Our Destinations
Kenya
Kenya is an enchanting East African country that spans both sides of the equator. It’s incredible diversity of wildlife, landscapes, and cultures make it a great destination for volunteering. Our volunteer programs in Kenya are available for anyone interested in volunteering in the developing world, including those on a gap year, career break, or summer vacation. Kenya is renowned for its magnificent national parks, lush forests, breathtaking mountains, and tribal cultures.
Kenya is a country famed for its diversity and development. Everyday life brings together traditional tribes and urban families, ancient customs and modern sensibilities. Having gained independence from Britain in 1963, the country has become established as the dominant economy in the Horn of Africa and is a country filled with hope and exciting development opportunities.
Kenya is Africa’s original safari destination and is famed for attracting explorers, adventurers, and travellers for centuries. From the shores of the Indian Ocean with its white sandy beaches and coral reefs to the snow-capped peaks of Mt. Kenya and the wild and vast deserts of the north, Kenya offers travellers a beauty and freedom which is hard to resist. Our destinations in Kenya include Mombasa, Kilifi, Tudor, Malindi, Msambweni, , Nairobi Port Reitz , Kisumu, Migori and Kisii.
Mombasa County
Mombasa County, is the smallest county in the province, covering an area of 229.7 Km2 excluding 65 Km2 of water mass. The county is situated in the South Eastern part of Coast Province. It borders Kilifi County to the North, Kwale County to the South West and the Indian Ocean to the East.
A big reason why thousands of people visit Mombasa each year is the beautiful beaches that stretch for miles along the North and South Coasts. In addition to being a haven for those who are looking for a quiet, relaxing vacation, water sports and fishing enthusiasts can also get their money’s worth.
Tai Global Electives offers Medicine & Healthcare, Teaching, Care, Sports and a Conservation project. Although Mombasa is one of the fastest growing towns in East Africa, the town has retained its relaxed and friendly atmosphere making it a popular place to visit.
But Mombasa has a lot more to offer visitors than just beaches. Remnants of historical and cultural attractions from centuries ago still remain. Other attractions showcase the diversity of flora and fauna in the region, and nature parks are an appealing destination for many visitors. As well, there are opportunities to experience the different facets of the Kenyan culture – within the city, in some of the surrounding towns, and even in remote villages.
TGE has secured a number of partnerships within the Mombasa County. We work with some of the Major Hospitals in Mombasa and boast of a clear mutual understanding between such facilities and the kind of experience our clients are looking forward to acquiring.
Coast Provincial General Hospital “CPGH” which has a 700 bed capacity and the second largest Public Hospital in Kenya. It is located at the heart of Mombasa City overlooking the Indian Ocean, it is a referral and teaching hospital for the whole of the Coastal region serving a catchment population of over 6 million people with specialties raging from Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics, Accident and Emergency, Surgery, ENT, Internal Medicine, Dental Unit…, You will be privileged to work with some great doctors, nurses, and fellow students at the hospital. You will not only learn a lot of hands-on skills applicable to your future career in the health care field, but also gain an appreciation of how people in Kenya overcome limitations of supply shortages and less than pristine conditions in the hospital through creativity and ingenuity. Volunteering in this facility will leave you with a better understanding of public hospitals in third world countries.
Port Reitz District Hospital is located in the West Coast of Mombasa with a 166 Bed capacity with 6 Cots and specialties ranging from Antenatal, Antiretroviral Therapy, Basic Emergency Obstetric Care, Caesarean Section, Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care, Curative In-patient Services, Curative Outpatient Services, Family Planning, Growth Monitoring and Promotion, HIV Counselling and Testing, Immunization, Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses, Prevention of Mother to Child transmission of HIV, Radiology Services (e.g. X-ray, Ultra Scan, MRI, etc) Tuberculosis Diagnosis, Tuberculosis Treatments. TAG has a close relationship with the facility which makes it very easy for us to place our clients with the Medical Practitioners they can shadow while doing rounds and try as much as possible to translate the local language “Swahili” for our clients to be at par with what is happening with regard to patient care. It is a much smaller Hospital compared to the Coast General Hospital for example it has only one operating room, that surgeries are pushed back to the next day for say a C-section procedure. This would give you a different experience in terms of patient care and population.
Non-clinical placements in Mombasa
Like most major urban areas Mombasa city faces very serious problems especially when it comes to the provision of housing and other basic services. A majority of the residents live in informal settlements including Muoroto, Tudor, Kibarani, Bangladesh and Owino Uhuru among others. The City is also home to more than 30,000 street children and many more youngsters who have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. By giving your support to these local initiatives, you’ll reach out to some of those children and help put their lives back on track. You also enjoy a full immersion into this stunning coastal city. Tai Global Elective will provide you with an opportunity to positively impact such communities and have a satisfactory experience in doing good and giving hope to the underprivileged. We mostly identify Schools that we can make a difference in and try to improve the lives of those who cannot afford a descent education and always hope to change the local people’s lives to the better, if not now in the future with a brighter, educated generation who would be self reliant. We offer you a chance to teach English, Science, Mathematics, Drawing and Painting and other subjects in a community Slum school in Mombasa Kenya.
Imagine bringing clean, safe and reliable potable water to a community, building permanent homes for families, or providing electricity by installing solar generation systems. These projects can have a profound effect on an individual; perhaps a family in some cases benefit an entire village. Community development projects enable people to shift their focus from community survival to community improvement. Their focus can then shift onto micro commerce, education, and heritage preservation. When the basics are provided a community can achieve great things.
Accomodation
We are located in a safe secure Neighbourhood in Nyali and our compound has an electrical fence, during day time we have one guard and two for night shift your security is paramount to us! The rooms are shared amongst 3 to 4 program participants. Our offices are also located in Nyali .
Malindi - Kenya
Malindi (once known as Melinde) is a town on Malindi Bay at the mouth of the Galana River, lying on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. It is 120 kilometres northeast of Mombasa. The population of Malindi is 118,265 as of the 2009 census. It is the largest town in the Kilifi County.
Major Attractions; Malindi District is a famous tourist destination. It is a home for palm fringed silvery white sand beaches, Malindi and Watamu national parks, Gede ruins, Vasco Da Gama’s pillar, the Portuguese chapel and pillar tombs, Kipepeo butterfly farm, snake and crocodile farms, Mida creek and the canyons of Hell’s Kitchen.
Placement Facility; Tai Global Electives feels like this destination is ideal for people who want to work in a calmer environment with so much to do to help the communities around, for and more touristic. We place our students at the Malindi District Hospital which is a 250 Bed facility that boasts of ongoing massive expansions for example they occasioned the opening of a new Casualty Unit equipped with modern facilities to provide better medical care to the locals, since it is the only major government referral hospital serving the entire Kilifi County and its environs. This makes the hospital have a lot of patients that the staffs are not able to cope with; thus the administration is welcoming any type of medical volunteer, intern and professionals to come and help out with the situation. Other expansions include;
- Newly built wards
- A maternity shelter was built to cater for pregnant women
- A paediatric ward
- HIV/AIDS fully equipped wing with voluntary counselling and testing services.
- A theatre
- o A maternal child healthcare department
Non-Clinical Placements
It is located in the West Coast of Mombasa with a 166 Bed capacity with 6 Cots and specialties ranging from Antenatal, Antiretroviral Therapy, Basic Emergency Obstetric Care, Caesarean Section, Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care, Curative In-patient Services, Curative Outpatient Services, Family Planning, Growth Monitoring and Promotion, HIV Counselling and Testing, Immunization, Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses, Prevention of Mother to Child transmission of HIV, Radiology Services (e.g. X-ray, Ultra Scan, MRI, etc) Tuberculosis Diagnosis, Tuberculosis Treatments. TAE has a close relationship with the facility which makes it very easy for us to place our clients with the Medical Practitioners they can shadow while doing rounds and try as much as possible to translate the local language “Swahili” for our clients to be at par with what is happening with regard to patient care. It is a much smaller Hospital compared to the Coast General Hospital for example it has only one operating room, that surgeries are pushed back to the next day for say a C-section procedure. This would give you a different experience in terms of patient care and population.
We have partnered with a number of organizations and have developed a unique relationship with the local communities of Malindi to provide our program participants with an opportunity to give back to the communities we undertake our mandate in. We have developed a good relationship with a Fishermen’s Village community where they have built over 70 temporary huts made of Coconut tree leaves, meaning over 70 families within the community. The village elders in this community are very friendly and welcoming and would always want to tell you more about their livelihoods and even go to an extent of demonstrating how they do the fishing. While in the Village you get a chance to teach in the school they built for their children and learn a lot about their culture. You will also get a chance to volunteer in a number of orphanages within the community. Here you will get a chance to play with the kids and have fun, talk to them; give them hope, encouragement and psychosocial support so they feel part of everybody else. Malindi has a lot to offer and you will definitely want to extend your stay by the time you are leaving
Msambweni - Kenya
The coastline south of Mombasa is a tropical paradise of palm fringed white sand beaches, where the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean meet beautiful coral reefs. The protective reefs have created ideal beaches with calm, inviting waters. The south coast also has many smaller quiet getaways such as Tiwi Beach, ideal for travellers looking for a low key break. Inland, the fertile hinterland of Kwale District consists of small villages inhabited by the Wakamba, Digo and Duruma tribes.
Further south, the small fishing village of Shimoni is home to a series of deep mysterious coastal caves that stretch from the sea to deep into the jungles. Historically, these caves were long used as a refuge for Dhow Sailors, Arab slavers and explorers. Shimoni is also an excellent base for big game fishing in the waters of the Pemba Channel.
Whether you are looking for a base to actively explore this fascinating region, or just somewhere to unwind and find peace, Kenya’s south coast has everything you could wish for. Msambweni means the land of Sable Antelope on Kenya's South Coast. Msambweni is a bit of a throwback to the Kenya coast of old - with the fishermen offering their catch of the day from a 'kikapu' at your door step, or the fruit seller cycling around to with a selection of fresh picked coastal fruits such as mangoes, paw-paws, limes, and coconuts.
TGE has a well established partnership with Msambweni District Hospital located in Kwale County on the South Coast of Mombasa.
Msambweni District Hospital
Msambweni District Hospital consists of 155 beds. The facilities and services offered includes Antenatal, Antiretroviral Therapy, Basic Emergency Obstetric Care, Caesarean Section, Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Care, Curative In-patient Services, Curative Outpatient Services, Family Planning, Growth Monitoring and Promotion, HIV Counselling and Testing, Home Based Care, Immunization, Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses, Prevention of Mother to Child transmission of HIV, Radiology Services (e.g. X-ray, Ultra Scan, MRI, etc), Rural Health Training Centre / Rural Health Demonstration. If you want to experience a typical rural modern hospital then this will give you a vast knowledge of rural medicine and meet some very challenging cases of traditions where for example women refuse to have a c-section even though the baby is malposition or the mother is HIV positive, this is if they manage to get to the hospital as the community has a history of home births by mothers.
Non clinical volunteer projects
We work with various children homes within the Msambueni district community and Kwale county to give support to the children who mostly are orphaned or come from impoverished families .
Basically through volunteering with Tai Global Elective community volunteer projects in this area you get an opportunity of making a difference by giving the children hope through psycho-social support, having fun with the children and teaching in the local schools lessons ranging from English, Science, Art, Geography… You can as well get involved in TAGs well crafted community outreach programs where together with local Community Health Workers (CHWs) you will be able to go into the Msambweni’s most underprivileged villages and promote best practices for a healthier life, training the community on the basics of Public Health, Sensitizing them on the importance of delivering in a Hospital setting as opposed to giving birth at home. As a volunteer you will also get an opportunity to play a profound role in teaching the community about HIV/AIDS, We help facilitate discussions around the issues surrounding the disease such as discrimination and the stigma they face with family and community members.
Through this activity, you will get to know the people who regularly come to discuss their daily struggles and see life from a different perspective.
Kilifi
Kilifi is a quaint beach town which lies on Kilifi Creek, Kenya between the coastal towns of Malindi and Mombasa, 51 kilometres from Moi International Airport. This previously sleepy fishing town is now one of the most popular tourist destinations along Kenya’s coast but maintains a quaint unassuming character. It has a range of shops for basic supplies, a post office, and two banks. Temperatures range from a minimum of 21 degrees to a maximum of 32 degrees Celsius. The town sits on the Goshi estuary of the Goshi River and is linked by the Kilifi Bridge; with Mnarani on one side and the main Kilifi town on the other. The beach in Kilifi is known as Bofa Beach and is said to be one of the most beautiful stretches of white sand along the Kenyan coast.
With an estimated population of 44,257, Kilifi hosts residents on many ethnicities from different parts of Kenya and expats primarily from Germany, Italy and the UK. The dominant tribe here, however, is the Mijikenda (mainly Giriama and Chonyi) owing to the historical placements that occurred during the times of Arab traders.
The ruins of Mnarani, the caves and tombs dating back to as far as the 14th Century, Arabuko Sokoke Forest, Kibuyu nature trail, and the Mangrove forests are all great activities to experience as part of your coast trip
If it’s not the turquoise calming waters of the Indian Ocean and the pristine sandy beaches, then its the historical sites, sociable locals and the accommodation ranging from colonial rustic to modern luxury that will lure you to the breezy town of Kilifi on your next visit to the Kenyan coast.
Tai Africa Electives has partnered with Kilifi District Hospital and work hand in hand to ensure our clients get a memorable experience!