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Host is looking for help immediately
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24 Aug 2026
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Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks
Details
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Description
Hey fellow changemakers and nature lovers!
We are Florence and Gabriel, and we’re inviting passionate, hands-on volunteers to join our Permaculture Learning Centre project on beautiful Mfangano Island, Lake Victoria, Kenya. Together, we are building a nature-based permaculture school dedicated to inspiring local children, fostering deep roots in sustainability, and creating a brighter future for our community.Our program hosts small groups of 25 kids from 10 to 15 nearby families. Through eco-gardening, storytelling, music, arts, and outdoor adventures, we aim to build their confidence, spark their curiosity, and nurture a lifelong love for Mother Earth. If you love working with kids, getting your hands dirty in the garden, and completely immersing yourself in local culture, we would love to welcome you into our family! Our 2026 Program TimelineSeptember – November: Mobilization & Centre SetupCommunity Outreach: Building deep relationships with local families, enrolling children, and connecting with family income initiatives.Site Preparation: Rolling up our sleeves to build the learning house, interactive eco-gardens, creative play zones, and outdoor spaces.Resource Sourcing: Gathering materials for arts, music, storytelling, and essential eco-gardening tools.December: Family & Kids Permaculture Camp Active Facilitation: Running fun, hands-on permaculture camp workshops directly with the children.Creative Mentorship: Guiding small groups through vibrant arts, music, and nature exploration.Impact Delivery: Bringing our newly built spaces to life and giving each child the personalized attention and love they deserve. What You Will Do as a VolunteerPermaculture Design: Help us shape and plant organic, kid-friendly food forests and ecological learning spaces.Creative Workshops: Lead or assist in lively music, storytelling, theatre, and arts and crafts sessions.Empowering Mentorship: Provide a warm, supportive, and fun environment where children feel seen, heard, and encouraged.Cultural Exchange: Fully immerse yourself in the vibrant daily community life of Mfangano Island, sharing skills while learning local traditions and language.
How to Join Our family.
If you want to live surrounded by community kids, boundless creativity, and beautiful nature while shaping young minds, your seat at our table is waiting!
Drop us a message telling us a bit about yourself, your background or skills, and why this project speaks to your heart. We can't wait to create magic together on the island! -
Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Elderly Companionship
Teaching
Light gardening
Creative DIY projects
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
Hospitality/Tourism
Help with Computers/ Internet
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Interests
Sustainability
Culture
Farming
Events & social
Charity work
Languages
Plant care
Gardening
Carpentry
Cooking & food
DIY & crafts
Animals
Dancing
Sailing / Boating
Outdoor activities
Nature
Mountain
Hiking -
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
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Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Cultural Exchange on Mfangano Island
Life on Mfangano Island is a beautiful journey of sharing culture, faith, and community with the Abasuba people, the indigenous community of the island. Volunteers are welcomed into everyday island life, learning directly from local families, church leaders, elders, and students while experiencing the rich heritage of the Olusuba culture.
You will have opportunities to:
Prepare and share traditional Suba meals with local families, students, and church members, learning the customs, stories, and hospitality that shape life on the island.
Learn and practice Olusuba, the local language of the Abasuba people, through daily conversations, songs, storytelling, and community interaction.
Join in vibrant worship and fellowship gatherings where faith is expressed through local music, prayer, dance, and communal celebration rooted in island traditions.
Experience authentic island life along the shores of Lake Victoria — enjoying fishing communities, peaceful sunsets, nature walks, and the beauty of God’s creation.
Participate in cultural traditions, community activities, and meaningful conversations that reflect the values of unity, respect, faith, and togetherness within the Mfangano community.
This is more than a cultural exchange; it is a genuine sharing of life, faith, and heritage. Through the warmth of the Abasuba people and the beauty of Olusuba culture, volunteers leave Mfangano Island with lasting friendships, spiritual growth, and a deep appreciation for the unique identity and traditions of the island community. -
Registered charity
This host is a registered charity in their country and is looking for volunteers to help with their project(s).
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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
What to Expect: Your Journey as a Volunteer.
We have broken down our exciting setup phase into three clear areas of focus. Depending on your unique skills, background, and personal interests, you will be heavily involved in one or more of these vital phases. Here is how you can help us bring this vision to life:
Phase 1: Eco-Site Preparation & Creative ConstructionOur goal is to transform raw land into a safe, inspiring, and fully functional ecological learning environment.Building the Permaculture Site Hall: Get your hands dirty and make a lasting impact by helping with eco-brick making, steel framing, or roofing our primary indoor gathering and shelter space.Designing Interactive Gardens: Dig beds, build compost bays, and plant the very first kid-friendly food forests and sensory pathways.Constructing Play Zones: Unleash your imagination to create outdoor play structures, mud kitchens, climbing elements, and sandpits using natural and upcycled island materials.Safety & Sustainability Infrastructure: Help us establish secure perimeter boundaries, beautiful shade structures, and eco-friendly waste management or composting toilet systems.
Phase 2: Community Outreach & Meaningful PartnershipOur goal is to build deep trust, create lasting relationships, and establish the human network required for the school’s long-term success.Island Family Visits: Journey with us across beautiful Mfangano Island to visit surrounding communities, connect with local families, and warmly present our program.Empathetic Enrolment Drive: Coordinate closely with families to identify vulnerable children, carefully registering a small group of 25 kids who will benefit the most from our personalized attention.Family & Elder Engagement: Meet with local parents and village elders to share our permaculture vision, discuss safety protocols, and ensure genuine, collaborative community buy-in.Holistic Assessments: Chat heart-to-heart with families to understand each child's unique personality, individual needs, and hidden talents ahead of time so we can support them beautifully.
Phase 3: Resource Gathering & Curriculum Creation. Our goal is to organize all tangible materials and lesson designs so our educational sessions run flawlessly and joyfully.Storytelling & Music Kits: Collect, sort, and craft local musical instruments, imaginative prop boxes, and books for our creative workshops.Art Supply Curating: Gather natural dyes, local clay, recycled treasures, and basic stationery tools to prepare for the children's hands-on art crafts.Eco-Gardening Tool Management: Clean, organize, and safely store child-sized gardening tools, organic seeds, and visual instructional guides.Collaborative Workshop Outlining: Sit down with our team and fellow volunteers to map out the daily schedules, fun games, and transformative lesson plans . -
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Luo: Fluent
Swahili (Kiswahili): Fluent -
Accommodation
Your Home in Kenya Away From Home
While we build our permaculture learning center, you will be hosted at a spacious, beautiful farm. Our wonderful host and groundskeepers will look after your needs, ensuring you feel completely at home. Surrounded by lush trees and vibrant gardens, the farm offers a peaceful, natural sanctuary perfect for resting, recharging, and bonding with fellow travelers.We love fostering a community atmosphere and typically host two or more volunteers at a time, making you an immediate part of our extended family. Solo volunteers are equally welcome and will find a warm, inclusive environment waiting for them!
Nurturing Body and Soul: Meals & Cultural Exchange. We provide three delicious wholesome meals every single day: Breakfast. Lunch & Dinner: Prepared at the farm by our host and groundskeepers. If you love cooking, you are always welcome to join in and cook alongside us!Lunch: Served at our family home, located right near the permaculture learning center.Share Your Culture: Volunteers are invited (completely optionally!) to cook a special lunch for the local children during the week. This is a beautiful, relaxed way to share your culture, stories, and culinary traditions with the kids.When you are not working, you can retreat to a quiet, dedicated space in our food forest garden to read, meditate, or simply immerse yourself in nature. The nearby lake is also just a short walk away—perfect for a refreshing swim or catching breathtaking sunrises and sunsets.
Weekends & Island Exploration Weekends are your time to rest and discover the magic of the island. You can stroll along the lakeshore, visit vibrant local villages, hike scenic hills, or just unwind in our peaceful surroundings. To make your time here even more special, a member of our team will gladly accompany you to show you the island's hidden gems!Sundays are uniquely peaceful. After the morning church service, volunteers enjoy a special dinner shared exclusively with the host family. This day is a beautiful cornerstone of our food and cultural exchange program, allowing us to connect deeply, share stories, and learn from one another. -
What else ...
Mfangano Island
Mfangano Island is truly a paradise for nature lovers and those who delight in God’s creation. The island is alive with birdsong, lush landscapes, and scenic peaks offering stunning panoramic views — a daily reminder of the beauty and majesty of our Creator.
Our homestead is on the east-south side of the island, blessed with the morning sunrise. There’s much to see and experience on other parts of the island, as well as on nearby islands, especially on your days off.
Traveling around the island is part of the adventure:
We walk, ride motorcycles, or take small motorboats (cars are no longer used here!)
Motorboats can transport volunteers to different points along the shore
For the adventurous, it’s possible to walk the entire ring road around the island in one day — a rewarding way to witness the Creator’s handiwork from sunrise to sunset.
Whether you seek quiet reflection in nature, birdwatching, or active exploration, Mfangano Island offers abundant opportunities to connect with God’s world and recharge your spirit. -
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
We have a big space and flat for more cars to pack.
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Can possibly accept pets
We have dogs and cats
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How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
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My animals / pets
Dodgy (1 year)
My dog is still young and like playing
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (30)
Gabriel is serious and dedicated to his mission to promote permaculture in the community of Mfangano Island. Hardworking, friendly, and easy to talk to. He taught me a great deal about Suba Culture and provided … read more
We’re especially grateful that you connected with our vision and took the time to understand our way of life, the … read more
Accommodation is not on-site but about 200 … read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(4.5)
Cultural exchange:
(4.7)
Communication:
(4.3)
Gabriel is serious and dedicated to his mission to promote permaculture in the community of Mfangano Island. Hardworking, friendly, and easy to talk to. He taught me a great deal about Suba Culture and provided … read more
We’re especially grateful that you connected with our vision and took the time to understand our way of life, the … read more
Accommodation is not on-site but about 200 … read more
Another highlight was sharing … read more
As you dost pen the feedback, let the words be a reflection of kindness and truth. For even in the smallest … read more
I loved how the workaway functioned. You live in a separate house and when I was there there were loads of volunteers so we would have a great time together in our breaks and weekends. You are just by the lake so you can pop in for a swim or bath when you need!
They have set times to come over for breakfast, … read more
We would like to express our deepest gratitude for the guidance and support you … read more
A sense of belonging settles very … read more
They are really welcoming and try to fit you in the community and want you to get to know the historical parts of the island.
It is interesting to see the cultural differences. And it is definitely an … read more
Cultural exchange and learning how to play Oluko very first at our meusium.
With a mixture of luo and Suba cultures, the better off we are.
Màtheus was able to learn at the rhythm of olusuba and luo life. … read more
I was introduced to what they eat (Florence can’t live without her Ugali), but also had the opportunity to … read more
Cultural exchange and learning how to play Oluko
Here, the more there is a mixture of 8cultures, the better off we are.
Martin was able to learn at the rhythm of olusuba life. The on-site project which is … read more
Florence, Gabriel, Christine, Dennis, Happy, and Sesmel—thank you so much for … read more
Love you Florence and … read more
Florence and girls cooked so great food every day so our bellies were happily full.
Gabriel organised a tour around the island by boat and a trip to the top of the mountains and the UNESCO heritage … read more
They had a number of projects they were working on, including their permaculture projects, grant writing and application, house building as well as working with the local school.
We mainly focused on the house building, … read more
Thank you for everything, we will not forget this experience.
Florence and Gabriel … read more
We visited a school one of the days and the main focus when I was there were to spread the word of the project and to make the fundraising going for building the fence … read more
My main task was to open the nursery space at the side of garden
They have many interesting project.like involving the community especially some of neighbor schools. And expanding the farm is also one of nice work.
They … read more
At that time nothing had been started … read more
I travelled solo and it was my first time on Mfangano island so there was plenty to see and discover on the island, especially on days off with the other volunteer I joined, Morgane. The work was simple enough - I arrived at the very beginning of … read more
The oven is doing great. The kids House is also good and prevented from rain . The are very hard work. Sandra your fundraising is good still online. Thank you guys for your help.
We helped to create an oven in the separate kitchen and … read more
See you my dear
Be blessed you my daughter.
