ISLANDS VOLUNTOURISM CENTER

ISLANDS VOLUNTOURISM CENTER

INTRODUCTION AND LOCALIZATION

Islands voluntourism center is a people to people project initiative focused on voluntourists i.e. students and professionals involvement and participation through community interaction and working together in a catholic of interests in community projects within the islands of lake Victoria and peri-urban (slums) along lake Victoria and within the district (Suba and Mbita).

The objectives of the center focuses on working with eco-volunteers and voluntourists coming to Kenya on a visit visa for days, weeks or months and have the opportunity to offer their talents, skills, expertise, experience, knowledge, professional input. Living and working in the community projects.

The center coordinates series of activities depending on volunteer’s interest and designs and develop a package on immersion .The activities of the center will include:

Community based tourism (CBT) Education adventure Living with the rural community Family outreach/ support programmes

Islands voluntourism center is situated in Sindo on Lake Victoria shore on Western Kenya, at about 70km from the Equator. Islands voluntourism center is a community Based project which comprises 25 members from the islands of Lake Victoria and mainland borderingLake Victoria within Mbita and Suba Districts with series of projects and working in collaboration with the local communities. Lake Victoria has a surface area of 69000km2 and in the second largest fresh water body in the world, number two toLake Superior in size. The lake region has several attractions and the community is very friendly and welcoming.

VISION.

To establish islands voluntourism center to be an excellent centre to accommodate voluntourism and eco-tourism activities in Lake Victoria islands.

MISSION.

To work and in support of the community and vulnerable groups to enhance a participatory approach to community development with vision of creating sustainability.

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OF THE AREA

Islands voluntourism center is situated in Nyanza province western part ofKenya,HomaBayCounty, suba district in a remote town called SINDO, 140 km from Kisumu city and 425km west ofNairobi. The lake has a surface area of 68,000 Sq km and is the second largest fresh water lake in the continent afterLake Superior. The lake servesKenya,Uganda, andTanzania in fishing and transport industries among others. The climate here is hot and humid, mean annual rainfall is 1200 – 1600mm. The area has a humid climate, the long rains falling April-June and the short rains falling October-December.

POVERTY.

The poverty level in the area is aggravated by the following factors namely:

• HIV and AIDS pandemic whose socio economic impact are very sever

1. loss of human resource,talent,skills labor
2. overdependancy ratio increased
3. Emergence of thousands of orphans, widows and elderly, children headed households after the demise of their parents.

• Climatic change impact which includes extreme weather patterns resulting into drought, floods, fish decline, and poor havest.All these extreme conditions results into rising famine hence poverty of the lake inhabitants.
• Lack of quality education which is brought about by school drop out as a result of inability to acquire affordable quality education.

Volunteer opportunities.

Volunteers are welcome to come and contribute in the work we are doing or planning to do. The volunteers will stay with host families. This is expected to be the highlight of your trip, as you get to interact in meaningful ways with wonderful Kenyans.

There are also possibilities to assist or volunteer while you are also in your own country, this is by organizing fundraising activities in support of the projects of Islands voluntourism center .And also by promoting the idea so that the center can achieve its objectives.

You are invited to help spread the word, and by doing this, you shall have done your part. Please we humbly request you to find time and do your part.

Islands voluntourism center to form partnerships and links and internships with interested organisations, foundations, charities, rotary clubs, lion clubs abroad and locally, as a new paradigm to Global Relations.

Islands voluntourism center to be developed into an Eco village using Permaculture as a precursor to Eco village Development.

Under Eco village Development to establish a training centre with series of programmes as per the centers objectives.

OBJECTIVES OF ISLANDS VOLUNTOUTRISM CENTER

1. To creat, execute and evaluate projects promoting the development of tourism based on the spirit of cooperation and reciprocal aid.
2. To establish voluntourism network in Kenyaby creating a basis infrastructure in villages that will be hosting tourists so as to facilitate traveler live with the locals, participate and understand culture and social diversity of the people.
3. To channel the exchange of knowledge between the local community and the voluntourists in the area of health,education,environment,natural resource, arts and tradition to ensure greater culture and economical development
4. To motivate and increase social awareness of the need to reflect on the forms taken by tourism development and find a way to promote projects supporting eco-tourism and alternative tourism.
5. To organize exhibitions, confernses, courses, seminars, cogresses, Exchange programmes, and forums with an aim of popularizing various cultures and promoting voluntourism in African countries.

ACTIVITIES OF THE CENTER.

Islands voluntourism center designs develops and coordinates series of activities customized to suit the volunteers interests. The main activities will involve:

1. Community based tourism (CBT).
2. Educational adventures.
3. Living with the rural community.
4. Family outreach/community support programmes.

1.COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM (C.B.T)

The voluntourism initiative is based in islands of Lake Victoria in Kenyawhich provides unique and warmest experience of community based tourism. The community around are very welcoming and friendly and therefore offers an amazing voluntourism experience and opportunity of its own kind in Africa .Community based tourism involves people to people learning and living ,meeting and interacting with lake side and island community where a visit will leave the voluntourists with unforgettable experience in this today’s globalized and digitalized world. Typical African hospitality not found or affordable in any safari packaging tour, lodges, and big hotels inAfrica. We can make a real difference while exploring the world with a real sense of adventure.

These are truly vacations with a purpose, many of which allow families to participate together. Not surprisingly, an overwhelming majority of those who take volunteer vacations don't just take them once. They travel year after year, applying their vacation time to experiences and projects that help others, while thoroughly enriching themselves in the process.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

There are ample opportunity for hiking ,boating ,fishing ,bird watching, mountaineering Game viewing, picnic, camping, team building, meditation, sight seeing, sundowner. visit to the nearby Ruma national park which is a home to some rare species including beautiful birds visit to some mythical and legendry sites in lake Victoria hot springs on the main land ,archeological sites excavated by Dr Louise Leakey the famous Paleontologist, Anthropologist and Archeologist

MAJOR ATTRACTIONS

Roan antelope which is found nowhere else in the country.

Wildlife – Roan antelope, leopard, buffalo, hyena, Rothschild's giraffe, oribi, Jackson and lelwel hartebeest, impala, bohor reedbuck, serval cat, topi, baboons, vervet monkey, honey badgers, bush pig and many more.

Birds – The Park is an IBA area with over 400 species of birds recorded. It is renowned amongst ornithologists for its rare intra - African migrant, the blue swallow.

The Park provides an unspoiled world for game lovers, bird watchers, tranquility and peace for meditation, historians, campers, team building, picnic, sundowners and scenic beauty.

1. 2. EDUCATIONAL ADVENTURES

Are you are interested in exploring some of the African diverse habitat and natural resources i.e. in Lake Victoria? .Are you interested in learning African languages and culture or working with children in pre schools, primary and secondary schools? Then this is the right place for you.

Eco-village design and development based on Permaculture principles, environmental, health, agriculture, Faison and design, natural building technology, natural medicine, renewable sources of energy, gender, youth and women empowerment projects ICT and many others of global importance.

3 LIVING WITH THE RURAL COMMUNITY.

This is a very exiting programme for those who would like to make a difference in the lives of the unfortunate by helping the needy and disadvantaged ones to become self reliant through sustainable practices working in people to people educational adventure and experiences in working in a community projects interests focusing on:

• Sustainable development technology transfers.
• Helping one to provoke one meaning to think more globally and act locally in today’s kaleidoscopic society with variegated pattern.
• Impel a volunteer to be more than just a mere tourist and impel meaningful connection which can last a lifetime.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH/SUPPORT PROGRAMMES

With the rising level of poverty along theLake Victoria shore and in the islands, the families undergo a lot of financial strain and are unable to educate and at the same time feed the families. The young future leaders end up not realize their academic goals.

Islands voluntourism centre being in the fore front to champion the rights of the child especially in education will organize for child sponsorship(as a programme)by mobilizing funds through sponsors and friends of the center for child education programme which will be the only way to brake the yoke of extreme poverty. Through this program families will be supported to raise their livelihoods. Sponsorship:

• Creates a unique bond between you and a child in need
• Helps benefactors witness firsthand the work that Islands voluntourism center does.

Fosters a meaningful relationship through letters and other correspondence across borders and human boundaries.

WHO PERTICIPATES IN THE PROGRAM.

Are you the type of person needed? A volunteer who:

(a) Has various skills who believe that he /she can make a difference in a developing country by working along side others.

(b) Would like to play an active role in creating along term solution to theLake Victoriaislands socio-economic challenges.

(c) Enjoy learning by doing while being of great service to those in need.

(d) Enjoy being part of the third world country living in the rural remote community with limited infrastructural development i.e. electricity tap water, tarmac road among others.

(e) Has deep respect for people’s culture and beliefs.

(f) Is a team player willing to be supportive of rural community.

(g) Participate in life changing experience, as a learner. Coach or professional team leader.

OUR BELIEF

We believe that immersing oneself in another culture is a soul and personal development experience. Through immersion voluntourists have a chance to taste old assumption and stereotype thoughts aboutAfrica

PROJECT MANAGEMENT.

The Island voluntourism center is a registered community based, non profit making organization initiated and managed by a committee and the director. The committee is elected by members.

The organization activities are run through a structure that puts the members at the helm of its governance. The overall policy body is the Executive committee and the International board.

For further information please contact,

MR SETH OKOMO NUNDU

FOUNDER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

ISLANDS VOLUNTOURISM CENTRE

P.O.BOX 168-40305 MBITA

TEL: +254 714 590 074

EMAIL:islandsvoluntourism@gmail.com