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The Huruma Childrens' Home invites the involvement from anyone wanting to share their time or expertise with these children. We appreciate the help whether it is for a long period of time, or just for a few weeks. No prior experience from similar work is required, but it is of course an advantage if you have worked with children, worked or lived in Kenya/Africa or possess any particular skills that may be of need here. Areas to consider giving your time include child-care, teaching, medical, administration, fundraising, building/carpentry, and many more. Arrangements can be made to suit your availability. Normally we provide food and a simple accommodation in or near the home for a small fee. Please contact us and let us know that you are interested in coming to work with us and we will get back to you with more information. We can also provide some e-mail addresses to former/current volunteers in the home so that you can learn about their experiences in the home. Please note that Huruma Childrens' Home reserves the right to determine the suitability of volunteers. A typical day of volunteering at Huruma consists of: wake up at 7:45am, classes begin at 8:45am, tea is at 10:30am, classes resume at 11:00am until 1:00pm, lunch is served until 2:00pm when classes resume again, classes let out at 4:00pm, the children have chores until 4:45pm, the children are free to play until 6:00pm when prayers start, dinner is served at 7:00pm, then the children are free again for homework, chores, and playing until 10:00pm when the lights are turned out. Volunteers are locked into the guesthouse begining at night fall (around 7pm), but may travel quickly between the guesthouse and children dormitories quickly. The female volunteers reside in a guesthouse around 50 meters away from the dormitories. There are two bedrooms which can sleep 4 people per bedroom, a furnished living room, a small kitchen with a refridgerator, microwave, and stove, and a bathroom with a western toilet and a hot water shower. Laundry is hand washed and hung on the balcony to dry or you can use a washing machine and a clothes drier. Male volunteers and couples stay a short 3min walk away from the home with a family that is friends with the home. $15 US a day covers staying at the guesthouse, tea, lunch (almost always rice or ughali, beans, and cabbage - ocassionally chipoti or fruit), and dinner (same as lunch). Most volunteers spend around $10 US more per week buying other food and snacks at the nearest town (a bus ride away) to help vary the food eaten. The water is safe to drink; all the volunteers have drank the water without any medical problems. Sheets and blankets are provided, but it would be wise to bring your own pillow and a sleeping bag (especially if going on safari). You can check email and use the internet in Ngong (the nearest town) for 1 shilling per minute ($1 US = Ksh 70). If you plan on being in a classroom, female volunteers must wear long skirts and trousers are perferred for males. During June, July, and August you should bring a couple sweatshirts and warmer pants because it is colder. Female volunteers should not wear shorts above their knees. You should bring flip-flops as well as tennis shoes (or sports sandals). Though the Nairobi area is not at Malaria-risk, past volunteers have contracted Malaria so it is advised to take medication. You can purchase Doxycycline without a prescription here in Africa for $4 US for a month's supply. Most doctors reccommend having shots for Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Hep A, Hep B, Meningitis, and Tetanus. On the weekends volunteers can travel on Safari (which can be arranged through the home for $195 US (must be paid in US dollars)), visit Mombasa or Nairobi, or stay and play with the children since this is the most free-time they get. The average time spent at Huruma by a volunteer is 2 months; however, many people stay as short as 2 weeks or as long as a year. When working as a volunteer, sometimes you may want to leave the home and see some other parts of Nairobi or Kenya. Maybe you receive visitors, or maybe you just want to go on your own or with some friends. Here are some of the things that you should consider: - Nairobi National Park: a nice park where you can see most of the wildlife (no elephants though) and a very good place to see rhinos. The park is close to the city centre and not far from Huruma, so you can go for a day-trip. Also recommended is the animal orphanage just at the entrance to the park.
- Karen Blixen Museum: the old colonial house where the Danish writer lived in the beginning of last century. She wrote the book "Out of Africa". This is also the location where the film of that book was shot.
- Cinema: Both the Sarit Center and Village market has good cinemas with relatively new movies. Sarit Center is closest to Huruma, and can be reached by bus in about 30 mins.
- Restaurants: There are numerous great restaurants in Nairobi. Try the Carnivore once.
- Golf: There are several golf-courses in Nairobi.
- Diving: if you are into diving, visit the Nairobi Sailing and Sub-Aqua Club (near Nairobi dam). You can also take BSAC diving courses there and/or join them for one of their diving-trips to the coast.
- Shopping: Sarit Centre, Village Market, Yaya Centre and ABC-Place are recommended places. In Village Market you can also go for bowling or mini-golf.
- You can of course also visit other orphanages, churches, museums and parks. Also, try to see some of the slums.
- National parks: Maasai Mara, Tsavo, Amboseli, Aberdares, Nakuru, Samburu, Meru etc. They are all nice.
- Mount Kenya: You can climb Mt. Kenya (Pt. Lenana) in 4-6 days. The climb is best in the dry seasons.
- The coast. Swimming, diving, relaxing and eating. Lamu is recommended for its charm, beauty and originality.
- Rafting on Tana River.
If interested in volunteering at the home download this volunteer form and fill in required fields and email to us.__>>>  (right click icon using mouse and choose 'save as')
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