Have fun as you assist in a local college in the outskirts of Kisumu , Kenya

Details

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  Description

  The project started in 2011 in the current facility and houses three schools. A college for teacher training, a skill based secondary school and an ECDE centre for pre-school children. It is run and managed by a christian family that wishes to give hope and new inspiration to vulnerable children. The family members, the students and the local community are friendly and love to share with visitors.
  
  The college and secondary school students are mainly vulnerable children because of poverty in the local host community. Besides poverty, most of the students are from single mother families, orphans living with grand parents or parents involved in peasant farming. They would benefit from visitors who can share experiences to change their world view and hence aspirations. The college runs a farm that has vegetables, poultry and local cows. These help to supplement food for the students and offer training to members of the community on use of new technologies in farming. The college runs a skills' based secondary school for learners having different challenges. The challenges are academic in nature, brought about by sickness or extreme poverty that can not allow them to access the ordinary public schools or they are denied admission in public schools because they have failed to make the required grades. The technical skills these learners are given include fashion and design, plumbing, electrical installation, wiring, mechanical engineering, and computer packages.

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  Types of help and learning opportunities

  General Maintenance

  Farmstay help

  Animal Care

  Language practice

  Help with Computers/ Internet

  Teaching
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  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  As a cultural exchange centre, the college is near lake Victoria and Kajulu hills. Excursions on the hills, boat riding and fishing are activities that one can be engage in.
  It is about 3 km from a small international airport and just 3km from the city that has a rich heritage centre that started as an old railway town.
  It is also just 100m from the main highway leading to Uganda so one can easily make visits to other tourist sites like Masai mara.
  The people are friendly and easy to get along with. The luo community that live around the college have a rich cultural heritage that one can study.

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  Projects involving children

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

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  Help

  Farming: The college already has a developed demonstration farm that helps the local community adapt modern agricultural small scale farming practices like use of irrigation and greenhouse technology to help improve food security in their homes and to allow them earn income for the family. We are looking for volunteers who may have suggestions on how to improve the farming practices or how to improve community involvement.
  
  Teaching: Volunteer teachers to encourage staff through demonstration on how to use learner centered methodologies in class to improve quality, interest and access. We also need volunteer teacher assistance in use of technical skills such as music, drama, cookery, simulated science laboratory experiences, electrical and woodwork equipment. A Sports teacher is particularly welcomed to assist in talent identification and development.
  
  Language practice: We would also love to have a volunteer teacher to help students improve in written and spoken English.
  
  Computer and internet: We have computers but need assistance to develop the learners technical skills on computer and internet use in order to benefit from open access learning materials and communication with the rest of the world.
  
  Animal care: we have poultry and keep local cows for milk and farm labor. We would therefore benefit from expert advice on animal breeding to improve the quality of the cows, milk production and poultry for sale.
  
  General maintenance: The school was built by the Indians who came to Kisumu in the early 1960's and so structures are rather old. We need assistance with skilled architectural designs to retain the old structures but improve them for modern day living.

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  Languages

  Languages spoken
  English: Fluent

  This host offers a language exchange
  I speak English, Kiswahili and Luo. Interested?
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  Accommodation

  I live 6 km from the college and has a guest house with 2 bedrooms within the same compound as the main house. This was a house used by my extended family but they are now adults in college so the house is free. The house has water and electricity. It has beds and bedding and the volunteer could eat with my own family from the main house. The house is secured by a brick wall to ensure security.
  Am able to accommodate a family.
  We do not have internet at home but visitors can buy internet bundles on their phone for use. There are very many cyber cafes in the vicinity for those who may need the service.

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  What else ...

  The volunteers can visit local sites like lake Victoria for fishing and boat riding; Impala park, just a walking distance from where I stay with different wild animals; Kisumu has a museum that explains the culture of the people; Kisumu city is a growing town with very good entertainment sports.
  We have hosted visitors whom were working with me on a university project and they seemed to have enjoyed their stay.
  The community around the school are peaceful and welcoming to visitors, good hospitals are available in the town so one should not fear.
  The national language in Kenya is Kiswahili and volunteers will benefit from language training by students and members of the host community.

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  A little more information

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    Internet access

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    Limited internet access

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    We have pets

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    We are smokers

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    Can host families

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  Space for parking camper vans

  I have a big compound that campers can freely use

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  Can possibly accept pets

  As long as the owners can manage the pet fully and not inside the house

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  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

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  Hours expected

  Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

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