A nutrition intern in Kenya checking blood pressure

Nutrition Internship in Kenya

Live in rural Kenya, encourage healthy living, and build skills for your CV

Destination

Kenya

Age

16+ y/o

Minimum Stay

2 weeks

Start Date

Anytime

Accommodation

Homestay

What’s Included

24/7 Support

Round-the-clock support on the ground and 24/7 back up from our global teams.

Accommodation & Amenities

Clean, safe, and welcoming accommodation. A home away from home with comfortable amenities.

Activities, Training & Equipment

All programme activities and equipment, including training and workshops from experienced professionals.

Certification

Certified record of service hours, workshops, and activities for your CV.

Request Info

Starting at £1,825 for 2 weeks

Flexible 0% Interest payments

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Trip Overview

Assist medical professionals

Observe nutritionists in hospitals and clinics, learn to treat malnutrition, and support patient education on healthy living and dietary choices.

Conduct community outreach

Perform health checks, provide dietary advice, and educate rural communities on malnutrition and diabetes prevention, improving access to healthcare.

Deliver health and nutrition workshops

Create educational resources, teach healthy habits to children, and adapt presentations for diverse audiences, raising awareness in Nanyuki.

Experience authentic Kenya

Live with a host family, learn about local cuisine, and explore Nanyuki, gaining insight into Kenya’s healthcare system and vibrant cultural life.

Contribute to lasting health

Support long-term efforts to improve nutrition, reduce diet-related conditions, and empower communities to make informed dietary decisions.

What you need to know

Overview

Excited to soak in a new culture and build skills that look great on a CV? Want to learn from nutritionists and help improve the diets of disadvantaged groups? Then this project is for you. Learn directly from professional nutritionists by joining this hands-on internship.

There are no requirements for this project – anyone over 16 can join. You should be enthusiastic about nutrition and passionate about positively impacting the world.

You’ll particularly benefit from this Nutrition Internship if you want to work in healthcare, but the skills you pick up will be transferable to all kinds of industries.

This Nutrition Internship in Kenya runs year-round, so join at a convenient time for you.
Nutrition Internship Opportunities for Professionals

Already working in nutrition or a related field? Your expertise will be valued by the organisations we work with in Kenya. With your experience, you can offer a higher level of training, sharing your skills and knowledge.

When you join this Nutrition Internship as a professional, we’ll match you with a placement where your skills can be utilised to maximise your impact. You’ll work closely with local nutritionists to run sustainable diet-related projects.

Learn more about volunteering or interning abroad as a professional.

A Day in the Life

Enjoy a tasty breakfast at your host accommodation before jumping on the minibus to your placement. Generally, you’ll work from 8 am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday, but this will depend on the priorities at your time of visit. Depending on your skill set, you may even be able to work night shifts in the hospital, if agreed with local staff.

Daily tasks will vary depending on whether you’re learning, conducting medical checks, or raising awareness. Much of your time will be spent observing medical professionals. See how they deal with busy days using limited resources. On quieter days, discuss procedures with staff or enjoy deep conversations with patients.

You’ll have plenty to keep you busy during workdays, but evenings and weekends are a chance to relax and have fun. We believe in offering immersive experiences. Learn about Kenyan culture through drum lessons, cookery courses, and quiz nights. Use social events to bond with fellow interns, volunteers, and local people.

Aims & Impact

There are two key aims of this Nutrition Internship opportunity. First, you’ll provide support to disadvantaged communities, encouraging healthy lifestyles. Second, you’re there to learn and build skills that could aid your future career.

Supporting efforts to improve the nutrition of the local community, you’ll focus on three goals:

Improving the nutrition of young children and pregnant women
Reducing the prevalence of infections that may be caused by malnutrition
Promoting healthy living and raising awareness of diet-related conditions

You’ll be part of our long-term efforts to sustainably increase health outcomes for underprivileged regions. As you do so, you’ll gain knowledge, skills, and experience. This comes from working in a place with a double burden of dietary conditions – overeating and malnutrition. This provides a strong foundation to build a career related to healthcare or community development.

Activities

Your role as a Nutrition intern in Kenya is to raise awareness of healthy living while learning about the Kenyan healthcare system. Here are some of the main tasks you’ll complete:

A group of interns in a hospital in Kenya

Support medical staff in hospitals and clinics

Interns completing health checkups in Kenya

Conduct medical outreaches in the community

Volunteers in Kenya lead a health presentation

Run health and nutrition workshops

Support medical staff in hospitals and clinics

Much of your time on this Nutrition Internship in Kenya will be spent in a medical setting. Shadow qualified nutritionists in a hospital, observing firsthand how they treat patients experiencing malnutrition. As you gain confidence, you’ll take on basic tasks and learn more about the Kenyan healthcare system.

You’ll also visit a nutrition clinic and a diabetes or hypertension clinic. Here, you can interact with patients experiencing malnutrition and disorders related to overeating. You’ll support doctors as they give treatment. You’ll also help equip patients with the knowledge they need to live healthy lives.

Conduct medical outreaches in the community

As a Nutrition intern in Kenya, your work will go beyond hospitals and clinics. Become part of long-term illness prevention by completing outreaches in the community. Visit rural communities and homes to conduct health checks and raise awareness.

Many Kenyan residents lack access to medical advice, especially in remote communities. Your work as a nutrition intern abroad helps local people access information so they can make the right dietary decisions. You’ll take their blood pressure, blood sugar, and other measurements. Then, with the support of expert nutritionists, make dietary suggestions.

You’ll empower local people by teaching them how to spot signs of malnutrition or diabetes. This way, community members can support each other to live healthy lives long after you leave. They’ll also know when to seek medical support before it’s too late.

Run health and nutrition workshops

As you travel to communities around Nanyuki, you’ll create educational resources. You’ll have to adapt to your audience to get the message across. For instance, you may visit the home of a local resident living with diabetes. Find creative ways to show them small dietary changes they can make to help restore their health.

Some of your time will be spent in a local daycare centre. The sooner we can teach healthy habits, the more likely they are to stick. As a Nutrition intern, you’ll create resources for young children that nudge them towards a healthy lifestyle.

Map & Location

Welcome to the “Cradle of Humanity” and a land of contrasts. Here, snow-capped mountains meet rolling savannahs, where lions roam and elephants graze. While famous for safari experiences, there’s much more to life in Kenya.

Home to the Maasai Mara National Park and the second-tallest mountain in Africa, Mount Kenya, this East African gem is a bucket list item for nature lovers worldwide. Witness the Great Migration, taste delicious coffee, and be welcomed into a traditional way of life.

Nanyuki

In central Kenya, three hours north of Nairobi, lies the charming town of Nanyuki, the gateway to Mount Kenya. Home to about 70,000 residents, Nanyuki enjoys a cool climate and serves as a base for eager mountain climbers.

Nanyuki has a mix of modern amenities and natural beauty. The town is surrounded by wildlife conservancies, offering popular game drives and safaris, but is also steeped in history. It is famous for its markets, British colonial heritage, and sitting exactly on the equator.

Food & Accommodation

Feel like a local with a caring host family. Our host families in Nanyuki are all carefully vetted and will provide you with everything you need for the experience of a lifetime. This includes a comfortable bed, three meals a day, and fresh drinking water.

We guarantee that your host family’s home will be safe, secure, and clean. They will share Kenyan culture with you and will be eager to learn about yours through conversations or games over home-cooked meals.

Our team will organise your daily transport to and from your placement and will also take you to some of the best restaurants in town. We will try to place you with other Projects Abroad participants of the same gender and similar age, the perfect opportunity to build lasting bonds with people from around the world.

Free Time and Leisure

Volunteering or interning in Kenya is the perfect opportunity to explore this extraordinary country. With a vast array of activities, you’re sure to find plenty of ways to fill your evenings and weekends.

Of course, no trip to Kenya is complete without a safari. Explore the savannah by jeep and spot incredible creatures like elephants, lions, and even the endangered Nubian giraffe in the wild. This is an experience you will never forget.

Our projects are based in Nanyuki, which is known as the gateway to Mount Kenya. With this majestic mountain on your doorstep, it’s definitely worth taking a day to hike around the base.

You can spend evenings at buzzing restaurants, listening to live music and trying local dishes. Kenya also has must-see markets, with bright textiles and hand-carved sculptures.

You can spend your free time exploring independently or travelling with a group. With so many volunteers and interns joining us throughout the year, you’re sure to make new friends and travel buddies during your trip.

Your Arrival Made Easy

When you arrive at your respective airport, a member of Projects Abroad staff will be there to meet you. You can find more detailed information on arrival airports, orientation, and visas on our Kenya Arrival Procedures page.