Job responsibilities of Rustic volunteers/travelers joining as an AIDS volunteer vary with education, skills, experience, and qualifications. Most of the time volunteers help in counseling, feeding program (if the centre has one), visiting patients and their families, participating in public awareness. Provide tips to patients on health, nutrition and sanitation and keeping patient records will be part of your task.

There is no specific education, experience, skills and/or qualifications needed to join the HIV/AIDS project. However, Rustic volunteers/travelers are expected to be flexible and patient as well as possess a passion and love for the poor and HIV-infected people.

Rustic Volunteer Travel arranges volunteer meals, accommodations and strong field supervision for the duration of projects and optional travel packages. In Kenya, most volunteers stay in our homebase, a permanent home established for our international volunteers . Our homebase in Kenya is located in a pretty community, in a very safe and clean neighborhood. There are internet cafés, restaurants, local bus stations, a police station and supermarkets near our homebase. The homebase provides is a comfortable place to relax after a long day. There are several bedrooms (which may be shared with a same-gender volunteer) and community areas. There is a shared kitchen, television and shared bathrooms, which have running water and “western-style” toilets. Orphanage volunteers may stay at their project as many orphanages have special rooms set aside for international and these a ccommodations are normally shared with a same-gender volunteer.

Depending on the influx of volunteers, accommodations could be with a host family. Host family accommodations are simple and clean homes in safe neighborhoods. Volunteers usually have a private bedroom, but occasionally rooms will be shared with a same-gender volunteer. Our host families are well screened and are respected members of their communities who live in affluent neighborhoods. Most of our host families have experience with hosting international volunteers. Host family stays are a great chance for cultural immersion and exchange.

Volunteers receive three local meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner). We can provide vegetarian meal options, but needs must be detailed in a volunteer's application. Snacks and beverages outside of mealtimes are not provided; however, there are local restaurants and grocery stores near the residences in which we place volunteers.

Rustic offers unparalleled field support to volunteers to ensure a safe and rewarding experience. There are many layers of support for you. The most important support comes from our country coordinator/field staff. The secondary support comes from the host project staff and members of host families and/or a homebase staff. Volunteers will have access to our country coordinator's mobile number and they are available 24/7. Throughout the volunteer project, our local staff stays in contact with volunteers either with face-to-face visits or via email/telephone. Our field staff will visit regularly (every 2-4 weeks) to make sure things are going well and as planned. However, if placement is far from our local offices, staff members will stay in touch via email/ phone. Volunteers are also welcome to stop in the offices at any time.

Specific details regarding accommodations, food and contact details for our local coordinator will be provided in personalized volunteer placement documentation prior to arrival.

HIV/AIDS projects are available in the towns of Nairobi (featuring Nairobi National Park, Safari park and National Museum of Kenya) and Mombasa (home to Fort Jesus, Mombasa Tusks, and Gedi Ruins). Kenya's multicultural metropolitan cities are renowned for its deep rooted cultural atmosphere where visitors are always welcomed. It's full of contrasts: from traditional culture and history to modern infrastructure and most of the amenities you would expect from a city. Volunteers can organize several combinations of potential excursions during and after the project to visit places of interest. There is a tourist infrastructure already in place that the volunteers can use during weekends. For example: national parks, ice rinks, markets, museums, restaurants, nightclubs, tourist villages, mausoleums, art galleries, golf courses, crocodile farms, nature trails, hotels, Bombolulu workshops and many more.

Rustic Volunteer and Travels offers a variety of volunteer projects and travel packages in Kenya . You can customize or upgrade this travel itinerary to meet your specific interests. Please contact our travel advisor for more details