Program Description
Volunteer Role
Placement Sites, Housing, Food
Length of Program
Cost of Program
Requirements
Program Description
Beginning in July 2008, World Teach will send seven volunteers to serve as teaching assistants for grades 1-7 in the Nyumbani Village, a community three hours from Nairobi specially built for children orphaned by AIDS. Volunteers will primarily help teach English, but may assist with math, science, Life Skills and other subjects. Volunteers will also assist at an orphanage located in the Village for HIV-positive children where they will be a mentor, role model and friend for these children who have suffered so much.
In addition to teaching, volunteers are encouraged to lead extracurricular activities such as reading clubs, arts and crafts, or coach a sports team.
All of the WorldTeach volunteers will live together in a guest house that is located in the village. All food and meals will be provided by the Village. Volunteers will receive a monthly stipend where they can choose to buy their own food if they wish.
Volunteer Role
Volunteers will begin their service in July 2008 with a 2 week long orientation. During orientation, you will spend time working at a sister orphanage in Nairobi and also in the Village where you will have classes in teacher training, language skills, cultural adaptation, health and safety, local history, as well as WorldTeach policies and procedures.
Once orientation concludes, your year of service will begin. Each volunteer will be assigned a grade level, and they will be working with the Primary teacher for the rest of the school year which ends in December. You will then have a long holiday from December through January where volunteers can choose to travel or stay in the Village. The new school year will commence the following February and volunteers will “move to the next grade” with their students, so volunteers will then assist in grades 2 – 8. Your year of service will finish in July 2009.
Placement Sites, Housing, Food
Nyumbani Village is placed in Kitui, which is about 3 hours east of Nairobi. All volunteers will live together in a furnished guest house provided by Nyumbani Village. There is electricity and water pumps in the village but not in the guest house. 
All food and meals will be provided to the volunteers by the Village. The Village's food source is based primarily on agriculture so there are plenty of vegetables and chickens. Volunteers will be able to help with the communal farming and grow their own food if they wish!
Volunteers will also receive a living allowance of approximately US$125 per month which they can use on food or other basic living necessities.
Length of Program
The program will last one year, starting in mid-July 2008 and running until June 2009, with a long break from December to January. Although the Kenyan school calendar is from January through December, this program was specifically designed to accommodate the North American school calendar which is friendlier to a July departure date.
Cost of Program
The current program cost is US$5,990. The fee is high because Nyumbani Village is not able to contribute financially towards the cost of hosting the volunteers (other than providing housing and meals throughout the year). All of your program costs will come from this volunteer participation fee which includes pre-departure information and preparation, roundtrip international airfare from a US gateway city (e.g. New York City or Washington DC), one month in country orientation, and health insurance throughout the year.
Requirements
WorldTeach year-long programs are open to qualified individuals over the age of 18 who will have bachelor's degree by the start of service and are looking for a meaningful volunteer teaching experience. English language fluency is required. Prior teaching experience is helpful but not required. Interest in Kenya, Africa, teaching and international development is a plus.
Successful volunteers should be mature and resourceful, and exhibit commitment to public service and community participation. It is important that volunteers be flexible and open-minded, and capable of adapting to new situations. Leadership experience is an advantage. A positive attitude, even in frustrating or difficult circumstances is vital considering this will be the first year of the program!
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To be placed on our official Kenya Program Interest list, please write to info@worldteach.org.
