Vyongwani Dispensary
Next start date: Volunteers can join any time
Health & Medical Volunteer
If you want to make a difference and contribute to the wellbeing of a rural community by giving your time to offer professional health and medical services to a dispensary that has shortage of medical practitioners, this opportunity is suitable for you.
Highlights:
- Programs is open throughout the year and starts anytime
- Volunteer upkeep fees from $500
- Includes accommodation, meals, airport pick up, orientation and 24/7 support
- Run activities that help in health and medicine, learn and have fun
- Immerse yourself in the rich cultures and traditions of the local village
- Interact with patients in your day to day activities away from home
- Enjoy the ambiance of a beautiful environment close to the fine beaches
This program is Ideal for:
Volunteers who are interested in providing health and medical support to health institutions , You’ll be supported by the local teams at the institutions and placement staff this placement requires trained Nurses, Doctors and Paramedics.
What to expect and how you will make a difference
In this program you will work in a dispensary that serves a population of approximately 10,000 inhabitants of a rural community. while working here volunteers will interact with the staff of the facility and members of the community in their day to day activities at the facility. Volunteers will be placed within specific department at the health facility depending on volunteers area of specialization. The health centre provides the following services.
- General Outpatient services
- Immunization services
- HIV testing services
- Provision of antiretroviral drugs
- Family Planning Services
- Delivery & post delivery services
- Laboratory testing services
The aim of this project is for volunteers to provide their invaluable time and contribute through support to the efforts of the locals community in promoting good health.
Why you should take part in Vyongwani Dispensary Medical volunteer
When you volunteer in Vyogwani Dispensary in Kenya you’ll be adding value to the local community, global sustainable development while also developing personally and professionally by:
- Promoting health and wellbeing of the local population
- Helping local facility staff with additional skilled manpower to help with the staff shortages
- Working in this health facility will give you opportunity to experience work in different environment and setup
- You will have opportunity for home visits to experience cultures and exchange with the local community
- Discovering Kenya’s rich history and fascinating local attractions
Volunteer requirements
- Volunteers must be qualified Doctors, Nurses or Paramedics certified by the relevant authorities in their own countries, during application you will be required to submit documents of proof of qualifications and certification of practice.
- All volunteers are required to provide a criminal background check to Siriafrika Ecoventures prior to departure.
- All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance
- All volunteers should be able to communicate in English.
Location
Vyongwani Dispensary is located in Kwale County south Coast of Kenya the dispensary is 36.7 kilometers from the City of Mombasa. Its 502 kilometers from Nairobi City and 8kms from Kwale Town. One can get there by road from Nairobi and it takes approximately 9 hours drive or 5 hours by train, 1 hour flight to Ukunda/Mombasa followed by 40minutes drive to the dispensary. Some of the
Some of the major attractions close to the project include Shimba hills forests, Shimba hills national reserve, Diani beaches, Mwaluganje Elephants Sanctuary, Mombasa old town, Fort Jesus in Mombasa, Kisite mpunguti marine park etc.
This region is inhabited by the Mijikenda people with rich cultures and traditions also known for the origin of Swahili language and some of the best dishes of Kenya.
Arrival and orientation
Volunteers arrive in Moi International Airport in Mombasa. Upon arrival volunteers will be picked up from the airport by the project coordinator. Volunteers will then be transferred to their accommodation in Mombasa (Hotel or family accommodation) depending on time of arrival volunteers relax at leisure and spend the first night at the accommodation in Mombasa. On the second day following arrival day, volunteers will have orientation with option of Mombasa city tour (Haller park, Fort Jesus, Mombasa Old town etc.). Volunteers will thereafter travel by road to Vyogwani where they will be introduced to their home stay accommodation and relax at leisure. the next day volunteers will be introduced to the dispensary and start working.
Typical Volunteer Schedule
First Day
On your first day of volunteering, you will be escorted to your placement by a local coordinator and introduced to the placement staff you will be working with.
Weekdays
Work and break times are dependent on each project and placement. A typical volunteer day would be as follows
7:00 – 8:00 AM | Breakfast at Volunteers accommodation. |
8:00 – 12:00 Noon | Volunteers leave accommodation and head to the dispensary for work schedule |
2:00 – 5:00 PM | Work at the placement usually ends. Volunteers are free to relax, prepare for the next day or do some shopping and sightseeing. |
8:00 PM | Dinner at the homestay. |
Weekends
During the weekends, volunteers have spare time and usually relax or take the opportunity to explore other parts of Kwale county . Volunteers can visit Shimba hills game reserve, Mwaluganje Elephants sanctuary, Diani beach, etc.
Long weekends can be taken to travel further afield to destinations, such as Mombasa,, Tsavo East or West National parks, The Kaya forest etc
Accommodation
Volunteers are accommodated in a homestay with a local family. It is exciting to stay with a family, as this is an opportunity to learn the Kenyan way of life, meet local people, eat local food, speak the local language (Kiswahili & Digo) and engage in local customs and traditions. These families receive money from your program fee for support, food and boarding.
Living is basic, yet still comfortable, and most homestays have electricity. You can expect to share a room with other volunteers, however in some homestays volunteers have their own rooms. It is important to note that Kenyan homes have a shared living environment in which couches – are used for sitting and dining.
Bedding is provided, but it is recommended you bring your own towel and toiletries, as well as a sleeping bag if you wish to travel on the weekends.
Wi-Fi is not available in the majority of the homestays in the village. To keep connected, you can purchase a local SIM card with data for an unlocked mobile phone.
Meals
The wide range of Kenyan tribes, ethnicities and cultures are reflected in the diversity of the local cuisine. Volunteers are provided with three meals a day which are served at the accommodation and tend to be rich in carbohydrates.
Breakfast is served around 7am and generally consists of tea, porridge, toast, fruit and sometimes mahamri – African donuts. A typical lunch can include vegetables with rice, occasional meat and fruit and is served around 1pm. If you are not returning home from your placement for lunch, you will need to pack your own lunch in the morning. Dinner is usually served around 8pm and usually includes traditional food, such as ugali (a cornmeal), a vegetable dish, potatoes with peas and corn, meat, Fish and vegetables.
Tap water is not safe to drink without treatment or boiling , though bottled water is readily available. Volunteers typically drink about two liters per day, which adds up to cost around US$10 a week.
If you have any special dietary requirements, please make a note on your application so arrangements can be made. However, it is important that volunteers should not expect to eat as they normally do at home.
Pricing
Duration | Program FeeDue 30 days before you start, or within 48 hours if you register inside of 30 days. Covers the cost of hosting you. |
|---|---|
| 1 week | $280 Equivalent to $40/day |
| 2 weeks | $400 Equivalent to $29/day |
| 3 weeks | $520 Equivalent to $25/day |
| 4 weeks | $640 Equivalent to $23/day |
| 5 weeks | $760 Equivalent to $22/day |
| 6 weeks | $880 Equivalent to $21/day |
| 8 weeks | $1,120 Equivalent to $20/day |
| 10 weeks | $1,360 Equivalent to $19/day |
| 12 weeks | $1,600 Equivalent to $19/day |
What is included
- Accommodation
- Meals
- 24/7 in-country support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Airport pick-up
- Personalized preparation tools, guides and check lists
- Certificate of International Volunteering
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of $300 in addition to the Program Fee. This covers all pre-departure support services.
- A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.
- Additional things to budget for include: Visa, flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, public transport to and from your placement each day, criminal background check and return to the airport when your program finishes.
- Recommended spending money: Volunteers in Kenya generally find US$150-200 per week to be sufficient for expenses.
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