updated   Last minute

Volunteer in a school where vulnerable children need help and an eco-project in Mombasa, Kenya

  • Favourited 1575 times
  • Last activity: 28 Mar 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: No minimum

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    Welcome to our academy!

    We are a Primary & Secondary school. There are 56 students in secondary level from form 1 to form 4 and as we are relatively new, we’re still developing and looking for volunteers to help us grow. We are in a beautiful part of Kenya with wildlife parks other cultural interests found very near including the famous Maasai tribe who can be visited.

    We are located 100kms from Mombasa on the main highway at Mackinnon Road. The school was opened in 2006 after Cosmus Mwema saw there was a lack of quality education in what is a poor area. We opened with 8 students in a small rented room attached to the Teaching Director’s home with a vision to give all the children in the area the opportunity to learn. Since 2006 we have added 3 extra buildings with 6 extra classrooms and have a roll of over 110 students with plans to increase the size of our senior school in the near future. All the children arrive at school everyday eager to learn as many children in the area do not have the same opportunity to attend school due to various, mostly financial, issues. Some of these children, we help through their economic hardships but the school has limited resources so there are many we cannot, although we do our absolute best to give as many children the opportunity to learn as we can. This is our ultimate goal.

    We want the absolute best for our children and are looking for any help from volunteers that believe in our cause and want to lend a hand by helping out at the school, meeting the children and helping develop the school’s resources in any charitable ways they are capable of.

    N/B ECO PROJECT
    Due to ongoing droughts in our area and a lot of garbage in our town we also have introduced eco project called GREEN MACKINNON. This is to make sure we plant more trees in our community and clean up our town through garbage collection. This has been spearheaded by Lynda Russell from USA who started the cleaning program in our town and encouraged me to continue with the program that's why we are including ECO project as part of the activities which will be undertaken by volunteers.

    The local area is awash with natural beauty, teeming with wildlife and jam packed full of culture. Spending time in the area is an opportunity that our previous workawayers have treasured, from cultural exchange, learning Swahili, to seeing the local wildlife and cultural attractions. Please see our feedback :) Mackinnon Road is only 100kms from Mombasa so visitors have plenty of time during the weekends to travel and visit the beaches on the coastline of the Indian Ocean as well as visit the Gedi Ruins and the famous Fort Jesus museum which was built by the Portuguese many decades ago. Engaging with the Maasai is made cheaper with Cosmus as your guide :) Temperatures here are between 28 degrees to 38 degrees Celsius which may be very enjoyable for visitors coming from colder parts of the globe!

    We are non drinkers and smokers but we don’t restrict any visitor not to drink or smoke, visitors are free to enjoy their vacation but respect should be highly observed. We’re honest, loving, easy to get along with and humble people who enjoy a laugh!

    Karibu! Welcome! Ladies, Gentlemen, Couples, Teenagers and anyone else willing to help are more than welcome to visit us. We would love to have you.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Charity Work
    Language practice
    Help with Eco Projects
    Teaching
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    General Maintenance
    Help with Computers/ Internet
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    The visitors will have time to interact with the children who come from many different ethnicities. Our children are very talkative and like sharing their stories as they are from more than six communities which are Taita, Duruma, Kamba, Meru, Somali, Maasai and Sanya. Visitors will get time to visit these communities and learn about their cultures. You can learn swahili through the children and through Cosmus and his family.

  • Projects involving children

    Projects involving children

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

  • Help

    Help

    There are many options here and we’re happy to discuss anything from teaching to child sponsorship as well as any new ideas that we could implement.

    Digital Learning NB/ Starting from September 2020 we would like to get someone who is conversant with digital setup to help us set up our online learning program to help our students during this pandemic and post pandemic period. Anyone interested to come you are welcome we need it urgently.

    Teaching - There is always a need for teachers at Primary and Secondary level as well as resource acquisition in the form of books, pens, pencils, erasers, learning material and sport equipment. We welcome teachers who can help with either or both. Most classes are taught in English except for Swahili class. Classes we teach are English, Maths, Science, Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Social Studies and Agriculture. We are also looking to add German as a language subject as well as computer studies so any German speakers and computer whizzes are most welcome.

    Building/Maintenance - The school was built on funds that could be accessed at the time but there is still much work to be done. There is masonry, painting and other general maintenance needed. Note, this will only be for visitors who mention this as something they would like to help with before they arrive, you will not be dropped into the physical deep end when you get here!

    GARDENING- We recently started a school garden to help to sustain the school project by growing vegetables. We need a lot of help in watering the plants and weeding.

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    English: Fluent
    Swahili (Kiswahili): Fluent

    This host offers a language exchange
    This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
    You can contact them directly for more information.

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    There are self contained rooms (bedroom, toilet and bathroom) for each workawayer or couple. The visitor will be taking traditional Kenyan meals with the family daily.We charge $7 per volunteer daily to help in sustaining them while here as we are in a semi desert region and one of the most hunger stricken areas in Kenya.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    Since visitors will be at the school for a maximum of 5 hrs daily, or more if they wish to, during their free time they can be taken to visit the communities around like the Maasai community and learn their culture. Visits to the nearby curio shops can be arranged to see fantastic local wood carvings. They can visit the Tsavo National Park, Fort Jesus, the Gedi Ruins and do some of the walks in the area during the weekends. There are countless public transport options every day to take you in the direction of Mombasa and Nairobi by use of buses and Caravans.

    N/B GEDE RUINS AND VASCO DA GAMA PILLAR PLUS HISTORICAL MUSEUMS IN MALINDI ...
    2 DAYS TRIP Charges = $ 150 for 1 or 2 people
    = $ 200 for 3 or 4 people.
    (This does not include accommodation)

    N/B 2 DAYS TRIP TO TAVETA TO HAVE A VIEW OF MT. KILIMANJARO ,VISIT Lakes CHALA AND JIPE.
    Charges= $200 for 1 or 2 people.
    = $ 280 for 3 or 4 people
    (This includes accommodation and as we go through Tsavo West National park wild animals are seen on the way)

    NB/ Cheap Safari to the Tsavo East National Park is available at Mackinon Road. The charges are as follows:-
    1 person alone $ 150 for a day.
    2 or3 people together $ 130 each for a day.
    4 to 6 people together $ 110 each for a day.

    NB 1 Day Safari and 1 night Camping
    1 Person alone $ 220
    2 people together $ 200 each
    3 people together $ 180 each
    4 to 8 people together $ 160 each

  • 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

    This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    This host can provide space for campervans.

  • Can possibly accept pets

    Can possibly accept pets

    This host has said they are willing to accept those travelling with a pet.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    5 hrs, 5 days a week

  • ...

    This host charges a fee

    read more
    US$5 per day to help host with food costs
Host ref number: 356624713243

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Accuracy of profile: (4.8)

Cultural exchange: (4.9)

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