By Grace Disabled & Orphans Centre

Introduction

By Grace Disabled & Orphans Centre welcomes individuals to assist the Centre in any way they feel led. Former volunteers have blessed the Centre in a myriad of ways, some financially, others by simply spending time with the children. We encourage all of our guests to feel free to leave their unique imprint in a way that reflects their experience.

By Grace Disabled & Orphans Centre is an on-going ministry dedicated to changing the lives of Kenya’s 3 million and rising HIV/AIDS orphaned population. Our mission of reaching out to the widows and orphans is upheld on a daily basis. We have been welcoming and receiving International volunteers and visitors since 2003, and have hosted over one hundred guests. While in Kenya, volunteers will embark upon a journey to extend a helping hand during their stay.

We offer a variety of volunteer opportunities, which allow the volunteer to select the extent and nature of their participation at By Grace Centre. All volunteers will benefit from a uniquely Kenyan experience, through learning about the language and culture of the country during their stay. We do not offer any assistance with additional individual travel within Kenya or beyond. Said endeavors are solely the responsibility of each volunteer.

By Grace Disabled & Orphans Centre is dedicated to offering our volunteers several elements which we feel will enrich their stay:

Volunteers, age 18 and over, come from around the world to volunteer at By Grace. Our volunteers have in common an eagerness to experience another culture and way of life, to help those in need, and to have the adventure of a lifetime. Volunteers should creative self-starters who are willing to experience and environment with extremely limited resources and yet a great deal of gratitude and hope.

Volunteers may choose to participate in a variety of daytime projects: teach elementary and/or secondary school classes, tutor individual children, play with preschool children, coordinate recreational activities, lead music, singing, or arts & crafts activities, read to the children, lead creative writing/composition, and direct the children in drama productions. Volunteers are encouraged to be creative and to bring with them, or purchase upon arrival in Kenya, supplies such as: paper, pens, pencils, crayons, markers (colours), books, lesson plans, DVDs, music, etc. since resources at the Centre are extremely limited.

Each volunteer who comes to work at By Grace Centre will be graciously received by a Kenyan host family. This unique cultural experience is a highlight of the volunteer's stay. Our host families comprise of warm, caring individuals who enjoy sharing their home, food, language, and culture with volunteers from around the world. Host families provide comfortable lodging and three meals a day, arrange for transportation to and from the airport, and provide information on local travel and entertainment opportunities. Upon confirmation of your acceptance as a volunteer, you will receive contact information for your host family, including an email and postal address. Many volunteers and host families enjoy learning more about each other prior to the volunteer's stay. Get to know your host family while you are in Kenya. Bring photos of your family and friends to share with your host family. They have been hosting international visitors from a variety of countries and backgrounds, and thus have been exposed to several different traditions and customs from respective countries.

As part of our mission to meet the needs of orphans and widows, By Grace requests a minimum contribution from all its volunteers. These tax-deductible (USA only) contributions go directly toward meeting the daily needs of food, shelter, medical care, clothing, and school expenses for the children of By Grace. In addition to the volunteer contribution, a small amount is collected and paid to the host families for the expenses they incur while hosting volunteers. The following guide shows the contribution amounts and host family fees required depending on your desired length of stay. Please keep in mind that all volunteer contribution amounts are minimum recommendations and go toward a great cause. So, the sky is the limit when contributing to the needs of By Grace.

* Volunteer Contribution amounts are subject to change at the discretion of the By Grace Centre Administration.

The following fees are considered additional expenses to be covered by each individual:

The living conditions at the Centre are very basic - children sleep on thin mats that are rolled out on the floor in rooms

that double as both classrooms and bedrooms. The children do not always receive 3 meals a day and have little or

no possessions. Children and teachers alike share the very few books and school supplies available at the Centre. By

opening its doors to volunteers, By Grace hopes that it can simultaneously provide a unique cultural experience while

By Grace Disabled & Orphans Centre is excited that you are interested in working with the children. We look forward to assisting and welcoming you to Kenya. Follow these steps to ensure placement as a volunteer.

Getting started: (Use this as a check-list to complete your application process.)

Step 2: Mail the completed application form and non-refundable application fee of $50 (check or money order in US dollars) two months prior to your desired start date to:

Step 3: After receiving your completed application and fee, you will be notified immediately by our overseas administrative assistant. Allow two weeks for the By Grace Centre administration to process your application and request of volunteer project.

Step 4: You will receive your official acceptance (confirmation) and specific information about your program, volunteer project, host family, and facts about Kenya. A non-refundable $200 deposit fee will be required in order to secure your spot with a host family and as a volunteer in the orphanage. The $200 fee should be sent to the above address (check or money order in US dollars) four weeks prior to your desired start date.

Step 5: Prepare for travel by securing a passport, VISA, airfare, required immunizations, and optional traveler’s insurance. Although in some instances, VISAs may be obtained upon arrival in Nairobi’s International Airport, it is recommended that you secure a VISA prior to travel.

Step 6: After your have secured airfare, send a copy of your passport and flight itinerary to the above address. You may also send the information as an attachment via e-mail to: volunteers@bygracecentre.org. This information will help the By Grace Centre administration keep track of their volunteers’ travel dates.

Step 7: Two weeks prior to your expected departure, the remaining balance of your program fees will be due in full. The $200 deposit is deducted from the program total. Send the remainder to the above address (check or money order in US dollars). Failure to pay in full, prior to start of the program, may result in additional late fee penalties.

Step 8: Upon arrival into Kenya (via Nairobi International Airport) you will be greeted by your host family. Arrangements will be made ahead of time for your family to meet you at the airport. From there, you will be taken to the home of your host family and will be given the opportunity to refresh yourself after travel.

We have been welcoming and receiving International volunteers and visitors since 2003, and have hosted over one hundred guests. While in Kenya, volunteers will embark upon a journey to extend a helping hand during their stay. The Centre is dedicated to offering our volunteers several elements which we feel will enrich their stay:

It is our intent to gather personal information strictly for the purpose of getting to better know our volunteers. We take seriously the nature of disclosing personal information, and therefore never share it with e-mail lists or sell it to third parties. Information pertaining to yourself, education, career, hobbies & interests, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and postal addresses will remain confidential.

The terms and conditions of the volunteer accommodation are specifically designed to ensure an enjoyable stay while in Kenya. We trust that our volunteers will abide by these terms and conditions, while remaining polite and respectful to the Kenyan culture. Failure to do so may result in the termination of your volunteer program, and is left to the discretion of the By Grace Centre administration and the host families.

Due to the fact that By Grace Disabled & Orphans Centre is a non-profit organization, under circumstances of necessity, a refund for program fees may be negotiated for services not rendered. We want our volunteers to have a wonderful experience in Kenya, therefore we will weigh individual circumstances of cancellation and program refund on a case by case scenario. Cancellations must be made in writing and letters of support should also accompany this.

To learn more about volunteering at By Grace Centre, hear from some of our former volunteers:

Pixie Fennessey-Woolen; Decatur, IL (USA)
"I had the fortunate experience of visiting By Grace the last week of May and the first week of June in 2005. Another staff member, at the college I teach at, organized a trip to By Grace for students and community members. A teacher was needed for the trip so I volunteered. Working with the children and volunteer staff at By Grace has had a great impact on my life. The children are amazing. They have all ended up at By Grace due to extreme tragedies which have occurred in their lives. However, they have hope and very kind spirits. I believe they feel safe at By Grace. The children I got to know were all loving, polite, and very hard working students in the classes which I taught.

Since, being at By Grace I have had to re-evaluate the things I tend to get upset about. I realized that, as compared to what these brave children have had to deal with at such an early age in life, my own personal struggles are rather trivial. I also was very impressed with the time, energy, and love that all the full-time local Kenyan volunteers and Salome dedicate to the children. I have been so affected by this experience that I will be returning to By Grace. I have started sponsoring a child and hope I can do more for these beautiful children and dedicated teachers and caretakers of these children. I encourage others to volunteer or donate to By Grace. It has been a wonderful and enlightening experience. I have returned feeling I received more from the children than I could have ever give them. They have touched my heart."

I was at By Grace Orphans Centre for the last two weeks of January 2005. It was the first time I had undertaken any voluntary work with children overseas. When I arrived, the most noticeable thing was that living conditions at the centre and in Kayole in general, are very basic and the children and staff work with virtually no resources at all. Despite the lack of material things, the atmosphere at By Grace is really positive. This is due mainly to the attitude of the resident volunteers who tirelessly give their expertise and their love to the children and in particular, because of the vision and enthusiasm of the founder, Salome Wambui Muturi.

I had an amazing experience at By Grace. Everyone made me feel welcome and appreciated. My only regret is that I couldn't stay longer and do more. The students in my English classes were keen and conscientious. The younger children who did some art with me were a joy to be around.

My host family could not have been nicer. Ann and Patrick made sure I was comfortable and cared for. By the end of my stay, I was extremely sad to be leaving. I still miss Ann's cooking! I found the whole trip enriching on so many levels and although this is a cliché, it reminded me of what is important in life. I went to Kenya to help, but I received more than I could ever give.

I recently returned from volunteering/teaching at By Grace Orphanage in Nairobi, Africa (July 2007). I had the most amazing time. The children were so welcoming, loving, disciplined, and wanted to learn. I instantly fell in love with By Grace. The many adult teachers and administrators were absolutely wonderful!!!! Salome, the administrator, has dedicated her life to helping the children who were left on the streets. She is a marvelous woman, and is doing wonderful things for the children of Nairobi.

I found By Grace on the internet and set the entire trip up with Sonya Atkinson. I was well informed on all issues that involved the trip. I had many questions (especially because this was my first time out of the U.S., and I was traveling alone,) and all questions were answers promptly and completely. I felt so completely safe the entire time I was in Africa, mainly because I was so prepared. Previous volunteers were so eager to help with questions. They helped with what I should take and what to expect while I was there. I stayed with a host family while volunteering, and they became my second family. The meals were so delicious and the culture of Africa was shared so freely. They spent time with the volunteers and were there whenever I needed something. I was able to see how the typical African family works, plays, and lives.

I have returned home, only to miss the children and my host family, and shared my many stories and pictures with others. After seeing photos, my husband, daughter, and son want to return with me. They, too, fell in love with all of the children. I am a teacher in Indiana, and prior to my time at By Grace, I was able to introduce my school, and classroom to By Grace. My school collected money to donate to the orphanage. I was so thrilled that I was a part of what they were doing to help these children. With our donation money, they purchased new uniforms, fed the children, added tile to the worn out floors. This all happened in the 3 weeks I was there. Right before my eyes, I saw what they were able to do with our donation money. Fantastic!!

This was my first time to volunteer at an orphanage, travel out of the country, live with others that I didn't know, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I have made friends from everywhere in the world, and I had such a positive experience with By Grace and everyone that is involved with it, that I feel that I have become a part of them. I will return to By Grace, sooner or later, and I know that I will be involved with By Grace for a long time. Knowing that the children are in need of so much makes my heart ache. While I am at home, I will work on donations, and getting others involved in By Grace.

For more information about the volunteer program, including required immunizations, travel safety and insurance, making travel arrangements, how to raise funds for the volunteer contribution, what to expect and more - visit the following site: www.brightfuturechildren.org and click on the VOLUNTEER page.

Please use the "MAKE A DONATION" button at the left to support the children at By Grace. All volunteer programs expenses are administered through the Bright Future Foundation, a U.S. based non-profit organization. Donations are tax-deductible for U.S. taxpayers according to IRS regulations. www.brightfuturechildren.org