Flying Kites Adventures

Volunteering with Flying Kites gave me an opportunity to work and live alongside an extraordinary team of people absolutely dedicated to their work. They made me feel as I were a part of their family, and they made it clear to me how I impacted the children in their care, as well as the the overall organization.

I was able to work in their school, assisting their full time teachers, working with other volunteers to teach gym and art, and tutoring some of the hardest working kids I've ever met.

Though fundraising was hard for me, I loved being at FK and knowing I'd help fund nearly a full month of operating costs.

And I liked that they didn't hide the struggles from the volunteers; we saw the financial difficulty, the infrastructure breakdowns, and the outbursts of the kids (few and far between) and because of that inclusion, I walked away with a much deeper, and more real, understanding the of the difficulties of working in resource/infrastructure poor settings.

Do it. Join their team.

Flying Kites expects a great deal from its ambassadors; They ask for hard work, endless compassion, high levels of energy, a deep & lasting commitment, but they do so for very, very good reason.

As an ambassador, you spend at least three months (they may let you get away with just under 3) living & working at Flying Kites Leadership Academy, a home for 26 orphaned children and a school for about double that. During that time, you become part of a part a vibrant, love & laughter-filled home and more importantly, you live as a part of their family. You will come to know and love the children so very well that it is only fair they ask for your deep commitment on all fronts.

I found the fundraising challenging but once I really dove into it, I learned a huge amount about my own skills and was blown away by what I accomplished when I appealed to my networks with genuine passion & creativity.

I found this experience amazing because not only was I able to create real impact in the area of my great passion- in my case education- but I ended my long days with a bedtime stories and goodnight hugs from the very kids who's futures we worked relentlessly each day, all day to brighten.

I will never forget my time, experience and the family I was welcomed in to at Flying Kites. My daily routines involved tutoring children at the school for a couple hours, working on private projects for the kids, organization and home that I was passionate about and hanging out around the house, playing and taking in the heartwarming experience of being a part of such a special family. I also received tons of assistance when I ventured out into the surrounding regions of Kenya. The staff always went out of their way to make me feel safe and a part of their family. The relationships I forged with staff, children and volunteers will be with me forever and it's a place I hope to volunteer at regularly for the rest of my life.

Six months ago, before I visited Kenya, I chatted on the phone with the volunteer coordinator of Flying Kites Oasis. I didn't know then that our conversation would lead to a life-changing experience.

Not just for me. Oasis has changed the lives of numerous orphaned children in the greater Nairobi area. Helping tackle the poverty and day-to-day challenges many children in Kenya face - clean water and food, a bed to sleep in, a safe home - Oasis is linking up with children's homes in and around the slums of Nairobi to help create a safe and healthy environment for their children.

For me, it was wonderful that Oasis gave me autonomy to connect with the children's home for which I volunteered, St. Catherine in the slum of Kibera, because I could work directly with the home and children. Oasis set up the relationship and allowed me to foster it. While I was there, I taught classes to the kids directly; I helped organize details of a long-term sustainability plan involving the building of a greenhouse; I played football and danced and learned and spoke at an end-of-term ceremony; and I developed friendships with many of the staff of St. Catherine that will last a lifetime.

Oasis gave me the opportunity to do all that. I was never shackled by too many "rules," but I also never felt abandoned. The staff would check in with me and I with them, bouncing questions, ideas, jokes off of one another. We found occasion to be social as well. The experience was a holistic one because they allowed me to make it so. I loved the fact that I could work directly with the children's home to best serve its needs.

Perhaps the most important thing FK Oasis did for me was support me in my continuing endeavors with St. Catherine. As a result of my experience I committed to fundraising for St. Catherine to help them realize their dream of building a greenhouse and becoming self-sustainable. Oasis has supported me in this project, which has lasted and will last much longer than my "official" volunteer stay in Kenya. I am in continuous contact with Oasis, which is more than willing to work with me as I continue my own ventures with St. Catherine.

I look back on that phone call and marvel at everything that happened as a result of it. Life may be timing, and maybe I just happened on this opportunity -- but Oasis was there to answer the call.

Flying Kites Oasis gave me the opportunity to immerse myself with in the Kenyan community by using my skills as a nurse to assist other Kenyan nurses at various clinics around the slums of Nairobi. This was an un-forgetable experience unique to the Oasis program. Most other volunteer programs allow you to only work with other volunteers. With the Oasis program I was the only volunteer working side by side with Kenyans. I would highly recommend this program :)

I would definitely go again. I always felt safe either at the school or with the host family. And while the number one concern was always my safety, I was still able to push myself and explore new foods (try ugali and sukuma), places, and ideas. Also, the school I was placed with gave me a lot of space to both interact with the students and develop my own projects. Most importantly though, the school I was with was truly impactful in its community and I always felt like I was part of something important.

I chose to volunteer through Flying Kites Oasis because I have a friend who works with the Program and because you choose from a variety of different children's programs within the Oasis network. I got to find a program that fit what I wanted to do, rather than being placed at a random location.

I was nervous on arriving in Kenya but from the start I felt welcome and safe with the Oasis staff. They made sure that the transition from their program to the volunteer site was easy and that I felt comfortable. Everything was taken care of - a cell phone, transport, hotel, breakfast. It made the first day so much easier.

My volunteer placement was very challenging. The home has so many projects and not enough funds, but I was happy to know that the money I paid for room and board was going to help with those projects. I grew to trust and respect the staff at the home, so I felt comfortable there.

The room where I stayed was a shared homestay. It was a bit weird at first just living in someone else's house, but once I got into a routine with volunteering and coming home in the evening I felt comfortable. I even went out to clubs in the city a few times with my roommates.

I don't have the personal money right now to be donating large amounts to the home I worked at, but I would highly recommend the Oasis Program to others who want to help at schools or children's homes.