Community Service with Oloi Travels

Why volunteer with a community

There are many reasons why you may want to volunteer with a local community during your Journey in Africa. For us we consider the following as the chief reasons

-You make a difference because every person counts! 

- You get a chance to give back.

- Volunteering provides physical and mental rewards.

- Volunteering provides valuable community services

- It brings people together. Uniting people from diverse backgrounds to work toward a common goal

- Understanding community needs helps foster empathy and self-efficacy.

 

Oloi Travels gives you a chance to volunteer through our Charitable arm INSPIRE. We make sure that for whatever you spend on your holiday, a percentage is given back to the community.

Many people who have volunteered gain a type of growth that some can not get anywhere else. Volunteers are given the opportunity to see this life from a variety of different angles, giving them, at the end of the day, a sense of humility for their own lives. When a person volunteers, they are able to give as much of their time as they want.

Opportunities include but are not limited to:

1. Child Care in children centres (orphanage) -
   Due to the high incidences of poverty and illness, orphanages in Kenya can host 50 to 300 children at any one time and there is always a high demand for more volunteer assistance. Volunteers in Kenya work in a few different types of orphanages, some of which house and foster abandoned and orphaned children, some which have schools attached, and some where volunteers live at the orphanage full time. Each orphanage accommodates children of differing ages, but generally volunteers work with children from 2 to 16 years old.
   Orphanages are always busy, whether the children are at home or at school, and volunteers can help with all areas of daily activity, including cooking, cleaning, washing, caring, feeding, playing and entertaining.
   
2. Teaching - Teaching volunteers can work in both rural and urban areas of Kenya in community, government and orphanage schools. The presence of volunteers in these schools is beneficial in broadening the minds and horizons of the children and exposing them to native or fluent English speakers. Volunteers assist local teachers with daily classes in Math, English, Science, Social Studies (Geography and History), Art and Physical Education classes. 
3. Disabled Care - Volunteers on the Special Needs project assist with daily living tasks, education and awareness among families and communities, and also provide care, physiotherapy and rehabilitation for the child or adult, including training for the family and supporting community. Volunteers on this project do not need to have previous experience or training as they are working closely with local staff.
   
4. Working with nursing homes to take care of patients
5. HIV/AIDS - The HIV/AIDS Work project mainly involves outreach campaigns aimed at the poorer slums and rural communities in Kenya. Volunteers work alongside a clinic/center staff member, and while each outreach may have its specific purpose, the general aim is to highlight the importance of HIV/AIDS education and awareness among all ages. Volunteers will also be involved in giving classes on hygiene and how to prevent AIDS transmission.

Other opportunities include:
- Promoting Art through purchase of handmade local art work. In this category you will be able to spend the day with the groups and learn how they do their work. You may purchase an item from them

INSPIRE community library

- Assisting with Local libraries in training local librarians, reading stories and doing activities with children, or in general library work

Currently Through INSPIRE's Elimisha program, we have been able to reach out to the community through donating books to schools, establishing a community library and empowering reading through donating books and stationery to more than 180 children.

Happy faces of young readers

Ask yourself:

• What kinds of work would I like to do?
• What groups would I like to help (such as children, seniors, animals)?
• What social or environmental issues would I like to addres
• What do I want to get out of volunteering? A chance to meet people, make a difference, use a skill or talent, or gain professional experience and contacts?

  

  Generous donation of books from American Friends of Kenya

Would you like to have a tour and volunteer at the same time? or would you rather come and volunteer only?








Contact Oloi Travels at oloi.tours@gmail.com