KVDA is an indigenous, non-political and membership organization, which is non-sectarian and non-profit making, started in 1962 as a work camp organization registered under the Societies’ Act. In 1993, KVDA was registered as a Non-Governmental organization by the establishment of the NGOs Coordination Act.

Vision Statement of KVDA: KVDA envisions a more peaceful and connected world through voluntary international service.

Mission Statement of KVDA: The mission of KVDA is to promote peace, and understanding through international volunteerism combined with locally driven, sustainable development. We believe that powerful personal and global change happens when people work together, build cross-cultural friendships, and mobilize their resources to support development against dependence.
Core Values or Operating Principles :

• Promotion of voluntarism.
• Transparency and accountability.
• Participatory evaluation of projects.
• Local community ownership of projects:
• Continuous research and development.
• Regular follow up of projects.
• A learning organization.
• Documentary evidence of processes and events.
Strategic Objectives

• Afford voluntary service opportunities to young people.
• Mobilize communities to action.
• Supplement formal education with experiential learning.
• Create awareness amongst Kenyan communities about development issues.
• Foster global peace, friendship and understanding.
• Mobilizing all-purpose resources to promote grassroots development.

Products and Services :

a) International work camps
b) National work camps and expeditions
c) Medium and long-term volunteering program
d) Outbound voluntary service program
e) Erasmus Plus Program funded by the European Commission
f) Educational tours.
g) Development education and empowerment of communities.
h) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
i) Enterprise Development Training.
j) Languages teaching i.e. Kiswahili and English
k) Inter-cultural education and use of forum theatre and non-formal education to enhance cultural diversity.

Values :

KVDA has a 60-year history of working to “develop against dependence” while cultivating trust and friendships with volunteers and partner organizations all over the world. The three mandates of the organization are as follows:

■ The Association shall be a non-profit, non-governmental, non-religious and non-political Association, whose inspiration is the furtherance of peace, friendship, understanding, development, democracy and equality among peoples of different cultures and backgrounds.

■ The Association is dedicated to seeking opportunities for young men and women from diverse national, cultural and educational backgrounds to live, work and share life and experiences in order to improve their world, to provide voluntary services to marginalized communities, to acquire alternative education, to gather information and build international cooperation.

■ The Association is further dedicated to mobilizing resources within and across national borders to support community development initiatives whose aims are to eradicate poverty and human suffering as well as to promote democracy and justice among peoples.

Bright Spots :

International Partnerships - KVDA has a long history of successfully collaborating with organizations around the world to deliver programs. Successful recent partnerships include CCIVS, successfully implemented 6 Erasmus+ projects funded by the European commission, Implemented Germany Government funded program “Weltwaerts”, worked with Lunaria Italy on series of EU bilateral projects, and in partnership with the Dobrudzha Agricultural and Business School in Bulgaria implemented Climate change project under Youth in Action program of the EU. KVDA served on the Executive Committee of the Coordinating Committee of International Voluntary Service (CCIVS) based in Paris France from 2004 and 2012. This history of successfully collaborating and assuming a leadership position with international organizations demonstrates KVDA’s aptitude for working cross culturally.

Network of Past Volunteers - KVDA has worked with thousands of international and Kenyan volunteers over the years since inception in 1962.

Informations about Ebukobelo Primary School :

The school was founded in 2016 and the pupils’ enrolment is 444 pupils, 226 boys and 218 girls. It has 15 teachers teaching right from the early childhood education, primary school and junior primary school.
The school has six permanent and four semi-permanent classrooms, staffroom and an administration block.
The school is located on 0.9 acres that has adequate room for expansion. It is located in a densely populated area in Vihiga county of Western Kenya, an area that receives rainfall throughout the year and hence the local community members are food sufficient as the communal land is utilized for small-scale agriculture that is the foremost economic driver of the people at the grassroots.

Volunteer tasks :

• Assist the professors with teaching ;

• Playing with children ;

• Brick making and sand harvesting ;

• Home visits ;

• Inter-cultural education to foster global cooperation.

The volunteers shall be accommodated at the volunteer house where they shall be provided with locally available meals such as beverages, rice, pasta, wheat flour, vegetables, cooking oil, jam, butter, eggs, beans, bread, and lentils among others. The volunteers shall prepare meals and eat together.

They shall also be responsible of cleaning the house and maintaining cleanliness and harmony throughout their stay. The house is fully furnished with electricity and running water.

The project offers a perfect opportunity for people who enjoy being close to nature and are interested in the spectacular setting that traditional way of living in the heartland of the African culture would enrich your cultural heritage. From the tour to the renowned Maasai Mara Game Reserve to visits to local community beholding sights, the volunteers have the previledge to make choices that would fundamentally make the difference.

Kenya is replete with a lot of interesting and natural spectacular sites of interest that would capture the imagination of volunteers.

What to carry?
This is outlined in the detailed info sheet and includes, sleeping bag and mat, toiletries, torch/flashlight, sandals, mosquito net, national flag from your country, among others

DONATION AND GIFTS:
• These are usually symbolic gestures to enhance the solidarity of volunteers and the hosting community.
• Kindly contact KVDA for details in case you are willing to support a worthy cause in the community either by offering a donation or long-term intervention on the project.

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi is the port of arrival and KVDA will designate a driver for the airport pick up. The local organization strongly advices volunteers against getting taxis on their own without refering to KVDA due to the obvious risks.

Volunteers will be driven to the Nairobi South YMCA Hostel located 15 Kilometers away from the airport where they will be accommodated ahead of their placement to the project.

The residence is situated in the serene environment with amble space for recreation and spectacular setting as the inauguration of volunteering to make a difference in the world.

The school terms in Kenya start in January, May and September annually

For 2025, the calendar will be normalized to run as follows:
First Term: January to March 2025
Second Term: May to July 2025
Third Term: September to November 2025

Financial contribution :

The project participation fee is 250 per month paid upfront on arrival to the cover costs stipulated the entire duration of the project.
Monthly payment of participation fees is not allowed for conventional purposes.
Volunteers accepted on MLTV project for one month will pay Euros 300.

What is included in the participation fee?

• Return transfers from the airport ;
• Full board at the project (Accommodation and meals provided at the project) ;
• Orientation, evaluation and monitoring ;
• Volunteer mentorship.

What is not included in the participation fee?

• Travel to and from the project. The volunteer will be required to pay for the bus tickets ;
• Refreshments outside the project ;
• Air ticket, Excursion, Visa, vaccinations and Insurance ;
• Local travel and Personal effects.