Working Guests
What to Expect
ACK functions out of a home in Nairobi. We have running water, electricity and limited communication via mobile phone. Computer e-mail access is also available on a limited basis. Volunteers working with ACK programs will be provided with transportation as related to the project.
At this stage in the project, extensive field research is required. When we are on the road, we travel long distances and often camp. Check with us before departure to confirm what equipment you will need to bring. Temperatures range from 14 degrees C (57 F) to 34 degrees C (93 F). The sun is always strong, and during June to October there may be heavy rains.
Volunteer Skills ACK Needs
Because we are still at a grassroots stage, volunteers that come to Kenya are required to be tremendously flexible, adaptable and patient. You may work long hours, seven days a week and spend long hours on the road and be required to camp in the bush. You will need to be able to work on your own and expect to multi-task. You may be asked to do administrative work such as filing, database entry, photocopying, organizing events, writing articles, running errands, do the weekly food shopping, cook dinner, clean living areas, vehicles and equipment. You may be asked to assist in field work (game counts, habitat analysis, etc), education programs and tourist outreach programs. Longer-term volunteers may be assigned a specific project to complete during their stay. These will be matched according to your skills/background.
ACK requires volunteers with all kinds of backgrounds. In particular, we need people with business, finance, law, marketing, PR, event organizing, graphic design, report writing, proposal writing, fundraising and administrative skills. These functions are vital, "behind-the-scenes", operations. Of course, we also need obvious applicants such as keepers, animal behavior specialists, ecologists, biologists, as well as educators, trainers and conservationists. We welcome student interns from all these areas.
All volunteers will be required to sign our Liability Waiver 
.
Mandatory Donation
Our volunteer program is fee-based: because we are a not-for-profit organization relying entirely on donations, all volunteers and student interns are required to make a mandatory donation to ACK to cover the cost of room, board, training and supervision of volunteers. This fee also contributes to the day-to-day costs of running ACK. It is because of generous donations that we are able to continue to operate our education, outreach and research programs.
The fee for volunteering in Kenya is US$1500 for two weeks. If you plan to do research or stay longer than three months, specific paperwork and visas are required. The fee typically includes transportation from Kenyatta International Airport (Nairobi) to ACK and your room/board at ACK. If we are unable to pick you up, you may be asked to pay around US$20 for taxi transfer from the airport to ACK. The fee excludes the cost of your flights, spending money and personal expenses.
Please note that all payments made to ACK are non-refundable.
How to Apply
We receive many volunteer inquiries every day, so we ask you to cooperate with our process as follows:
- You must be at least 18 years old.
- Download our Kenya Questionnaire
, complete and email it to our Kenya Volunteer Coordinator 
. - We will review your qualifications and notify you of success or failure of your application—we aim, at all times, to match our needs with your skills and talents.
- If successful, you will be required to pay a volunteer deposit fee of US$300 to confirm and hold your volunteer place at ACK.
- Before booking your flights, please communicate with the Kenya Volunteer Coordinator about available dates during which you can volunteer.
- The remainder of the total volunteer fee must be paid two months prior your arrival to ACK.
- A waiver of liability will be sent you to sign and return to us once you have paid the final deposit of your volunteer fee --two months prior to arrival.
