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 Volunteers for Peace American Jewish World Service 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, significant cross-cultural experience, experience living or traveling in the Global South, 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 or graduate student, we welcome your interest in volunteering both here in the States and in Lwala itself. Focus in the areas of health care, agriculture, veterinary medicine, water resources, business, and education are especially relevant. For those interested in service in Lwala, we are looking for students with significant experience living or working in the Global South, skills and experiences that match projects identified by the community, and a willingness to invest a minimum of eight weeks in the village. Volunteers typically take on specific tasks that will help build the capacity of the clinic staff and leaders in Lwala.
If you have professional skills, we will work with you to help put your skills to work in an effective, tailored manner.
Upon inquiry, any interested volunteers will receive a list of community-generated projects and their descriptions, as well as an application.
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 Helmiere, at volunteer@lwalacommunityalliance.org
