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Conservation Volunteer Work in Kenya for Teenagers

Join people your age and work together to protect endangered wildlife in East Africa, like the Rothschild’s Giraffe

Destination

Kenya

Age

15-18 y/o

Minimum Stay

2 weeks

Start Date

During school holidays

Accommodation

Lodge

Service Hours

40-80

What’s Included

24/7 Support

Full supervision from arrival to departure, 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.

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Starting at £2,260 for 2 weeks

Flexible 0% Interest payments

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Trip Overview

Protect wildlife with experts

Contribute to important conservation efforts in Kenya, monitoring and protecting endangered species like giraffes and lions.

Learn valuable conservation skills

Learn core conservation skills like setting up camera traps, studying animal behavior, removing invasive plant species, and maintaining waterholes.

Safari through the Kenyan savannah

Witness the breathtaking beauty of the Kenyan savannah and its wildlife, including weekend trips to national parks, going on safaris, and more.

Live in the stunning Soysambu Conservancy

Stay in same-sex dormitories with other volunteers, including a common area with fantastic views of the park you will work in.

Build global friendships

Connect with fellow teenagers from around the world, share your experiences, and forge lifelong bonds from this experience.

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What you need to know

Overview

Do you want to do more to protect the environment and endangered animals? Do you enjoy the great outdoors? Are you interested in a career in conservation someday? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this project is perfect for you.

You’ll learn directly from conservation experts, and do work that has a tangible impact on local ecosystems. You don’t need any previous experience. We’ll teach you everything you need to know. Our staff are there to guide and support you, and make sure you’re safe at all times in the conservancy.

You’ll also develop personal skills, like teamwork, and demonstrate your adaptability by working abroad. This will add value to your CV, and give you interesting points to talk about in applications and interviews.

Our Teen Programme is specifically designed for teenagers, and we have a set itinerary in place to make the most out of your time. It runs over set dates, so you can pick the trip that fits your schedule. Throughout it all, Projects Abroad staff will be by your side.

Activities

Your work combines research with hands-on work. Here are some of the tasks you can expect to do during your placement:

Conservation volunteers spotting giraffes in Kenya

Research endangered species, such as the Rothschild giraffe

Conservation volunteers in Kenya setting up camera traps

Set up camera traps and study animal behaviour

Participate on community outreaches

Invasive plant species removal

Maintain waterholes to ensure vital water access to wildlife

Discover Kenya with volunteers your age

Your work will focus on the following areas:

Endangered species research

Our big focus in Kenya is to research the ecology of the Rothschild’s giraffe. This research is shared with other reserves.

This is pioneering work that could determine the fate of this subspecies. 5% of the entire Rothschild Giraffe population can be found in Soysambu. It’s critical that we preserve an environment where this species can continue to flourish.

Set up camera traps

As animals are very active by night, camera traps help us study their natural habitats, behaviours, and movements. You’ll be involved in setting up these cameras around the reserve. This also helps us do an inventory of mammals in the conservancy. Once we have numbers, we can measure the results of our efforts, and determine a populations’ potential growth.

Community outreach

In addition to working in the conservancy, you will also participate in a community outreach once a week. The outreach activities vary depending on the needs of the community at the time. They could include:

Teaching children about the importance of protecting the environment and wild animals.
Teaching basic English.
Playing sports like football.
Building a toilet or oven.

Invasive plant removal

Alien plant species are a big problem in Kenya. They destroy endemic plants that provide a habitat for the local wildlife. You’ll help remove these plants.

You’ll also help us clear and maintain trails to make sure visitors don’t wander off the dedicated paths. This helps protect indigenous plants.

Maintaining natural water holes for animals

You will help maintain water holes and boreholes. This will ensure that water is stored for the animals during the dry season, and during periods of drought.

Work with volunteers your own age

You’ll volunteer with teenagers from around the world. There will be plenty for you to learn from your new friends, like the culture in their home countries.

You won’t just work together, you’ll also socialise and travel over the weekend together. All of your activities are supervised by Projects Abroad staff.

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.

Soysambu

The Soysambu Conservancy, located in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, is a vast wildlife haven of over 48,000 acres on the shores of Lake Elementaita. It protects a diverse ecosystem, including grasslands, acacia woodlands, and the lake itself.

Soysambu is home to a variety of wildlife, including giraffes, lions, leopards, cheetahs, and over 450 bird species. With stunning scenery, abundant wildlife, and commitment to animal protection, Soysambu is the perfect place for real conservation work.

Food & Accommodation

Live in the heart of the savannah with everything you need for an incredible Kenyan conservation experience, including a comfortable bed, three meals a day, and fresh drinking water. Our team will also handle your transport to and from your accommodation.

You’ll stay in a clean, safe, secure shared house with other Projects Abroad participants on the Soysambu Conservancy. Wake up to picturesque sunrises over the plains, herds of giraffes grazing on your doorstep, and the roar of lions on the air.

Your meals will be prepared by an in-house chef with a communal dining area to rest, relax, and get to know your fellow participants. Who knows, you might even make lifelong friends with the people you meet on your travels!

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.