Study
and Service Programs in Kenya Amid the Crisis
Kenya, one of the top destinations for volunteer, study, and adventure travel
abroad in Africa, is experiencing a crisis that has deeply affected
many of these programs. GoAbroad.com contacted Kenya-based programs
to get their thoughts on the crisis in Kenya, how it affects their programs,
and their advice for future participants.
IFRE:
Once we got the news of Kenya, our in-country coordinator
met all volunteers in different projects and gave different options
for volunteers: stay in project and continue to monitor the situation,
move to Tanzania within one week and stay in an IFRE hostel or host family
for one week, or cancel the remainder of the program and return home
early to the USA. We advised participants to avoid dangerous areas,
stay alert, report to the in-country coordinator, and phone their
parents back home. We have also been calling Kenya almost every day and talking
to our volunteers. Kenya is a great destination. Unfortunately, situation
is not peaceful now. So, we suggest all volunteers to consider Tanzania program
and other safe destinations like South Africa, Ghana, Uganda and
Botswana.
– Murali Adhikari,
Director (Jan. 10, 2008)
Cultural Embrace:
Safety and health are our biggest concern for our participants
abroad, so we have put a ‘hold’ on all programs going to Kenya.
We actually had a volunteer participant that was supposed to depart
for Kenya on January 5th, and although our local partner said that the village
that the orphanage is located is not affected, we have postponed her placement… We
have an English-speaking local coordinator/partner in Kenya, who
is the point of contact if there are any questions or concerns in country… Our
local coordinator and project’s staff are available 24/7 for questions
and emergencies, as well as our team in the Austin office… If students
are considering Kenya in the future, I hope they will truly embrace
the culture, and keep an open mind to discover the similarities and share
the differences. However, opening your mind and heart also requires you to
keep your head up and eyes wide in order to use good judgment about conversation
topics, attitude, and awareness of your surroundings.
– Emlyn Lee, Director (Jan. 9, 2008)
Global Crossroad:
We did not cancel the program but
we talk with all participants in the field. We clearly gave 3
options to nearly 30 volunteers presently working in field: go to neighbouring
Uganda and Tanzania (or even to Mombasha), cancel program and get refund,
or stay in Kenya (with risk). Nearly 40% of our volunteers moved to Tanzania
and Kenya. Nearly 20% returned home. And 40% decided to stay in field. Nearly
50 volunteers are planning to travel with Global Crossroad. We
are giving them the above three options. Our Dallas office and local offices
are in constant touch with volunteers who are presently working in field.
We have also invited volunteers to our Nairobi office and give some safety
suggestions. Kenya is a great country to volunteer and travel. Unfortunately,
present situation develops risk to volunteers. Therefore,
we suggest volunteers to consider other peaceful destinations in Africa.
We believe Tanzania and Uganda offers the best alternative destinations… You
can experience the same kind of culture, landscaping, wildlife, Masai
people, and safari even in Tanzania and Uganda.
– Krishna Paudel, Owner (Jan.
10, 2008)
Global Volunteer Network:
We are in daily communication
with our Kenya partner staff and representatives who are able
to give us on-the-ground reports of what is occurring in Kenya. Based on
this as well as world media reports and volunteer feedback, we have decided
to keep the program operating as usual… Volunteer safety is a high
priority for GVN and our Kenya partner and we will close the program if safety
is comprised… Our partner is in touch with each
placement location and emergency communication is available by mobile phone… GVN
also provides a 24 hour helpline to our volunteers… When considering volunteering
in Kenya, you should monitor the media and governmental advice and where possible
ask trusted locals for information about new safety or security risks. GVN
provides our volunteers with a free Travel Alert service where volunteers
can receive all news updates and safety advisories leading up to
their trip… Do not travel alone within Kenya and keep program staff
and your embassy aware of your movements within the country.
– Charisse Gebhart, Programs Manager
(Jan. 10, 2008)
i-to-i:
We had a large number of travelers due to travel to
Kenya on the 5th and 19th of January all of whom we have
either delayed or transferred to other destinations such as Tanzania,
Uganda and South Africa if they wanted to. We are continually assessing
the situation for our travelers who are booked to go to Kenya for dates
after the 19th Jan and will make decisions
to postpone or not as we move forwards after consultation with our local teams
reviewing the advice of government agencies… We run an in depth orientation
when our volunteers arrive in country and have local teams in each of
the locations that we send our volunteers to… On top of this we have a 24/7
emergency line manned by staff in our UK operations team… During the elections
we did have volunteers in country and our local teams ensured that all stayed
safe in our ‘safe’ houses and that they had sufficient food /
water etc… The worst thing we could do is to ignore Kenya for the future – this
would only compound the challenges that people face and reduce our understanding
of the vibrant communities that exist in all it’s towns and cities.
The key advice is listen to local advice, follow simple safety advice
(such as not going out alone late at night etc) and avoid large political
gatherings.
– Bruce
Haxton, Operations Director (Jan. 9, 2008)
Earthwatch Institute
At this time, we are in daily contact with our Kenyan staff and all are
safe and well. We are not canceling all expeditions planned for Kenya across
the board, but making decisions on a team by team basis… In the case
of Kenya the greatest risks during normal times are crime in Nairobi and road
safety. We recommend a very secure hotel in Nairobi outside of the city centre
for arriving volunteers, and advise them not to travel alone in Nairobi but
to go with a guide recommended by the hotel. To ensure safety on the roads,
our vehicles travel in groups, and always carry a mobile phone. There are
some areas of the country and some routes that we avoid, and in some cases
we fly volunteers to the research site rather than driving. We contract with
a risk management consultancy who advises us on political or natural developments… Potential
travelers should check the websites of the US State Department or UK Foreign
and Commonwealth Office for their recommendations on the viability of travel
to Kenya, and think carefully about their personal comfort level with the
cultural and logistical conditions in the country and their own physical and
mental capabilities.
– Laurie Belton, Director of Field Management (Jan. 11, 2008)
Int'l Internship & Volunteer Network:
We have not cancelled our programs, but we do strongly
encourage participants interested in traveling to Kenya
of the crisis situation and the current events. Our
participants are met at the airport by our International
Program Director/Partner. They are escorted to a safe location for
an arrival orientation and provided with detailed information
on safety/security in the country, in addition to other important
and relevant factors. Participants are strongly encouraged
to not travel alone, not trust those they do not know and
ensure they are aware of their surroundings at all times.
In addition, each participant receives a "Participant
Handbook" prior
to departure and links to the Consulate Reports so that they may
keep informed about the most current situation. Kenya is a magnificent
country with great opportunity. I would advise future participants
not to avoid Kenya indefinitely, but rather to be aware and
selective about the timing of their visit.
– Michelle Anderson, President (Jan. 11,
2008)
Volunteering Solutions:
As of now all Kenya applications are directed to
Ghana or Tanzania. To ensure the safety of our participants, we were
in constant touch with our staff and volunteers and made them stay
inside. The volunteers present in Kenya were sent back home early. Our advice
to students/participants considering Kenya in the future is to make sure
they are aware of the situation, read news, research online and take care
of all precautions we tell them to for their safety. The report from our
last volunteer who left 2 days ago from Kenya, said that the things are getting
back to normal pretty quickly, so we hope it should be all normal hopefully
soon.
– Anurag, Program
Manager (Jan. 10, 2008)
Global Vision International:
Our programs have been temporarily suspended until July 2008, however
we are still supporting our partners in Kenya through the GVI Charitable Trust.
Kenya is a wonderful country to visit and we are sure will return to a peaceful
state whereby travel is safe and secure again soon.
– Andy Woods-Ballard, Director of Operations (Jan. 13, 2007)
Yomps:
We only have one trip that ends in Kenya (Johannesburg to Nairobi
Overland Tour). For this we are offering the clients to finish on
the last day at Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania instead of crossing over the
border to Kenya.
– Antony Wilson, Director (Jan. 8, 2008)
Youth International:
Youth International programs are suspended in Kenya
at this time. We are quite conservative in terms of not sending our
teams to countries that are politically unstable.
– Brad Gillings, Director
(Jan. 10, 2008)
IVDN Africa:
We havent cancelled programs but I am just updating our
website at the moment. There is no crisis in Kenya as the international
media has put it. I have students here at the moment on the program.
To ensure the safety of our participants, we meet all our students
at the airport and and take them to their respective project bases
without any trouble… There is nobody attacking students or tourists.
Kenya is and will still remain the best destination.
– Joshua Onyango,
Program Director (Jan. 12, 2008)
MondoChallenge:
We are not sending volunteers to Kenya for the foreseeable future. We
have no volunteers in Kenya at present and those volunteers flying via Nairobi
enroute to Tanzania are being rescheduled via Kilimanjaro or Dar es Salaam.
Our advice to those considering Kenya in the future is to look at programmes
in Tanzania. It's a great country with no political issues and with all the
beautiful location and safari options that Kenya offers. The need for volunteers
is greater as the country is poorer than Kenya. MondoChallenge operates in
6 locations throughout northern Tanzania.
– Anthony Lunch, Managing Director (Jan. 12, 2008)
International Volunteer HQ:
The Kenya program in Nairobi has not been cancelled
and volunteers are still on it (their choice). We advised upcoming
volunteers not to start their placements and have given them options:
transfers to other programs, refunds on program fees, and postponement.
The same options are available with our Maasai program (2 hours away from
Nairobi), however our current volunteers on this program are extremely happy
and safe. We receive regular updates from program coordinators, current volunteers,
local body politicians, local host families of various tribal ethnicities and
expatriate New Zealanders in Kenya. If you are considering traveling to Kenya
at present, get current volunteers' view on things as it will be very
similar to what you will be experiencing. Exercise prudence when making your
decision of whether to go or not. We are hopeful of a solution and a
return to normality in Kenya by early February.
– Daniel Radcliffe, Executive
Director (Jan. 10, 2008)
United Planet:
We have been in direct communication with our volunteers
currently in-country and their families. Our NGO partners in Kenya
are checking-in regularly with each volunteer, advising and updating
them on what precautions to take to stay safe. We have not yet canceled our
programs in Kenya but have delayed a group of volunteers who were scheduled
to arrive there on Jan 3. They are now tentatively scheduled to arrive Feb
2 if the situation has improved. Kenya is typically a stable and safe country
and tourists and visitors have not been targets of the current violence. Anyone
considering going to Kenya should gain as much information as possible from
people and organizations currently in Kenya and other official sources before
planning a volunteer or tourist trip.
– Donnie Baker, Marketing & Communications
Director (Jan. 12, 2008)
InterExchange:
InterExchange’s Working Abroad program has stopped
arranging Volunteer in Kenya placements until further notice. Over the
next few months, we will meet with our local partners in Kenya to evaluate
the situation and determine when placements can safely begin again. Our
Volunteer in Kenya partner has lived in the country for over 10 years and
has always worked hard to ensure the safety of participants. We recommend
that all of our participants purchase travel insurance when arranging their
flights so that travel can be rebooked should the need ever arise. We
are also offering our volunteer participants the option to change their Volunteer
in Kenya program to other wildlife or social volunteer options in Namibia,
South Africa, India, Australia, Peru or Costa Rica.
– Damon Mastandrea,
Marketing Director (Jan. 10, 2008)
Emory University - CIPA:
Our program provider in Kenya has decided to run
the program with a delayed start. If the current travel warning advises
US citizens to defer travels to Kenya and/or leave it, we will cancel
our students’ participation
immediately. An interesting fact is that the British travel warning “advises
against all but essential travel to Kenya"; CIPA takes this much harsher
warning very seriously. Students are advised to carefully listen to in-country
advice, closely adhere to all regulations, to stay away from any protests
or gatherings and be aware of the programs emergency situation rules. Even
if there is no change of travel warning, any study abroad program in Kenya
will be influenced by the unstable situation: violence may flare up again;
once the universities start operating again, protests may happen; the supply
situation may stay difficult and restricted movement/travel will complicate
cultural immersion. All of these aspects should be taken into consideration
when planning study abroad. (Update: Emory’s student scheduled to study
abroad in Kenya has decided to withdraw.)
– Cornelia Lindenau, Assistant
Director for International Outreach Programs. (Jan. 11, 2008)
Experiential Learning International:
We have suspended our programs and
are watching the situation closely. We had four volunteers there, and
were able to get them out of the country without difficulty. Our
coordinator, who is Kenyan, keeps a close eye on the political situation. We
discourage participants from going out to clubs at night, and especially to
refrain from drinking. Participants should register with the Embassy and follow
the instructions from our on site coordinator. She knows the country
and is best suited to assess the dangers.
– Kevin O’Neill, CEO
(Jan. 10, 2008)
SIT Study Abroad:
Our programs aren't scheduled to arrive in country until
early February. We have not currently canceled our programs in Kenya,
but are assessing the situation on a daily basis, with strong input
from our locally based staff. We have contingency plans in place
that will ensure that students will complete a full semester's worth
of credit with SIT… We are
constantly assessing the safety of our programs, as student safety
is our No. 1 priority. Our staff on the ground is our most valuable resource,
although we also monitor government advisories (both US and EU),
as well as local, regional and international media coverage. We have
detailed emergency response plans in place for all of our programs,
and will move students to a more secure location if necessary… We will
continue to run programs in Kenya as long as we feel that the situation
is safe enough to warrant it.
– James Bernard, Vice President, Marketing
and Communications (Jan. 9, 2008)
Worldteach:
WorldTeach is carefully following the current political
situation in Kenya, and a member of our Board of Directors is on
the ground in Nairobi at this very moment. The safety of our volunteers is of
course of utmost priority to our organization, and as further assessments
of the present unrest become available, we will continue to update our website. In
addition, we have already notified and will continue to stay
in close touch with all prospective WorldTeach Kenya volunteers.
– Dahm Choi, Director
of Admissions and Recrutiing (Jan. 9, 2008)
University of Minnesota:
Based on the University's own assessment and advice
from the U.S. Department of State, the University of Minnesota has
decided to continue the Minnesota Studies in International Development
program in Kenya, although the spring semester start date will be postponed
by one week. Students
who choose not to go to Kenya this spring will have the option to withdraw
from the program, change to a different program, or defer their enrollment
to fall 2008 or spring 2009 without penalty. The University’s Learning
Abroad Center works extensively with students to prepare them for
their experience abroad, and we have full confidence in the program
and our on-site staff. Learning Abroad Center staff in Minnesota and Kenya
will continually monitor the situation to ensure the safety and security of
our students and respond accordingly if any adjustments need to be made.
– (Jan. 11, 2008)
Volunteers for Peace:
Our partner organizations in Kenya have not cancelled
their projects. We are in contact with them on a daily basis and
have had many updates on the situation. We have contacted all volunteers
currently in Kenya or scheduled to go to Kenya. We made sure they are aware
of the situation there. We encouraged the in-country volunteers to
contact the US Embassy and the Nairobi offices of our partner organizations.
None of them have reported any problems. We have had one scheduled volunteer
cancel, but she said it was for personal reasons. We advise to read as much
as possible about the current situation and make up their own minds. We encourage
potential volunteers to Kenya to review the statements regarding Kenya on
the website of the US State Department/Consular Information Sheets. We encouraged
them to contact us with any questions about conditions at the projects.
– Amy
Bannon, Director (Jan. 10, 2008)
Global Citizens Network:
We are keeping in constant contact with our host
communities in Kenya (3 of them). Fortunately everyone is still fine
(alive), yet suffering limited access to food. Our next scheduled
trip is for July 2008. We (and the host community) anticipate that
many of the post-election issues/crisis will be resolved by then.
In the meantime we are in constant communication and solidarity with our partners
in Kenya. Our next schedule program is July 2008 and has not been
canceled yet. We are constantly in communication with our three host communities
to evaluate the situation and safety, as well as tuned into the State Department's
official warnings. (We advice future participants to) stay tuned
to how the post-election process plays out. There is hope that much of the
violence will be resolved by summer.
– Linda
Stuart, Executive Director (Jan. 10, 2008)
African Impact and
Pathfinders:
We did not cancel our programs in Kenya.
We are constantly communicating with all our partners who are geographically
spread across the country and monitoring the situation on a daily
basis. Vehicles are always available in case they are needed. Our
advice to participants considering Kenya in the future is to stay in touch
with your tour operator. Independent
travel is not advisable at this time – use an operator who knows Kenya.
– Rob
Graham, Manager (Jan. 9, 2008)
InspireKenya:
We have only cancelled our Nairobi based placements as
precaution for the time being. We will review again in 2 weeks time. Volunteers
have been offered either alternative locations or have been able
to put back their placements to a later date at no extra cost… Our volunteers
can have company with local couriers when moving around although we ask them
to consult the local staff before making travel plans. All of our accommodation
is in wealthy suburbs with full security as we don't put volunteers
in hostels or shared houses as standard where many other firms do… I
would advise all potential visitors to take specific advice about the
area they wish to visit and check home office travel advice before
making a decision to travel.
– Mathew Muckle, Manager (Jan. 9, 2008)
Village Volunteers:
We have suspended our international volunteer program
in Kenya until we have assurance that it is safe to travel to Kenya.
We update all of our volunteer applicants every Friday to give them
the most recent information. Village Volunteers only had eight volunteers
in Kenya on December 27th, the day violence broke out. Our village
programs were not directly affected however the major cities were in turmoil.
Our program directors and in-country coordinator took all precautions and
assured all volunteers of their safety with calm and competence. Village Volunteers
in the US was in constant contact with the village program directors, in-
country coordinators, families, and the country embassies of the three nationalities
of our volunteers.
– Shana
Greene, Executive Director (Jan. 10, 2008)
Knowledge Exchange Institute:
We postponed the program by one week. However, after carefully assessing
the situation and consulting with the host university, our onsite director,
security agencies and government officials, we decided to run the program.
Students were given the option to withdraw with a full refund. Regarding safety… All students are registered with the US Embassy in Nairobi, go through an
in-depth orientation, including a safety briefing from the Consulate, have
comprehensive medical and travel insurance (part of the program) that includes
emergency evacuation, and provided with cell phones for the duration of the
program. In addition, we review and update our emergency response plan on
a regular basis and work closely with the host university and local partners
to enhance safety on and off campus.
– Eduard Mandell, President (Jan. 10, 2008)
Volunteer Adventures:
Our partners have temporarily suspended their programs in Kenya and we
have informed our potential volunteers of the situation. We did have one person
who arrived literally the day this crisis started, and our travel advisors
were in constant communication with him and we got him moved to a project
in another African location. Kenya has traditionally been one of the most
stable, peaceful, prosperous, and culturally-rich nations in Africa – and
very popular with students, volunteers, and tens of thousands of tourists
annually. The current situation in Kenya is very unfortunate, but we expect
it to be resolved soon, and in the near future Kenya will again be a top destination
for students, volunteers, and tourists.
– Robert Wurmstedt, Senior Advisor (Jan. 11, 2008)
Concordia International Volunteers:
We are not sending any volunteer to
Kenya at the moment and we currently have no volunteer there. Our
partner is revising its program and still has to send us an updated
assessment of the situation. However they guaranteed the safety of all the
volunteers present in their projects.
– Francesco Bonini, Program Coordinator (Jan. 15,
2008)
Fadhili Helpers:
Many of the volunteers that we were expecting this month have either postponed
their start date, or have altogether cancelled their volunteering. While that
is the case, many volunteers feel that the situation is getting better and
they are willing to come down in the month of February… During this
time, we do not allow our volunteers to go anywhere without being accompanied
by an official from our office. The volunteers that were here during the riots
were advised to stay indoors and not travel anywhere until things cooled down.
The volunteers that were working in affected areas like Kibera slums have
been moved to safer places. We have also always kept a 24 hr emergency phone
line. At present we are still happy to keep receiving volunteers and we are
happy with the safety of the areas where volunteers are working and living.
We can assure you that the safety of our volunteers is not compromised at
all… Things are coming back to normal and there is no cause for alarm.
– James Njuguna, National Coordinator (Jan. 11, 2008)
Volunteer International Community Development Africa:
Kenya program is still
on and we have volunteers who are in Kenya right now and the other
group will be arriving next week… Compared to how big Kenya is only
2% of Kenya area was affected by the violence. The rest of Kenya
has been very safe… Everything
even in the city center is back to normal and everyone is back at
work. The measures we take for our participants in our program is
to place them in places that are not affected by the violence at
all. The advice I can give to students who want to volunteer in future is
that the kind of problem we had is being solved and we hope we won't go back
to crisis again.
– Irene
Wairimu Ngatia, Executive Director (Jan. 9, 2008)
Kenya, Tanzania and Egypt Tours:
We have cancelled our Kenya programs for
the time until April this year. We advise students/participants who
are in or traveling to Kenya to avoid the regions affected i.e. Rift
Valley, and opt for places like Mount Kenya Regions, which has not
been affected. We also advice them to buy enough personal things they might
need because we have short supply of some products and also to stay in the
hotel after 6:00pm and not to go out alone but in groups. For students considering
Kenya in the future, wait until the situation is back to normal and
do a little research before coming.
– Jacqueline Mwathe, Sales and Marketing Director (Jan. 10,
2008)
A Broader View Volunteers:
We have postponed all volunteer placements in
Kenya until after February 15th, 2008. For those volunteers scheduled
to depart for Kenya in January we have successfully made alternative
arrangements for then in other locations such as Ghana, Uganda and India.
We are monitoring the situation in Kenya day and night from news sources as
well as through our project director in Nairobi and Mombasa, as well as other
contacts in Kenya. Our project directors are in daily contact with
our volunteers as they personally oversee the volunteer projects… Volunteers
are accompanied to the airport on their departure via private vehicle and
are advised not to travel alone, or in the evening… We advise possible
participants to monitor the state department website for travel advisories,
look into purchasing travel insurance which includes cancellation (and medical)
and consider waiting at least another month before making any decisions.
– Oliver Ehlers,
Volunteer Director (Jan. 10, 2008)
Bright Future Foundation:
Our program is on-going and year-round, therefore
it never gets cancelled. Only individual volunteer's projects will be
cancelled or postponed, depending on extenuating circumstances. That
said, only two volunteers' project was postponed. They were scheduled
to travel to Kenya on January 1st, but have since been advised to postpone
their trip… For those volunteer(s) who are currently in Kenya, their
safety is monitored by the program coordinators on the ground in Kenya… the
host families are obligated to protect and uphold the highest security and
safety for all volunteers… Volunteers should remain in contact with
the Volunteer Coordinators for specific program cancellations and/or
postponements.
– Sonya Atkinson & Chris Hanna, Volunteer Coordinators (Jan. 9, 2008)
KIACOB:
We have not canceled the activities here, we still have
American and Canadian students volunteering in our project and I
can assure you that there is no problem for foreign students, there is
problem only among the local communities here and things seem to get better
by time.
– Joseph Thuku, Founder (Jan. 9, 2008)
Malaika Ecotourism:
We haven’t canceled our 2 programmes, which are
to take place in July and August. Our both camps are located in a
countryside place which hasn’t been affected by the conflicts… We’re
in close contact with the local government authorities before placing
our volunteers there and we have direct phone lines of the police/adminstaration
offices… We would recommend potential participants to contact former
volunteers who participated in workcamps in Kenya to share about
their experience before they consider their trip, but they should
also be open-minded so that people’s advices would not prevent them
from learning from their own workcamp.
– Justo Mitieng Ngonga (Jan. 12, 2008)
Pamoja International Voluntary Services:
No we haven't canceled our programs… calm
has restored now in most towns and major cities in Kenya, we believe
by February everything will be back in normal.
We have suspended several programs where the violence
was eminent or high and in most cases we work closely with our local authority
where we have held discussion with them and told us its safe to have volunteers
in specific locations, in addition we register our volunteers with respective
embassies just in case a situation like this arises. Well I can tell
them that Kenya is a safe country and we have enjoyed political stability since
independence and this situation is only temporary but i can assure
them by February that everything will be back to normal.
– Erick Muchangi, Programs
Coordinator (Jan. 10, 2008)
BTCV:
At the moment we don't have any projects due to run in
Kenya until May, so as it stands nothing has been cancelled. We will
continue to watch the situation closely and follow advice from FCO
and from our local contacts as to whether the projects will go ahead as the
safety of participants is our priority.
– Claire Swift, External Communications Assistant Manager (Jan. 9,
2008)
Come Kuona:
Yes, we have cancelled our program in Kenya for a period
of 6 months. We will reopen in June, hoping that things will get
back to normal by then. As we have cancelled our program, we do not
have any participant/volunteer at the moment. But if I had any advice
for any traveler who is in Kenya now is that they should listen to
the news on the radio as much as they can, read the newspaper and
talk to the locals about the situation in towns they wish to travel or Kenya
in general… About
students/travelers considering Kenya in the future- As a Kenyan
myself am very optimistic things will get back to normal or peaceful soon… I
will ask them to wait for about 6 months to gauge how things
will be. At the moment things are just in the air.
– Mahmud
Jeneby, Director (Jan. 10, 2008)
Gapkenya:
The January departures we have delayed till the end of
the month to allow time to see what happens but the situation on
the ground is much quieter and the people will now need help more
than ever… Volunteers'
safety is of paramount importance we do not have any out there at
present but when they do return we have contingency plans in place
and have taken all necessary measures. Many of the project areas
where well away from the trouble hotspots and have not been affected. If anyone
is considering a placement to Kenya then I would wait a little longer to see
what happens with the negotiations if they are thinking of going out in February
but for anyone considering the Summer or Autumn then I would advise
that they provisionally book… the everyday people will now need assistance
more than ever before so it will be vital that people keep volunteering and
offering assistance.
- Sarah Chapman (Jan.
10, 2008)
Fight for the Children:
At this time, we are not sending any volunteers to our clinic in Kenya.
We are watching to see what happens with the resolution of the election and
for things to settle down before we will even consider sending anyone there.
Fortunately, the clinical officer at the clinic is a local Kenyan and can
run the clinic with the help of a local nurse. We will restart volunteer service
when the tensions in Kenya settle down and we are continuing to send volunteers
to our other sites.
– Kathryn
Morgan, Executive Director (Jan. 10, 2008)
Inter-Cultural Youth Exchange:
I was due to send a volunteer out to
Kenya last Sunday but that placement has now been postponed until
early February. We will then assess the situation again at this time
as we are staying in contact with ICYE Kenya who is constantly keeping
us up to date about what is happening and whether it is safe for
us to send volunteers to the country. We are also staying in contact
with our current volunteer in Kenya who assures us that she is safe and well… ICYE
Kenya have given her advice about what to do / where to go / where
not to go etc and I believe that ICYE Kenya are staying in contact with other
ICYE volunteers from around the world as well as the UK volunteer. Furthermore,
our International Office (based in Berlin) is studying the situation
closely and will not allow volunteers to travel if it is not safe
to do so. I would advice volunteers traveling to Kenya to keep an
eye on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and to follow the advice
offered on the website.
– Jenny Williams, Sending
Coordinator (Jan. 9, 2008)
The School for Field Studies:
Due to continuing instability in Kenya, we
have decided to conduct our spring 2008 semester in Tanzania. We have secured
a great facilility in a rural location so the program will be very similar
to our regular program at the SFS Kilimanjaro Bush Camp.
– Bill Frederick,
Director of Safety and Risk Management Services (Jan. 12, 2008)
Lighthouse International Ministries:
We haven't cancelled our Programs to
Kenya. We have liaised with the Provincial Administration leaders
to give us security personnel who take care and escort our visitors
to and from Volunteer zones. We encourage visitors to take accomodation in
the safer rural areas among our Christian members. Our advice for those considering
Kenya in the future is to look for organizations that can accommodate
them in the rural areas and contribute a little cost to the hire and pay
of the security personnel. Kenya is the best country in Africa for the fauna
and flora and is at a very strategic position where you can easily travel,
enjoy the culture, and wildlife. Let them not fear to visit Kenya.
– Noah Shikuku
Mapesa, Pastor (Jan, 12, 2008)
NICS - West Nairobi School:
We did not cancel our program in Kenya. Our
school is out of session for the Christmas break until 15 JAN 08… Since we do not have boarding facilities we are not responsible for the students
when school is out of session; therefore, the present unrest has
not affected our operations… Each of our schools is required to have
an Emergency Preparedness Plan to follow in case of political/civil unrest,
threats or natural disasters. Kenya has typically been one of the most stable
countries in Africa and we would expect that stability to return in the near
future. We would not recommend altering future plans to serve in Kenya based
on the present situation which is temporary.
– Trevor Maxwell, Principal, West Nairobi School (Jan. 11, 2008)
VAE Kenya:
We have not cancelled our programmes because we operate in a fairly small
area that has seen no problems at all. To ensure the safety of our participants,
we meet everyone personally from the airport, and should we anticipate any
problems in Nairobi itself, like through demonstrations or rallies, we would
skirt around the city. The main road to Gilgil (where we operate) is clear
and with no problems. Our advice to those considering Kenya in the future
would be to ask about the local area. It is not the whole of Kenya that is
affected. Carry on coming. The Kenyans are the most delightful, hospitable
people and the real problems have occurred in urban slums. We work in rural
areas, where a lot of the people are unaware of what is happening.
– Simon Harris, Director (Jan. 12, 2008)
Foundation for Sustainable Development:
We have suspended our programs in
Kenya until further notice. We evacuated our interns out of the country,
however, our staff remains in Kenya and the situation appears to
be improving. We would not recommend people traveling to Kenya until
things have stabilized and an agreement is made between parties that
satisfy the people of Kenya. This
may not happen for quite some time.
– Alex Michel, Outreach Director
(Jan. 10, 2008)
VIP Destinations Management
Services:
We canceled many Kenyan programs temporarily,
though we have some stability and things have started getting back
to normal… this
situation is not going to be permanent. Hence, many travelers stopped
coming and some went back to their homes temporarily. Though some who had
no means were taken care of by private organization… There are always
times to heal from such catastrophic kind of things. No one new why
they had to be in such situation, hence many students and participants understood.
– Fredrick
King Wara, Marketing Director (Jan. 9, 2008)
Choice Humanitarian:
We are continuing all programs in Kenya. We currently
don’t have any groups on the ground but our in-country staff is still
there and safe. According to them, there are pockets of unrest, but
the biggest issues are the lack of food, water and fuel. All participants
carry comprehensive travelers’ insurance which covers both travel changes,
medical issues and political unrest and they go through an orientation
meeting where we cover basic safety measures. For those considering
Kenya in the future, of all the countries in Africa, Kenya is one of the most
stable and comfortable. They are having a rough spot right now, which is actually
an indicator of how strong the people are and how much they value
their democracy. And so what you are seeing is them trying to take back their
country.
– Emily Franson,
Director of Community Outreach (Jan. 12, 2008)
African Rural Development Movement:
ARUDMO have to suspend traveling to
Kenya and even stop sending volunteers to Kenya. Things have to remain like
this until they resolve then problem there.
– David Atieku, President (Jan.
11, 2008)
World Corps:
We have not cancelled all but some of our programs as we are
still waiting to see the outcome of all this. The current volunteers
in the country are in the capital Nairobi which had riots but these were only
experienced in the slum areas. Any programs that were intended for the slum
area have been cancelled due to lack of proper security. As for the other
areas in the country we look into the security situation and decide whether
to send volunteers there or not. In terms of security we travel with the volunteers
to their designated placements and stay with them for 3 days to ensure they
are safe and taken care of also ensuring that the host family can take care
of the volunteers. The advice would be that Kenya is still considerably safe
for volunteer placements and caution is taken in areas that are not considered
safe. Foreigners are in no way in danger as the attacks are only
toward each other as Kenyans which sounds terrible but is the truth. There
is hope as talks between the leaders continue and we know all will be well
again.
– Serah Mucha (Jan. 11, 2008)
Volunteer Kenya:
We have cancelled our programs and arrivals in Kenya
until further notice. It is too dangerous for volunteers to be traveling
around Kenya doing the work we do (healthcare, AIDS education, etc.).
We advice future participants to wait until the situation improves and to
closely follow the news and understand the causes and effects of the conflict.
This will enable you to gain a better understanding of the country, its people,
and its situation before you arrive.
– Joe Manning, International
Coordination Staff (Jan. 12, 2008)
Youth Vocation Africa:
We have not canceled our programs in Kenya. To ensure
the safety of our participants, we are keeping ourselves up-to-date
with information regarding riots as they happen but we know areas where we
are sure there are no riots. We are looking forward to receive more volunteers,
there is still work they can do here but they should be prepared in case anything
happens but we will make sure their safety comes first priority in any of
our plans.
– Ken Kimtai, Volunteer (Jan. 14, 2008)
Mafanikio Community Based Organization:
We have cancelled our programmes for January and February following
the post election violence. We have been following closely the
developments on the ground pertaining to security. With that in mind,
we have asked our volunteers to wait for communication on the situation
on the ground before flying in the country. Currently, we don't have
volunteers on the ground. We are hoping that the crisis will be resolved soon. In
the meantime, we are working to assist the displaced people on the
slums.
– Diana Chipo, Coordinator (Jan. 14, 2008)
Codec:
We are in a fragile and delicate situation which seems to be getting
better. However for this week it might be rough but without disruptions
of normal business. We are expecting the volunteers that we have currently
booked in our programs adhere to our basic security measures in order to avoid
getting into volatile areas. The capital Nairobi is safe for visitors despite
the current situation.
– Edwin Irungu, Country Coordinator for Kenya (Jan.
14, 2008)
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