Hands-On Medical Volunteer Experience in Kenya

About the Medical Camp in Nairobi

TThe medical camp in the slums of Kibera aims to provide basic medical and health services to the people living in the slum. In this program, we will set up stand-alone medical camps in the different areas of the slum to provide primary medical and health care services to the local people. This medical program will be run with the help of local doctors and medical volunteers like you.

As a medical volunteer, you will be directly involved in the treatment of the local people. You will have ample opportunity to treat the elders, women, orphans and the disabled who are in need of primary medical care and basic health care education. You will examine them, diagnose them, and give them treatment for various aliments and conditions. You will also give them basic health education on different topics such as: how to stay basic healthy habits and how to purify water to prevent water and fecal-borne diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, stomach bugs and numerous related illnesses, just as two examples.

Please note that there may be occasions where mobile medical camps cannot be offered to remote villiages and communities. In these situations, volunteers seeking hands-on medical experiences will be placed in the hospital to work in collaboration with physicians.

Skills and Qualifications

Any medical student and any health care professional working within the health care field can participate in this program. There is no age limit. Medical students, physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, midwives, gynecologists, dentists, paramedics, EMTs, physical therapists, nutritionists, and many other health care workers are welcome to help.

By participating in this true hands-on medical experience, you will be exposed to the health care system abroad and experience first-hand the extent of the impact one volunteer has on a community in need.

Your local team leader will be a local doctor.

The medical camp in Kenya will be managed and coordinated by an experienced local doctor. He or she will also be your team leader during the project. The team leader will be present with you and your group throughout the project period. Your team leader will coordinate the camp, allocate the tasks, share information about common health issues, and supervise and guide you in order to ensure that you are having great volunteer abroad experience. Your team leader is your professional go-to person and your point of call for support and guidance. You can consult your team leader for any help or issues. Your team leader will be an experienced, qualified doctor with ample knowledge on the local health care issues. In some situations, there will be local interpreters and nurses working to support the medical volunteer team.

A Sample Itinerary (one week)

The daily program itinerary of Kenya medical camp varies based on the needs of the communities, goals of the medical camp, the interests of the group of medical volunteers, and many other factors. Here's a sample itinerary:

Day 1: Orientation and Q&A session about the medical camp

Your Kenya medical volunteer experience starts with a comprehensive orientation. On the first day of the program, your local team leader will give you a thorough orientation of the medical volunteer program in Kenya in Nairobi. The orientation will start with an introduction to the country, including general information about its culture, history, geography, politics, people and contemporary local and national issues.

Then, your team leader will give you crucial information about the primary goal of the camp, the location, and the locals who attend the medical camp, common health issues, and how the camp is run. You will also learn about your daily tasks and responsibilities, health and safety procedures, information about your accommodations, meals, transportation, must do and must not dos, and a throughout explanation on how the team manages the medical camp.

Then, there will be a question and answer session, which is a perfect occasion for you to ask questions and clarify any doubts before going over the daily itinerary. The orientation will give you the useful and essential information that you need to help the local communities efficiently and to make the most of your medical volunteer abroad experience in Kenya.

If time allows, you and your group will visit the slum for the first time, see the medical camp, and meet the locals and leaders. Depending on what happens that day, you may even start your medical volunteering tasks on the first day.

Day 2-5: Beginning of your experience as a medical volunteer in the medical camp

At 7 am, your host will serve you breakfast. Then, you will head to medical camp to arrive before 8 am.

8 – 9 am: Set up camp

As soon as you arrive to the camp, you will participate in the setup tasks necessary to make sure that the medical camp runs smoothly. The medical camp must be ready within the first hour. The tasks will vary depending on each location, but usually, they include cleaning and setting up a registration desk and area for check-ups.

9 – 1 pm: Patient check-ups

At 9 am, you will start examining and treating the local patients. This is the most important part of your volunteering role in this medical volunteer opportunity in Kenya. During the following three to four hours, you will be extremely busy treating, checking up, and caring for local patients with their health care needs. You will be in a prime position to help others. This will be a true privilege for you and for the elders, the women, and children who seek the assistance of the medical camp.

We will advertise the location of the medical camp at least one week before the opening to invite those in need to attend. It is expected that local patients with all sorts of medical conditions - general health, poor eyesight, ear infections, skin conditions, etc. - will start arriving in great numbers to the camp.

The main purpose of the medical camp is to provide primary health care treatment and medical advice, however, there maybe opportunity to utilize your medical specialties based on specific medical conditions and issues that arise. Every day will be different.

There will be a 30-minute break from 11 am to 11:30 am to rest and to refresh.

1 pm: Closing of the medical camp

The medical camp will close its doors around 1 pm. Then, you will head to your local home, eat, and rest. The afternoon will be yours to decide if you want to discuss the following day tasks or to do some independent exploration. A local team will be ready to help you at any time.

Day 6– 7: Off days

The camp only runs during the week. Saturday and Sunday you will have additional free time to explore the country, head to other cities, visit local markets, meet new people, and see famous landmarks or tourist attractions. After ten years of running volunteer abroad programs and working with thousands of volunteers in Kenya, we can use our experience to help you have the best experience and make the most of your free time.

Just let us know what you would like to do during your first weekend in Kenya, and we will do our best to make that happen.

This program starts again on the following week.

Important Notice: The sample itinerary above is just to give you a general idea of how we run the medical volunteer camp in Kenya. Prior to your departure to Kenya, we will send you a final customized itinerary of your medical volunteer trip abroad.

Dates

Global Crossroad's medical camp starts on the first and third Monday of each month. However, if you have a small group of more than three volunteers who want to join the program, we can create a customized program to allow your group to start at any date that is more convenient for your group.

Important notice: You can join Global Crossroad's International medical camp individually or in a group. We need a minimum of 3 volunteers to run the camp. Therefore, we request that you invite others to make a small group. Or, if this is not possible, please apply at least 2 or 3 months in advance so we can inform you - at least a month in advance - in case we have to cancel the camp setup due to failing to meet the minimum number of volunteers required.

Fees

Global Crossroad offers one of the most affordable medical volunteer abroad programs. Our cost is extremely affordable. Global Crossroad's international medical camp offers a hands-on medical volunteer experience to volunteers while running the stand alone camp and covering most of the expenses related to the medical camp such as local doctors, nurses, medicine, water, etc.

The Global Crossroad's registration fee is $299.

Weekly fee

One Week - $488
Two weeks - $766

What does the fee cover?

• Airport pick up and drop off
• Accommodation
• Comprehensive travel insurance
• Food (3 local meals a day)
• Support & supervision from local doctors and team

What's not included?

• Airfare
• Daily transportation
• Visa
• Personal expenses
• $100 donation to buy and distribute free medicines to local people - you can pay it locally.

Housing, Food, and Supervision

In the Kenya medical volunteer program, you and your group will stay with a host family who has previously housed hundreds of international volunteers in Kenya. Your host family lives in a large house near the slums. The house has many bedrooms, Wi-Fi, electric fans, modern bathrooms, a balcony, and communal areas to rest. You will share one of the bedrooms with one same gender volunteer.

Your host family also manages your food for you. You will be served typical Kenyan food three times per day. The Kenyan diet consists of Ugali (cornmeal staple) Irio (mashed peas and potato mix) Githeri (beans and corn) Kenyan Pilau (spiced rice) Wali wa Nazi (coconut rice) Sukuma Wiki (collard greens / kale) and Kenyan Stew.

Global Crossroad has been running volunteer programs in Kenya since 2003. We have a strong team of professional country coordinator and local staff. A whole support network will be waiting for you. A local Global Crossroad team, a host family, and a team leader will work together to make sure that you have a safe and rewarding medical volunteer experience in Kenya. The country coordinator will pick you up and drop you off at the airport, provide you with transport every day, and be available for any necessary logistical support you might require.

Travel and Extending Your Stay

After working as a medical volunteer in the slums, you are free to stay longer in Kenya. You can join another Global Crossroad volunteer abroad program where you can teach English or work in orphanages, or put on your exploration boots and explore Kenya. Let us know what you would like to do and we will be happy to help make that happen.