Affordable Orphanage Projects - Volunteers Needed NOW!

International Volunteer HQ’s partner organization in Kenya requires volunteers NOW! IVHQ has volunteer programs in Nairobi (suburban Nairobi and Kibera – the largest slum in Africa), Mombasa and rural Kenyan communities and villages. While we would like an indication of your location preference when applying, this can be finalized with our program partner on arrival in Kenya.

Due to the high incidences of poverty and illness, orphanages in Kenya can host 50-300 children at any one time and there is always a high demand for more volunteer assistance. Volunteers who work in an orphanage help with general work and daily chores. This work ranges from cooking and cleaning to farm work, assisting with feeding programs, caring for children and babies and teaching.

Merciful Redeemer Children's Home is located in Nairobi's South C Mitumba Slum. South C is in Nairobi West Sub-Location, Kibera Division. Mitumba Slums is about 4 kilometres from the Nairobi City Centre just next to Wilson Airport. The home was started in 2002 by its Founder and Director Mrs Anne Mugane. The home admitted its first 5 children in 2002 in the Director's house. The home's present capacity is 80 Children. The children admitted range from 3 years to 16 years. Most of them are orphans or street children brought to the home by relatives and friends. (NB - This is just one of many orphanages on our program and not necessarily the one you will be working at).

Placements begin on the 1st and 15th of each month. Volunteers can choose to volunteer for periods of one week to six months.

Orientation will begin on the morning of the 1st or 15th of the month (dependent on your booking) and you will be picked up from your accommodation and taken to the orientation. Orientation will be conducted by the team in Nairobi and cover everything you need to know for your volunteering program in Kenya – Introduction to Kenya, Kenyan Customs, Language Training (Kiswahili), Rules and Expectations, Safety, Travel Opportunities in Kenya, Introduction to your project and placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.

Volunteers are accommodated in a home-stay where they will live with a local family. We give that family money from your fee for support, food and board. It is exciting to stay with a family; that way you will learn the Kenyan way of life, meet local people, eat local food and engage in local customs and traditions. Living is basic but the large majority of home stays have electricity and running water (some rural home stays may not have electricity or running water during times of drought). Volunteers can expect to share a room with one or two other volunteers.

Volunteers must be 18 years or older at the beginning of the program and have at least a high school education. Volunteers participating in the medical placement must have appropriate training and certification (to be presented to IVHQ partner staff on arrival in Kenya).

Choose the country and program you wish to volunteer in as well as the dates you will be volunteering. Visit our site and fill out our online application form and submit it. You will then receive an automated email confirming we have received your online booking.

Within 48 hours (2 working days) you will receive an email acknowledging your booking and confirming the country, program and dates you are volunteering for. In this email you will receive more information about your chosen program as well as details on how to pay the US$220 registration fee (refundable should you choose not to go) required to confirm your booking with IVHQ.

Once your refundable registration fee has been deposited into our bank account you will be allocated an IVHQ staff member to be your volunteer travel consultant. This staff member will be your point of contact from this day forward (until you finish your volunteer program).