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Location
  • Kenya
Project Types
Arts Childcare Street Children Orphan Care Community Development Service Learning Conservation Education Teaching Sexual Health Psychology Medical Elderly Care Women's Rights +4

Program Details

Language
English
Housing
Host Family Hostel

Pricing

Starting Price
500
Price Details
Pre-departure Orientation Guide. Includes detailed travel, safety & cultural information and many tips that will make your trip planning easier.
Detailed Fundraising Guide that will help you raise the funds needed to travel, as well as provide donations to the project.
Apr 09, 2021
Jul 22, 2013
Wish List
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About Program

A Broader View has placements available in the coast city of Mombasa, and in the rural village of Kirithani. We provide a safe, enriching experience working in a busy hospital in Mombasa, a rural school outside of Mombasa or a local orphanage in a rural community. Take part in meaningful community service work while discovering the wonders of Kenya.

This program is no longer offered. View more programs from A Broader View Volunteers Corp.

Consider your impact: Volunteering abroad can be a rewarding experience for both volunteers and local communities, and at Go Overseas, we believe all volunteers should have the resources to make informed decisions about the type of volunteer project they want to partake in. However, despite best intentions, some organizations offering placements in orphanages may unknowingly place children in danger. You can read about the potential dangers of orphanage volunteering here.

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Program Reviews

4.50 Rating
based on 2 reviews
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  • Impact 4.5
  • Support 5
  • Fun 3.5
  • Value 4
  • Safety 4.5
Showing 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Default avatar
Kara
26
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Mithini Orphanage in Kenya

Jul 22, 2013

I had the best time at this orphanage. I helped the older kids with their daily chores including bringing water to their cows and goats, and milking them. I also helped them wash their bedroom floors by dumping buckets of water onto the floor and using old clothes/rags to drag the water outside. I helped the staff cook their traditional food as well, like chapati (pancake like). Playing with the kids was also really fun; we played volleyball and soccer. In the end, I wished I stayed longer. You will not regret this trip!

What would you improve about this program?
I would want the older kids to be provided with more school supplies. It seemed like only the younger children got the good school supplies.
33 people found this review helpful.
Helpful
Default avatar
Piper
31
Female
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Makuyu, Kenya

Feb 8, 2013

I loved my experience in Makuyu. When deciding on a program, Sarah Ehlers was very helpful. Any question I had she would explain in great detail and had a lot of helpful hints on what to bring and what to expect. From the minute I got off the airplane Geoffrey, the orphanage director, was waiting for me, which was comforting because I was alone. When I arrived at the orphanage, lots of little hands and big smiles were there to show me around and help me get settled in. The staff on site was very friendly, offering guidance when I wasn't quite sure what to do for the day. A typical day started with morning chores, sweeping the compound, gathering clothes and washing them in a wheel barrow, and having lunch. When the kids would come home from school, they did their chores and then we would play and do homework. For me, the language barrier with the kids was really hard at first, but when I picked up some Kikuyu-their tribal language- it got better. The staff speaks English well, and are eager to listen and learn about where we come from and how things are different from Kenya. Because things are so different, I felt isolated at times and very lonely. Being an American, I stuck out a lot and sometimes that got to be difficult. I also struggled with the fact that I couldn't change everything. Somethings I saw I didn't like, but those customs have been around for generations and I had to accept I couldn't change that overnight. The food is also hard to adjust to. We ate a lot of beans which my diet wasn't accustomed to. Keeping snacks and fruit in my room was really important because we ate every eight hours and I wasn't used to that.It's hard not to fall in love with the kids and the culture in Makuyu. Everyone is so friendly, kind and willing to help that it's hard to leave. The one thing I wish I had done differently was buy my items to donate in Kenya rather than bringing them from home. I think that the money would have been better used once I got there and saw what they really needed. Overall, my experience was really wonderful and I think about and miss the kids everyday.

What would you improve about this program?
While I was in Kenya, it was difficult to contact or get answers from Geoffrey, the orphanage director. I wish it had been easier to get a hold of him, as he wasn't at the orphanage all that much.
33 people found this review helpful.
Helpful

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Olivia Kochuk

Program
Volunteer in Mombasa, Kenya - Orphanage, Teaching, Medical
Olivia Kochuk is 20 years old and living in Calgary, Alberta Canada. She went on her trip to Makuyu Kenya in the year of 2012 from June 5 to August 1 2012. She is currently attending a local university and studying for a Bachelor of Arts Major in English. Olivia is employed at a retirement home where she serves the elderly, she also volunteers at a church and teachers Sunday school to 3-4 year olds. Olivia loves to go hiking and rock climbing in the Rocky Mountains, she also paints, bikes, camps on her spare time.

Why did you decide to volunteer with A Broader View in Kenya?

happy child

Olivia: I found A Broader View advertised in a magazine and contacted them wanting to know more about how I can apply to volunteer in Africa. I was looking for organizations to go through but communication wasn’t great, however, A Broader View made everything easy and answered all my questions thoroughly.

What made this experience unique and special?

Olivia: What made this volunteer abroad experience special were the people I met. The orphans were very special and I loved them all and I met many people outside of the orphanage who I made friends with and I would go visit them and help them on their farm.

How has this experience impacted your future?

walking with children in kenya

Olivia: My trip impacted me in many different ways. Being back I refuse to leave leftovers on my plate and I appreciate showers and washing machines a lot more. Like most people in America I was concerned with my physical image and once I arrived in Kenya I couldn’t worry about that anymore. I went long periods of time without showering and I usually wore very dirty clothes and there was no point to wearing any makeup. Not having anything to worry about except helping other people and making sure everyone is okay and healthy helped me concentrate more on others and I got to know people a lot better than I would back home. Seeing that I can make such a huge impact on someone’s life makes me want to come back and possibly extend my career to help people in third world countries.

Image removed.

Morning: My typical morning consisted of walking the kids to school then eating breakfast at around 7-7:30 then I would help the teacher mark books. I would finish that fairly fast so I would have to time to either help with cooking lunch or help wash laundry. If I helped in the kitchen I would usually cut lettuce or spinach, peel potatoes, or sort beans and rice. I didn’t enjoy doing laundry that much because your hands ache after washing all the kids clothes but I she needed the most help in the morning.

Afternoon: My typical afternoon was walking to the small town, Makuyu, to buy fruits and vegetables, which was maybe a 20-30 min walk or I visited a market in Kenol, which I had to take a bus to.

Evening: My typical evening consisted of playing with the kids when they came back from school. After they were done their chores and washed themselves I would help teach in the classroom and help them with their homework. After they finished school we would have dinner and say prayers then I would tuck them into bed.

Highlights: The highlight of my trip was definitely getting so close with the children and getting to know their culture. I also loved trying all the different food! You need to be open to trying different things. It was very difficult to say bye to all the children and I want to go back hopefully next summer.

Location

Location:
Kenya
Currency:
Kenyan Shilling
Weather:
Jan-Mar
79 F / 54 F
Apr-Jun
75 F / 52 F
Jul-Sep
75 F / 50 F
Oct-Dec
77 F / 55 F
Airports:
Jomo Kenyatta International
( NBO )
Moi International
( MBA )

Kenya is a middle income country, which often comes to a shock to tourists who expect to see a wildly impoverished and unruly country. Following their Independence from British colonial rule, many Kenyans started seeking business ventures alongside the growing tourism, which is even more present today. From the incredible wildlife on land and underwater, you will have a lot of activities that show you the natural beauty of Kenya.

About A Broader View Volunteers Corp

A Broader View Volunteers is a registered 501c(3) nonprofit charity located in the USA. Our organization was founded in 2007 and is based in Pennsylvania. Our charity # is 26-0594308, you can fundraise for the cost of the trip in our website and all your donors can get a tax deduction. Our 245 social & conservation projects are arranged for...
  • Go Overseas Award

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