Profile information
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Host is looking for help immediately
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Host rating
100 %
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Last replied
3 Nov 2026
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Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 1 day
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Feedback
51
Total number of feedback received and left
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Facebook verified
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ID verified
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Email verified
Badges (5)
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Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks
Details
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Description
, Are you looking to make a hands-on, lasting difference?
Join us as a passionate volunteer on Mfangano Island, Kenya, where we are working side-by-side with the local community to support vulnerable children. We are currently 70% of the way through our project timeline, and we need your energy and unique skills to help us cross the finish line!
Our mission is to build generation-defining foundations through clean water, sustainable food security, and education. We operate with a strict "Safety First" policy. To ensure everyone’s well-being, all volunteer activities focus entirely on safe, ground-level tasks—absolutely no climbing, high-altitude work, or hazardous electrical work is involved. All specialized tasks are handled by qualified local professional tradespeople.
If you want to immerse yourself in the warmth and culture of Lake Victoria while leaving a tangible, positive legacy, we would love to welcome you to our island family! -
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
Volunteering with us is a deep dive into the vibrant Suba and Luo cultures of Mfangano Island. You will live and work directly alongside local residents, learning traditional ways of life, local cooking, and perhaps even some Swahili or Suba phrases.
On the practical side, you will gain hands-on experience in ecological design. You will learn how to build self-sustaining ecosystems using permaculture principles, including chicken tractors, keyhole gardens, banana circles, and low-profile aquaponics systems. You’ll see exactly how sustainable engineering can transform community food security from the ground up. -
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
We don't expect you to be a professional builder. We welcome all backgrounds and have broken down our immediate needs into four main areas:
• Permaculture & Gardening: Help us establish our food security loops. Tasks include digging banana circle pits, building keyhole gardens, mixing compost, managing our chicken rotation system, and planting native food forests.
• Hands-on Building & Finishing: Help put the final touches on our Learning House and water systems. Tasks include ground-level painting, digging, laying safe flooring, mixing mortar, and assisting local builders with tool organization and structural prep.
• Education & Youth Mentorship: Spend time with the children! We need volunteers to organize after-school activities, sports, music, educational games, and basic lessons.
• Community & Digital Outreach: Help us document our final 30% push. We need community enthusiasts to coordinate daily logistics, support the local team, and share our progress through storytelling, photography, and digital outreach. -
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Luo: Fluent
Swahili (Kiswahili): Fluent -
Accommodation
Accommodation & Food
• Accommodation: You will stay in a safe, comfortable, and clean communal volunteer house or dedicated guest rooms near the project site.
• Food: We provide three nutritious meals a day. Meals are a mix of delicious local Kenyan cuisine (like ugali, sukuma wiki, fresh tilapia from the lake, chapati, and beans) and international dishes. We can easily accommodate vegetarian and vegan diets.
• Amenities: Clean drinking water is always provided. Pocket Wi-Fi or local SIM card networks are accessible on the island for staying in touch with family. -
What else ...
During your free time, Mfangano Island is a paradise to explore. You can hike up the sacred Mawanga Hills to view ancient rock art, go swimming or become aking in Lake Victoria, watch stunning island sunsets, or join local football (soccer) matches.
Logistics: We will guide you through every step of getting to the island, including advice on domestic travel from Nairobi to Kisumu or Homa Bay, and the ferry or water taxi ride over to Mfangano. -
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
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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.
