Country Information
Country specific information, travel warning and travel alerts are accessible through the State Department’s travel information website http://travel.state.gov. There are three ways to access Country specific information, travel warning and travel alerts.

1. Internet: http://travel.state.gov.
 
2. By fax: on a fax machine dial 202-647-3000 follow voice prompts.
 
3. By telephone: dial 888-407-4747

Visas
Most volunteers get a 3-month tourist visa for $25USD at the airport on arrival. They may also be purchased from the Kenyan Embassy in most countries before you leave. Visas may only be extended once for 3 months while in Kenya. After that, you must leave East Africa and if staying on, begin the 3-month plus 3-month cycle again. You must register as an alien if you are staying longer than 3 months.

Banking
Currency exchange kiosks are available at the airport as well as other locations. The Kenyan shilling (ksh) is the currency used, and the exchange rate changes regularly. ATMs are readily available for cash withdrawls on debit cards or Visa. There is a $5 charge per transaction. Credit cards are not generally accepted for small purchases. Please inform your bank and credit card company that you are going to Kenya. Cash is preferred over traveler's checks. Bartering is expected when shopping.

Weather

• below the equator, so hottest in February-March; coolest in July-August
• long rains usually in April to June
• short rains usually in October to December
• rainfalls mostly in the afternoons and evenings
• warm during the day – average annual temperatures are a maximum of 25C
• 6000 feet above sea level so cool at night and in the morning – average annual temperatures are a minimum of 14C

Medical Care
Check your overseas medical insurance coverage:  Ask your medical insurance company if your policy applies overseas, and if it covers emergency expenses such as medical evacuation.  If it does not, consider supplemental insurance. There is a private hospital located in Karen as well as various clinics.  Fees are paid upfront, and you may be able to claim them on your health insurance. Malaria is not considered a huge risk in this area due to the high altitude and many volunteers do not take medication for it.  Check with your doctor.  It is recommended that you bring and use repellent.  Nets may be purchased in Karen.  Malaria medication is recommended if you plan to travel to the coast or on Safari.

General guidance on vaccinations and other health precautions may be found on the Travelers’ Health page of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) or the international travelers hot line at 1-877-394-8747. A good source for vaccinations and Malaria information is your County Health Department.

Trips, Sightseeing, Safaris
Please arrange with the Program Manager for time at the beginning or end or your volunteer period for such travel. We can recommend tour operators who will give a discounted rate to Hekima Place volunteers. Below are a few recommendations:

• Dagoretti 4 Kids, a program for street boys
• Mikono, a refugee craft shop run by the Jesuits
• Nyumbani, a hospice for HIV positive orphans                                                    
• Kasuri, a company employing women who specialize in ceramic beading, jewelry and pottery
• The Karen Blixen Museum and Tea Gardens, based on the life of the author of “Out of Africa” 
• Bomas of Kenya to see traditional music, costumes, dancing, and homestead
• The Giraffe Centre to feed the animals
• The Masai Market for traditional beading and artifacts  

Plan Your Travel
If you leave home on Thursday, you will arrive on Friday and have the weekend to recover and get acclimated. If you leave Kenya on a Monday, and arrive home on a Tuesday, you will have the weekend to spend with your new African friends, before departing. Below is a list of recommendations of what to bring for a four-week trip:

Pack lightly to allow more room for supplies for Hekima Place on the way over, and  for gifts for friends and family on the way home. Some clothing you may even choose to leave at Hekima Place when you return home.

Clothing:

• 2 pair of slacks or jeans
• 1-2 pair of capris ( shorts aren't worn in public)
• 5-6 short sleeved shirts
• Week's worth of underwear
• 2 pair of pajamas/night clothes
• 3 pair of sandals/sneakers
• 1-2 light jackets or fleece
• Windbreaker or rain coat
• Sun visor or hat
• Minimal costume jewelry

Other Items:

• Travel alarm
• Hand sanitizer
• Facial tissue packets
• Pain reliever (Aspirin or Ibuprofen)
• Sunscreen
• Toiletries
• Umbrella
• 3 prong adapter and converter
• Lightweight backpack or carry all
• Binoculars for safari
• Hand held mirror
• Scissors
• Books, book light, journal
• Flashlight
• Camera, charger, batteries, portable music player

Church Attendance
It would be appreciated (but not required) to attend church services on Sundays. Transportation is provided for the girls to attend the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Pentecostal churches. The Presbyterian church is within walking distance. Appropriate church attire in Kenya is a dress or skirt for women, slacks and dress shirt for men.

Termination
Volunteer service may be terminated if a volunteer:

• Harms a child in any way
• Disrespects staff
• Is absent from duties without permission
• Is willfully or consistently negligent in the performance of their duties or engages in unauthorized dealings with outsiders for personal interest, contrary to the interests of Hekima Place
• Behaves in a way that is contradictory to our moral beliefs and values
• Engages in misconduct outside Hekima Place that would endanger their wellbeing and/or reflect badly on Hekima Place's public image