About VFA

Mission | Staff

Information you need to know!!

A work camp means participating in activities that are of benefit to the local people. People of all sexes, races, ideologies, education backgrounds, economic status, cultural values and nationalities come together in work camps to share experiences and skills for between a week and a month. Work camps are good learning experiences for many people, very relaxing and of great value to the host societies.

Qualifications to participate in a work camp

• Motivation and energy to help and work.
• Patience.
• Co-operation.
• Understanding
• Idea of what community service is.
• Open mind and flexibility.
• Eager to learn and share.

Work camp Activities include

• Excursions- Afternoon trips usually organized to various places of interest nearby the work camp place. These could tackle issues of community life, wildlife viewing, cultural tour and nature study.
• Work-Physical work for some hours (mainly 3-4) before noon from Monday to Friday. Details of type of work is usually sent to the participants in advance.
• Study- Discussions, seminars, meetings destined at sharing experiences, cultures, ideology often take part in the evenings. Here people of different nationalization share much experience. Topics could be selected for work camps, where volunteers are facilitators with local people as participants.
• Cultural Nights- These are to make all those present in the work camp participate in discussions containing cultural information. African culture nights are very common.
• Tours- These are for the sake of touring various areas. Only one work camp is organized at a time, mainly in collaboration with already established institutions of government, Non Governmental Organizations and Community Based Organizations. The work camps are for the aim of benefiting a local society, that is deprived of something and in great need for help.

Voluntarism: Work Camps are organized through the spirit of voluntarism. This means someone is ready to share skills and finances with a needy deprived community, leaving a positive mark and a happy face in the people assisted.

Finance: Work camp participants contribute some funds to go towards their cost of stay and usually cost of purchase of materials used in the camp. For example when building a school, the participants contribute some funds to buy bricks and cement, while the community could contribute most of the labor and some few materials.

Application Guidelines.

• Fill in the application form at least 5 weeks before the scheduled day of the work camp. Send this form to us by post. Allow a week for delivery.
• Your application form, accompanied by the recommendation letter from your sponsor/ organization/ university or other recognized institute should accompany the form. Also attach a copy of your passport including features like your photograph, and probably page with visa if already acquired. If you are to buy visa at the airport on arrival, you will present it than.
• A confirmation note is sent to you from us by email.
• You are expected to pay the work camp registration fee upon arrival in Kenya, Uganda or Tanzania to only VFA staff at our offices.

Orientation

Upon arrival, a member of VFA staff shall be waiting for you at the airport to lead you to our offices or your desired place of stay. Transport is usually charged at local taxi rates (usually $ 20) from the airport to town. You could also opt to use another means, but inform VFA so that we do not wait for you. Please ask to be met at the airport if in need. Orientation for all work camps is at VFA resource room at our offices or any other selected place, after paying the camp fee.

Internal camp preparation meeting will be held prior to departure with all participants in presence. Please note that ONLY those who come on schedule will participate in the work camp.

Volunteers may be requested to write an evaluation report after the work camp, which is usually shared with the sponsors. They are also encouraged to attend the evaluation meeting.

Costs.

• VFA will be responsible for the provision of the work camp participants food, transport and accommodation. As an experience, volunteers prepare the food in turns. Vegetarian meals are also prepared.
• The participants will be asked to contribute towards the cost of offsetting transport costs to and from camp.
• Participants wishing to participate in excursions, cultural tours and wildlife view will be responsible for the cost of entry to designated parks and reserves.
• Pre departure costs such as vaccinations, visa and the cost of flight are also upon the volunteer or the sending organization.
• Although VFA staff have first aid skills, its necessary for the volunteers to have some small money for emergency illness.
• No participating allowance is paid by VFA. The programs are meant to assist local people entirely.
• Work camp payments are paid directly to us, and no agency is authorized to receive money on our behalf (unless stated on this website). Payment is in dollars or equivalent Kenya Shillings, Uganda Shillings or Tanzanian Shillings. Checks and credit cards are not accepted.
• Volunteers wishing to be hosted in families are asked to pay extra US $ 20 to assist host families take care of the cost of bed, dinner and breakfast.

VOLUNTEERS ARE ADVISED TO SEEK INFORMATION FROM THE KENYAN/UGANDAN/TANZANIAN EMBASSY, HIGH COMMISSION OR CONSULAR IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES ABOUT IMMIGRATION AND OTHER LEGAL REQUIREMENTS. VFA COULD ALSO SEND YOU SOME OF THE INFORMATION IF REQUESTED TO DO SO.

Call (254) 72 240 7558 for more information, or email vfa@avu.org.