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Volunteer
and Internship Placement
Opportunities Abroad in Africa.
At jubileeventures.org we offer excellent international internships and volunteer opportunities work with orphaned children in Kenya Tanzania Zanzibar. You can also enhance your volunteer travel in east African countries with exciting jungle safaris and lots of voluntary work abroad plus Gap Year overseas internship projects to choose from. Sign up now at. jubileeventures.org Below are stories from some of our international volunteer and internship abroad program alumni. We hope you enjoy reading them. Please note that the Mega-Adventure Program that many volunteers participated in, has now been replaced by the Best of Africa, program. I was involved in the International Volunteer Health Care Program in summer 2003. My host family "Mama Njoroge" a.k.a. Keziah treated me with the utmost respect and grace. They really went out of their way to make me feel at home and I was really thankful for all of that. In terms of my actual clinical experience I would have to say that I expected to do alot more. With clinics it's pretty much impossible to predict the flow of patients and my luck resulted in a very few cases to work with. It's unfortunate that I didn't get to work with so many patients but there isn't much to do about that. Rafik
Hodeib, California, USA
Kenya is the only place you can explore desert, pristine waterfalls and ride aboard a bus 3 times overloaded, all within the same day? My name is Shawn Sikka. I am 16 years old and am from New Jersey, USA. I volunteered with Jubilee Venture in summer of 2003. I was placed with the HIV/AIDS project of the Association of People with AIDS in Kenya for about three weeks. It was perfectly situated within walking distance of my host home, cyber cafes, supermarkets, and restaurants. At my volunteer placement, I had the opportunity to counsel withl people about the deadly epidemic, participate in discussions about various health products, and visit the "AIDS clubs" of several schools. While volunteering was by far the most fulfilling and memorable experience, the safari provided for enjoyment beyond words. I went to the Lake Nakuru/ Maasai Mara safari, and was amazed at the amount of animals I saw. The extra money spent on the upgraded safari was worth every penny. The people in Kenya are among the nicest in the world. They will welcome you and respect you in every possible way. My host, Anne Chege, went especially out of her way to make sure I fully enjoyed myself. Rather than relaxing on her only day off, she took me to a rural orphanage that her sister is in charge of. The kids and I enjoyed playing games and singing songs in the rolling Kenyan hills. Despite various travel warnings, I urge you to not be deterred from what could be the most meaningful experience of your life, as it was in mine. Kenya is very secure, and not once did I feel threatened. My first trip to Africa fulfilled all my goals and satisfied my every desire. Upon returning from Kenya, I truly began to realize the important things in life- the nonmaterial. Personally witnessing the strife others must endure, enabled me to appreciate what I have to a much greater extent. I instantaneously adopted Jubilee’s slogan that "Differences are not a threat, but a treasure." I made lifelong friends with a British girl I thought I would never like. As a volunteer, you will be able to experience things beyond your imagination. Never did I picture myself milking a cow by hand, slaughtering a chicken, or eating warthog! I advise future participants to not shy or scare away from anything. At just 16, I feel that I have experienced more than some do in a lifetime. Shawn Sikka, NY, USA Hello, I would like to say I had a fantastic journey to Kenya both physically and spiritually. I'm so happy I found Jubilee Ventures on the Internet. Beth and Eunice were terrific, helpful, encouraging, and wonderful. My placements were very good. I enjoyed my volunteer teaching placement at Nyamweru Secondary School. I found the students to be eager, curious, motivated, and bright. It was fun teaching. Plus I taught them some embroidery and some Japanese origami. The teachers I found to be enthusiastic and knowledgeable. We spent many days talking and comparing our educational systems. They had many questions for me and I for them. I loved the spirit they possessed. My first host family was Beth's family and I do believe we have found space in our hearts for each other. Joel, Beth's husband, was supportive and kind. I had a great time, too, with all his family: mother, father, sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews. Mary, his youngest sister, was especially helpful and friendly. I admired all her hard work. In Beth I found a sister. Beth is amazing. She juggled so many tasks and did them so well. She is well organized and has a terrific network of families and volunteering placements. What an extraordinary woman. I admire her, for her heart of gold. She thinks of others all the time. I trust her judgment and honesty. Eunice helped me acclimate the first week and I enjoyed our language and culture lessons. It was fun being with her. I think she enjoyed me, too, judging from all the laughter I caused her. My second host family in Githirioni was good. Their home was a two minutes walk to school. Everyone in the family welcomed me and were pleased to host me. Gladwell, the mother, was especially helpful and earnestly tried to make my stay as pleasant as possible. Peter, the host's father, was busy with his store but we did have several good conversations. The placement was very rural and at times I felt cut off from the rest of the world but the times on the weekends did allow me to have other experiences and to see another part of Kenya. In all I had a very positive experience, volunteering and staying with host families. The safari options were excellent and were highlights for me. I'm just sad that not more Kenyans have had the opportunity to see the treasures of land and animals that their homeland possesses. So, briefly, it was all so exciting. My daily motto was: "expect the unexpected". Life always presented new ideas, new sights, new insights, new experiences, and new friends. I loved my stay in your extraordinary country. Thanks for all your correspondence and good wishes. 2004 Best of Kenya Mega-Adventure participant, Teresa Maebori, MN, USA This has definitely been the most memorable six weeks of my life - they've been so good that I really dont want to go home yet! From my very first day I have been made to feel so welcome even children in the street would come and greet me everyday and ask how I was. I love Kenya, the people, the land and the food so much. This has been the best experience of my life and as soon as the chance arises again I will come back for as long as possible. Thank you Jubilee Ventures for placing me in such a lovely community - with a very special family and with very beautiful children at Grace Orphans and Disabled Center. Lyndsey
Morgan, UK. I'm sorry about not replying to your email sooner. I'm actually still in Kenya and haven't had much access to emails. I've just come back from Mombasa, where I travelled along the south coast for a while and made the most of the lovely Kenyan beaches! I leave for England next week and I shall be taking with me many fond memories of my time in Kenya. Indeed I thoroughly enjoyed the Jubilee Ventures program, I shall be sending on my final report asap. I'll send you some photos as soon as I get the chance. Regards, Sally Pearson, UK. My experience in Kenya has been unlike any other of my life. I have learned more than I ever imagined about Kenyan culture, food, history, traditions, geography and lifestyle. I have gone from emotions of fear to excitement , from sadness to happiness. I have truly been able to immerse myself in another culture and have found Kenyans to be the most friendly and generous people I have ever met. This has been an eye- opening experience that I know I will never forget. I feel lucky to have had the chance to participate in such a program. Shayna Hoffman, Canada I first would like to start off saying that this has been a great experience . I was very scared leaving home, my comfort zone. But as I am almost done with my adventure I have no regrets. I have seen so many new things which have helped me grow mentally and emotionally. I have experienced a different culture which I have come to love. I truly suggest anyone who has ever thought about seeing and experiencing new things to take the leap of faith and come to Africa. This is a trip of a lifetime that I will never forget. Some things that really made this trip a pleasure have been the people I have met. Everybody who crosses your path is very welcoming. Living with host families have really given me the inside look of how life really is and all the hardships that come with life. It
has really made me appreciate all things I have
taken for granted at home. The Jubilee Ventures experience in Kenya was rich and rewarding. I have never acquired so much experience in such a short period of time (4 week trip). The volunteer stage provided a true authentic community experience and the safaris in Kenya and Tanzania provided the most amazing tourist attractions on the planet. My host family
(Mary,Wanaina, Zipporah,Daniel, Ngugi
Gitau) was flawless in looking after me and Beth Nyoike ia a highly
commendable volunteer administrator who made me feel at home in the
Kimende community. Thanks Jubilee Ventures for giving me an experience
that will
last a life time. With love and respect. Tim
halal, USA Hi Beth, Just a note to let you know I had a wonderful time in Tanzania and have returned safely to the U.S. Thank you for putting all of this together and for your flexibility with my flight changes. Best of luck with the new volunteers! Melissa
Shoemaker, Dear Beth, Daniel and everyone who is part of the Jubilee Family: Sara arrived home yesterday. We spent the whole night talking about her wonderful time and memorable experiences.She talked about all the children that touched her heart and how kind and lovely everyone treated her. I am so grateful to all of you for looking after her while she was there and making her feel like part of your family. Beth thank you for the lovely gifts you sent my husband and I, they are beautiful. Also, I would like to send a card to Sara's host family and also, the lady who was the director of the orphanage Sara volunteered at, when you have time could you please e-mail me their addresses. Beth, again thank you very much for everything. God Bless you and everyone there for all you do. Sincerely,Rosie,Vito and Cosentino Family. Rosie Cosentino, mother of Sara Cosentiono, ON, Canada Dear Sir, I am writing to you with regards to my recent trip to Kenya. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Kenya - it is a beautiful country and the people were among the nicest I have met in my life. I was made to feel perfectly at home and my host family (the Gitau's in Kimende) were so welcoming. I feel truely priviledged to have been able to partake in the AIDS project - which I think is so worthwhile and I would like to wish you every success with it in the future. Beth was a fabulous coordinator, who did her utmost, and often went well beyond the call of duty for all of the volunteers. I hope sometime in the future to return to Kenya, as I feel that I have made some life long friends there and I have greatly benefitted from the time I spent there. Many thanks once again,Yours sincerely, Vickie
Campbell, Scotland, UK The 12 weeks that I spent in Kenya were some of the best I have ever experienced. I was placed with KENVO, where I worked in the tree nursery and helped with other conservation activities. Everyone at KENVO was extremely welcoming, which made it very easy for me to work right along side them. My host family (and the extended family) gave so unselfishly to me and all the other volunteers there. Beth was so flexible and willing to arrange countless travel details for me, not because she felt like she had to, but because she truly cared for me and my wellbeing. I
learned so many things in such a short period of time, and made so many
friends that I hope to keep in contact with. Everything was wonderful
and I am very glad that I took this opportunity to travel and
contribute concretely to another country’s development. I
would
recommend Jubilee Ventures to anyone! Caitlin arrived home safely last week from Mbeya, Tanzania. She had a wonderful time and has been sharing her stories and photographs with us. I wanted to thank you for sharing your home with her and for giving her such a memorable experience. Again, thank you for all your help. I know she will be happy to provide a very good reference for Jubilee if ever you need one! Best
Regards, Rachel,
mother to Caitlin Cook, Wimwega (Hello) Beth, Sorry, I've been swamped with work, school and New York City life that I haven't had time to sit down and write a review about Kimende. Finally, I have a chance. My experience in Kimende was excellent. I met with many, many great people and had a wonderful time at the Wanjoroge Medical Clinic and Maternity Home with Mama Njoroge and Rosemary, the nurses at the facility. My hosts, Beth, Mary and Joel were so generous and kind to me that I felt very much at home.
Francesca
Yango, Hello, I am writing this letter to share with you my experiences as a volunteer in your program. My name is Jennifer Pinkus and I was here from November 1st until January 5th. I am from Colorado, in the Untied States. I am hoping this letter will help the future volunteers and also aid you as you continue with your program. I would like to cover four topics Orientation, Language and Culture, Placement, and the Host families. I will list both the positive experiences that I had and then make suggestions for both the volunteer and for the program. Orientation: Strengths: Upon arriving in Nairobi I was picked up in time and taken immediately to a hotel. Everything went as planned. A taxi came in the morning to pick me up. Mary who helps Beth led me to her home. They welcomed me into their home and explained to me the itinerary. Suggestions: Prepare to be flexible with your plans and know that the first week will be a bit scary. Time is very relaxed here and plans are not always explained to you in English. Ask questions if you are unsure. Morning can mean anywhere between 8-11. A suggestion to the program is to be sure that the person who picks you up in the morning tells you who they are and where you are going. Tourists are not used to your laid back culture and are used to knowing exactly what they are doing. Also, let them know that they should keep their receipts for items that the program covers. Language and Culture: Strengths: It was very helpful to learn a bit of Kikuyu before my placement. The blue language manual was very useful. I also enjoyed all the cultural activities and thought they were a good orientation to Kenya. Suggestions: If it is possible to get the language manual to the volunteers before they arrive I think that would be beneficial. I would also have loved to purchase a book on Kikuyo in Nairobi. You might want to list a store where volunteers can get Kikuyu language books (if they exist). I did the cultural part of the program at the end rather than at the beginning. I would suggest that volunteers stick to the schedule and do L and C first. It is a good orientation to Kenya and better to do it in the beginning of your stay. If you do it at the end it is a bit redundant. Host families: Strengths: I am lucky to have had two wonderful host families. In Kimende |I was with Beth Nyoike’s family and then In Kinale with the Wambua’s. Both families went out of their way to make my stay wonderful. They included me in all their family events and taught me how to do laundry, start the jiko, and make chapatti. I even got to attend Christmas and New Years with them. I felt very lucky to have such great people as hosts. Suggestions: I would encourage all host families to really help teach and include your volunteers in your every day activities. We don’t speak Kikuyu and learning how to do your routine activities is the best way for us to get involved and interact with you. Also be sure to explain to your volunteers what you are doing or where you are going when making plans. If plans are spoken amongst the family in Kikuyu we have not understood them. However, I think the relevance of time is part of experiencing your culture. Placement: Strengths: I worked at a private school. The father who hosted me was in charge of the school. I taught a mixture of classes as school was coming to an end for Christmas break. I enjoyed working with the children, although communication was tough. However, the teachers were very kind and Mr. Wambua included me in all the school events and activities. Suggestions: For volunteers be prepared to do a lot of visual and hands on activities if you teach primary school. The younger children are not yet fluent in English. They also are used to lots of memorization so games and activities are a new concept to them. Cards, books, and markers are all a novelty. Also be prepared to be flexible. Again time and scheduling are more relaxed than most westerners are used to. You will have a lot of free time. However, if you initiate activities, working with the children is the best way to learn Kikuyu. If I were to come again I would make the effort to not come as the schools were closing. Summary: I have really enjoyed my stay here. My schedule was a bit confusing but everyone was very accommodating and it all seemed to work out. The orientation, Language and Culture, and Job Placement fit me well. However, the host families are what made my experience so wonderful. I hope for every volunteer to have host families that are as kind and as giving as mine. Volunteers be prepared to be in shock and scared the first few days. Know that the kids greeting you and saying “muthungo” are just excited to see someone who looks different from them. You’ll get used to it. However, if you give them money they will all want some. Prepare to be open-minded and patient with the culture and the language barriers. Get involved in as much as possible and don’t miss out on any opportunities. If you are too shy you will not take full advantage of the program. I also suggest bringing an activity, a book, or a project. Kenyan culture is laid back and you will have free time during the day and won’t understand the conversations around you. If you are in a very rural setting you might have few chances to have a full on conversation in English. I was glad to have a good book. Despite the challenges I am leaving wishing that I could extend my stay. Two months is just enough time to begin to understand the Kenyan culture, but not enough to know it. Jennifer Pinkus, Colorado, USA. My experience in Kenya was wonderful and memorable. Bishop Paul Kamau at Mama Maria’s children’s Home hosted me. Everyone at the house went out of his or her way to make sure I was comfortable. The food was plenty and delicious. Although, at the beginning, it was hard to have them let you help out, as long as you stayed pro-active about finding something to do, you would keep busy. They also respected the times you wanted to be alone to relax. The children were great. They were so happy I was there to help and play with them. Even the ones that couldn’t understand English would find ways to interact with me. While the schools were still open, I taught at Ngecha Primary. The children were not only eager to learn from me, they were eager to teach me the local language and games they liked to play. The staff was very friendly everyone, children and adults, was very curious about my culture and me. It was great when I walked down the streets of Ngecha I would hear “Loretta”. I always had someone to talk with and made many friends. The program, Jubileeventures, did a great job in allowing me to experience two different sides of Kenya. My volunteer service in Ngecha allowed me the chance to see how people live. The safari option gave me the amazing chance to experience what the tourist side of Kenya and Tanzania had to offer. The only disappointment I had was not being informed that the schools closed for the whole month of April. Other than that, my experience was fulfilling and I would highly recommend anyone with a desire to do this sort of thing to check out Jubilee Ventures at www.jubileeventures.org. Loretta Nordhus, Kansas, USA. I arrived in Kenya on the 24th August 2005 and I can honestly say I have had the best four weeks of my life. I chose to do the Mega-Adventure program and so was able to visit the game parks, Amboseli, Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru in Kenya and Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara in Tanzania. I saw every kind of animal (including the elusive leopard!) and I have some wonderful photographs to share with my family and friends in Scotland. I have met some amazing people along my Safari but none more amazing than my host family. They accepted me as their daughter and looked after me so much better than I could have imagined. The placement at Nyamweru Secondary School got off to an interesting start, with the students laughing at me because they couldn’t understand my accent! Alls well that ends well though and I did very much enjoy the classes that I taught. The weekend before I left, my ‘host dad’ organized for me to visit the Bomas of Kenya so I could watch some traditional dancing, this was extremely good fun and something I could recommend to anyone. I am writing this report on my last day with my family and I feel truly heartbroken that I have to leave. I will miss everyone so much; especially my local mum and I hope that I have the opportunity to visit again soon. I would just like to end by giving a special thanks to Beth and Joel who also made me feel so welcome in their home. I will miss you all more than you can imagine! Harveen
Dhariwal Dear Beth, I wanted to thank you and your family- Joel and Mary for your hospitality. I had a wonderful time in your home. I also wanted to share the wonderful experience that I had in Kenya and Tanzania with all of those who are thinking of joining one of your programs. I joined the HIV/AIDS prevention/awareness project in Kimende, Kenya for about three weeks. This was part of the Mega-Adventure Program, which included 10 days of safaris in Kenya and Tanzania. I signed up for a total of five weeks. I was based at Kimende - a small farming town at the start of the beautiful Rift Valley Province. The first week all volunteers plus those interested in the community, attend a Seminar on HIV/Aids in order to be trained to teach others on the subject. Unfortunately I arrived two days late for the training but I was able to catch up with the notes of other volunteers. The teachers were very nice and informed, however, they had a hard time talking about contraception such as condoms. Kimende is a very community where people do not believe in condom usage, which was a real challenge for me. The second week of the program the whole training class went to the Voluntary Counseling & Testing Center (VCT) to meet with the counselor and get tested. It was certainly helpful to know and understand the process in order to be able to explain it to others in the community. We continued our week with some home visits. I would usually go with a group of local volunteers that had attended the seminar with me. They would present us to the people in the community (before I would start speaking) and would also serve as translators and help answer questions. They were wonderful people that I will never forget. Going around from home to home was very nice. We had the opportunity to see a lot of the town and the surrounding farming areas and to learn about the Kikuyu culture and how people live. We mostly spoke to women during the first days. It was hard to see the men as they were never around during the day. This was a bit frustrating for me, as I wanted to reach all types of audiences, especially young men. The third week I went on my safaris to Kenya and then Tanzania. I saw more animals that I could have ever wished for; even black rhinos and leopards. Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru in Kenya were just amazing! And the parks in Tanzania had beautiful scenery (and lots of animals too). I just loved being in every single place that I visited in both countries. I never felt unsafe at any moment. I continued with the HIV/Aids project after the safaris. The last two weeks I had the opportunity to go to the shopping areas in Kimende and in the surrounding communities where we found big groups of young men. People were usually very receptive and interested in learning about the virus and Aids. Sometimes we would stay with a group for over an hour just answering questions and distributing condoms (usually to the men only). I always felt like I had helped someone after each session, or at least I hope I did. I also visited a school of students from ages 14 to 20 where the other volunteer and I presented the information together. I was very sad to leave Kenya, I even tried to change my ticket at the end hoping to work in an orphanage but it wasn’t possible with the airlines. I would do the program again, it was a very good experience overall. Catalina Muñoz Mejia, USA I participated in the Mini-Adventure program offered by Jubilee. The time I have spent in Kenya has created some of the most valuable memories and opened the door to some of the most amazing experiences in my life. I enjoyed almost every aspect of the program immensely. Spending four days at Grace Orphanage, Kayole, provided me with an amazing opportunity to learn about the lives of the Kenyan children and to form some bonds with kids who I will always remember. I loved my time there so much that I wish I might have been able to do more there. The safari experience was absolutely amazing – our driver, our group size and the way your schedule was laid out daily all made the trip amazing! While communication with Jubilee staff members and program participants might have been more thorough and consistent, everyone with whom we interacted was extremely welcoming and friendly and any problems and questions we encountered were taken care of. What made perhaps the most positive impact on our trip was our placement with the Wanderi’s family. From the moment we felt under their care, they made every effort to welcome us into their lives and to make us feel at home. Their desire for our experience, have to be safe and enjoyable made all the difference as they consistently went far out of their way to ensure that our trip went smoothly and to share their culture and city with us. When I go home, I take with me some of my life’s most treasured memories, and I would not trade my experiences in Kenya for anything. Alexanne
Madisson I can’t begin to explain the impact this experience has made on me. The past two weeks have been absolutely wonderful. When my trip began I was uneasy about the whole thing, but form the time I met my host family “the Wanderi’s” I knew everything was going to be great. I cannot stress enough the generosity ad sincerity this family blessed us with. Form the very beginning of my stay I felt like I was a part of their family and I was instantly comfortable. They went above and beyond any expectations I had. They helped me to understand their culture and were very open to mine as well. Anybody coming to stay with them would be extremely fortunate and blessed. My time at the orphanage is something I will remember forever and made this while trip very special. Just being around those kids and their warm hearts and big smiles puts a smile on my face and they will always have a place in my heart. I only with the organization of the program would have allowed more time there. Being that working at the orphanage was the main focus I was only able to go four days out of the two weeks. I feel like I could have done so much more if it was organized better. My trip ended with a safari, and that too was amazing. The four day and three night adventure was more fund and exciting than I could have ever imagined. The accommodations and tour group was top notch. I didn’t really know what to expect going into the trip and I was continuously surprised by different things to see. We say so many different animals and they were so close to us- it was a pure thrill. When planning my trip I thought two weeks would be long time, but now that I have gone through this whole experience I only wish I would have stayed longer. This is something I will always remember and I know I will always have a family here in Kenya. Thank you so much for this wonderful journey. Courtney
Scott I have had a great time here in Kenya. Everything has gone extremely well. I appreciated the freedom we were given to go into the city which really helped the trip become more memorable. Beckie has been very kind, helpful and friendly. When I was unable to reach my driver on the first morning, she came to the hotel personally to make sure that I got to my host family safely. My host family (Susan) has been like as second family. They always have a smile and are willing to do anything for those staying with them. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip and I hope to be back soon. Joel
Warsh Host family – Lovely! Susan and John were very welcoming into their home. The food was very good and we were taken car of very well, with a god balance of privacy and time together. I will miss staying together very much! Project – Working at the orphanage has been so much more than I expected it to be. As well as helping the children, I have learned from them, I will try very hard to come back and do this project again as it has been an invaluable experience! Safari – Mombasa was beautiful! The train ride was so good because you could sleep comfortably so the time passed very quickly. Maasai market was hectic but exciting. I bought many gifts for my family and friends and recommend it to anyone wishing to shop near Nairobi. Staff – The staff were very friendly and helpful, anytime you wished to speak to them or ask questions. I look forward to come back soon. Jessica
Napier This experience has been a life changing one for me. Our host Family greeted us after a sleepless and nervous night with the warmth and friendliness which became characteristic of them for the duration of our stay. The rooms they gave us were more than adequate, the food was great and their 7 years old son provided plenty of entertainment! The orphanage where we were placed was absolutely astonishing. For me, someone with very little religious faith, the strength of the children’s belief seemed to keep them going, which I found incredibly powerful. I got a lot out of teaching the children form the little ones learning the alphabet to the older kids’ French lessons and it made me appreciate what I have so much as well as putting a lot of things into perspective for me. The organizers of the project were friendly and reassuring and though things got a little chaotic at times, due to a change of staff and my last-minute application, I was always looked after well by them. Though I only signed up for the basic volunteer program, which solely involved working at the orphanage, I still managed to tag along to some of the ‘language and culture groups’ lessons and activities. Thus, I benefited from learning a bit of Swahili and visiting the Maasai Market a perfect place to buy gifts and souvenirs to take home, close to Nairobi center and where one can truly experience haggling in Kenya. I also took a weekend trip to Mombasa, South Kenya, with some other volunteers. We had an affordable but luxurious weekend, swimming in the Indian Ocean and sunbathe on the whitest sands. Overall the experience has been unbelievable, and I feel that I have made an impact on the orphans’ lives and have given them same some of the love to which hey have been so deprived. The friendliness of the other volunteers and the feeling of working in a team made my trip a five star one and my one regret is that I have to leave after only two and a half weeks here. I look forward to a return trip as soon as I manage to fund it! Katie
Gerbert This trip has been amazing. If I knew it was this great I would have signed up for longer. I definitely would kike to come back one day. Everything has been great. The clinic is such a great learning place. Everybody there wants to teach you especially Rose Mary. They want you to do everything. They are so nice. They don’t just treat you like a student they also want to learn form us as well. My host family was great. They are so nice and so friendly. I thought I was going to loose weight on this trip but I might have even gained a few ponds. My host family stuffed me with so much food and I loved the food everything was great. I also liked the company of another volunteer in the house. I felt very safe and I didn’t miss home too much. The town was great as well. Everybody in Kimende is friendly, they always say ‘hie’ and are so eager to meet new people. I have learned so much from this trip and have met so many people and made so many friends. The jungle safari trip was amazing as well. I saw so many animals and I loved the campsite and the people there. I really hope I can come back one day and I will recommend this program to people back at home. Thank you for everything! Sincerely
Clara
Yu. Monica was a wonderful host. She made us fell very welcome during our stay and comfortable in her home. She was always more than willing to assist us and really looked out for our safety. We were located to Tigoni Hospital which turned to be great! The staff was kind and welcoming, wiling to share their knowledge with us and involve us in patient care. We highly recommend this placement for future volunteers! The food was very good. It was nice trying different African dishes and learning how to make them when we return home. Jane (the house girl) is an excellent cook! Our Kenyan safari was outstanding! We had an excellent driver and cook, were able to see lots of animals and the beautiful countryside. With the exception of the money issue with the safari company it was the perfect trip! Our Tanzania safari was also very good. The food, accommodation and driver were all excellent and the game parks were beautiful. However we were under the impression that we would be able to visit Kilimanjaro so we were disappointed when this safari did not include a drive to that area. We have had an excellent time here in Kenya. During our short stay here we have been able to see a lot of this beautiful country and meet some wonderful people. The assistance provided during the planning for our trip was very helpful and the continued support during our stay made the trip go smoothly. We are also happy to have an opportunity (arranged by Monica) to visit an orphanage. We thank everyone for their assistance during our stay here. We will miss you all! Asante sana! Alison
Bromelkamp &
Jennifer Krapfl My stay in Kenya has been a very educational experience. This program gives you the opportunity to live in a community where you can make a positive impact through a variety of projects offered. The host family I stayed with were very accommodating, friendly ad treat you as family. Beth, Joel and Mary have been exceptional hosts and I thank them very much. I also think the staff does an outstanding job of working with volunteers to meet their needs. I can’t thank Becky and Beth enough for going out of their way to help resolve some personal issues that I encountered. They really care about our feelings and satisfactions. The mega-adventure was excellent! The tour was well organized with no major problems. By the tour’s end I could not think of anything else more that I would have wanted to see. My biggest criticism is the fact that the website did not make clear about the schools closing in August for holiday, so the volunteers for teaching could better plan their time of stay here. I would have shortened my stay by two weeks had I known. All in all this has been a very positive experience for me and I would highly recommend Jubilee Ventures to anyone seeking International Volunteer work. Brad
Stick, Dear Beth, I wanted to thank you and your family- Joel and Mary for your hospitality. I had a wonderful time in your home. I also wanted to share the wonderful experience that I had in Kenya and Tanzania with all of those who are thinking of joining one of your programs. I joined the HIV/AIDS prevention/awareness project in Kimende, Kenya for about three weeks. This was part of the Mega-Adventure Program, which included 10 days of safaris in Kenya and Tanzania. I signed up for a total of five weeks. I was based at Kimende - a small farming town at the start of the beautiful Rift Valley Province. The first week all volunteers plus those interested in the community, attend a Seminar on HIV/Aids in order to be trained to teach others on the subject. Unfortunately I arrived two days late for the training but I was able to catch up with the notes of other volunteers. The teachers were very nice and informed, however, they had a hard time talking about contraception such as condoms. Kimende is a very community where people do not believe in condom usage, which was a real challenge for me. The second week of the program the whole training class went to the Voluntary Counseling & Testing Center (VCT) to meet with the counselor and get tested. It was certainly helpful to know and understand the process in order to be able to explain it to others in the community. We continued our week with some home visits. I would usually go with a group of local volunteers that had attended the seminar with me. They would present us to the people in the community (before I would start speaking) and would also serve as translators and help answer questions. They were wonderful people that I will never forget. Going around from home to home was very nice. We had the opportunity to see a lot of the town and the surrounding farming areas and to learn about the Kikuyu culture and how people live. We mostly spoke to women during the first days. It was hard to see the men as they were never around during the day. This was a bit frustrating for me, as I wanted to reach all types of audiences, especially young men. The third week I went on my safaris to Kenya and then Tanzania. I saw more animals that I could have ever wished for; even black rhinos and leopards. Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru in Kenya were just amazing! And the parks in Tanzania had beautiful scenery (and lots of animals too). I just loved being in every single place that I visited in both countries. I never felt unsafe at any moment. I continued with the HIV/Aids project after the safaris. The last two weeks I had the opportunity to go to the shopping areas in Kimende and in the surrounding communities where we found big groups of young men. People were usually very receptive and interested in learning about the virus and Aids. Sometimes we would stay with a group for over an hour just answering questions and distributing condoms (usually to the men only). I always felt like I had helped someone after each session, or at least I hope I did. I also visited a school of students from ages 14 to 20 where the other volunteer and I presented the information together. I was very sad to leave Kenya, I even tried to change my ticket at the end hoping to work in an orphanage but it wasn’t possible with the airlines. I would do the program again, it was a very good experience overall. Catalina Muñoz Mejia, USA The Zanzibar HIV Project I chose this volunteer programme organised by ‘Jubilee Ventures’, based on the opportunities and potential unique experiences offered. Not only did they provide the opportunity to work and learn about the issues of HIV/AIDS and drug abuse in Africa, but they also place you with a local host African family who also offer the opportunity for you to learn some of the basics of the Swahili language which I quickly learned was very important. By the end of my programme, I certainly was not left disappointed!! The Host family My host family was extremely friendly and welcoming, instantly insisting that I was one the family. I was completely exposed to their traditional African culture and very much encouraged to join in. This included learning some of the Swahili language, which not only helped me to communicate with my new African family but also helped me to communicate with the friendly local Zanzibarians. I felt that living with an African family during my programme perfectly complimented the unique experience in being able to learn first hand regarding a completely different culture. Furthermore, I felt completely supported throughout the whole experience which I feel is important for International volunteers. Zanzibar Island Prior to starting work, I was given the opportunity to see and learn about the fascinating ‘spice island’ of Zanzibar. This included, among other excursions, snorkelling trips on a traditional dhow sailing boat, learning about the infamous spices on the island and meeting at close encounter, the rare Red Colobus Monkey, resident in the only natural forest left on the island. These excursions were really enjoyable and interesting, allowing me to see the different parts of the island of Zanzibar. My Volunteer Experience I quickly settled into the working routine at the HIV/AIDS and drug abuse centre thanks to the very friendly staff there making me feel welcome. The staff were very adaptable in accommodating to my areas of interest as well as encouraging me to participate in all parts of the service offered at the centre. I was able to observe the staff in providing an invaluable face to face counselling service as well as a toll free helpline service where staff answered questions from the public. In accordance with my medical background, I was able to obtain hands-on experience under the supervision of a laboratory technician in testing locals for the HIV virus. In working with the staff, it soon became evident of how well this non-governmental organisation works despite working with such limited resources. Particularly limited, was the HIV testing equipment, allowing staff to test only 7 people per day. As a result I worked closely with management staff to produce a report highlighting the problem and requesting sponsorship to purchase more testing equipment in a bid to gain control over the devastating virus that has encroached on the lives of many African people. I was also able to participate in educating secondary school students and discussing the comparisons of the problems of HIV/AIDS and drug abuse in Europe and Africa. Furthermore, I encouraged them to be advocates of educating their local communities. The organisation that runs the centre also offer an array of services such as community outreach programmes where I was able to observe how they effectively give presentations to leaders of rural communities regarding the issues of HIV/AIDS and drug abuse. Furthermore, I visited organization’s Agricultural Project, which recruits unemployed youths to give them training in agriculture and livestock farming as well as teaching them the life skills associated with maintaining such a job. My reflections I can quite honestly say that there is no way I would have experienced even half the things I did whilst in Zanzibar had I merely been travelling through. Yet I met so many different people, saw so many different living environments, I was exposed to a completely different culture and had the opportunity to work in the traditional African way! It’s difficult to put in words the unique experience I have gained, therefore I can only encourage future volunteers to bring their knowledge and skills to the project and they will not be disappointed with the experience they will receive in return. Finally, I’d like to say a big thank you very much to my host family, all Jubilee staff and the staff of the Zanzibar organization for giving me an amazing experience I’ll never forget. Lindsay Sanderson, Scotland Zanzibar Teaching Project My airport pickup was great. Omary, the country coordinator was extremely helpful. Throughout my stay, Omary and I got along very well and I got to trust him completely. He was excellent in responding to any issues that I raised. He was helpful, thoughtful and prompt. If there was anything of interest to me I would seek his advice first and he would always give me directions on how to handle it. Although I thought I would be teaching more, I got to teach half a day then spend half a day with the orphans which was great. The placement more than met my expectations. Although most staff at the school were not sure how to relate to me at the beginning, I had a good time working with them. The host provided a homely and friendly environment me. The food here is a lot greasier to what I am used to but otherwise it was good. Sophia Case, Australia Back To The Top |
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