Project Description

Join us in a Children’s Home in Kenya where all of the children have special needs. Volunteering here you will gain amazing life experiences where you will be helping to feed the children, change the children and sometimes even cook for them. There is also time for playing with the children and having fun with them. You will be working along side local staff and assisting them in many ways. You might even get to feed the cows! The children’s home is located in a remote area but not far from a city centre if you wanted to go into the city. You will be staying in a volunteer house with other volunteers, making many memories and lasting friendships.

About Children’s Homes in Kenya:

Some the children’s homes have over 100 children living in them, this can be due to neglect, poverty and abandonment. If the parents find themselves in a situation where they can no longer care for their child they will then do what they feel is best for their child and place them a children’s home.  Special Needs Children in Kenya are just starting to be recognized as human beings now, but if you had a child that was born with a disability you were exiled from your family if you didn’t give your child up and put them in a children’s home. This is their culture and we cannot ever try to change it, that needs to come from within the country itself.

Another reason as to why they have such a high number of children is education, school is not free in Kenya, they must pay school fees, buy uniforms and so on, if the family is unable to do this then the child will not attend school.  Some parents want their child to attend to school so they will place them in a children’s home, that has a school in its compound and their child will receive an education.  It is the ultimate sacrifice for any parent to make.  They are not all orphans, but they still require the same care and love that an orphan child does.  

Because ALL Children Matter is partnered with 3 children’s homes, all of them are legally registered and have been vetted by our Board of Directors.  One of the three homes is for special needs children only, there are currently 48 children living with various disabilities and can really use your help.

Qualifications:

  • We do ask that you have some experience with special needs children
  • Be prepared to commit to volunteering for a minimum of 4 weeks
  • Be able to work alone, or with little supervision
  • Be self motivated and goal orientated

Impact

Children with special needs contribute significantly to the number of orphans in Kenya. Attention given by volunteers to children with special needs offer love and security that is not always met on a daily basis.

Our Goal

Our goal for our special needs children’s home program is to be able help these children and give them hope and knowledge that they are loved.  The staff working in this home are very over worked and could use your help, cooking, cleaning, feeding the children and moving the children out and about of the home.

Highlights

  • Safari in Kenya, visit the beautiful beaches of Mombasa and feed some Giraffes
  • Learn to speak Swahili from the children you are helping
  • Have fun while spending time with these children
  • Gain valuable experience volunteering with these children

My favorite part of volunteering was spending time with the special needs’ children. In one home we helped prepare food and fed those whom needed assistance. We danced with children who were blind, children who were confined to wheelchairs.

~ Ginger Price

  • AN IDEA OF WHAT TO EXPECT
  • A volunteers work day on this project will generally last between 4 and 6 hours and while we ask all volunteers to be flexible in this regard, a typical daily schedule is likely to go something like this:
  • 7:00 – 7:30am Breakfast at the volunteer house
  • 7:30 – 8:00am Walk or bus to your project site
  • 9:00am VOLUNTEERING DUTIES START
  • A tea break and lunch break will be fitted in during the day, but often the timing of breaks will change based on the needs of the local staff and number of volunteers on hand.
  • 3:00pm VOLUNTEERING DUTIES END
  • 3:30pm Walk or bus back to the accommodation
  • Evenings Volunteers are free to explore the local area, check out the markets and shopping or just hangout.