Volunteer in Mombasa, Kenya

Summary
Live and volunteer in Kenya's second largest city, a major tourism spot rich in culture with some of the best beaches in the world.

Programs
   • Teaching in Mombasa
   • Orphanages in Mombasa
   • Health Care in Mombasa

Overview
Mombasa is a place steeped in history, where life has continued unhurried and unchanged for more than 900 years. Mombasa is a lively port city, an island connected to the mainland by bridges and ferries. The true heart of the city is the exotic old town made up of narrow winding streets, open markets, and Arab architecture. Along the coast visitors discover Arab and Portuguese forts, Old Towns and ruins of Swahili outposts that tell of the fascinating history of this area.

Getting There
The best option is to fly into Mombasa's Moi International Airport. Our local Coordinator will meet you at the airport 24/7 and accompany you to your host family. An alternative is to fly from home into Nairobi, where our Coordinator would meet you and accompany you on the seven (7) hour bus ride to Mombasa. The road between Nairobi-Mombasa is relatively good. However if you are not used to road travel in Africa, the ride can seem a bit harrowing, with buses, cars, and "mutatus" passing each other at breakneck speed on two-lane highways that have their share of potholes and dust.

Getting Around
During your stay in Mombasa, you will mostly take public transportation, typically on a "mutatu" which is a minivan that carries about 12 people. You can also take cheap taxis around town.

Language
Swahili and English are the main languages in Mombasa. The city gets a lot of foreign tourists, so you will also hear French, Italian, Dutch, etc.

Accommodations
Volunteers in Mombasa stay with a local Kenyan host family. They will provide you with your own room, all meals, include you in family activities, and generally help you adjust to and learn about their culture and country. Our families can host more than one volunteer at a time, so you can stay in the same house with your friend(s) or partner. You can also stay in separate host families that are very near to each other. Some of the orphanages have rooms where volunteers can use for their accommodations. As with the accommodations throughout Kenya, there is rarely hot water, and we recommend sleeping with a mosquito net.

Meals
Staple foods in Kenya include corn, maize, potatoes, and beans. There is also a wide variety of fruits available. Two staples dishes are Ugali and Irio. Ugali is a cornmeal
product, served as a main course in the form of either a doughy ball or porridge-like food. Irio is made of mashed vegetables (corn, beans, potatoes etc) and rolled into balls for dipping into meat (chicken, beef) or vegetable stews. Vegetarians are easily accommodated by our host families.

Communications
Mobile phones are widely available in Kenya. You can buy and activate a mobile phone for about 40 USD from one of the many mobile phone shops in Nairobi or Mombasa. You can also bring your mobile phone from home and buy a local SIM chip to get a local Kenyan number. However, keep in mind that this will not work with American phones which are "locked" by the carriers. For Internet, there are Internet shops all over Mombasa both email/web and international phone calls. Your host family will also have at least a mobile phone, and typically a landline, that you can use to receive international calls from family and friends.

Transportation
While you are in Mombasa, you will often be within walking distance to the place where you will volunteer. if not, volunteers take mutatus or taxis from their host family to the volunteer job.

Health & Safety
Mombasa is safe in terms of personal safety as well as health. Following common-sense rules like not walking alone late at night and not flashing money/jewelry are the best ways to ensure your safe stay. The most common ailment is an upset stomach as you adjust to the food and water. You cannot drink tap water -- Only drink bottled/boiled water. You must also avoid mosquito bites in order to prevent malaria which can be fatal if untreated. Fortunately, there are large hospitals in Mombasa that can treat serious illnesses.

Climate/Weather
Mombasa Mombasa has a warm, tropical climate, with daytime temperatures ranging from 82-91 F (27-32 C) throughout the year. The rainiest months are April and May, with January and February as the most dry months.

Sightseeing & Activities
Mombasa has many long, white beaches such as Diani Beach with watersports and even wild primates. You will also see the famous Mombasa Tusks (built 1952), Tiwi Beach, Gedi Ruins, the Old Town and more. If you are into sports, you can catch a football match from the Kenya Premier League with Mombasa's Bandari FC. Mombasa has cricket teams, as well as an annual marathon if you've ever dreamed of taking on some of Kenya's runners. Of course there are plenty of wildlife parks around the country for safaris, including Masai Mara National Reserve.