Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I need a visa to get into Kenya?
- How is the accommodation situation?
- What should I bring for wearing?
- What about food?
- How will I change my money?
- Do I have to worry about health?
- How will I communicate?
- How will I get around?
- Do I have to worry about security?
- How will I shop?
Accommodation: As for this moment, we are not able to give free accommodation to our guests. Considering the fact that hotels and guesthouses can be expensive for volunteers especially those wanting to stay for longer periods, we work on a program where we place our volunteers in a home stay where they live with a local family. We usually give that family money from your fee for both food and board (That is if you are staying to work in an orphanage). For those people coming to attend a short mission trip, you do not need to stay in a home. Different mission trips have different needs and so, please contact us and we will give you the details for a particular trip. It is exciting to stay with a family; that-way, you will learn the Kenyan-way-of-life and get to interact very well.
Clothing and Culture: Casual dressing is OK here in Kenya. It is however considered polite if you put on clothes that do not expose too much of your body, and especially for ladies. You can bring a couple of official clothes for church (if you are a church person) and other such-kind meetings. Official does not mean that they have to be suits and stuff like that. Kenya is generally a warm country and so you do not need to bring very warm clothes. Jeans and T-shirts will be ideal. Be ready to get dirty!
Food: Kenya has diversity of cultures and the food is usually ok. Regardless of the culture your host is from, they will be sure to give you a good Kenyan treat. I am sure that they would be excited to taste some of your food too! Kenyans eat three meals in a day. There is breakfast taken in the morning, then lunch, which is served at about 1 PM and then dinner/supper served at 7 or 8 in the evening. If you have special eating needs, kindly feel free to let us know ahead of time so that we can make arrangement for you. However, we need to stress the point that you should not expect to eat as you normally do at home. We will do our best to see that you are well taken care of, but also as a volunteer, there is need to be flexible.(:
Money: The Kenyan currency is the Shilling. 1 US dollar is the equivalent of approximately 70 Kenya Shillings. There are exchange bureaus where you will change your money. It is safer to carry traveler’s checks than cash. You can change traveler’s checks into our local currency at our banks. We will guide you on this. You can also carry a debit or a credit card for ATM transactions.
Health: It is expected that participants have their own health insurance. As an organization, we are not able to cater for your health needs. However before you come to Africa, it is important that you get shots for prevention against Malaria, Hepatitis and Typhoid. Also, please carry with you some preventive agents like mosquito repellents and nets plus drugs for little problems like headaches and stomach-aches. In case you fall sick and need doctor’s attention, we will take you to the hospital. We have good and reputable hospitals around where you can be treated.
Communication: Many parts of the country have a good communication infrastructure. You will be able to easily send and receive emails, call internationally and have access to a post office. You can also use a mobile phone. You will be guided on this.
Transport: The easiest way to travel in Kenya is to use a “Matatu”. These are public transport vans that carry up to 13 passengers. There are buses also but buses only go to certain places. If you need to travel to other towns, there are intercity buses and trains as well. You will have someone to accompany you if you need to travel to a market or a mall. You need not worry about loosing your way.
Security: Kenya is a safe country. It is among the few countries in Africa that has not had civil war. We have tourist police officers whose work is to take care of you the visitor. There has however been a few incidences where one has been mugged or pick-pocketed down –town and stuff like that. You are cautioned to make sure that you have your valuables kept well somewhere you can feel them especially when you are in crowded places. We will also provide you with someone to take you around.
Shopping: There are very good grocery stores around where you can shop. You will be able to get everything that you need from toiletries to drinks to sanitary and other things you may need. If you want to eat out sometimes, there are very good restaurants around and all these will be shown to you during orientation.
