updated   Last minute

Come and help out with community projects in Lake Victoria, Kenya

  • Favourited 2599 times
  • Last activity: 28 Mar 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: 1 week or less

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Welcome to Rusinga Island and thank you for exploring our impactful project. Our school and farm were founded by the late Michael and his wife Jane with the noble mission of providing primary education to the children of Kaswanga and the surrounding areas.
    Our focus is on financially supporting students through primary education and providing essential meals for those who need it the most. We strive to create a nurturing environment where children can flourish, feel protected, and have the opportunity to progress to secondary education and beyond.
    We welcome volunteers who are genuinely passionate about making a difference and contributing their skills and expertise to empower the community. By volunteering with us, you will have a unique opportunity to combine adventurous travel with meaningful work for a worthwhile cause.
    We are looking for committed volunteers with diverse skills, from teaching and organic farm work to technical support such as web design, project management, photography, and videography. Digital nomads with social media experience and fundraising skills are also valued as we aim to launch a new support scheme to cover the basic needs of food and school accessories.
    Please note that our project is not a vacation destination or a place to simply play with the children. We expect volunteers to actively engage in tasks that contribute to the sustainable development of the school and the community.
    Accommodation and daily life will immerse you in the authentic Kenyan lifestyle. Our focus is on providing a genuine cultural exchange, where you can learn the local Luo language, music, and agriculture. There are plenty of opportunities to explore the stunning scenery of Lake Victoria and the surrounding areas during your free time.
    If you are genuinely interested in making a positive impact and contributing your skills to our mission, we would be thrilled to have you as part of Team Milman.
    Please feel free to contact Victor via Workaway to discuss opportunities and to learn more about how your skills can make a real difference.
    Thank you for considering our project, and we hope to welcome dedicated volunteers who are committed to creating a brighter future for the children and the community of Rusinga Island.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Charity Work
    Art Projects
    Language practice
    Elderly Companionship
    Teaching
    Gardening
    Farmstay help
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
    Help with Computers/ Internet
  • UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN goals
    No poverty
    Zero hunger
    Good health and well-being
    Quality education
    Gender equality
    Clean water and sanitation
    Affordable and clean energy
    Decent work and economic growth
    Industries, innovation and infrastructure
    Reduce inequality
    Sustainable cities and communities
    Responsible consumption and production
    Climate action
    Life below water
    Life on land
    Peace, justice and strong institutions
    Partnerships for the goals
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Our project offers a genuine cultural exchange, where you will have an opportunity to interact with the local Luo community. Your presence will be welcomed with open arms, and you can share stories of your homeland while learning from the rich local culture.

    You’ll call this beautiful environment home and will have plenty of time to explore.
    The island is home to a huge array of wild animals, notably the diverse species of birds, but monkeys also live in the hills, Hippos bathe in the shallow waters and if you eat fish you will have the chance to enjoy the local varieties such as fresh Tilapia, Omena and Nile perch.

    The school / work opportunities will keep you busy during the week days. However, there are many fascinating places to visit during your free time at weekends, like Ruma national game park (1 hour away), Lake Victoria and its islands, Tom Mboya mausoleum (an important figure in Kenya's political history who came from Rusinga Island), Landing and fishing beaches, Kit mikai stones, Hot springs close to Homa Bay, The Masai Mara (4 hours away. Spectacular annual migration in July/Aug).

  • Projects involving children

    Projects involving children

    This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

  • Help

    Help

    We are seeking dedicated volunteers who are genuinely passionate about making a positive impact on the community of Rusinga Island. Our project aims to provide quality education and support to vulnerable children, and we value volunteers who are committed to creating a lasting change.

    As a volunteer, you will have the opportunity to engage in various tasks that contribute to the sustainable development of the school and the well-being of the students. We welcome volunteers with a range of skills and expertise to support our mission.

    The following are areas where your help can make a real difference:
    1. Teaching and Educational Support:
    • Assist teachers with English language development and other curriculum subjects such as Science, Mathematics, and Social Studies.
    2. Project Management and Networking:
    • Contribute your expertise in project management to further develop and improve our initiatives.
    • Help create networking opportunities with schools abroad to foster twinning/partnerships.
    3. Fundraising and Sponsorship:
    • Connect our non-profit project to prospective sponsors or businesses to support our initiatives.
    • Assist with grant writing for fundraising programs.
    • Facilitate children sponsorship for their educational costs.
    4. School Organic Vegetable Garden:
    • Volunteer during the planting and harvesting months to support our organic garden, which supplies vegetables for our feeding program.
    5. Videography and Social Media:
    • Develop our YouTube channel and social media platforms to showcase the culture and traditions of the region.
    • Capture impactful content, such as cooking videos, climate change impacts, storytelling, and updates from the school.
    6. Music and Creative Arts:
    • Support the Music Club and Creative Arts department, which aims to discover and nurture the hidden talents of the children.
    • If possible, donate or provide support with musical instruments like piano, guitar, ukulele, flutes, etc.
    7. Permaculture and Environmental Conservation:
    • Join efforts to promote permaculture and restore the depleted ecosystems of Rusinga Island.
    • Assist with tasks in our permaculture farm, tree nursery, and the maintenance of the Michael Odula Memorial Community Forest.

    We value volunteers who bring their skills, enthusiasm, and commitment to making a meaningful impact on the lives of the children and the community.
    When contacting us, please describe the specific areas you are interested in contributing to, and we will provide you with more information about the tasks and expectations.
    Please note that our project relies on the dedication and genuine passion of volunteers like you to create a brighter future for the children of Rusinga Island.

    Below is our wish list of items that would support our initiatives.
    • Pencils
    • Drawing materials
    • Books
    • Donations of clothes for orphans
    • Used laptop or new computer for youth and children training
    • Digital cameras
    • Video cameras
    • Musical Instruments / books
    • English book for Kids
    • Construction blocks (for games)
    • Small cars / toys
    • Baby-barbie / dolls
    • Dinette. Cooking play
    • Balls (football, rugby, volley, soft) and pomp
    • Papers, Pens, pencils, colors to paint and brushes.
    • Old cloths and shoes

    Thank you for considering joining Team Milman and making a difference in the lives of these deserving children.

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    English: Fluent
    Swahili (Kiswahili): Fluent
    Luo: Beginner

    This host offers a language exchange
    We have a team of professionals who will help you learn Kiswahili and dholuo (local dialect). Let us know if you are interested

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    You will be fully immersed in a traditional Kenyan lifestyle. Volunteers share a guest house within the same compound as the main house. A private room may be requested depending on the number of volunteers expected. The kitchen and sitting room are shared with the host family. We provide three home cooked authentic Kenyan meals a day which are eaten together with the family. Volunteers will take turns helping in the kitchen. Please inform us whether you have any special dietary requirements.

    We provide blankets, bedsheets, mosquitoes nets, clean water (we drink treated rain water and previous volunteers have experienced no issues with this, but bottled water is available to purchase in shops nearby (around 20 minutes walking) if you would prefer and solar electricity for lighting. Please bring personal power banks and maybe even a solar power bank as some guest houses are not connected to electricity. Charging devices is always possible in the main building.

    Smoking is also not allowed inside any of the houses and drugs are strictly prohibited on site.

    Like in most rural Kenyan homes there is no running water on the compound, which means that we use pit latrines and bucket showers to wash. Mother hens and their chicks, goats, donkeys, cat, and dogs freely roam the compound, so animal lovers welcome.

    We do not provide internet through Wi-Fi on the compound, but you may buy an internet bundle (at the airport, in Nairobi or at the local shops here) or visit Mbita (the closest town) for Internet access in a café. We suggest using Safaricom sim cards as they provide the best internet and phone signal across the island. Mpesa is also widely used here to pay for goods and services including tourist activities and transport.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    LANGUAGES SPOKEN: Kiswahili, English and Dholuo

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Can host digital nomads

    Can host digital nomads

    We love digital nomads, however it is worth noting that we use mobile internet and have a solar charging spot in one of buildings. No direct mains. There is wifi near by at a high end eco resort.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

  • ...

    This host charges a fee

    read more
    US$5 per day
Host ref number: 419827212553

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