Support the work of medical centers in Togo
Kpalime, Togo 2 - 12 months
Volunteer project: This project was initiated in response to requests made by medical centers in Kpalimé and in Agou-Nyogbo (12 km from Kpalimé). The project aims to alleviate the shortage of staff at these health centers which cannot afford to hire sufficient personnel. The project is open to health care specialists: doctors, midwives, nurses, laboratory technicians, biologists, or students who wish to improve their knowledge and experience in tropical medicine.
The volunteers will assist the staff in treating and assisting patients. The centers have testing laboratories, medical departments and maternity wards where the volunteers can work.
Volunteer responsibilities:
• Assisting the nursing staff
• Consulting patients and pregnant women (prenatal consultation)
• Performing minor surgery for minor accidents
• Weighing children
• Vaccinations
• Carrying out family planning sessions
• Carrying out biomedical tests
Special requirements: A background in the healthcare field.
Language: English
Duration of the project: 2-12 months
Accommodation: The volunteers will live with a host family which is an opportunity to learn about the local community, culture and language. Volunteers are expected to be sensitive to the local culture and make an effort to integrate into the community. So the most important qualities we are looking for are enthusiasm, flexibility and willingness to experience something completely new.
Age range: 18 and over
Participation fee: $690
Extra fee: 562 Euro for 2 months; 826 Euro for 3 months; 1,566 Euro for 6 month;
The extra fee is intended to support the local host of the project who does not have sufficient funds. It is due upon arrival.
Promoting community health initiatives
Busia, Kenya August 12 - August 31, 2023
Volunteer project: In this project, we support a Community Health Self-Help Group in Bumala, Busia County, which has been in existence since 2016. The group has built a community hospital which opened in November 2022 to begin offering health services to the local community. The hospital comprises of doctor’s consultation rooms, maternity wing, pharmacy, patients waiting bay and temporary wards. More facilities are still under construction.
The Self-Help Group is comprised of volunteers operating within Busia County, with the mission of spearheading the implementation of community health, environmental projects and development programs. The group focuses on Health and community development and other health-related issues. The group received training on HIV/AIDS prevention, VCT Counseling, Community mobilization, and home-based caregiving and education.
The population of Busia is affected by serious health and social problems. Apart from HIV/AIDS as the main problem, there are also other issues such as an increasing number of orphans and vulnerable children, and jiggers menace because of parents’ death from HIV/AIDS. Most orphans whose parents had died from HIV/AIDS are infected by jiggers, as a result of poor care. In general, these children lack health care, shelter, education and clothing among others.
The group of community health volunteers is engaging in activities like providing medical services, jiggers eradication program, creating tree nurseries and planting trees, health education in local schools and distribution of sanitary pads to schools. The profit generated from selling the trees is channeled to the hospital project.
Volunteer tasks:
• Volunteers with medical background will assist the medical and non-medical staff in the community hospital.
• Participating in community home visits.
• Engaging in other income generation activities like brick making
• Preparation of tree nurseries and planting.
• Cleaning of the project area
• Visiting nearby schools to offer health related talks
• Helping in maintenance activities like painting and a little bit of construction
Leisure activities: Volunteers will have a chance to do evening nature walks, home visits, cultural meetings, and games. During weekends, volunteers can visit Lake Victoria, Kisumu Museum, the Crying Stone, the equator line, and have a general tour in Kisumu city. Volunteers will also have the opportunity for an early morning visit to Kakamega Rainforest, hike the forest hill, and witness the sunrise.
Language: English
Orientation: There will be a one-day orientation for all participants the day before the project starts.
Accommodation: Accommodation will be at a host home which is about 7 minutes’ walk to the main project site. It is important that you have your own sleeping bag and mat.
Location: Bumala, Busia County
Terminal: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi or Kisumu Airport
Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: 300 Euros
The fee includes airport pick up and drop off, up to 3 nights’ accommodation before or after the project and introduction to Kenyan life through a Nairobi City Center tour before the project.
The extra fee is intended to support the local host of the project who does not have sufficient funds. It is due upon arrival.