Community Health Volunteers-Virhembe

March 20254 Workcamp

NO. OF VOLUNTEERS : 10

START & END DATES

08 - 29 March 2025

ORIENTATION DAY

07 March 2025

SAFARI DATES

04 - 06 March 2025

ACCOMODATION & FOOD

Shared Rooms / Local Food (3 meals)

LOCATION

Virhembe Shopping Center, Shinyalu, Kakamega County

Promoting Communty Health

The Community Health Volunteers (CHV)-Virhembe focuses on fighting HIV/AIDS and other health issues. 

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Immerse yourself in community life
  • Live and work with a group of international and local volunteers
  • Joins forces toward a collective goal
  • Free time on the weekend to discover Kenya
  • CIVS organizes tours and safaris to spectacular sites of interest in Kenya
  • Affordable fees which include airport pick up, accommodation, meals, orientation and 24/7 support

General Information

300 Euros

Volunteers participating in a workcamp will be paid upfront on arrival in full. The workcamp fee includes the following:

  • Airport pick up upon arrival & Airport drop off after the workcamp
  • Up to 3 nights’ accommodation in Nairobi
  • Introduction to Kenyan life through a Nairobi City Center Tour before the workcamp
  • Workcamp Orientation at the CIVS office in Nairobi or the workcamp site
  • Food (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
  • Workcamp facilitation and mentoring of volunteers by an experienced workcamp leader
  • Certificate of participation for the volunteer
  • All administrative costs 

The following costs are NOT included:

  • Flight ticket & Visa costs
  • Local travelling : from the office to the project
  • Cost of drinks like soda, beer, mineral water etc
  • Cost of sightseeing
  • Direct donations to the project

All volunteers taking part in this project will be picked up from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi. CIVS will arrange accommodation before and after the workcamp in a host family in the Buruburu area of Nairobi.

There will be a one-day orientation for all participants the day before the workcamp starts.

Accommodation will be in a house closer to this workcamp and it is important that you have your own sleeping mat and a sleeping bag. During the workcamp, volunteers will get food from locally available foodstuffs and will share the responsibility of preparing the food. Drinking water is available but it is advisable to either boil or medicate the water before consuming.  Alternatively mineral drinking water can also be purchased from the nearby shops.

In this workcamp, volunteers will have a chance to do evening nature walks, home visits, cultural meetings and games. During weekends, volunteers can visit Lake Victoria, and to view the equator line sign. Volunteers will also have the opportunity for early morning visit to Kakamega Rainforest, hike on the forest hill and witness a sunrise from the forest hill. Leisure activities’ costs are not included in the participation fee.

Sleeping bag, sleeping mat, and mosquito net are necessary. You can also bring photos of your country, clothes, books, pens, toys etc

During weekends, volunteers can visit the Rusinga hills, Mafangano Islands, and Tom Mboya Mausoleum. We advise volunteers not to swim in the lake because it is contaminated with parasites.

Leisure activities’ cost are not included in the participation fee. 

CIVS Kenya organizes tours and safaris to spectacular sites of interest in Kenya. Volunteers, who wish to participate, should let us know as soon as possible in order to enable us to make proper arrangements. The fee charged is all-inclusive of meals, transport, park entry fees, accommodation and tour guiding.

The cost of a 3-days safari to Masai Mara National Reserve is 400 Euros by Tour van and 480 Euros by a Landcruiser jeep.

It includes: –

Day 1: Nairobi – Maasai Mara: game viewing drive in the evening
Day 2: Maasai Mara game viewing drive in the morning and the evening
Day 3: Maasai Mara game viewing drive in the early morning

Project Profile

Community Health Volunteers (CHV) Virhembe is a community-based organization established in 2006 by Kenyan volunteers operating within Kakamega East District. The organization is situated at Virhembe Market and focuses on fighting HIV/AIDS and other health issues.  The mission of this CHV is to spearhead implementation of community health and conservation projects in order to create a better life for communities in Western Kenya.

The organization pursues the aim of expanding capacities of the community in regards to dealing with HIV/AIDS. It seeks to design and implement quality HIV/AIDS interventions, as well as to support people living with HIV/AIDS by increasing access and improving the quality of healthcare and referral services for them through increased linkages with the Ministry of Health. The group also aims to promote safe sexual behavior and practice among youth and vulnerable groups. Community Health Volunteers in collaboration with DANIDA built a community hospital that is providing access to health in the entire area around the Kakamega rain forest. The hospital had words, clinician consultation rooms, laboratory pharmacy and delivery room. The hospital has both paid staff and volunteers to provide medical services to patients.

VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES

The volunteer will be an integral part of community life:

  • Assisting the local people to make bricks as a form of income generation
  • Jiggers’ eradication and treatment in local schools and in the homes
  • Preparation of tree nurseries and planting new trees
  • Home visits to community members and exchange programmes in local schools
  • Distribution of sanitary towels to needy children in schools
  • Volunteers with medical qualifications can assist in the dispensary

MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

EMAIL US YOUR REQUEST

WE WILL SEND YOU THE INFO SHEET & REQUIREMENTS

PROJECT PLACEMENT BEGINS

AWAITING YOUR ARRIVAL

Any Question?

CIVS will respond to any question.

ABOUT US

The Center for International Voluntary Service (CIVS Kenya) is a Community Development Organization working with local marginalized communities in Kenya to support them in their development and fight the poverty through volunteering and community development programs. 

REACH US

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