WHAT IS A WORK CAMP?
A work camp is a program where people from different races, nationalities, live and work together providing manpower/labour for a period of 3 weeks or more (depending on the nature of project) on a locally defined project organized by a host organization.
Volunteers meet socialize, exchange ideas (intercultural exchange) skills and combine energies together addressing problems and issues of concern.
We believe that a multi-cultural and voluntary workforce offering a positive and practical way of breaking down social and religious barriers and fostering understanding while assisting in the project deployed.
OUR WORK CAMP PROGRAM
Our work camp program runs all year through from January- December, each month we have a work camp running the location of the project varies each month.(see our D.V.A work camp Info doc for 2007 schedule).
ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation is organized by the host organization and is usually in Classrooms, huts (African traditional houses) host family in the community or any given structure found in the host community setting.
ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN IN A WORK CAMP
Physical work such as:
§ Construction of buildings i.e. schools, clinics, water tank, social halls bridge e.t.c
§ Rehabilitation (renovation) of rundown facilities like plastering, painting, fixing e.t.c
§ Agricultural enhancement program like weeding, planting, harvesting ploughing
Community service such as:
§ Volunteering in orphanage (children homes), homes for the aged assisting in the day-to-day running.
- Volunteering in hospitals/clinics
- Teaching in institutions (schools).
This involves physical work, normally tasks takes 4 hours morning hours (before lunch) (Monday- Friday) detailed information on this is given during orientation day
Study
We have selected several topics/camp themes which acts as a guide for each camp but volunteers can also come up with their own topics of interest, volunteers will explore the topics during the afternoons and the camp fires (after dinner) at times key persons/ motivational speakers are invited to explore the topics with the volunteers as well as with the host community.
EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE
We organize education sessions where we provide opportunity in the local communities to acquire knowledge of our natural and cultural heritage as it is critically important to ensure that the present and future generations embrace the conservation ethics.
Some of the activities undertaken under this program are planting trees, cleanup exercises, recycling, eco- tourism, protecting green spaces etc., as well as cultural excursions, visits to places and people who can transmit traditions we want to protect. We seek participants who have knowledge in environmental and cultural conservation, who are interested in having a role as facilitators, or who have skills in writing / photographing / taking videos etc. and help us to gather material for communication and campaigning.
CULTURAL NIGHTS
Each country represented in the camp is reserved a night whereby they present their culture we advice our volunteers to bring in something symbolic of where they come from like sample food to cook on that day, photos, clothing, music, anything that will make their night alive/interesting and most of all symbolic.
CULTURAL FESTIVAL DAY
This is done a day before the closure of the work camp, its the same as cultural night but here all volunteers work jointly and make different dishes, presentations that symbolize all cultures/tribes involved for example poems, dramas, songs, games e.t.c the host community also does the same by cooking their traditional dish, traditional dancing basically its an entertainment day everyone involved gets the best of cultural exchange its also a cum farewell party.
EXCURSIONS
This are trips organized by the host organization with volunteer in mind, this depends on the recreational activities/sites o interest in a given area/place where a volunteer is deployed
SPORTS
For those volunteers who are sporty in the afternoon you can enjoy soccer matches with local youths/sports groups, volleyball, basketball but it all depends on the area sports facilities.
Volunteers can also rest in the afternoon, do laundry, write journals, read books, play board games volunteers are advised to carry with them board games, cards, musical instruments this comes in handy during free time when volunteer gather for a recap of each days activities. We believe volunteer are the once that make a camp so bring in with you anything that will make your 3 weeks memorable, interesting and unforgettable.
QUALIFICATIONS TO PARTICIPATE IN A WORK CAMP
Ø 18 years of age and above.
Ø Cooperation and understanding
Ø Energy and enthusiasm.
Ø Patience and motivation
Ø Good people skills
Ø Passion for outdoors
Ø Open minded and willing to enjoy simple living conditions while accommodating/respecting the Scio- economical /cultural differences.
Ø Independent and have a proactive personality to planning, development and completion of projects
Ø General all rounder
In most of our work camp programs we offer on job training supervised by a trained technician thus most projects don’t require specialised skills but we appreciate and utilize skilled volunteers in our projects as well.
APPLICATION AND PROGRAM FEE
WORKCAMP FEE: ˆ 200
§ Volunteers fill out the application form (which is available upon request) and pay a commitment fee of ˆ 30, which is to accompany your application this goes towards your camp participation fee meaning the volunteer will pay less ˆ 30. This fee is non refundable incase of cancellation.
§ After a volunteer’s application has been received and accepted the participants will pay participation fee of ˆ 170 Payment is to be made upon arrival in Kenya during orientation day.
§ All applications for our programmes should be submitted to the DVA office 1 month prior to the start of program.
§ A special program fee discount is offered to organized groups interested in participating.
Note: The reason why we charge commitment fee/application fee is because we realise that we do all the field work required, commit community groups/institutions only for the volunteer to cancel on last minutes when the program is all set, we incur a lot of expenses and to curb this we have set the fee to serve as a commitment so if a volunteer cancels the fee is Non Refundable.
USAGE OF VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATION FEE
Ø Transport to and from the campsite location.
Ø Food and accommodation during the work camp stay.
Ø Office administration like correspondence, groundwork expense, project preparation and general office administration.
Ø Solidarity fund to assist/ boost the local volunteers and community projects
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
§ Volunteers will be adequately informed on the project they will be involved in before they set out to leave their country and will be sent a work plan for the duration of their stay in Kenya along with contact details.
§ We advice our volunteers to arrive two (2) day’s prior to commencement of the work camp/program to be attached to since orientation will be done a day before travel to the campsite/base. All participants are required to attend/participate in the orientation unless on very special cases where a volunteer notified the office (volunteers will be done a thorough orientation on programs and projects where they will be deployed).
§ Volunteers note that personal effects like soap, lotion, and toilet paper e.t.c (personal purchases).
§ During free time volunteers can organize safaris/trips i.e. picnics, hiking, mountain climbing, visit to parks/caves e.t.c depending on the recreational activities existing in the area. Travel cost during free time/social excursion and other related expenses like accommodation outside camp/base will be the volunteer’s responsibility.
§ Volunteers should appreciate the local way of living (modest living conditions) like food, accommodation and the culture of host community.
§ All D.V.A volunteers are certified at the end of each program deployed upon request we even write recommendation letters to participants.
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