📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
GREENLION KENYA
💼 What the programme involves
During your time at this program, you will be working with small children (ages usually range from 3 to 5 years old) at local kindergartens spread around the Gatanga area and its surroundings. Each class at the kindergarten is quite packed, with an average of 30 children per classroom.
You will work together with local teachers and assist them while they manage their class. Moreover, you will be able to create your own activities such as drawing, coloring, games, etc. Your main aim should be to practice English with the children. Even though the language is widely taught in Kenya, the chance to practice it is important to continuously learn, which does not happen a lot in Kenya's rural areas and the chance to get the most out of speaking proper English is a skill that will prove invaluable for them later on in life.
The aims are to improve the English speaking and communication skills of the children and promote education since an early age.
🏠 Accommodation on site
You will be accommodated in our center. The accommodation is basic and you will be sharing a room with 4 to 8 people. Toilets and showers are shared. There is free wifi available at the accommodation. There are limited laundry facilities so from time to time, you might have to wash your clothes by hand. All participants are expected to be environmentally aware and use all resources with restraint, especially water, paper and electricity. You will also be expected to clean up after yourself and play your part in keeping the accommodation neat and organized. Food served will mainly be Kenyan food, which consists of meats, vegetables, potato, eggs, bread, pancakes (commonly known as 'chapatti') and fruits such as oranges, bananas and avocadoes. We provide three meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) on weekdays and two meals (brunch and dinner) during weekends.
📍 About the location
Gatanga Village will be your new home and will give you the chance to see authentic rural Kenya. Close by is Thika, an industrial town where you will be able to find anything you need. Nairobi is not too far either, and you can head there during the weekend for nights out or sightseeing. Likewise, there are many natural areas in close proximity to Gatanga, a simple example are Fourteen Falls, a set of waterfalls that will leave you awestruck. Thika town is located a thirty minute drive away from our center and is filled with supermarkets, shops, ATMs, local markets and good restaurants. There is local transport available such as bicycle and motorbike taxis, van taxis and buses. Vehicles come up to our project sites every hour and drop you off in Thika town. Moreover, the bus station in Thika is your launching spot into other parts of Kenya. There are many places for you to visit during your free time. For example, you can visit Fourteen Falls in Thika, go hiking in Kenya Mountain, visit Mombasa and enjoy the beach or head for a weekend of sightseeing in Nakuru or Nairobi, which are filled with national parks. Nairobi is also the nightlife hub of Kenya.
ℹ️ Additional information
Open all year, starting on Mondays, every week, participation fee 175€ per week. Culture week mandatory: 210€ to start the programme