Help Children in Kenya with the International Humanity Foundation

The International Humanity Foundation is looking for volunteers to serve at our orphanage and education centre in Nakuru, Kenya, and be friends and teachers to our children. By bringing together disadvantaged children of Kenya and volunteers from across the world, there is a learning opportunity for both. As both sides discover more about each other, their lives and their cultures and teach their others what they learned in this exchange, we hope to create a world of greater understanding and compassion. Our centre in Kenya also has a close relationship with the Pokot tribe in the eastern-central part of the nation and goes on regular famine feeds to support it.

Work

IHF needs people with all skills. No matter your experience, whether a student or retired professional, IHF needs you. At the centre, volunteers divide their time between playing with and teaching the children and working on international tasks. The centre host English, computer and math classes, and the children often seek tutoring for their homework, all tasks which volunteers take part in.

All volunteers participate on one or more of our international task teams such as university relations, photography and child watch. To qualify to serve at a centre, volunteers must complete eight hours of work on one of the teams, and they continue to participate on the team once at the centre. In the rare case where you lack the ability to complete these hours but possess certain trade skills in agriculture, construction or others needed at one of our centres, you may be exempt from these pre-trip hours. If this is the case, be sure to immediately get in contact with the centre director to discuss your situation and possible alternative tasks.

Positions

IHF offers a variety of positions at the centres depending on the interests and abilities of the volunteers. At-centre volunteers can either be short- or long-term. Short-term volunteers work at our centre for at least a month but no longer than a year and are expected to pay USD $50 a week for room and board. Long-term volunteers serve at least a year and are paid a monthly living stipend beginning at USD $120 and increasing to USD $160 after three months of training. If you are not interested in working with an international task team but still interested in staying at our centre and teaching the children, you may pay USD $200 a week to forgo this requirement. Volunteers are also welcome to serve just from home by joining one of the international teams.

Cost: IHF is committed to offering an affordable service experience. There is no application fee. Short-term volunteers must pay USD $50 a week for room and board, both very simple and basic. Volunteers not interested in online work but still want to work at a center must pay USD $200 a week. Further expenses including airfare, travel insurance and visas must be covered by your own finances.
Volunteer Type: Building schools, community development, childcare/children, culture, curriculum planning, disability issues, economic development education, English teaching, health, health care, health education, homelessness, hospital, housing, human rights, literacy, marketing, medicine, nutrition, orphans, popular education, primary education, street kids, teaching, women, water, writing, youth, youth development, academic reinforcement, AIDS/HIV, appropriate technology

Typical Volunteer: Our volunteers have a passion for immersion in foreign cultures, an openness to new experiences and flexible approach to work. At our centres they will work with local staff and directly with the local population in conditions very different from the Western world. Special projects constantly arise from moving food during famine feeds to monitoring children during breaks. Our volunteers have a lot of say in what they do as long as it is approved by the director and follows the mission of IHF.

Available To Participants: World wide

Typical Living Arrangement: Group living

Participants Travel: Independently

Typically Participants Work: Independently or in groups, depending on site

Application Requires: Resume, written application

Qualifications: Volunteers with IHF must speak English fluently and have a great attitude. They must also be mature, responsible, team players, fast learners, flexible and interested in global change through education and service.

Most importantly, our volunteers must have an open heart and a willingness to help others and make a difference!

Mission Statement:

IHF focuses on educating and feeding children who come from the most marginalized and disadvantaged backgrounds. IHF has set up orphanages in Kenya, Indonesia and Thailand. We seek to provide a way for children to get an education that they desperately desire and are not able to receive. By educating and teaching these children that they are significant and competent, we also teach them that everyone has a voice that matters. IHF promotes self-sufficiency in the communities we work in, primarily focusing on the education, nutrition, and care of children. IHF encourages understanding and caring between people of all nations and religions in order to better prepare the leaders of future generations. We believe that by promoting communication and understanding between students from the poorest of the poor and students in America, we will all be better educated by this exchange. We desire for every student in the United States to have communication with students abroad who are different both culturally and socioeconomically, in order for all students to be educated about the world they live in.

Please visit www.ihfonline.org or send us an email at volunteering@ihfonline.org if you want to learn more or have questions about volunteering with IHF.