PREPARING FOR YOUR AFRICAN ADVENTURE IN KENYA

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Marlene Ward
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1 PREPARING FOR YOUR AFRICAN ADVENTURE IN KENYA

You are travelling to the fourth-largest urban area in Kenya, Nakuru, which is situated in the south west of the country.

2 LEARNING ABOUT KENYA THE REGION Kenya is considered to be the economic heartbeat of modern-day East Africa. However, 45% of Kenyans are living below the poverty line and surviving on less than 80 pence per day. You are travelling to the fourth-largest urban area in Kenya, Nakuru, which is situated in the south west of the country. It lies within Kenya s Rift Valley, just a stone s throw away from Lake Nakuru National Park; one of Kenya s finest nature reserves. The central business district is fast becoming a cosmopolitan city, yet Nakuru is also home to some of the poorest communities in Kenya. During your stay, you will be volunteering at projects within these communities. WEATHER Kenya lies on the Equator and the weather is typically hot but fresh. The daytime temperature is usually between 20 and 28 degrees Celsius but, early in the morning and at night, it can get considerably cooler - so pack a jumper. There is a dry season, which runs from June to October, and two wet seasons; a short rains season during November and December, and a long rains season between March and May, with a drier spell during January and February. 2

3 POVERTY AND CHALLENGES KENYA S ECONOMY Kenya is East Africa s industrial hub. Its main industries are mining and agriculture, with common exports being tea, coffee, fruits, vegetables and fresh flowers. Kenya also exports minerals, with the second-largest source of soda in the world coming from the Rift Valley. Kenya's tourism is another key economic sector with its abundance of magnificent wildlife among its national parks and game reserves. Kenya may have a booming economy but almost half of Kenyans live in poverty and you will witness some of the more extreme levels of this in Nakuru. PROJECTS IN KENYA African Adventures supports a number of projects in Kenya, which were set up, and are run, by local people. The projects provide a free education and daily safe haven for over 5,000 children, many of whom live on the perimeter of the town s dumpsite and in the slum areas of Nakuru. The biggest challenge the projects face is the lack of funding for sufficient classroom space and resources for the ever-increasing number of students enrolling in these schools. Through our volunteer trips, we can help build new classrooms and provide more conducive learning spaces for the students. In addition, all of our partner projects in Kenya have a feeding programme, through which children are provided with a daily nutritious meal, which would otherwise be unavailable to many. PROJECT GOALS Provision of clean, piped water for projects, through the supply of water storage tanks Provision of teaching assistance in school project classrooms Reduction of class sizes by building new classrooms and renovating existing ones Construction of The Walk Centre Primary School Provision of classroom resources and physical education materials Continuation of support for the projects feeding programmes THE IMPACT It is normal to be affected emotionally when experiencing the levels of poverty that you will during your visit to Kenya. However, it is important to remember that the work African Adventures supports is helping to improve the lives of thousands of people. To find out more about our project development goals, visit the 'Our Goals' section of our website. 3

A WHOLE NEW CULTURE KENYAN WAY OF LIFE Kenya is a beautiful country, diverse in culture and natural landscapes. The country is famous for its incredible safaris and diversity of magnificent wildlife.

4 A WHOLE NEW CULTURE KENYAN WAY OF LIFE Kenya is a beautiful country, diverse in culture and natural landscapes. The country is famous for its incredible safaris and diversity of magnificent wildlife. Kenyans are friendly people and are very welcoming to western visitors. Karibu Kenya! If you have never visited Africa before, you will soon find there is a very different pace of life; adapting to this and the new culture can take a little time. The best advice we can give is to travel with an open mind and an open heart. DRESS CODE Kenyan people prefer to dress conservatively so please ensure that you dress for the heat but that you do not dress provocatively, as this may draw unwanted attention. Light, loose clothing is best and we ask that females avoid showing stomachs, legs above the knee and bare backs. If you are swimming at any point during your visit, normal swimwear is suitable but please cover up when walking to and from the pool area. RELIGION Religion and faith in Kenya are very important and take pride of place in many Kenyans lives. The most widely practised religion is Christianity, followed by Islam and then traditional faiths. During your stay, you might be invited to attend a church service. Please do not feel obliged to attend but, even if you are not religious, it can be a really enjoyable way to experience the Kenyan way of life and community spirit. LANGUAGES Swahili and English are the official languages in Kenya. However, there are an incredible 62 languages used across the various ethnic groups. Here are some useful phrases you might like to learn for your trip SWAHILI PHRASES Hello Jambo/Mambo How are you? Habari gani? Fine (in response) Nzuri Thank you (very much) Asante (sana) Welcome Karibu What is your name? Jina lako nani? My name is Jina langu ni Goodbye Kwaheri 4

If you are greeting an elder, or someone of higher status, it is respectful to grasp the right wrist with your left hand when shaking hands.

5 WHAT TO EXPECT IN KENYA ATTITUDES Kenyans are conservative in their attitudes and beliefs, and still very much follow traditional values. In Kenya, you will often be greeted with a handshake, followed by polite conversation. If you are greeting an elder, or someone of higher status, it is respectful to grasp the right wrist with your left hand when shaking hands. PUBLIC AFFECTION & RELATIONSHIPS Public displays of affection are uncommon in Kenya, even between married couples. Couples seldom hold hands whilst walking, though it is not unusual to see two male friends holding hands; an act which traditionally symbolises a strong friendship. Same-sex relations are illegal and homosexuality remains a social taboo in Eastern Africa as a whole. We ask that volunteers make every effort to respect local law when they travel with us. ALCOHOL The legal age to drink alcohol in Kenya is 18. To be drunk is considered shameful and we ask that visitors are respectful of this. SMOKING It is prohibited to smoke in public in Kenya. We discourage volunteers smoking in general but there is a designated smoking area at the accommodation, if necessary. However, smoking is not permitted at the projects. 5

INTERNET ACCESS There is Wi-Fi at the accommodation but it can be very limited, especially if there are many guests using it at the same time.

6 USEFUL TIPS AND ADVICE IN-COUNTRY FACILITIES The plug sockets in Kenya are the same as in the UK so you do not need to worry about a travel adaptor. The electricity supply can be intermittent and there may be the occasional power outage but, generally, you should be able to charge your phone and other equipment on a daily basis. INTERNET ACCESS There is Wi-Fi at the accommodation but it can be very limited, especially if there are many guests using it at the same time. Be prepared to use your phone a lot less than you would at home. Be very careful of data usage; it is advised to switch this off as it will be very expensive. LUGGAGE & DONATIONS Please make sure you know your luggage allowance before travelling, as this can vary between airlines. If you are not sure, please just get in touch and we will let you know. You might wish to include donations for the projects within your luggage allowance. Make sure you stay within the weight limits so that you don t get any extra charges at the airport. MONEY The currency in Kenya is the Kenyan Shilling. You can get this currency before you travel at your local travel agent or post office, or at ATMs in Kenya. If you are flying to Kenya indirectly you may wish to have some money to spend at the connecting airport so we would suggest taking a few US Dollars or Euros for this purpose. My trip to Kenya was absolutely amazing! I m beyond lucky to have gotten the opportunity to go and meet the incredible people and experience the culture. Cierra Henderson, volunteer with Chichester College 6

However, the amenities at the projects will be more basic. IN-COUNTRY TEAM Throughout your visit, you will be looked after by our Kenya team.

7 YOUR HOME IN KENYA ACCOMMODATION You will be staying in a basic yet comfortable, self-contained complex in the suburbs of Nakuru. This will be your home in Kenya and where you can unwind after a hard day s work at the projects. You will have single-sex shared rooms, with Western amenities like toilets, showers and electricity. However, the amenities at the projects will be more basic. IN-COUNTRY TEAM Throughout your visit, you will be looked after by our Kenya team. Alex Maina is our East Africa Director and you may see him during your stay. However, Fred Egesa, who is the In-Country Co-ordinator, will be your main point of contact along with our team of trip hosts. The Kenyan staff are wonderful, friendly people and will be there for 24-hour support, to share stories with and answer any questions. EVENING ACTIVITIES & DOWNTIME You will have plenty of time to relax in the evenings so perhaps take some games to enjoy with friends after dinner. Your downtime is the perfect opportunity to reflect and write down your thoughts on your experience so far. Why not set up an online blog so that you can share stories from your African Adventure on your return? It is also a good chance to brush up on your Swahili with your hosts and, if you are teaching, prepare some activities for the next day s lessons. I very much enjoy working with African Adventures; I am learning something every day. It is great meeting volunteers from the UK and finding out more about life in the UK but also educating people about life in Kenya. Fred Egesa, Kenya In-Country Co-ordinator 7

FOOD AND DRINK KENYAN CUISINE Food in Kenya is very healthy and nutritious. The main staple is ugali, a porridge or dough-like carbohydrate, made from maize or millet flour.

Ugali is not usually served to volunteers but you would be very welcome to try it if there is opportunity to do so.

8 FOOD AND DRINK KENYAN CUISINE Food in Kenya is very healthy and nutritious. The main staple is ugali, a porridge or dough-like carbohydrate, made from maize or millet flour. This is a frequently served dish, typically accompanied by a vegetable or bean relish and sometimes fish or meat. Ugali is not usually served to volunteers but you would be very welcome to try it if there is opportunity to do so. YOUR MEALS You will be provided with three substantial meals daily during your stay (excluding adventure activities - check with us if you are unsure). DIETARY REQUIREMENTS Do let us know before travelling of any dietary requirements or allergies you have and we will make sure you are catered for throughout your trip. For breakfast, you will typically have a choice of fruit, mandazi (doughnuts), sausage meat toasties, toast and boiled eggs, before leaving for your project. Lunch is a hot meal, usually consisting of rice or potatoes with meat and beans, brought to you at the project. Dinner, which is served to you back at the accommodation, could be potatoes with a meat stew or pasta with beef and a tomato sauce. There is often a healthy dessert option of fruit like bananas, oranges or melon. DRINKING WATER The tap water is unsafe to drink in Kenya so make sure you have plenty of bottled water to take to the projects. It is very important to keep yourself hydrated in the heat. We would also advise that you use bottled water to brush your teeth. Bottled water is cheap to buy in Kenya. Your trip hosts will take you to the local supermarket to stock up on supplies when you arrive in Nakuru and, subsequently, throughout your stay. 8

A TYPICAL DAY IN KENYA MORNING You will have breakfast at the accommodation around 7:30am before travelling to your project.

construction work or providing classroom teaching assistance.

As part of the feeding programmes here, you can also help serve the children their meals.

If you are teaching, this will be a different lesson or taking a group of students outside for games and sports.

9 A TYPICAL DAY IN KENYA MORNING You will have breakfast at the accommodation around 7:30am before travelling to your project. Once at the project, you will spend the morning in your chosen volunteer role, whether it be participating in building and construction work or providing classroom teaching assistance. AFTERNOON At midday, you will stop to have lunch, which will be brought to the project for you by your trip hosts. As part of the feeding programmes here, you can also help serve the children their meals. After this, you will continue your volunteering activities into the afternoon. If you are teaching, this will be a different lesson or taking a group of students outside for games and sports. EVENING The school day will come to a close around 3:30pm and you will be taken back to the accommodation for your evening activities and a well-deserved hot meal. The evening presents an opportunity to interact with your hosts, reflect on your experiences and unwind after a long day s volunteering. 9

SHARE YOUR ADVENTURE CONNECT WITH US Rachel and Frankie, in our communications team, will be delighted to hear from you.

adventure you are about to embark on. Remember - the more we can shout about African Adventures, the greater the impact we can have at our partner projects in Africa!

Share your blogs with us and include a link to our site.

10 SHARE YOUR ADVENTURE CONNECT WITH US Rachel and Frankie, in our communications team, will be delighted to hear from you. Keep in touch: ƙƙ africanadventuresuk Ǐ ƨƨ tripsinafrica LOCAL PRESS Contact your local newspapers and radio stations to promote your fundraising events and the fantastic adventure you are about to embark on. Remember - the more we can shout about African Adventures, the greater the impact we can have at our partner projects in Africa! WRITE A BLOG We often run blog competitions for our volunteers with the chance to be included on our website and in our volunteer newsletter. Share your blogs with us and include a link to our site. REVIEW YOUR TRIP By reviewing your trip on the following sites, you can share your experience with other budding travellers and inspire like-minded individuals and groups to make a difference in Africa with us too! GO ABROAD - african-adventures GO OVERSEAS - CONTACT US Rachel Northover: rachel@african-adventures.co.uk Frankie Russ: frankie@african-adventures.co.uk 10

11 NOTES 11

12 A JOURNEY IS BEST MEASURED IN FRIENDS, RATHER THAN MILES. - Tim Cahill

Host Family Guidelines

Host Family Guidelines Host Family Accommodation Choosing accommodation in a host family is a great opportunity for students to explore and experience Irish culture and develop language skills in a natural