Kenya
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Hello!!
My name is Ken and I am a young independent adult living in Takawiri Island, very close to the Mfangano Island.I am the Director and founder of Lake Victoria Programme which is a registered community base organization ( CBOs),which help the people of Takawiri community and other neighbouring communities.
I live with two mothers (widows) and my sisters who are currently in high school. We live in a small house with big hearts and are very warm and welcoming family. My mother makes delicious food ujst like all the mothers in this world.
I am a young energetic man who values the life of children and my poor community more than anything. I have big dreams for the community here in my island on how to overcome the challenges they are going through because of the poverty eradication.
FEEDING PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN( FEEDING PROJECT)
We mostly need help in the feeding program, widow empowerment and creation of stable organization 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, the first meal of the day is the most important meal but unfortunately, these little ones spend all morning until 1 pm with an empty stomach. This really touched me and i thought of a solution on how to help these children so that they don't starve during their school. So I invested some money I had and began the Food Program just in order make their lives better.
At this very moment, we have over 100 children who are being taken care of under this program.
There are total of 380 students in the two schools but unfortunately we can't cater to all of them because of lack of funds.
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!
EDUCATION
Volunteering with us in the program is a unique opportunity to improve people's lives. The Food Program is not the only project I am handling but it also aims to educate them moral values and skills to make them better persons in their future lives by which they can help their community.
We finally managed to create the first library on Takawiri! Both the children and the adults sorely need something to read. 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 work awayers may also enjoy books in other languages.
Also, any old or new 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.
WIDOWS EMPOWERMENT
The organization includes 15 widows and 7 widowers from different places in the region. The goal is to help and empower these widows, by providing any available fundings for food or school material, helping repairing or rebuilding their homes, and teaching them some valuable life skills.
We do meet twice in a month to help with establishing a stronger community projects together with the widows and widowers ,we also do table banking to help this people with financial support.
FARMING
I have two 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 cassava, yam etc.), potatoes and some other crops.
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.
YOUR WORK AWAY EXPERIENCE
After feeding the kids in the morning, you will be working on various tasks depending on what is available (Teaching in school if you are a teacher ,Visiting the widows and orphans in the area,farming, paths maintenance, etc.) and spending time with the kids. We are also asking volunteers to help with the house chores (cooking and washing dishes).
We are non-smokers but we don’t restrict any volunteer not to drink or smoke, as long as there are no children around. Volunteers are free to enjoy their stay but are expected to 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 and couples or groups who are willing to help with our projects. We would love to have you on board !
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.
Charity Work
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Teaching
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Farmstay help
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
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 learn the language.
The island is home to a huge array of wild animals, notably the diverse species of birds, lezards, seals... 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.
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
It is essential that you speak English for an effective collaboration. We are looking for people that can help in any of the following:
Food Program
We need help with our FOOD Program for the children as mentioned above. We prepare a meal for them (usually Porridge) every day during school hours for the little kindergarten pupils. 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.
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 work away. 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, colored 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.
FUNDRAISING.
To All volunteer partners, who are already taking projects with us and are fundraising to support our projects, will not pay for their meals and accommodation anytime they visit us, we will take care of their full boarding for all the periods of their stay with us as stipends for their donations and supportive spirit. We value fundraisers most as it is the best way to improve the community's way of living.
- 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.
Farming, organic culture and waste collection
Help with computers / internet
Most of the children here in the island 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.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Luo: 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.
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 bed with a mosquito net and will also include toilet paper.
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. It is separate and we use buckets for bathing where we bring clean water from the lake for a bath, or you can as well take your bath at the lake. The water is very fresh and clean, many volunteers like it and enjoy a lot.
Feel at home.
ANYTHING ELSE
Children Guidelines!!!!
1. Please take care to exhibit appropriate behavior if interacting physically with children
Please ask for permission before displaying photos of children on social media or the internet.
2. Please don’t smoke, use drugs, or consume alcohol on the organisation’s grounds
Always have another adult present if you are in the childrens' presence.
3. Always have another adult present if you are bathing the children or in the childrens' bathroom .
4. Never have children in your bedroom
Please don’t take children outside the organisation without permission.
5. Please interact with children only in public spaces (such as classrooms and the library if the project is in a school at home).
6. Please don’t show favouritism to any individual child or give excessive gifts to the children without our notice.
7. Please don’t give money to children
Always inform local the director who is the host if you witness or suspect inappropriate behaviour by other staff or children kindly report to the director.
8.Do not use any physical force (such as slapping) with the children
DURING FREE TIMES
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
Can host families
This host has indicated that they love having digital nomads stay.
More than two
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
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:
(4.8)
Communication:
(4.8)
