You are about to discover a new culture, accomplish something unforgettable, and explore the best Kenya has to offer!

Kenya’s incredible natural environment and cultural heritage is almost unmatched in Africa. If you’re adventurous - and sensible - it promises the globe's most magnificent wildlife parks, unsullied beaches, thriving coral reefs, memorable mountain scapes, and ancient Swahili cities. Kenya's beauty is compromised by a cluster of familiar problems; HIV remains a major problem, along with cholera and malaria epidemics. Kenya has also experienced major floods and droughts; one drought led to food shortages in mid-2004 that were deemed a national crisis. While Kenya's diverse population has produced a vibrant culture, it is also a source of conflict that has led to ethnic fighting. Other pressing challenges include high unemployment, crime, and poverty; most Kenyans live below the poverty level of $1 a day.

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Kenya has a tropical climate. It is hot and humid at the coast, temperate inland, and very dry in the north and northeast parts of the country. There is plenty of sunshine all the year round and summer clothes are worn throughout the year. However, it is usually cool at night and early in the morning. The hottest period is from February to March and coldest in July to August. The average annual temperatures range between 10 degree celsius and 35 degrees celsius. The long rain season occurs from April to June and short rain season from October to December. The rainfall is sometimes heavy and often falls in the afternoons and evenings.

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Volunteer opportunities are in areas of teaching, working in children's homes, primary healthcare, and HIV/AIDS programs. Wherever possible, volunteer placements will be tailored to the needs of the volunteer.

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Volunteers are able to participate in the Kenya program all year round. For the teaching program, however, school holidays run during April, August, and December/early January. Volunteers can work during school holidays if the majority of their placement is during the school term. These volunteers need to come prepared to volunteer in the children's program during holiday times.

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The specific details of your placement are determined a couple weeks before you arrive. You will be asked for your preferences later in the process. Wherever possible, we will see that requests and specific needs are met with regards to both the volunteer and the needs of the community.

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There are four program locations: Nairobi, Limuru (50km from Nairobi), Olkajiado (45km from Nairobi), and Nyeri (115km from Nairobi).

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The Kenya program has two volunteer intakes per month, on the 1st and the 15th. Volunteers fly into Nairobi and should arrive the day before, so they are ready to take part in a training program on these dates. Accommodation can be arranged for you if you arrive earlier than the day before orientation begins. You will have to pay your own expenses for any time you stay in Kenya outside of training and volunteer time.

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Orientation will be held in Nairobi. Volunteers will then be transferred to their program areas at the conclusion of training - this cost is included in the program fee.

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Volunteers will be accommodated in a Kenyan home stay or on the site of their volunteer placement. Host families have all been carefully selected to provide you with a safe family environment and an insight into Kenyan life.

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There are many festivals in Kenya, however this will not hinder your volunteering as when they are on you will most likely be invited to celebrate with everyone.

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You must be 18 years or older to volunteer. There is no upper limit for volunteers; we only require that volunteers are in good health.

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Yes, all volunteers in this program will be required to provide a police clearance document. This is because volunteers will be working closely with children and other vulnerable individuals. To obtain a police clearance you will need to contact your local police station to find out what their procedure is. Normally, you will be asked to complete an application form authorizing the check to be done, pay a fee and a few weeks later the check will arrive in the mail. A copy of your police clearance will need to be sent to GVN before your placement begins and you will need to take the original with you when you volunteer.

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This is a suggestion of what may be needed - please consult with your medical professional or travel specialist for more details.

• Hepatitis A & B
• Polio
• Typhoid
• Yellow Fever
• Diphtheria and tetanus
• Rabies
• Meningococcal (meningitis)
• Cholera
• Malaria (needs to be closely discussed with doctor)
• Tuberculosis

Some of these can be taken in oral form so please discuss with your doctor to see what is best for you. Some people can be affected quite differently to others by medication.

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Each GVN program has different criteria depending on our partner's requirements. Every application is reviewed to ensure that the minimum requirements (as set out on the program page) are met. Next we look to see what skills or experience you have that relate specifically to the program. We are also interested in any previous volunteer experience you may have (either local or international), travel experience, and your particular interest in the program.

After reviewing your application, should we require any further information from you, we will email you to request this.

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Yes, you need to speak English to volunteer. You may have English as your first or second language. Kenya's two main languages are English and Swahili. Unless you are hopelessly lost in the bush somewhere, you will probably be able to find someone who speaks English. It is also useful for volunteers to have a working knowledge of Swahili, especially outside the urban areas and in remote parts of the country.

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Volunteers are welcome to bring their family members with them on the program. Each application will be considered on a case by case basis. Partners will need to fill in their own application form if they wish to take part in the program.

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Kenya has a democratic electoral process and a stable economy. Political rallies such as those held in Nairobi and Kisumu in January 2008 and, before that, in July 2004, have become violent, however, and crime has increased. Travel advisories recommend that visitors exercise a high degree of caution, with some even recommending to avoid non-essential travel. While in Kenya, visitors should avoid rallies or demonstrations and stay aware of the current situation as the details and dates of rallies may change. Most volunteers will be accommodated in a home stay situation. The host families have all been carefully selected to provide you with a safe family environment and an insight into Kenyan life. As in many countries, foreigners are perceived as wealthy in Kenya. Although the people are generally warm and friendly towards foreigners, as well as appreciative of the work done by volunteers, not every individual is the same. We work extremely hard to ensure you are placed in safe environments while volunteering and security policies are in place to achieve this. However, as in any situation at home or abroad, there is no way to erase all potential threats.

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This depends on how many people volunteer at any one time. Usually there are between 5 and 20 volunteers in Kenya. Generally you are placed with one to three other volunteers at your project - this does depend on sign ups for each program at the time of your placement. For example, some placements have fewer volunteers in general, and so you may be the only volunteer in that program at a given time. Please note that due to variation in volunteer numbers, we are unable to confirm the number of volunteers until closer to your placement start date.

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Volunteers staying 6 weeks or more are welcome to take short breaks during their volunteer time. We recognize that volunteering can be quite intensive. There are often other volunteers that want to do sightseeing also, however please wait until you are at least 2 weeks into your placement. If you plan to volunteer for less than 6 weeks, please arrange sightseeing trips for before or after your volunteering so as not to interrupt your placement work. You may like to travel to meet up with other volunteers and join in local festivities and explore your local surroundings. Safaris are a popular activity for many volunteers. Our partner organization is able to help you organize safari packages at competitive and special rates. We ask that if you wish to take a break from volunteering that you give our partner organisation advanced notice.

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Considering the temperature, we recommend light coloured, cotton clothing that modestly covers your body (knee-length or longer). Along with comfortable sturdy footwear, a pair of sandals/jandals for light walking is also recommended. Don't forget sunglasses and a hat.

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In most cases resources are limited. You may like to take donations of goods with you to distribute or use in the program. If you do choose to fundraise or donate items, please consult the list of suggested items in the Program Guide you will receive later. We recommend purchasing items in Kenya as transport can be difficult and expensive.

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Our partner in Kenya is a local volunteer placement organisation that has been running since 2003. Our partner endeavors to tailor make placements to match a volunteer's point of interest. These programs are for persons interested in experiencing new places and interacting with different cultures, while learning the challenges faced by poor communities. They are specialized in assisting the community by connecting persons who are interested in voluntary work, with different deserving projects in Kenya.

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You will organise your visa through your travel agent or independently. For citizens of most countries, you can do this at the airport when you arrive or before you get to Kenya. Also, our detailed program guide includes links to Kenyan Embassies throughout the world.

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All GVN Volunteers must have insurance. You are free to take out insurance cover through any provider of your choice. However, as some policies do not cover volunteering, we recommend you check you are covered during your volunteer placement.

For your convenience we have arranged a comprehensive package specially designed for volunteering. It includes excellent medical and accident coverage as well as “loss of deposits” cover which covers fees paid to GVN, airlines etc. If you would like to learn more just follow this link: http://www.globalvolunteernetwork.org/insurance/

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Your program fee is payable to Global Volunteer Network 10 weeks prior to the 1st of the month you wish to volunteer.  Please note, your placement is not confirmed (ie secured) until your program fee has been received.  Please note that all charges incurred by the payment of the program fee are at the volunteer’s expense, e.g. if a bank transfer incurs a bank fee at the point of origin, that is at the expense of the volunteer. Seventy percent (70%) of the program fee is refundable until two calendar months before the 1st of the month you are due to begin your program. For example a volunteer with 15 July 2012 as their start date would need to submit their refund request form by the last day of April 2012 to be eligible for a refund. Refer to GVN's legal terms of service for full details.

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