Application Fee - $100
Volunteers pay a reasonable application fee of $100 to KHS. We operate as a non-profit organization, and this fee is needed to sustain us so we can continue offering our meaningful programs at affordable prices in Kenya. This fee is allocated to cover the basic operating costs of our organization, including advertisement, rent, staff salaries, utilities, taxes, and other operational expenses.Weekly Program Fees
In order to run our volunteer abroad programs in Kenya, there are some basic costs that must be covered. As a result, the weekly program fee you pay is broken into three parts. The first of these is the cost of your accommodations and food. We pay this portion of the fee directly to our host families or your project if you are staying at on-site accommodations. The second cost that must be covered is paying our local staff and in-country coordinator. These individuals offer you individualized support and guidance throughout the entire duration of your volunteer project abroad, and the service they provide to you is key to making sure you have the best experience possible. The third cost covered by your weekly program fee is a donation that is made directly to your project. The projects international volunteers work to support are often poor and struggling financially to continue their important and much-need humanitarian work. Your donation goes a long way to helping them continue to run. There is no rigid proportion of how the volunteer abroad program fee is allocated, as it varies with location, project and other factors. But the following is a generalized allocation of fees that is normally done:- Host Families (60%-80%)
- Project Donation (10% - 20%)
- Local Country Office Expenses/Staffs (10-30%)
Accommodation and Meal
When you join our volunteer in Kenya program, KHS arranges your accommodation and provides supervision for your entire volunteering trip. You will stay with a well-screened host family throughout the project, who will provide a secure and comfortable living environment for you for the entire duration of your stay.
Like hundreds of past volunteers, you will experience a home away from home while living with our host family in Kenya, as they will welcome like a family member and ensure that you are safe and comfortable every step of the way.
When you live with a host family, you will get to live like a local, participating in their rituals and ceremonies as well as share authentic and delicious food with them. It also provides an ideal opportunity for you to immerse yourself in Kenyan culture and practice the local language.
Our Kenyan host families are located in beautiful areas of Nairobi and rural Kenya, and the homes are clean and sparsely furnished but also equipped to cater to all your needs.
The host families selected are socially respected, educated, responsible and hold years of experience in hosting international volunteers. Our main criteria when screening and selecting potential host families are our volunteers’ safety and comfort as well as the cultural exchange that our volunteers can enjoy when staying with them
Facilities in the Host Families
The host families have multiple comfortable bedrooms equipped with two single beds, tidy bedding materials, mosquito nets, electricity outlets and other required facilities. In most situations, you will share your room with another volunteer of the same gender.
For those not comfortable sharing a room, single rooms can also be provided, however this will come at an extra charge.
Internet access is provided free of charge to volunteers during our volunteering in Kenya projects, with the exception of projects in Machakos, where poor infrastructure makes this impossible. However, you can still buy a local SIM card and use mobile data to access the internet.
Clean and comfortable bathroom facilities are available, equipped with western Toilets and running tap water in Nairobi, while in Machakos, toilets are traditional pit latrines and volunteers shower using buckets. Laundry services are offered at the accommodation in both cases.
Necessary amenities like ATMs, healthcare clinics, hospitals, grocery stores, internet cafés, restaurants, supermarkets and others are available near your accommodation, and your project placement is located 30 minutes walking distance from the host family.
Meals
As part of the fee for our volunteer in Kenya project, KHS also arranges your meal plans. Our host provides you with a wide variety of delicious and authentic Kenyan meals, and you will share 2 quality home-cooked meals a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) together with the host family.
For breakfast you can expect tea/coffee, egg, pancakes, bread, sausages, peanuts, fruits, and oats, while lunch and dinner will consist of rice (both spiced and regular), ugali, beans, beef and vegetables.
Ugali is a staple food in Kenya and is eaten daily, with other common dishes being Sukuma Wiki, Nyama Choma, Chips Mayai, Mutura, and more. Staple ingredients used to prepare Kenyan dishes are grains, fresh vegetables, beef, fish, flour, and spices.
Ugali is prepared with maize , sorghum or millet flour, and is commonly enjoyed together with beef or bean stew and serve as a good source of iron. Sukuma Wiki consists of collard greens that are cut and marinated with onions and tomatoes prior to cooking.