Life-Changing Volunteer Experiences
Embark on the volunteer trip of a lifetime and journey of self-discovery to make a lasting impact in the lives of those who need it most.
That is what being a Bomanomad is all about.
THE BOMANOMAD DIFFERENCE
With so many volunteer programs to choose from, what makes Bomanoma the best? Brian (co-founder: Bomanoma; founder: Arrive Kenya) has lived in Kenya for 10 years. His wife, Selina (co-founder: Bomanoma; founder: Nashipai Maasai Community Projects) is Maasai and has lived in Kenya her entire life. As each has founded their own non-profit organization, they both have vast experience hosting international volunteers and creating tailor-made experiences in Kenya. In fact, between them, they have hosted hundreds of visitors and volunteers from all over the world to East Africa. Because they live at Bomanoma in Kenya, Bomanoma (which has reliable internet) is used as a base for planning on-the-ground logistics. Your volunteer trip isn’t planned from someone in an office in a far-away country who has never set foot in Africa, but instead from right here in Kenya.
Brian (American) speaks fluent Swahili and English, while Selina (Kenyan) speaks fluent Swahili, English, and Maa; this allows them to effectively communicate with all of the people who make up the different components of a volunteer’s trip - from school principals and taxi drivers, to safari guides and farm managers, to local neighbors and beyond! By being fully immersed in the local community, Brian and Selina engage volunteers in worthwhile projects which create tangible, authentic, and genuine results. If you are solely looking for an Instagram selfie or TikTok video to humble brag to folks back home, being a Bomanomad is not for you!
There are vital ways that volunteers can use their resources and talents to promote positive, sustainable, and most importantly, community-led growth. Because Bomanoma operates on a grassroots scale, they are committed to an intentional approach centered around each individual volunteer or volunteer group, while keeping the safety and well-being of the populations being served at the center of their focus. Through this mission, Bomanoma aspires to attract and welcome responsible volunteers and advocates into the growing family of Bomanomads.
Teach
Plant
Build
Preserve
EDUCATION
Education is vital to development. Bomanoma believes that education is critical to achieve progress. Helping in the education system directly puts the volunteer in touch with Kenya’s youth. Education is the only hope for many of these children to live a life not under the poverty line, and therefore is simply a vital part of Bomanoma’s volunteer programs. Education related volunteer programs include: academic (science, math, and English teaching), sports education, dance education, music education, counseling and so much more. Helping to improve the education system by being in the classroom to encourage and motivate students is invaluable.
REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE
Included within regenerative agriculture are: farming, harvesting, permaculture design, and syntropic agroforestry. Bomanoma boasts its very own demonstration farm as an example of how local people can increase food-security and income. Using advanced permaculture design techniques, drought-resistant crops, a variety of types of trees, and other forms of regenerative farming practices, Bomanoma is a shining example of how to create a self-sustaining farm in a semi-arid environment. Volunteers can plant, farm, harvest, and learn more about permaculture practices. Click here to learn more about Bomanoma’s unique farm and garden.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community development is essential to growth, both economic and social. By adding infrastructure that ensures clean water, for example, will greatly help the people who do not have access to clean water right now. Building (from picnic tables to homes), painting, planting/gardening, fetching water, and other projects will enable the small rural communities to begin and sustain the growth they want. Each of these aspects is extremely important in improving the lives of local people and giving them hope and opportunity to progress in life. Volunteers can choose different programs based on what they see – Bomanoma encourages volunteers to help build the community in many ways.
MAASAI CULTURAL PRESERVATION
The Maasai culture is one of the oldest and richest in the world. However, with the onset of climate change, globalization, and other factors, the culture is at risk of being lost forever. Help preserve the Maasai culture by learning traditional Maasai methods such as herbal healing, building practices, language, and nomadic pastoralism. By sharing knowledge, both the volunteers and the local community learn from each other to create an environment where modern ingenuity meets traditional Maasai culture.
