Adventure Alternative

Gap Year Projects - Kenya

Options for Gap, Career Breaks or Sabbaticals in Kenya

All of our Gap Year Kenya programs give you independence but also a strong network of support from our many staff. You have your own house to call home and a fantastic team of people to help you settle into your new role. Our team comprises Headmasters, mechanics, construction managers, counselors, medical staff and local leaders / chiefs.

All of the work you undertake is qualified by our charity trustees and the local community. This is a REAL Gap Year which, no matter what format you choose, will make a real and lasting difference! Below is an overview of our most popular volunteering projects. Do drop us an email or give us a call for full information and availability on volunteering abroad.

Gap Year Kenya

‘Teach For Life’ – 3 Months

We work with schools throughout Kenya alongside our charity Moving Mountains. We specifically work with five schools in Western Kenya close to Lake Victoria, Two slum schools in Nairobi and two disadvantaged schools in the Eastern province. All of the schools offer differing setups. We will have a chat to see which one will suit you best and where your skills can be best utilised.

• Work in a primary school supported by Moving Mountains
• Give private tuition to children directly sponsored by Moving Mountains
• Teach children English, maths, science, geography and history
• Live locally in your own house, shop in the markets and prepare your own meals
• Help us monitor the schools we support by carrying out surveys on academic performance and quality of life
  
  Price: £1,850 (€2600) excl. flights, insurance, visa, personal costs such as email, laundry etc.

‘Life in the Slums’ – 2 Months

A lot of our Charities work is undertaken in the slums of Nairobi. Our staff are from the area and both experienced and held in high regard by the locals. This project is a great insight into a fascinating and needy area. You live in our house in Nairobi along with our staff who will introduce you to the program which makes a huge difference to the local community. Your week will be split up between working with a local women’s group assisting with their projects, with our Community Action Team, local Moving Mountains Projects and a children’s home.

• Work with our Moving Mountains Community Action Team (ex-street kids we have put into employment) on local development projects in Kibera
• Train with the Black Cats, our successful football teams for children all over the country
• Visit families which are supported by the charity and assist with monitoring, counselling and help.
• Work with the mothers of our sponsored children in the local markets; or in a curio market; or work in a hardware shop in Kibera with our charity project manager and help out in a local children’s home.
• Live in our house in Nairobi, shop in the local markets and prepare your own meals. Very sociable interaction with staff and friends
  
  Price: £TBC (€TBC) excl. flights, insurance, visa, personal costs such as email, laundry etc.

'Life in an Orphanage' - 2 months

Moving Mountains along with Adventure Alternative have over the last five years been developing a site in Western Kenya known as the Ulamba Community Village. Here we have an orphanage, clinic, vocational learning centre and in the future we are developing the site even further with an Early Learning Centre and expanding the orphanage.

• Live at the Ulamba Orphanage, which was built by Moving Mountains, looking after 32 children from aged 5 – 15, and help out with the very young children at our Early Child Development/Nursery Centre (Being built in 2008)
• Help to keep the orphanage clean and tidy, help to prepare meals and help the children with their homework and play; help to keep records of the children and monitor their overall welfare with the in-house carer Mama Rose.
• During term time spend a few hours a day at Kayeiye School with the children
• Visit other centres and homes in the area, help out in our classroom for partially-sighted children and slow learners
  
  Price: £1250 (€1750) excl. flights, insurance, visa, personal costs such as email, laundry etc.

'Life in Developmental Aid' - 2 months

In the market town of Embu close to Mt Kenya we have been working with the Rescue centre for many years. This is a light in the darkness for the many street children who have nowhere to turn for food or guidance. This project will immerse you in their environment and will allow you to act as a peer to the children and projects we support.

• Provide daily help at our Rescue Centre supported by Moving Mountains  with a feeding programme for up to 85 street children
• Teach basic literacy, tailoring and basic business skills to our supported kids who are keen to learn to get on in life
• Work on the market stalls with the young adults we have started in business with small loans, and teach them basic accountancy and marketing
• Live locally and work with our representative Gilbert to help our community programmes
• Train with the Moving Mountains Embu Black Cats football team
• Carry out a renovation project at Embu Country Primary School with the Moving Mountains Community Action Team
• Give private tuition to children we support in Embu County Primary who are slow learners
  
  Price: £1250 (€1750) excl. flights, insurance, visa, personal costs such as email, laundry etc.

'Work for a Charity in Kenya' - 2 months

Our charity is growing and developing all the time, this increases the workload which is never ending. This Gap involves being based primarily in Nairobi and working alongside our staff to help run and administer the charity affairs. This is a vital role which will really open your eyes to the voluntary and charity sector and aid at a grass roots level and is perfect for anyone following or keen to seek employment in the charity sector.

• Work hand in hand with our NGO management team in Nairobi
• Help the running of the charity Moving Mountains eg accounts, filing, handing out the money to the beneficiaries and see how it all works
• Travel the country reporting on our projects
• Spend time with the children and families identifying problems and solutions
• Live in our house in Nairobi and manage your own domestic affairs
  
  Price: £1,850 (€2600) excl. flights, insurance, visa, personal costs such as email, laundry etc.