We're off to Kenya on May 15th to volunteer with the Kipepeo Community Empowerment Program which includes an orphanage. How did this all come about? Well, to make a very long story short, we both had planned to spend some time volunteering overseas. That, along with our interest in water projects and microfinance projects (lending money for people to start their own businesses no matter how small) led us to Africa. We emailed many, many organizations to offer our services, but ironically, it is very difficult to find a place to volunteer! Finally through travel blogs we came across Kipepeo, an organization that cares for street orphans and vulnerable kids, teaches reading programs in local schools, administers microcredit loans, and works with a 'Youth Groups and Women Groups Empowerment Progam'. Kipepeo is located in western Kenya, about an 8-hour drive west of Nairobi. The great thing about Kipepeo is that we will be living in the home of a host family in the community.
Another goal while in Kenya is to volunteer our time to shoot a short promotional video for The Water Project. This is an organization that facilitates the drilling of wells by Kenyans of which I met through a water project I was involved in 2 years ago. We will be taken to some of their wells in the area and have the ability to speak with locals about the impact these wells have made on their community. As well, we will find the location of a new well of which we would like to fund-raise for when we get back.
