🏢 About the local organisation
Jenga Village Volunteers is a registered non-governmental, community-based organization. Jenga means ‘build' and it aims at community development due to the increase in poverty and illiteracy among the youths in the village as a result of disadvantage due to their economic, social, and cultural background. We work to help the community to realize and take action on what is important to them.
Since the Community shares the same challenges, we inform them that community development relies on interaction between people and joint action, rather than individual activity. We believe the communities we belong to play an important part in our personal well-being. It is the source and root of many creative ideas, solutions, wealth, and power, as well as the problems that arise often because of inequality in people's environment, resources, and opportunities.
The organization has a main aim of improving peoples' lives in the community especially the vulnerable as well as linking the community with other players in order to address the challenges faced by the local community. The mission of this organization is concerned with the well-being of orphans and vulnerable children, mistreated women, widows, widowers, men, women, people with disabilities, and youths who are disadvantaged due to their economic, social, and cultural backgrounds. The area faces various challenges, but many of them can be prevented at the village level. As the community becomes more and more developed, people will be exposed to less health, poverty, and illiteracy risks and enjoy a higher standard of living and, therefore higher quality of life.
💼 What the programme involves
• Farm work which involves weeding, digging, and planting of maize, beans and vegetables
• Exchange programs with the community members through home and village visits
• Jiggers treatment and sensitization awareness within the community
• Engaging in sports activities as well as playing with the children
• Preparing and engaging in brick-making for various youths so that they can sell and earn a living and support their families
• Organizing life skill sessions in schools with the children in order to nurture them and live positive life while avoiding drug abuse and engaging in bad groups
• Planting trees and taking part in the conservation of the environment
• Arranging and sorting out of books in the library
🏠 Accommodation on site
Accommodation will be in a house closer to this workcamp and it is important that you have your own sleeping mat and a sleeping bag. During the workcamp, volunteers will get food from locally available foodstuffs and will share the responsibility of preparing the food. Drinking water is available but it is advisable to either boil or medicate the water before consuming. Alternatively mineral drinking water can also be purchased from the nearby shops.
📍 About the location
In this workcamp, volunteers will have a chance to do evening nature walks, home visits, cultural meetings and games. During weekends, volunteers can visit Lake Victoria, and to view the equator line sign. Volunteers will also have the opportunity for early morning visit to Kakamega Rainforest, hike on the forest hill and witness a sunrise from the forest hill. Leisure activities' costs are not included in the participation fee
