Kenya
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Hello Friends, My name is Ken and I am a young Independent adult living in Takawiri Island, very close to the Mfangano Island. I live with two Mothers(widows) and my two sisters(who are still studying in Class 8th). We live in a small house with big hearts and are very warm and welcoming. My mother makes delicious food like all the mothers in this world.
Are you looking for a unique experience in a cool and magical natural environment? Don’t worry you are at the right place. We offer out door natural enthusiastic unique place to our guests to stay based on a simple way of living, in close interaction with nature surrounding our farms and projects offering full possibilities to disconnect from technological distractions and high tempo city lifestyle our family offers the best environment to be.
I am a young Energetic man who values the life of children more than anything. I have big dreams for the children here at my Island on how to overcome the challenges they are going through because of poverty. I am therefore inviting you all to come and be a part of this program to help me change the lives of various children in the Takawiri village, through my feeding program for the kids .
We mostly need help in the feeding program for the vulnerable children in the Takawiri village who go to school without the first meal of the day as some of them are orphans, and some of them are really poor. As we all know that the First meal of the day is the most important meal but unfortunately, these little ones, they miss that and come to school early at around 7am, and then go back during the lunch time at around 1pm. And all this time they are empty stomach. This really touched me and I felt really sad about the whole situation and thought of a solution on how to help these children so that they don't starve during their school. So I invested the little amount of money I had and began the Feeding Project, just in order make their lives better .
At this very moment, we have about 58 children who are being taken care of under this project.
There are total of 300 students in the school but unfortunately we can't cater to all of them because of lack of funds. So we are only taking care of the little ones who are Kindergarten students. I am inviting everybody from all around the globe to help me join hands in helping the children and work for this project .
The children are very talented, energetic, full of zeal, they get attached to people very easily and once you are here playing with them, you will be their idol as soon as they see you!
Volunteering with us in the project is a unique opportunity to combine and bring peoples lives to a better one. Feeding Program is not the only project I am handling right now, but it also includes to educate them moral values and skills to make them better persons in their future lives by which they can help their community in future.
It is a dream of mine to create the first library on Takawiri! Both the children and the adults sorely need something to read and until now have had no access to a library. If you have any books you are finished with, or if you can bring any books from home and donate them to our small, but growing collection, that would be very much appreciated. English or Swahili is preferred, however your fellow workaway's may also enjoy any books of other languages.
Any old smart phones, laptops, digital readers or tablets would also help open up the world to the children of Takawiri! If possible it would help if you could download any free content (games, language and educational apps, or books) as we have limited internet here.
I am also helping people with disabilities and a few widows in my village and trying to find a free and easy world for them to live in. We have more than 5 people with disabilities who really need our help and support and have more than 8 widows to take care of. We can empower these widows and people with disabilities, by teaching them some skills, to help them in their ongoing lives.
I am looking forward to meeting all the volunteers with different skills especially in childcare ,teaching, farming, nursing, organic gardening etc. I do not discriminate with any race or culture and welcome each and everyone from different countries and religions to work with us and change the lives of the children to a better suitable level.
Information on Farms :
I have two small farms one next to my mother's house and the other next to the Lake, where I grow some crops to help with my program and to sustain myself and my family. We plant variety of crops such as Corns, Beans, Bananas, Pineapple, Sugarcane, Mango trees, Local vegetables(Like Casava, Yam etc.), Potatoes and some other crops.
The volunteers are free to work in the farm as well after the Feeding Project.
We are non-smokers but we don’t restrict any volunteer not to drink or smoke. Volunteers are free to enjoy their vacation but should also respect our culture and feelings. We are honest, loving, easy to get along with and humble people who enjoy a laugh!
I welcome all the Ladies, Gentlemen, Couples, Teenagers and anyone else who is willing to help in our project. We would love to have you on board !
Gardening
Building
Babysitting / child care
General Maintenance
Cooking / shopping
Farmstay
Other
Charity work
Language practice
Art project
Help with Computers / internet
Teaching
Cultural interaction uncovers an interesting aspect of integration and bridging of cultural differences. It opens up understanding of human lifestyles and creates an appreciation of the diversity on our planet .
You will have an opportunity to interact with the local Luo community and their beautiful environment here.
The island is home to a huge array of wild animals, notably the diverse species of birds, and water animals but monkeys also live in the hills, and if you eat fish you will have the chance to enjoy the local varieties fresh from the lake, such as tilapia, omena and Nile perch .
Feeding Program - We need help with our Feeding Program for the children as mentioned above. We prepare a meal for them(usually Porridge) every day during school hours for the little Kindergarten Students. We would need your help to prepare the meal with us with our help and to serve these lovely kids which fills their tummies and brings a smile on their faces.
It is essential that you speak English for an effective collaboration. We are looking for people that can help in any of the following:
- Fundraising;
- connect our nonprofit project to prospective sponsors or businesses to ensure it runs smoothly and continuously .
- grant writing for the project fundraising programs to help me run the project continuously without stopping.
- children sponsorship for educational costs.
Eco project: There is no waste collection system on Takawiri village, Island, and thus pollution is spoiling the natural environment and destroying the growing potential of the food crops. Volunteers may participate in this project by cleaning up the polluted areas and installing waste bins.
Help with Computers / internet:
.Most of the children here have never used a computer before, and these computer literacy skills are essential for future use in higher education and in their careers, as well as their everyday life. It is appreciated if volunteers can set up computer literacy lessons at the school .
Health: The rate of HIV/AIDS and malaria at Takawiri island and around is approximately 20% and the average lifespan is 45 years old. Volunteers are asked to advocate the importance of health and hygiene, mainly through treated water and vessels for washing hands. The local medical centre also has limited medical supplies so any medical donations ( example, bandages from first aid kit) would be valued.
After School Program: Many children come to us after school as there are not many activities on the island. They love to play football and talk to the workaways. If you have any other skills you could share or teach the children there is opportunities for this. For instance some of the children are passionate about drawing and one visitor has given art lessons. Other potential things you could share with the children include; music, singing, yoga, art, your language, sports. We are open to suggestions! Also if you have any spare equipment such skipping ropes, balls, notebooks, stationery (pencils, coloured pencils, erasers, sharpeners etc) it would help a lot if you could donate anything you have which you no longer use. As mentioned above we're also eager for donated books so we can start the islands first library.
ENGLISH, SWAHILI, LUO
We shall provide three meals every day ,that's
breakfast, lunch and dinner. You will be provided with a separate room as your accommodation which would include a A bed with a mosquito net and will also include toilet paper and chair for you to sit and work.
I would like to inform you that we shall be having all the meals together in my house as one family. Till the time you're here, we will live like a family, eat like a family but we would always respect your privacy.
There is a separate Toilet and a Bathing Room for the Volunteers.
During free hours the volunteers will have time to do their own work and can go swimming, play with children, go hiking.
The children will keep you busy by playing with them and they'll be singing for you during the week days but there are many fascinating places to visit during your free times and at weekends:
• Ruma national game park .
• Lake Victoria and its islands, [Mbasa (also known as the bird island), Rusinga island , Ngodhe islands.
• Tom Mboya mausoleum (an important figure in Kenya's political history who came from Rusinga Island).
• Landing and fishing beaches.
• Kit mikai stones .
• Sikri for monkeys.
• Soklo for Holy caves.
• Hot springs close to Homa Bay.
• Legendary Lake close to Homa Bay.
• The Masai Mara, which is a 5 hour drive from Mbita.
-Traditional painting rocks in Mfangano island ,
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
More than two
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
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