Leadership and Community Engagement in Kenya

Travel to Itinyi or Kale Primary School to learn what a typical school day looks like and how ongoing community projects support students and teachers. Through this visit, students gain a clearer picture of how education shapes opportunity and why strong school environments matter. Back at Camp Tsavo, the group comes together for a guided, student-led discussion to reflect on what they observed, set goals for the week, and begin planning how they will contribute during their time in the community.

Students take part in a guided, student-led discussion to reflect on their surroundings, learn about the community’s priorities, and set shared goals for the week. Through this process, the group begins planning how they will work together to support ongoing projects and make the most of their time at camp.

Our focus is centered around access to quality education for local children. We will be working alongside Fundi's (local tradesmen) to develop and improve the infrastructure at Itinyi and Kale Primary Schools. All projects are ongoing and, in collaboration with our volunteers, we work on them year-round to ensure a responsible and sustainable approach in all that we do. Your group could be starting a new project or continuing with a project in progress. This could involve building or restoring a school classroom, increasing ablution facilities, working on improvements to other vital facilities within the school and making desks.

This evening features a student-focused discussion on leadership, exploring different styles, challenges, and goals. Students reflect on their current experiences, considering what’s working, what could improve, and how they might approach their goals moving forward.

All projects are part of long-term, community-led initiatives supported year-round to ensure a responsible and sustainable approach. Your group may help launch a new project or continue work already underway, contributing to improvements such as classrooms, school facilities, or learning spaces. Each experience is designed to support lasting impact while giving students hands-on insight into meaningful service.

Students lead a guided discussion to reflect on what the group has achieved, with a focus on both service contributions and learning experiences during their time at camp.

Spend the next two days completing meaningful service work at Itinyi or Kale Primary School, contributing to long-term projects that support the local school community.

Camps has a series of interactive lectures, that cover subjects such as Stakeholder Engagement, and Citizen Science. These sessions can be run following discussion with the school of the topics considered most appropriate to the group.

On the final day, the group comes together with students and teachers to hand over the completed project. This shared gathering offers time to reflect on what was accomplished and celebrate the positive impact made through the experience.

Camps has a series of interactive lectures, that cover subjects such as Stakeholder Engagement, and Citizen Science. These sessions can be run following discussion with the school of the topics considered most appropriate to the group.

Visit the stunning Tsavo East National Park, one of the world's largest game reserves, home to a variety of wildlife including lion, elephant, zebra, giraffe, cheetah and hundreds of bird species. We will also stop at a Masai Village on the way back and visit their culture.

Today you will meet the Tumaini Women's Group, a local community cooperative led by a hugely inspirational figure, Mama Mercy. You will be told the moving story of how Mama Mercy founded her first women's group over 8 years ago, overcoming extraordinary challenges to achieve female equality, empowerment and a brighter future for herself and other women within the Maungu community. You will learn about the micro finance initiatives that the women have established to create income for themselves and you will spend the morning working with them to learn traditional skills such as, basket weaving, jewelry making and cultivation of local crops.

Visit the Maasai, the smallest tribe in Kenya but famously known around the world and the only tribe that still practices the traditional African bush style of living. You will learn about their fascinating way of life and enjoy some ceremonial traditional songs and dances.

Today you will contribute to vital conservation initiatives at Rukinga wildlife sanctuary. You will learn about the issues caused by human-wildlife conflict and the most effective ways to combat this. You will work with local people to help to make elephant deterrent fences (the method regarded by the locals as the best way to deter elephants from their farms without harming the animals). You will also participate in an educational environmental workshop, making paper out of elephant dung to bring a source of income to the community Camps has a series of interactive lectures, that cover subjects such as Threats to Biodiversity. These sessions can be run following discussion with the school of the topics considered most appropriate to the group.

Set off for a guided adventure trek to the Marungu hills where you will have a picnic lunch in ancient caves and enjoy the panoramic views of the Rukinga ranch, once at the top enjoy breath-taking views of Tsavo. Your guide will teach you bush survival skills which have been practiced for hundreds of years, such as making a bush shelter, making fire and Bushmen bow and arrow shooting.

Camp Muhaka will quickly become your home away from home. With stylish traditional buildings and a great social scene, there’s plenty to keep you busy. Being in the heart of the village also has its perks; all your project sites are only a short walk away and you can walk with the children to and from school so you’ll be a local in no time!

During your time you will be looking at marine wildlife, habitats and conservation and you will get the opportunity to gain experience in collecting data and learning about various research projects and methods. Throughout you will learn about the importance of the oceans, waste management, sustainability and how the program helps to conserve the environment in daily lives as well as find out about all the various conservation efforts around Africa.