is fully furnished. A cook will be provided to cook for you in the kitchen of one of the cottages. Included are laundry and house keeping services on a daily basis. One of the cottages also provides a lounge area with a fireplace and satellite TV, which will be a wonderful social area for all volunteers. 

Brackenhurst has beautiful grounds that are perfect for having an afternoon nap in the sun, playing sports, such as ultimate frisbee or soccer, or going for a jog. On a clear day, you will be able to see Mount Kilimanjaro in the one direction and Mount Kenya in the other. Brackenhurst is a Christian conference centre that forms part of the greater Limuru community. In this culture, drinking alcohol is seen as 'taboo' by the local Christian community. There is therefore no alcohol allowed on the premises of Brackenhurst. However, 20 minutes drive away is a lovely restaurant where you can have a couple of drinks in the evenings.

 

Are you looking for an adventurous trip with a purpose, or on a gap year or career break? If you want to make a difference in some of the world’s most important conservation areas - and in community projects - then volunteer tripsare for you! Volunteers tend to have a sense of adventure, and come from a range of different backgrounds and from all over the world. 
Edward Abbey said 'sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul'.