UCESCO- Kenya
Volunteering Activities
What We Need
Areas requiring volunteers:
— Agricultural Work
— Childcare
— Construction
— Fundraising
— Healthcare
— Sports
— Teaching
We rely on volunteers to complete this vital work in order to make a real difference in the lives of Kenyan people. This is only possible because of your time and generosity!
Your experience volunteering with us will not only allow you to positively impact the world, but you will also have the opportunity to become fully immersed in Kenyan culture.
APPLY NOW AND BECOME PART OF THIS GREAT STAFF TEAM!
Currently, we have projects ongoing in the capital city, Nairobi, as well as in both the Kibera and Mathare Slums, the counties of Kisii, Samburu, and Migori, Mombasa City, the Masai Land, and the Northeastern part of Kenya.
Specify your areas of interest from the list below when applying:
1. Teaching — Basic Spanish, German, English, French, Mathematics, Business Studies, Art, Dance, Home Science, Music, Basic Computer Skills, Sports, etc.
2. Reforestation and trail maintenance.
3. Medical assistant volunteers, dental assistants, nurses, general doctors, and health and hygiene assistant volunteers to help in our Health Clinics.
4. Environmental conservation.
5. Sports — developing the skills and talents of youth and women in sports such as rugby, football, athletics, netball, and basketball.
6. Database and website development, event organizers, fundraising managers, project managers, fieldwork managers, receptionists, marketing managers, editors, translators, videographers, and photographers.
7. The annual building of a school, hospital, homeless shelter or child center.
8. Farming — for volunteers passionate about rural farming, we take part in community farming in order to provide food security.
9. IT and technology.
10. Counseling.
11. There are also opportunities to take part in outreach programs, community service projects, and empowerment projects for youth and women, as well as visits to refugee camps, children's homes, retirement homes, and rescue centers for street children. Some of the activities involved in these programs include cooking, washing clothes, playing, teaching, and providing emotional, moral, and financial support.
12. We offer a three-month attachment program for university students in order to develop your career. There are also internships for graduates looking to gain experience in their field of interest.
TOURS/ SAFARIS WITH UCESCO:
We provide tours and travel including accommodation services for any guest who needs the service. UCESCO has suitable accommodation, and a tour van with professional tour and travel volunteers to guide you. For more information, you can visit our UCESCO site.
PLEASE NOTE:
A volunteer does not need to have specific qualifications in order to join our programs. The only exceptions are the following programs where we require professional and qualified volunteers:
1. Medical assistance.
2. Health and hygiene assistance.
3. Dental assistant.
4. Database and website developer.
5. Computer skills teacher.
Couples and Children are also accepted to volunteers as a family in various activities
SIX FEATURES WHICH MAKE THE UCESCO VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE UNIQUE:
1. Truly experience the African way of life.
2. Gain African fluency by living with a host family and sharing life with Locals.
3. Become more passionate about your major and propel your career with international experience.
4. Make memories you'll never forget during weekend excursions with your fellow participants.
5. Take part in safaris and tours.
ARRIVAL AIRPORT AND PICKUP IN KENYA
UCESCO-Kenya staff member will be there to welcome you when you arrive at Nairobi Airport (NBO). From the airport, you will travel in our private car to your host family any time 24/7 hours. Depending on traffic, this will be a 30 mins drive.
Your airport transfer is included in the cost of your project fee, so you don’t have to worry about extra expenses.
BOOKING YOUR FLIGHTS WITH US TO KENYA
UCESCO-Kenya has over 10 years of experience arranging flights for hundreds of volunteers around the world. Searching for flights online can be a time-consuming, overwhelming, and frustrating process. Let us do the work for you
We can help you book the best return flights, making sure you have the safest, most convenient, and cost-effective flight options, no matter how complex your travel plans. Find out more about booking your flights through us.
VISAS REQUIREMENT FOR YOUR VOLUNTEER
One of the perks of volunteering with us is the visa guidance we give you. We have a dedicated visa team that have up-to-date information on visa requirements. You can get in touch with us if you have any visa queries, big or small, and we will take you through the process. Once you apply, you’ll also get a link, which will include all the necessary visa information.
Upon arrival in Kenya, you’ll need to apply for a tourist visa of around US $ 50 to be renewed in 3 months or a volunteer permit that costs around US $145 and needs to be renewed monthly. A local UCESCO-Kenya staff member will be able to assist you with this process. There are some exceptions to the permit requirement, depending on the type of project and length of stay. Your Volunteer Advisor will be able to tell you whether you are exempt or not.
YOUR INDUCTION AND ORIENTATION
On your first day, you’ll receive a comprehensive induction to your new town. You will receive an introduction pack, which includes useful information such as maps and local contact details. A staff member will take you on a tour of the surrounding area, and point out places that might be useful to you.
You’ll also be taken to buy a local sim card or exchange money if you need to. Our staff will explain how to use the public transport system so that you are confident about travelling around. You’ll also visit our local offices, and find out more about the way we run out projects in Kenya.
YOUR FIRST DAY AT YOUR VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT
We want to make sure you are fully prepared for your project, so you’ll receive plenty of guidance on your first day. UCESCO-Kenya staff member will accompany you from your host family to work on your first day so that you know how to get there.
You’ll get shown around the placement, and meet the people you’ll be working with. It’s a great way to see how things are run and gain insight into what you’ll be expected to do. Your project work will only begin on your second day
SUPPORT, SAFETY, AND BACKUP
Your safety and security is our prime concern. We have many procedures and systems to ensure you have the support you need to enjoy your trip with peace of mind. Our UCESCO-Kenya staff are available 24 hours a day to help and will be on-hand to make sure you settle in well at your accommodation and placement. If you encounter any problems, they will be available to help at any time.
When & Who
What we Provide
UCESCO- Kenya arranges accommodation for volunteers in a volunteer house and in homestays. Our volunteer houses and identified home-stay houses are equipped with a range of amenities and maximum security in order to ensure the safety of our volunteers.
At the volunteer house, the rooms are spacious and of high quality. We have hot showers and permanent water supply, electricity, TV, and 24/7 security. Housekeeping and laundry are offered for $5 a week. We also have a Special apartment for couples and Children for those volunteers who come as a family.
You can choose to live in a volunteer house or with a family. In a host family, you will be assigned to your own bedroom with a lock, flush toilets and bath in most of the town. You will be living in a host family house and become a member of that family, which gives you the opportunity to learn their culture, learn a new language, and virtually do everything with them.
A mosquito net can be quite helpful to bring or buy-in Kenya at $5 and sleeping bag in case we are traveling out of the capital city to rural/Villages.
We provide 2 meals per day: breakfast and dinner. It is the responsibility of the volunteer to organise lunch for themselves. Bottled water is available to purchase for 0.5 USD/liter.
If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know so we can make arrangements for you. We will do our best to see that you are well taken care of but, as a volunteer, there is a need to be flexible.
Our Fees
Allocation Of Program Fee
Dear volunteers,
UCESCO Kenya offers the most affordable and financially honest and transparent volunteer experience in the industry. No other organization to date has shown this level of transparency or told you so clearly exactly where your money is going, and this has allowed us to gain the trust of thousands of volunteers who have volunteered with us in Kenya safely and affordably with our life-changing programs.
Our pricing model divides the volunteer fees into two parts:
1. Application Fee
We operate as a non-profit organization, and this fee is needed to sustain us so we can continue offering our meaningful programs at affordable prices in Kenya. This fee is allocated to cover the basic operating costs of our organization, including the advertisement, rent, staff salaries, utilities, taxes, and other operational expenses.
2. Weekly Program Fees
In order to run our volunteer programs in Kenya, there are some basic costs that must be covered. As a result, the weekly program fee you pay is broken into three parts.
The first of these is the cost of your accommodations and food. We pay this portion of the fee directly to our host families, or your project if you are staying at on-site accommodations.
The second cost that must be covered is paying our local staff and in-country coordinator. These individuals offer you individualized support and guidance throughout the entire duration of your volunteer project abroad, and the service they provide to you is key to making sure you have the best experience possible.
The third cost covered by your weekly program fee is a donation that is made directly to your project. The projects UCESCO volunteers work to support are often poor and struggling financially to continue their important and much-need humanitarian work. Your donation goes a long way to helping them continue to run.
There is no rigid proportion of how the volunteer program fee is allocated, as it varies with location, project, and other factors. But the following is a generalized allocation of fees that are normally done:
- Host Families (60%-80%)
- Project Donation (10% - 20%)
- Local Country Office Expenses/Staffs (10-30%)
Why is part of the fee paid to local staff?
Many volunteers ask why the fee is paid to local staff. While the host families and the project are extremely deserving of as much money as possible, no one works for free. Our local staff and coordinators are there to watch over you, manage the running of the programs in-country, and make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible.
Our coordinators are dedicated humanitarians who work hard to ensure our volunteer projects are run effectively, and they care very deeply about the same causes that you do. They are performing a valuable service to you and your project and deserve to be compensated for their efforts.
Hopefully, this in-depth explanation has helped you to understand how and where your program fee is allocated. We sincerely appreciate your desire to travel abroad and make the world a better place!
In Summary, Fee includes
- Accommodation (host family)
- Airport Pick up/Transfer
- Program Orientation
- In-country support
- Personalized project
-. Pre-departure information
- Certificate of completion
- Fundraising ideas and letters
- Discount for returning volunteers
- Breakfast and Dinner
-Hospital Transport (If needed we provide for free at any time)
- First aid support if needed
Not included in the fee:
- Drop off ( will be charged only USD 20 )
- Laundry (5 USD/week)
- Local SIM card you need to purchase
- Weekend Tour
-Volunteer T-shirt
- First Aid Support
- Visas
- Airfare
- Personal expenses on soft drinks and foods
- Daily transportation
- Airport return transfer
18 Reviews
I am not sure what I had in mind when I applied and got accepted by UCESCO to volunteer in Nairobi, but I am certainly sure that it is the best decision I have ever made.
During the days we were in Nairobi, I wanted to volunteer as a dentist in Kibera, and we decided that KIBERA HUMAN DEVELOPMENT PROJECT MEDICAL CLINIC is the right place to give free dental care for patients of Kibera. We worked with two local dentists; they shared with us their experiences and details of dental care they offer in the clinic. We also discussed the prices the patients have to usually pay to get the medical treatment that was needed, and unlikely I found out that the prices were higher than the people from Kibera could handle financially.
The conditions of the clinic were not adequate with the minimal basic materials, but I was impressed with the management and the good work the doctors were doing.
We went to Silver Spring Secondary School, we heard about the students’ obstacles that they had to overcome to continue their studies, about harsh living conditions, tens of kilometers and many hours of walk to get to school, the hunger that often make them fail the exams, and big dreams for the future.
The clinic is next to Holy Trinity Primary School, so I was lucky to meet the children every day. Without no doubt I can say that they are the loveliest children I have ever met. Every time they saw us, they called Wazungu and run to hug us. I got lots of drawings, gifts from some very smart and talented little girls. Their happy faces with their hopeful eyes can make everyone’s hearts melt.
What they got is not enough, they deserve more, and we need to tell the world about.
Thank you so much for the unforgettable experience!
Sincerely,
Dr. Vildane Ismaili" - on 03/10/2019
We wanted to let you know that we miss you already, your patients you served at our clinic in Kibera and local doctors miss you so much. The outstanding job you did, treating our patients for free for all days you were in Kenya, was amazing. Its something we will always remember and pray for you. we know it was a lot of work but thank you so much for all your effort and commitment you showed. Looking forward to hosting you again with your friends. I hope you enjoyed Kenyan cultures and safaris with our local volunteers as well. Take care and see you again"
Preparation to this trip was not easy at all since I faced some obstacles. First of all, applying for VISA and receiving it was one of the hardest thing to do (because Kenya does not recognize Kosovo as an independent country), it also took a lot of time to be done. Secondly, judgement is one factor of individuals coming by the community around.
Although after anything that happened, my desire to come to volunteer as a dentist in Kenya-Nairobi was one of the most interesting, thrilling and exciting experiences of my life. What I found out about it afterwards was out of my expectations and people turned out to be very polite and friendly. Therefore, food was delicious in general, but nature seemed to be exotic.
As a Dentist I saw many difficult cases that are motivation to come and to help again people in "Kibera slum" if i will be accepted back again .
It was about my calling to cooperate with a targeted, active and effective non profit organization as Ucesco is.
It was about my calling - who knows - to even become one with Ucesco!
.
Thank you so much for the wonderful experience!
Sincerely,
Dr. Donjetë Parashtica"" - on 30/09/2019
We wanted to let you know that we miss you already, the patients you treated, and local doctors miss you so much. The outstanding job you did, treating hundreds of patients at our clinic for all the days you were with us, was amazing. Its something we will always remember and pray for you. we know it was a lot of work but thank you so much for all your effort and commitment you showed. Looking forward to hosting you again with your friends. I hope you enjoyed Kenyan cultures and safaris with our local volunteers as well. Take care and see you again"
More Services we Offer
Weekends are for your free time. You will have time to explore this beautiful country and learn about its culture and language
1. 5 Days Kilimanjaro Climbing $ 1900
3. Road Drive To Fourteen Falls From Nairobi $100
4. Hell's Gate And Geothermal Spa Tour $223
5. Half-Day Ngong Hills Hike From Nairobi With Lunch At A Local Restaurant $181
6. Day Olpajeta Conservancy From Nairobi $385
7. Private Mombasa Full-Day Excursion $335
10. Birthday Dinner Surprise & Cat Dance At Safari Park Hotel
13. 3 Days Maasai Village Rural Tour $530
14. Nairobi Kenya Cultural Shopping Experience $55
15. Lake Bogoria Flamingos Tour From Nairobi $320
16. Baboon Cliff, Makalia & Forest Zip Ling Or Menengai Crater In A Day $250
17. Kibera Slum Guided Tour From Nairobi $80
18. Half-Day Tour To Nairobi National Museum & Snake Park $105
21. The Nairobi National Park Half-Day Tour $128
22. Full-Day David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Bomas Of Kenya, Karen Blixen, Kazuri Beads Factory And Giraffe Centre Tour $299
23. Day Tour To Lake Nakuru National Park $240
24. Mt Kenya Day Trip Hike From Nairobi $380
25. Day Tour To Kiambethu Tea Farm In Limuru $110
28. 3 Days Tsavo East Panari Safari And Watamu Package $565
29. 3 Days Maasai Mara Safari $520
31. Karura Forest Nature Walk And Bike Ride Day Tour From Nairobi $100
32. Full-Day Sweetwaters And Ol Pejeta Conservancy Small-Group Tour From Nairobi $425
34. Hiking & Zip Lining At Kereita, Kenya $89
36. Adventure In Camp Ndunda (Embu) - 1 Day Excursion From Nairobi. $110
37. Ngare Ndare Forest $315
38. Nairobi Safari Walk And Animal Orphanage Small-Group Guided Tour $168
39. Overnight Safari To Amboseli National Park $475
40. City Tours $60
43. Ostrich Farm From Nairobi $206
44. Coffee Farm Tour In Kiambu $65
45. Mount Suswa Full Day Adventure $230
48. United Nations Hq Tour
49. Camping In Kenya
50. Mombasa - 3 Day Tour From Nairobi $430
51. Haller Park $50
Contact Person
Other Ways to support us
UCESCO Centre
- Guests who arrive are greeted.
- A short explanation about our activities and a small Day tour around the City.
1. ROAD DRIVE TO FOURTEEN FALLS F $100
You will enjoy a boat ride at the same time do hiking
2.KIBERA SLUM GUIDED TOUR $80
Get a glimpse of life in Africa’s largest urban slum on a private walking tour to Kibera, a deeply impoverished area that’s home to thousands of people. Visit the area with a guide who was born and raised in Kibera, tour a local school, then see how local craftspeople repurpose bones in a bead factory.
3. NAIROBI HIGHLIGHT GUIDED WALKING TOUR $92
Packed with landmarks and colorful markets, Nairobi’s compact city center is perfect for exploring on foot, but finding your way through the crowds can be overwhelming. Join a guide for a Nairobi walking tour that covers key sights, from a rooftop observatory to the American Embassy Memorial Garden, with time to browse markets, learn about local history, and discover Nairobi’s green spaces. Choose a walking tour to experience the city like a local Follow a route that features key Nairobi highlights Learn the stories behind each of the sites you pass.
4. COFFEE/ TEA FARM TOUR IN KIAMBU $65
Though coffee is a widely-loved beverage that many folks around the world enjoy each and every morning, most people have never experienced real Arabica coffee, right from the estate. With this Nairobi culinary experience perfect for ardent foodies and regular coffee drinkers alike, you can visit the Kiambu Coffee Estate.
5. NAIROBI KENYA CULTURAL SHOPPING EXPERIENCE $55
Knowing the best spots to pick up Kenyan souvenirs can be tricky in the capital. Discover unique vendors and producers on a shopping tour of the city, customizable to suit your interests and budget. Visit markets, workshops, and craft centers across the city.
1. Better Water Pump
2. Mosquito Nets
3. School Uniforms
4. Sports Equipments
5. Digital Camera
6. Video Camera
7. Projector
8. Laptop
9. Multi-Touch 2-in-1, Speakers
10. Powered Speaker + stand
11. Project Screen
12. MegaPhone
13. Microphone
14. Dynamic Microphone+Stand +Kit
15. Nikon Digital Camera & lenses +Stand
16. Construction materials
2. Supplies:
1. Composition Notebook
2. Pens
3. Pencils
4. Folders
5. Paper
6. Binders
7. Scissors
8. Glue
9. Tape
10. Poster Board
11. Books
12. Reference Material
13. Educational Videos
14. Art Supplies
15. Unforms
16. Food
N/B
If you have things that are still usable, clean and in good condition, but you just don’t need them anymore, you can donate them to our Centres to be distributed to the needy students and families. We accept anything that is in good condition, such as clothes, furniture, crockery, toys, books, shoes, accessories, hobby items, music/films, plants, household appliances, and much more.++++
Additional Info about Us
- The organization provides a quality service and is accountable to the community through clearly defined roles and responsibilities;
- Service users, staff and the community have an opportunity to understand the structure and governance of the organization; and
- The service unit manages its resources efficiently through the elimination of role confusion and specific targeting of its activities.
UCESCO provides free-time activities for our volunteers as follows:
- Trips to 50 different tourist attractions / Safaris
-Drawing and painting with children.
- Social activities like cleanliness to our schools, visiting people living HIV/AIDS and elders.
- Gym.
- Riding.
- Swimming.
- Cooking. Our volunteers will learn how to cook different type of Kenyan food during their free time.
- Sports.
There are seasonal volunteering activities, such as the
1. Teaching program.
- School from January to May (June is holiday).
- School starts again on July and goes until November (December is holiday).
But during holiday time in June or December, if we receive volunteers, we have holiday vocational Training
2. We Do Local community Schools/Homes/ Hospital Construction in Marginalized Rural Areas once per year after collecting enough funds from our well wishers and volunteers
3. We Do clean ups in the various cities, slums, Rivers, and plant treas once in every Month
4. We also have outreach program to Refugee camps to support and Donate with our volunteers once in every 4 months
ABOUT US
Since 2010, UCESCO Africa has been committed to transforming the lives of marginalized communities, giving them the tools to overcome poverty and injustice regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, and gender. Started as a non-profit charity organization by Kingsley Nyandika Kipros, it has been most rewarding to see the positive the impact the various projects are having on communities around Africa.
UCESCO focuses particularly on food security, proper elderly care, community services, environmental conservation, vocational training, supporting artists and single mothers, health care, and education. We pride ourselves on putting more than 1000 children through school every year. Our focus on health in our communities has also reduced unnecessary expenses in hospitals and lowered the number of deaths.
As a charity focused on community, we are keen to work with local administrations, organized community groups, individuals, and schools to demonstrate to the communities we work with that there are opportunities in the wider world that are attainable. These partnerships, UCESCO believes, gives these marginalized communities we are serving hope and motivation to see beyond the walls of the situation that they live in.
In the areas we focus our efforts, most women and many youths are living in extreme poverty, earning less than $1.00 per day. They cannot afford education for their children, clean water is scarce, and diseases caused by poor hygiene are prevalent. A great number of women and youths living in these areas lack access to basic services including electricity, running water, and medical care.
I leave a piece of my heart in Kenya, thank you UCESCO to gave me the chance to live an unforgettable month. I hope to come back soon." - on 08/02/2020
We wanted to let you know that we miss you already, your Spanish and french students miss you so much. The outstanding job you did, in teaching our school, and the donation you did, was amazing. Its something we will always remember and pray for you. we know it was a lot of work but thank you so much for all your effort and commitment you showed. Looking forward to hosting you again with your friends. I hope you enjoyed Kenyan cultures and safaris with our local volunteers as well. Take care and see you again"