The following information outlines the answers to the frequently asked questions for Harambee 2010. Should you have any specific questions, please let us know and we will do our best to answer your query. harambee2010@friendsoflondiani.com

Accommodation: The type of accommodation depends on which of the villages you will be working in. It will be a mixture of dormitories (similar to hostels) and camping in tents. These are large tents and come with mattresses. In Nairobi we will stay in a moderate hotel. We provide blankets and pillows and you will be expected to bring your own sleeping bag.

Size of Group: Group size will vary between 20 and 25 people for each project.  There will be two projects running simultaneously each project and each site will run separately though they will travel out and prepare together.

Facilities: Water is a valuable resource in Kenya and is used sparingly. Showers will not be available every day so you may have to resort to Baby wipes on some days! Water for hand washing etc. will be readily available. Some of the sites we will use will have one or two western toilets but more often than not you will use Asian toilets – this involves crouching and minimises contact and can therefore be more hygienic than western toilets! Some of these toilets are outside ‘long-drops’ whilst others are indoors.

Water & Food:  Bottled drinking water is purchased by FOL and will be provided for you. Food is prepared and cooked by Kenyan catering staff with assistance from one team member each day. Fruit and vegetables are readily available and are good quality.  Usually breakfast is cereal, bread, tea, coffee, fruit and sometimes an egg. Lunch is crackers, sandwiches, fruit, soup or similar and is often taken as a packed lunch if you are out and about. Dinner is a mix of African and Western foods – including local vegetables, pasta, tinned tuna, eggs, rice. Meat is considered to be very expensive locally and is not always refrigerated so we do not use meat during out projects.  

Inland Travel: We will travel from Nairobi to the villages in buses and 4WD vehicles. It is approximately 5 hours drive from Nairobi to Londiani.

Health Advice: We have a medical doctor who will give some advice regarding general health, travel health precautions and vaccinations. She will meet with each person on an individual basis before the trip. During the project however you may not have a medical doctor or nurse with you. A qualified first aider will be with each group and any incident will be managed appropriately by our well-prepared Team Leaders, Kenyan staff and Management Team.

Team 2010: We have four groups travelling to Kenya next year, two departing in July and two in October. The groups will attend some trainings together and will work together to achieve the overall aims of the Harambee project for 2010.  In this regard there is considerable overlap in terms of tasks, projects and personnel. This creates a strong team ethos and being able to work on a team is an important part of the project. Participants will come from a wide range of backgrounds from all over Ireland and be aged from 18 years upwards.

Safety & Emergencies: The safety of our teams is paramount throughout our projects. We will prepare you to the best of our abilities and a Team Leader will be with you throughout the project. We have good contacts with local medical personnel and in Nairobi. Everyone in the group must have valid travel insurance and agree to have the necessary vaccinations.

Travel Arrangements: We will organise all group travel arrangements. Participants will travel together – generally we fly from Dublin via London to Nairobi and return via London to Dublin or Cork. On arrival in Nairobi we are met by our transport team. Visas are obtained from the Kenyan Embassy in Dublin and we will give you all the necessary information to obtain the visa (this is done by post or in person and takes 2-3 days).

Communications: You will not have email access during the project except in Nairobi or in case of an emergency. If you have a mobile phone with roaming enabled you can use it in Kenya (check with your service provider for costs) or you can buy a Kenyan sim card for a relatively cheap price. In case of emergency, we have project phones and a back up of contact people here in Ireland.

Tourist Options: Should you wish to travel around Kenya or further a field after your project with FOL, you must make this known to the Project Leaders from the beginning. This is due to the fact that we book group flights to get the cheapest airfares possible. Should you wish to go on safari or to the coast for a holiday after the project, FOL can arrange a delayed departure date at no extra cost once we are informed well in advance. Any changes made once the flights are booked will incur a cost.

Offsetting the Carbon Footprint: To counteract the effect of the carbon emissions generated by flights for Harambee projects, FOL will undertake to plant trees in Londiani to ensure environmental sustainability. More information will be given at the training weekends.