Gap Year Programs
Kobe Kenya facilitates the travel and itinerary arrangements for guests wishing to volunteer or spend a gap year in Kenya. We connect you to organisations and schools that would be happy to let you into their space, to teach you, and learn from you. This is an opportunity to learn about a new culture and share your, understand the working environment in a different country, and learn about teamwork and independence, initiative, and timekeeping. The organisations make an impact in our community in various ways and have been working in their fields for years.
There will always be someone supervising you when you are volunteering. The placements will almost always be in the Nakuru County region, about a 2.5-hour drive from Nairobi (Kenya's Capital). Nakuru is known as a tourist destination and arts hub that boasts gorgeous sites and scenery. It is also a more affordable town to live in and easier to move around in as it is smaller than Nairobi. You can choose to apply as an individual or from your school/university. Applications are usually arranged such that there will be other volunteers on their placement at the same time as you.
Frequently Asked Questions
This covers support throughout the duration of the program, online communication including Skype meetings, pick up at the airport, all transport during the duration of the program, accommodation, and food. This does not cover pocket money, flights, insurance, the visa, or any independent travel.
We want you to make an impact and learn based on what you have studied so far, your skills and what you are passionate about. Kobe Kenya provides six sections for you to choose from:
- Teaching
- Child Care
- Special Needs
- Arts
- Sports Education
- Eco-Friendly Programs
You will choose from two (or possibly three) of the sections above, for example, Arts and Teaching. These sections are subject to change as they also depend on the schedules of the schools and partners involved.
Maintaining the health and safety of our volunteers and staff is our highest priority. We have assessed our accommodation and communities on their access to medical facilities, sanitation, and clean water. St. Mary’s Hospital is located five minutes away from Eagles Point Camp, Lake Elementaita, and 24 hours security is assured within the accommodation premises. All of the volunteer cottages have hot water showers and there is drinking water available in the main restaurant.
There will always be someone nearby on the Kobe Kenya team who can translate important information. However, a majority of Kenyans can speak English so you should not have too much trouble. Volunteers are not required to understand or speak Swahili, however, we would encourage you to try learning the language.
Only volunteers of legal age are allowed to consume alcohol within appropriate times. We do expect that you will drink responsibly. Volunteers may not under any circumstances purchase, use, or have in their possession drugs considered illegal by Kenyan law. Any volunteers that violate the rules or cause distress for the people themselves, or potential harm to themselves, will be given a warning. Following this warning, they may be dismissed from the program if no changes are applied to their behavior.
You can apply directly from our website or contact us. We will provide you with further information and an application form to fill. Once we have received a complete application form from you, we will arrange a Skype/online phone call to go over the important details of the trip. Kindly note that you will pay a deposit fee of GBP 1500 / USD 2000 before you arrive in Kenya.
Yes, any person of any age is eligible to apply for this program. However, we largely work with gap year students that have just finished high school.
Yes, we can. Contact us so that we can design a custom package for you. Kindly note that the maximum number of people on the team will need to be 10.
Once you have completed the application process, we will send you a list of items we would advise you to carry with you.
Kobe Kenya and Eagles Point Camp will take into account any dietary requirements of our volunteers and prepare a menu in line with that. Include this information in your application to ensure this is catered for. However, sometimes in the community where you will be working or teaching, people may offer volunteers a meal. We encourage volunteers to at least try some of the food offered as a sign of gratitude.
Colleges and Universities encourage students taking out some time to travel and pursue a special project or activity. It is also great for your resume and can provide you with great work experience. Read about Harvard’s views on the same here.
Feel free to contact us. We will be happy to help!
