UCESCO- Kenya
Volunteering Activities
What We Need
United Cultural Empowerment and Social Community Organization - UCESCO Kenya, is Non-Profit, Charity Organization for culture exchange in Kenya to promote the lives of marginalized communities from Hunger and Poverty.This is an opportunity for you to gain valuable work and life experience .
FIVE MOST UNIQUE FEATURES OF OUR ORGANIZATION - UCESCO- KENYA
1. Experience the African Way of life and enjoy afternoon Nature walk, every Day
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. Vist United Nations Hqs (UN), David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi National Park, Massai Mara, Hippo Point, Haller Park, Karura Forest, Giraffe Centre, Nairobi National Museum, Mount climbing and Hiking, snokling, diving in the ocean and many other sites
TYPICAL DAY DESCRIPTION
- Volunteers who arrive are picked from airport .
- orientation
START DATES & DETAILS IN ARRIVAL
We ask that all volunteers communicate their arrival and departure plans clearly to us, to ensure transportation and accommodations are properly arranged.
HOW TO HELP. YOU CAN BE;
- Ecosystem and Environmental conservation assistant.
- Arts, Sports, Soccer/football trainer.
- Childcare
- Local Construction (Community Schools, Hospital, Water Tanks, Elderly Houses )
- Teaching ( Basic English, Spanish, French or Germany)
- General Social Work and Fundraising
- Women Empowerment and Human Rights Activist
- Medical assistance.
- Health and hygiene assistance.
- Dental assistant.
- Database and website developer.
- Computer skills teacher and Administration
- Youth outreach program and Refugee Support
2. We also welcome Well wishers who wants to come and Donate (Food, books, Clothes or Shelter) to some Needy families and Schools.
3. The organization also arranges safari trips on your weekends and holidays to 24 different Cultural and Historical site in Kenya to make your memories about Kenya wow!!! including Nairobi National Park, Maasai Mara Game Reserve! and many more
4.Two important steps to remember BEFORE you take off:
1. A valid visa is required in order to enter Kenya.
2. A yellow fever vaccination is required in order to enter Kenya.
When & Who
What we Provide
UCESCO- Kenya arranges accommodation for volunteers in a Volunteer house or in home stays with local communities..
The Volunteer house is used exclusively by volunteers so you will always have companionship with other volunteers that have similar interests and experiences in mind. But for couples/ Family we have special Furnished houses for you as well.
The houses are equipped with all modern amenities and full kitchen facilities. The houses also have a large lounge where volunteers share their experience and meals, the houses can get rather lively over weekends as volunteers return from tours and projects to relax over the weekends, social events are often arranged which include volley ball , Swimming, learning how to Kenyan Food with our volunteers, Nature walk with our local volunteers, Nairobi City tour, Kibera Slums day tour, visiting vulnerable homes and eat together, or Soccer/football if we are many
Volunteers are also given an option to stay with host family. The host family accommodations are located in local communities in suburban Nairobi. Volunteers staying in host families work in projects located mostly within walking distance from their accommodations. By staying with a host family you will be able to know more about the Kenya way of life of the local people, their culture and living.
Kenyan food has many influences, including Indian and African flavors. Expect to eat, Several Vegetables, Fruits, rice, pasta, chapati (flatbread), Ugali (corn flour) and dough reminiscent of mashed potato as staples in your evening meal. These tend to be served with beans, meat, cabbage, and delicious gravy. As a rule, Kenyan food is tasty and flavorsome but not spicy. Some meals will be more familiar – spaghetti bolognese is quite common – but don’t be afraid to try the unfamiliar too.
Breakfast tends to be based around toast, coffee, tea, and eggs. Mandazis, sweet fried bread akin to doughnuts, are popular with volunteers and make a good breakfast or snack. More traditional breakfasts, such as arrowroot (similar to sweet potato – try it with marmite), may also be served.
Our Fees
Daily fee includes
- Accommodation
- 3 meals a day
- Orientation
- Free Gym
- Dry Cleaner
- Local Excursions
- Pickup/Drop off (airport pick up/ Drop off included to the program fee
-Hospital Transport (If needed we provide for free at any time)
-Wifi & Satelite
-In house services ( 3 days a week laundry)
-Local Transport from your homestay to the project site
-Local Sim Card
-Volunteer T-shirt
- First Aid Support
Volunteer house/ Homestays rooms are spacious with en-suite room features and en-suite bathroom. You are guaranteed to be comfortable, memorable and a comeback is certain
The rooms has a furnished living room, fitted with armchairs, a flat screen, TV and a fully equipped Kitchen and the premises are guarded by security Personnel. Kitchen has microwave, fridge, Iron and ironing board. Bathroom also has Hot Shower, we also have free Gym for our volunteers but outside the compound that is opened from 6:30am in the morning to 7:00pm in the evening.
10 Reviews
I encourage youth to seek and achieve their goals. Thanks for being the best in my life."
More Services we Offer
1. We provide training together with Women and Youths on making beautifully unique products, mainly from natural fiber and recycled material handspun and hand woven textiles, jewelries and baskets in natural texture, softness and color. representing all tribes in Kenya. This services included in the daily program fee. Also volunteer will be involved in community outreach to rural marginalized community to have fun together and feel the natural taste of Kenya and people Living with Hope (HIV/AIDS).
2. Once in every month we clean Various urban Cities, Slums, Rivers and plant trees to keep Africa green & Health
3. Evenings & Weekends we train youths and Women on various sports including Swimming, Arts, Soccer and Basketball
4. Some volunteers spend their good time with Children at Children's Center, play together, do art and drawing together, sing together and eat together
5. Once we collect enough funds, Every year we Construction one Community School, Hospital, Water Tanks, Elderly House in Marginalized Rural Areas with our volunteers
6. We have English, Spanish, French, Germany and computer classes for Youths and women thought by our volunteers
7. We appreciates those volunteers who fund raises in their country before their arrival to Support and Donate towards our programs to reach out more beneficiaries. It really boosts us a lot because the demand/Need is beyond our resources , we needy more hands and resources .
8. Medical Volunteers spend good time in our clinics as Medical assistant, Health and hygiene assistant & Dental assistant saving lives as well as gaining more skills, they are always happy
9. Some volunteers visits many groups , Universities , High School wit our local Volunteers as life Couch Speakers for prosperity and motivational speakers
10 we also have outreach program to Refugee camps to support and Donate with our volunteers
Contact Person
Other Ways to Help
UCESCO Center
- Volunteers who arrive are greeted.
- Short explanation of the on going projects
- Explanation how they are helping the local community by participating in this this project
- They can visit one home of our beneficiaries to say hi and eat together , Kenyan Local Food with our local volunteers, then pause for a photo for remembrance
Local tour of the area:
- Volunteers who arrive are greeted.
- Short explanation about the tour and guidelines.
- Explanation how they helping the local community by participating in this tour.
- Tour is based on the culture and history of the area, and the different types of challenges faced by the local population.
1. Equipment:
1. Digital Camera
2. Video Camera
3. Projector
4. Laptop
5. Multi-Touch 2-in-1, Speakers
6. Powered Speaker + stand
7. Project Screen
8. Mega Phone
9. Microphone
10. Dynamic Microphone+Stand +Kit
11. Nikon Digital Camera & lenses +Stand
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
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 24 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, they can still work with us on the teaching program.
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
The “teach a man to fish” philosophy is what drives and inspires our Organization to end hunger and poverty in Africa, because it promotes the development of resilience so that individuals can recognize their potential.
We fundamentally believe that ending extreme poverty requires empowering families to turn hunger and poverty into hope and prosperity.
UCESCO links communities and helps bring sustainable income which then produces new opportunities for building schools, creating cooperatives, forming community savings, growing small businesses, feeding the family dairy, raising school fees, and permanent human transformation.
We also inspire action for the improvement of national parks and green-space through community advocacy, volunteerism, and small capital improvement to parks, farmlands, forests, rivers, and streams to transform Kenya. By collaborating with a broad range of constituents, including area residents, community groups, other non-profits, real estate developers, and city leaders, UCESCO’s efforts show a tangible difference in both the aesthetics and usability of green-space throughout the community.
The communities we serve ultimately reap the various benefits, such as clean and green environment, Poverty Eradication, Youth and Women Employment in especially Slums and Marginalized rural areas.
I have to admit that my mum was the one who insisted that I had to make this trip by buying the airplane tickets for me.
She probably was hearing the same calling I did.
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So I ended up volunteering as a Life Coach in order to empower youth groups and women's groups in Kenya and to perfrom a 2 day training program of mine called "Discover what you love and succeed doing it" to students, business owners, employees - pretty much everyone who wasn't currently statisfied in his or her job or buisness.
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The experience was awesome and our cooperation with the founder of Ucesco Kingsley Kipros very effective.
We both sensed the need of Kenyan population for guidance.
So many people, with university degrees, were feeling helpless not knowing what to do in their lives and how to become successful.
As you can imagine our satisfaction and joy were almost overwhelming, when we managed to support those people to find what their personal purpose in life is and how to express it in a financial effective way.
Kinsgley and I were more than happy with our achievment!
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And the best part is that we decided to continue our cooperation and to expand it to other arenas as well.
And it was at this point I finally found out what this trip to Kenya was all about.
It was about my calling to create something big, something that could help many many people in need living in another country, in another continent.
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!
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Thank you so much for the wonderful experience!
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Sophia Efremidis"
So grateful for all experiences we had together and for the best which are yet to come..!!
♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥️"