Typhoid, cholera and other water related/diarrheal diseases are rampant in Kenya, especially when water is not sterilised properly. People are often seen washing, cleaning kitchen utensils and drinking the same water, sometimes after not even being sterilised. Education about the health concerns of this is extremely necessary, and this is why Rieko has introduced the water sterilising volunteering program.

What will I be doing?
Rieko’s water purification volunteering program has many aspects to it. Choose to either be involved in:

• Water sterilisation education
• Building & teaching others to make natural water sterilisers
• Bore hole creation
• Community water sensitization
• A mixture of the above

You will be educating the local communities about drinking and cleaning with clean water, and providing them with a means of accessing safer water supplies. You may be working with the Red Cross to give out sterilisation tablets, or choose to fundraise enough money in order to have a bore hole made for the local community. Alternatively learn and teach others how to make multi-level sand sterilisation units. So much to do, and such a rewarding experience – you will be changing lives for ever with the water sterilisation volunteering program. 

Where will I volunteer?
Our water purification volunteer programs all take place in Migori county. Migori county is known for its diverse and beautiful landscape; bordering the Masaai Mara game reserve, Tanzania and the 2nd largest lake in the World. You can choose to participate in a water purification volunteer program location surrounded by sugar cane fields, overlooking the fishermen on Lake Victoria or next to the gold mines of Macalder amongst many other options. Depending on your program interest will determine to which area you are sent to volunteer at. We can guarantee that wherever you volunteer, you will have an unforgettable experience! Contact our team today to discuss which location would suit you best!

How long will the placement take?
Rieko’s water sterilisation volunteering program’s duration start at a minimum of 3 weeks. Depending on the project you wish to participate in, will dictate the best duration for your trip. For example, for the water sterilisation education project, based on the education of 1 complete village, we would advise that 6 weeks would be an ideal duration.  For the building and teaching others to make natural water sterilizers, we would suggest at least 3 months to gain the full impact of the program and for the community to equally gain. Discuss the program that interests you with the Rieko team today! 

Where will I stay?
Rieko water environmental volunteers have a number of options when it comes to accommodation in Kenya. Choose between 1) host family, 2) shared volunteer house, or 3) hotel/B&B accommodation. Accommodation with a host family or in a shared volunteer house is most likely to provide you with an authentic Kenyan experience, and provides the smallest environmental footprint. However, we are able to book you a hotel if you wish and a good option if located nearer to a town. Whatever your preference, we will ensure that you are safe, well fed and having the best Kenyan volunteering experience possible.

Who can apply?
Anyone can apply for our water sterilising volunteering program, providing that you are aged over 18 years and have an interest in helping a community access safe drinking water. We also ask that you are somewhat physically fit as there may be a lot of walking involved depending on which program you choose to do.

What’s next?
Fill in our online contact form with the details of the dates and program you wish to do, and we’re reply with the rest.