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Helping Hands International, Inc.
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Child Sponsorship
  • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Latest News
  • Volunteer
Welcome!

Kenya

Helping Hands International currently serves in several villages and cities in  Kenya, including but not limited to Rakwaro, Nairobi, Kakamega, and Kiwawa!  We invite you to join us in sharing the love of God by bring help and hope to hurting people in this beautiful place!

Find out more

Join us in: Kenya! 2023

Trip Information

DATE: 10/05/2023-10/18/2023 


ESTIMATED COST: 

Trip fee -  $1,500 per person (plus airfare).


FUNDRAISING GOAL:  

$20k


OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES

This years Kenya trip will include :    

  • Dental camp for orphans and vulnerable in Kakamega, Kenya's Amati Center for Orphans
  • Visit and play with sponsored children
  • Giving Bible story lessons and reading books to the children
  • Check on projects in Rakwaro, Kenya 
  • Visiting schools and homes in Nairobi and rural upcountry
  • Going to a big Nairobi church and a tiny little village church
  • Safari and elephant orphanage


Tentative trip Schedule - 

 

 - Thur/Fri 5th and 6th - Travel Days 
- Saturday 7th - Feeding/visiting Bethany and Destiny (Maybe Heshima school for the disabled)
- Sunday 8th - Church / lunch with James 
- Monday 9th - MITS (Made in the Streets) 
- Tuesday 10th - Fly to Kisumu  Lunch/Equator/Set up dental camp 
- Wed/Thur 11th/12th -  Full Day of Dental Camps
- Friday 13th - 1/2 day of dental camp and then travel to Awasi - Dinner with Kenya Team and their families 
- Saturday 14th - Breakfast with Kenya Team. Visit office/schools/ hand out food 
- Sunday 15th - Church  Lunch at Beatrice’s Home. Chapati Lesson 
- Monday 16th - Early flight back to NBO. Elephant orphanage / Giraffe center / Lunch 
- Tuesday 17th - Safari / Spinners Web 
- Wednesday 18th - Travel home


LODGING & FOOD

Where We Stay & What We Eat

We will be staying in local hotels and eating in approved restaurants.


SUPPLY LIST

What to Bring

  • Bible
  • Bath: bath towel, soap, shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, personal items,  etc.
  • Clothes: work clothes, one nice (not dressy) outfit for church, jacket and/or sweater (cold at night), work gloves, hat
  • Shoes: hiking shoes are preferred (e.g. no bare feet at any time) etc.
  • Other: baby wipes, camera, flashlight, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, water bottle etc.


TRANSPORTATION

Transportation consists of land cruiser and/or local trucks and vans. There is also opportunity to walk around the village and local landmarks. 


DRESS CODE

  • No undergarments showing at any time (guys and gals)
  • Dresses/skirts for outreach should be mid-calf to ankle if your not wearing pants
  • No tight fitting shirts, tank tops, low-cut or scoop neck (sleeveless is ok)
  • Men cannot take off their shirts


HEALTH & SAFETY

Helping Hands International recommends you follow those health and safety recommendations readily published by the CDC and Travel Alert program offered by the US State Department, as well as those recommended by your personal physician.  COVID-19 testing varies by Country and may be necessary before this trip departure and before returning to the USA.  Please note, if you take prescription medicines, please check with your local pharmacist to ensure the medicines are not considered a controlled substance in the location you are traveling.  Finally, please be sure to read HHI's COVID-19 policy, and Consent to Leave the Country (for minors) form, requirements below. 



PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS

Please be sure to read specific passport and visa requirements listed here, per the U.S. State Department.  U.S. and Canadian citizen (adult or child): Must have a current passport with the expiration date no later than 6 months of your return date, plus an e-visa before boarding an aircraft. 


THE STORY BEHIND THE PROJECT

We are planning to complete a dental camp for orphans and vulnerable in Kakamega, Kenya at the Amati Center for Orphans.  We also plan to visit various ministries and schools in Nairobi, Kenya as well as visit sponsored children (and check on projects) in Rakwaro, Kenya.

 

– Crissy Christian, HHI Team Leader

Register Now

KENYA PROJECT

Check out this post-trip video to get an idea of what we did in 2022!

PROJECT PICTURES

    Pre-Trip Video

    Join us in: Kenya!

    Trip Information

    DATE: 09/09/2022-09/21/2022 - (Update as of 6/2/22: This trip is full.)


    ESTIMATED COST: 

    Currently under review but expect $1,200 per person (plus airfare).

    Click here for payment schedules


    FUNDRAISING GOAL:  

    $10k (these funds are used to pay for the two houses we plan to build)


    OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES

    We are currently finalizing our travel plans but expect the service trip to involve: 

    • dedicating two homes built during Summer of 2022 for women in need, namely single Mom (who has been crippled from birth and is unable to walk) and her  caregiver);
    • participating in a "Day in the Life of a Kenyan" experience (e.g. helping local villagers with daily responsibilities like fetching water, herding cattle, making ropes out of plant, watching children, helping with laundry etc.);
    • checking-in on the status of the wormwood plantings and irrigation installation from prior years; 
    • visiting students at the Mcedo Beijing School (Mathare slums, Nairobi), Bethany Education Centre (Kawangware slums, Nairobi), Destiny Junior Academy (Mathare slums, Nairobi), Rawkaro Village (Rakwaro) and Amati Center for Orphans (Kakamega);  and,
    • giving Volunteers an opportunity to meet their Sponsored children and share the gospel.


    TYPICAL SCHEDULE

    We will distribute an itinerary for the trip as the date approaches but, please approach this with flexibility because our ultimate focus is on relationships.


    LODGING & FOOD

    Where We Stay & What We Eat

    We will be staying in local hotels and eating in approved restaurants.


    SUPPLY LIST

    What to Bring

    • Bible
    • Bath: bath towel, soap, shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, personal items,  etc.
    • Clothes: work clothes, one nice (not dressy) outfit for church, jacket and/or sweater (cold at night), work gloves, hat
    • Shoes: hiking shoes are preferred (e.g. no bare feet at any time) etc.
    • Other: baby wipes, camera, flashlight, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, water bottle etc.


    TRANSPORTATION

    Transportation consists of land cruiser and/or local trucks and vans. There is also opportunity to walk around the village and local landmarks.


    DRESS CODE

    • No undergarments showing at any time (guys and gals)
    • Dresses/skirts for outreach should be mid-calf to ankle if your not wearing pants
    • No tight fitting shirts, tank tops, low-cut or scoop neck (sleeveless is ok)
    • Men cannot take off their shirts


    HEALTH & SAFETY

    Helping Hands International recommends you follow those health and safety recommendations readily published by the CDC and Travel Alert program offered by the US State Department, as well as those recommended by your personal physician.  COVID-19 testing varies by Country and may be necessary before this trip departure and before returning to the USA.  Please note, if you take prescription medicines, please check with your local pharmacist to ensure the medicines are not considered a controlled substance in the location you are traveling.  Finally, please be sure to read HHI's COVID-19 policy, and Consent to Leave the Country (for minors) form, requirements below. 



    PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS

    Please be sure to read specific passport and visa requirements listed here, per the U.S. State Department.  U.S. and Canadian citizen (adult or child): Must have a current passport with the expiration date no later than 6 months of your return date, plus an e-visa before boarding an aircraft. 


    THE STORY BEHIND THE PROJECT

    “With help from the locals, Helping Hands International started sponsoring the Christian Dream School and Child Sponsorship Program in Rakwaro, Kenya (a remote village located in the Northwest portion of Kenya, specifically near the shores of Lake Victoria) around 2016.  


    Initially, we helped approximately 70 families and over 100 children in this small village.  


    However, over the past couple of years we extended our Child Sponsorship Program to reach multiple schools in Nairobi, Kenya (e.g. Mcedo Beijing School, Bethany Education Centre, Destiny Junior Academy) and two orphanages - one in Kakamega, Kenya (e.g. Amati Center for Orphans) and another in Andhra Pradesh, India (Bethany Children Home).


    We now have over 200 students in the Child Sponsorship Program who receive regular, meals, education and the good news of the gospel, thanks to God and our monthly sponsors.


    In 2021, we also started forming a college/trade school scholarship program for students who have graduated from high school and expressed interest in pursuing a higher education.


    We invite you to prayerfully consider joining us on a service project in Kenya in 2022 or becoming a monthly sponsor!

     

    – Crissy Christian, HHI Team Leader

    Healthy & Safety

    COVID-19

    Helping Hands International requires each Volunteer planning to travel on a non-US project, or out of State project, to obtain a negative COVID-19 test 72 hours prior to departure, IF you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or may have been recently exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19.  Test results will need to be shared with individual HHI Team Leaders. However, you do NOT need to send results to our main office.


    We also HIGHLY recommend all participants receive COVID-19 vaccinations prior to your trip overseas! 


    While Helping Hands International recognizes that vaccinations are a voluntary decision, we highly recommend all participants receive a COVID-19 vaccination, in large part because we do not want to bring the virus to a small or remote village that has little or no healthcare - the results could be devastating!


    Helping Hands International also recommends you follow the country specific health and safety recommendations readily published by the CDC and Travel Alert program offered by the US State Department, as well as those recommended by your personal physician. You can find this information on your trip specific HHI web page (e.g. www.helpinghandsinternational.com/kenya or www.helpinghandsinternational.com/mexico etc) as well.


    COVID–19 

    While COVID-19 requirements vary by location, and sometimes day by day, we will do our best to monitor and keep you abreast of testing requirements for each trip.  Please also be aware that some countries may require you to provide a negative COVID test before leaving the USA and entering their country, as well as prior to departing their country to head back to the United States. 


    FAQ

    Q: What if someone tests positive for COVID-19 in a foreign country and cannot fly home? 


    A: Although this scenario is unlikely, it is a possibility we need to be prepared for.  If an HHI Volunteer tests positive for COVID-19 in a foreign country, that person (if a minor, with an adult) will need to stay in the country and quarantine for the amount of days required by local authorities (e.g. in some cases this is between 10-14 days.)  Helping Hands International will arrange lodging for HHI Volunteer(s) who need to be quarantined, but the expense will be the responsibility of the traveler(s), not the nonprofit.


    CONSENT TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY: FORM FOR MINORS

    Download PDF

    2021 Kenya Project

    The Reveal Video: Here is a short video of the Kenya Team's trip!

    Photos: 2021 Kenya Trip (September-October)

      Join us in: Kenya!

      Trip Information

      DATE: 06/13/21-06/25/21


      ESTIMATED COST: $1,000 per person per trip (plus airfare)


      OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES

      This service trip will involve:

      • a formal dedication of the 2020 drilled well at the Mcedo Beijing School in the Mathare slums of Nairobi, Kenya;
      • a formal dedication of the 2021 drilled well for the Amati Orphanage in Kakamega, Kenya;  
      • a formal dedication of the newly built Christian Dream School in Rakwaro, Kenya;
      • checking-in on the status of the shade nets installed, wormwood plantings, irrigation installation in 2019; and,
      • giving Volunteers an opportunity to meet children that are part of HHI's Child Sponsorship Program in Rakwaro, Kenya.


      TYPICAL SCHEDULE

      Below is the tentative schedule for the trip, but we approach this with flexibility because our ultimate focus is on relationships.  Please note: Any PDF itineraries attached to this web site (see below) reflect the most current daily schedule and should serve to replace the following bullet points.


      • Day 1-3: Travel to Nairobi, Kenya.


      • Day 4-5: Visit local ministries and dedicate the new well at the Mcedo Beijing School in the Mathare slums of Nairobi.


      • Day 6-8: Travel to Rakwaro village to review local projects, visit with Sponsored Children and fellowship.


      • Day 9-10: Travel to Bumamu, Kenya to meet with new friends, review the new well at the village/orphanage, and work on minor projects.


      • Day 11-12: Travel back to Nairobi and participate in a game drive at the Nairobi National Park (e.g. safari, Giraffe Center and Elephant Orphanage).


      • Day 13: Fly home.


      LODGING & FOOD

      Where We Stay & What We Eat

      We will be staying in local hotels and eating in local villages.


      SUPPLY LIST

      What to Bring

      • Bible
      • Bath: bath towel, soap, shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, personal items,  etc.
      • Clothes: work clothes, one nice (not dressy) outfit for church, jacket and/or sweater (cold at night), work gloves, hat
      • Shoes: hiking shoes are preferred (e.g. no bare feet at any time) etc.
      • Other: baby wipes, camera, flashlight, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, water bottle etc.


      TRANSPORTATION

      Transportation consists of land cruiser and/or local trucks and vans. There is also opportunity to walk around the village and local landmarks.


      DRESS CODE

      • No undergarments showing at any time (guys and gals)
      • Dresses/skirts for outreach should be mid-calf to ankle if your not wearing pants
      • No tight fitting shirts, tank tops, low-cut or scoop neck (sleeveless is ok)
      • Men cannot take off their shirts


      HEALTH & SAFETY

      Helping Hands International recommends you follow those health and safety recommendations readily published by the CDC and Travel Alert program offered by the US State Department, as well as those recommended by your personal physician.  COVID-19 testing varies by Country and may be necessary before this trip departure and before returning to the USA.  Please note, if you take prescription medicines, please check with your local pharmacist to ensure the medicines are not considered a controlled substance in the location you are traveling.



      PASSPORT REQUIREMENTS

      Please be sure to read specific passport and visa requirements listed here, per the U.S. State Department.  U.S. and Canadian citizen (adult or child): Must have a current passport with the expiration date no later than 6 months of your return date, plus an e-visa before boarding an aircraft. 


      THE STORY BEHIND THE PROJECT

      “Rakwaro is a remote village located in the Northwest portion of Kenya, specifically near the shores of Lake Victoria.  


      Transportation in the village largely consists of walking and bicycling.   


      With help from the locals, Helping Hands International has been able to sponsor the Christian Dream School and the Child Sponsorship program in this area, which benefits approximately 70 families and has more than 100 children.


      These students receive regular meals, school uniforms and the good news of the gospel.”

       

      – Ron Ashpole, HHI Founder & President

      Rakwaro, Kenya

      Helping Hands International, Inc. supports this local village through a Child Sponsorship Program, fresh water, agricultural projects and annual Christmas Party!

      Kiwawa, Kenya

       Helping Hands International has been serving in this location for over 15 years, thanks to the pioneering work of Dick and Jane Hamilton, who began their missionary work there more than 25 years ago. 


      Over the past several years Dick and Jane were able to witness and share the gospel with thousands of people while they lived in the community with the local people. 


      They also had the opportunity to build a mission base in the village that is still being used today by Helping Hands International for yearly projects. 


      Over the years, our non-profit installed a brand new community well with a holding tank, a solar pump, and made water accessible for the entire village (consisting of hundreds of people), completely changing the community. 


      During 2019, we were able to send a team of 12 people to the village to renovate a local medical clinic, which was put in years ago by Dick and Jane, to ensure it was in a usable state again.


      In 2020, we were happy to announce a new full-time Nurse working in the clinic, which was again life changing for the village and the surrounding area, because it is one of the only options for people seeking medical help within 75 miles! 

      Nairobi, Kenya

      Helping Hands International, Inc. has partnered with Mike Hyodo, long term missionary.  We support the Mcedo Beijing School in the Mathare slums in Nairobi, Kenya in 2019 by helping them drill a borehole, which generated a new well that ultimately provided clean water for hundreds of local students and families. We also started partnering with Bethany Education Center in 2020 Destiny in 2021 to further expand our Child Sponsorship program in this extremely impoverished area  - click here to see who is waiting for a monthly sponsor!  In 2022, we expanded our Child Sponsorship program to feed 1,600 students per week at the Mcedo Beijing School, Bethany Education Center and Destiny Junior Academy.

      Copyright © 2023 Helping Hands International, Inc. - All Rights Reserved.

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