Volunteer in a Kenyan orphanage

Make a difference in Kenya

Work in a Kenyan orphanage to help give children in poverty the care they need.

Many of our orphanages are attached to schools, and as a volunteer you will be expected to do some teaching as well. However, spending the entire day with the children you'll be working with is one of the most rewarding experiences for a volunteer, and the bonds you will make will endure long after your placement is over. During classroom hours you'll be as helping other volunteers to teach a primary curriculum of English, Maths, Science, Religion and Social Studies.

Don't worry if you don't feel confident in a particular area, as the children will benefit from listening to you speak and construct sentences fluently in English. You will shadow a local teacher or established volunteer before taking on your own class, but after this you are free to make your classroom and lessons as creative and exciting as you can. Games and sport are another important part of school life, so be prepared to get involved with these as well!

In the orphanage itself, your responsibilities will include cooking, helping the orphans with homework, preparing activities for the evenings and weekends and assisting with general chores. Most of the orphans will attend a school separate from the orphanage, so you will often work later than other volunteers, but leading evening activities which include all the children is particularly important for promoting a family atmosphere.

Your most valuable work will be simply spending time with the orphans, fostering friendships and encouraging their confidence in themselves.