Our Volunteer Philosophy
The LCA is committed to humility. This means we aim to empower the people of Lwala to do the work they dream of doing for their community. Our staff in Lwala is all Kenyan and mostly local.
The LCA is also committed to mutual transformation. This means we value the encounter between Africans and Americans, and the learning opportunities it affords. But we recognize that it takes great care and thoughtfulness to foster equitable, mutual relationships across the wealth divide. And we’ve learned from experience that without this care the presence of Americans in Lwala can be detrimental. So we very carefully involve Americans in the work in Lwala.
To exercise this care, and because our members in Lwala have asked that we limit the number of Americans in the village, we work hard to set a small number of volunteers up with a small number of projects that are on Lwala’s agenda. If you’re looking for a different kind of opportunity, or we’re not able to offer you a place in Lwala, there are a number of great organizations that send young people to Africa and other two thirds world settings. A few organizations and resources we recommend are:
The Living Hope Centre Word Made Flesh Beacon of Hope Amania ya Ju A Practical Guide to Global Health Service by Edward O’Neil Jr.
Who we’re looking for
In other words, we are looking for volunteers who want to share of themselves and to learn from others, not for people who want to save the world. We are looking for self-starters with relevant skills, some cross-cultural experience, huge flexibility, and the humility to work with and learn from the people of Lwala. We are looking for volunteers who want to invest significant time or significant expertise, or both.
If you are currently an undergraduate, we welcome your interest in volunteering. We’re looking for students with specific skills who are able to invest several months to become part of the Lwala community, both here in the States and in Lwala itself. If you are a professional or graduate student in health care, agriculture, veterinary medicine, water resources, business, or education, we are looking for individuals or small groups to take on specific tasks that will help build the capacity of the clinic staff and leaders in Lwala. One example is teaching a basic life saving skills module from the American College of Nurse Midwives to a group of traditional birth attendants. We are also looking for medical professionals and 3rd & 4th year medical students to work alongside our local clinicians in learning and training capacities for a minimum of one month, but preferably three months or longer. If you have professional skills we will work with you to help put your skills to work in an effective, tailored manner.
Thank you for your interest. If you have any questions of any sort at all, or you just want to learn more, please contact the chair of our volunteer committee, Freddie Ghesquiere, at volunteer@lwalacommunityalliance.org
Sample Projects for Undergraduates
1. Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Training
Volunteers would attend a Lifewater (www.lifewater.org) or similar training conference on participatory hygiene and sanitation education. They would be equipped to train trainers in the areas of water safety, sanitation and hygiene. In Lwala they would run a training seminar for trainers from various villages around Lwala. They would also train the teachers at Lwala primary and help them start a school health club. This would be a good project for students interested in public health, international development, or water resources.
2. Computer training for Lwala Clinic Staff
Students would procure new and lightly used laptop computers, and reformat their hard drives and load appropriate software while in the U.S. In Kenya they would teach typing and use of Microsoft Word and Excel to clinic staff members. They would also establish a data management and backup system for clinic information. If there are any students with professional IT skills, they could also be used at a university AIDS education organization called “I Choose Life” in Nairobi. This would be a good project for students interested in computer science or information technology, or students with a significant hobby interest in computers.
3. Scholarship student interviews
Interview, photograph, and coach letter writing for current scholarship students. This would be a good project for students interested in education or anthropology, or other related social science disciplines.
4. Teaching in Lwala Primary School
Subjects would be arranged in advance with the headmistress of Lwala Primary based on the students’ skills. Students would prepare lesson plans in advance. English is an obvious possibility, but people with skills in sciences or mathematics would also be welcome to teach specific lessons or work in a tutoring capacity. Humility, cultural sensitivity, and courage are essential qualities for this project.
5. Clinic landscaping
Work with local staff to design a landscaping plan for the clinic, then implement the plan. This project would offer good opportunities for working with young people from Lwala. It would be helpful to have at least one student with some art or design sense to guide the planning, and even better to have someone with some knowledge of botany and gardening.
6. Guitar Lessons
There are roughly 5 decent guitars that were donated to Lwala. A skilled guitar teacher would be welcome to teach people how to play them. This person would work in conjunction with church choirs to select the guitar students.
Sample Projects for post-college students and professionals
1. Poultry and Livestock Projects
Veterinarians or Veterinary students could assist in establishing income generating poultry or livestock projects for local women’s groups and HIV/AIDS support groups
2. Community Health Worker Training
Someone with significant public health skills and cross cultural education experience could lead a training seminar for community health workers. Could also work with them in the field for training and best practices development
3. Medical Care and Training
Nurses, doctors, other medical professionals, and third and fourth year medical students can work side by side with our clinic staff. We ask for minimum one-month but preferably 3 or more month commitments for these roles, as it takes time to develop productive training and work relationships with local staff. Training our local staff is the priority for these placements.
4. Obstetrics and Midwifery Care and Training
Nurse midwives, family physicians, and OB/GYNs would be welcome to provide maternity care and training for clinic staff, as well as to conduct training seminars for traditional birth attendants. We ask for minimum one-month but preferably 3 or more month commitments for these roles, as it takes time to develop productive training and work relationships with local staff. Training our local staff is the priority for these placements.
5. Laboratory Work and Training
Medical lab technicians would be welcome to provide training for clinic lab staff and to assist in lab systems development.
6. Microfinance Development
Persons with business skills, and preferably with microfinance development skills, could assist in training and project development for a microfinance program in Lwala.
7. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
Persons with significant background in water resources or community development would be welcome to lead a year-long project guiding a community-development-first water and sanitation program in Lwala and the surrounding villages. This is a very significant project for someone with significant knowledge about water resources as well as cross-cultural experience with strong organizational and financial skills.
8. AIDS Demonstration Garden and Agricultural Outreach
Persons with significant experience in agriculture, preferably including African or tropical agriculture, would be welcome to lead a year-long project guiding the establishment of an AIDS demonstration garden using innovative farming techniques. Would also assist in the development of an agricultural outreach program for AIDS patients. Could begin with training at ECHO.
