Volunteer at Children’s Homes in Kenya, Thailand & Indonesia

Deadline: 1 January 2015
Open to: young people over the age of 18
Benefits: basic accommodation and food, and small monthly stipend for those who commit to a whole year

Description

If you’re looking for a long-term volunteering opportunity, the International Humanity Foundation is offering you the chance to help in its children’s home in Nakuru, Kenya; Chiang Rai, Thailand; and in education centers and children’s homes in Bali, Jakarta, Medan and Banda Aceh, Indonesia.

IHF is looking for hard-working, committed volunteers to help in its children’s home in Kenya. IHF provides education, and in some cases, homes, to children in need in six centers across Indonesia, Thailand and Kenya. IHF has no central headquarters; each center is a product of its environment and follows the cultural code and norms of its host country.

The Kenya center is a children’s home and also provides emergency relief to the surrounding community. This is the biggest IHF center, with approximately 100 kids. The kids are from the marginalized Pokot tribe, whose conditions are amongst the worse in Kenya. Living conditions in this region are harsh, and the organization provides basic needs such as a home, food, and access to education to children who would otherwise go without. They also run livestock donation projects and other initiatives to relieve the extreme poverty where they can.

The Thailand center is a home for hill-tribe children. Children from this marginalized community come to the IHF center for a stable home and a chance for an education.

IHF has four centers in Indonesia, in Bali, Jakarta, Medan and Banda Aceh. Their Jakarta and Aceh centers provide homes to a small number of children, while all centers offer English, math and computer classes to disadvantaged children. With a population of over 240 million, Indonesia’s public education system often fails to give children a chance to escape the poverty they were born into. IHF fills that gap and give kids a chance to aim higher.

At the centers, you will divide your time between caring for the children and working on international tasks. IHF is a grassroots, all-volunteer organisation with no central office, so all administration work is done in center. All volunteers manage one or more of their international task teams such as university relations, fundraising and media; working together online with volunteers in other centers. You will be assigned according to your experience. You must possess excellent time management skills.

Eligibility

Those who are secure without the comforts of home gain the most from this valuable opportunity. They are looking for applicants preferably with:

• A related university degree: for instance in social studies, language, teaching, medicine, law, social work;
• Experience abroad; travel, working or volunteering;
• 1-2 years working experience in any field;
• Experience with teaching and/or children.

Fluency in English, both written and spoken is essential. Those interested in volunteering at an IHF centre are required to complete a level of pre-trip duties in order to gain an understanding of how the organization functions.

Benefits

Volunteers must commit to serve at least a year at the center. Basic accommodation and food is provided by IHF. You are a volunteer at the center, and all local tasks completed are done so without pay. Volunteers who commit to serving one year or more will receive a small monthly stipend. It is broken down as follow:

• First 3 months: Training period – $20 per month;
• 3-6 months: Assistant co-Director – $50 per month;
• 6-9 months: Co-Director – $80 per month;
• 9-12 months: Co-Director – $100 per month.

This stipend results only from the international online work; not from any local tasks. After one year there is the opportunity to become a full Director. These stipends are strictly fixed. They will not be raised for more experienced applicants, and everyone will be upgraded according to the time-frames outlined above, and no sooner. There are no exceptions to this, regardless of what may be the situation in the centre. They are an all-Volunteer organization and training and hands-on experience is paramount.

Application

Complete the online application form HERE to volunteer at one of the centers. You can also volunteer to work from your home using the form HERE.

Please take the time to familiarize yourself further with the organization on their official website HERE and their blog HERE.

If you have any questions at this time, please contact hiring4@ihfonline.org.