Program Dates: June 20th – August 10th, 2010
Program Fee: $1999
(including all group meals, transportation, accommodation, excursions, etc.)
(excluding flight)
Fundraising Donation: $1000

Operation Groundswell is thrilled to announce the OG East Africa trip. As part of this inaugural trip to Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania, participants will have the opportunity to visit the lush rural valleys of ultra-hospitable North Maragoli, experience extreme sports at the base of the Nile, pay respects at the genocide memorials in Kigali, Rwanda and much more. This seven-week adventure will include chances to volunteer in the fields of health, HIV/AIDS awareness and primary and special needs’ education.

After a pre-departure orientation in Toronto, participants will fly together to Nairobi for a three day in-country orientation. Team members will jump right in by visiting Kibera, Africa’s second largest slum, having a scavenger hunt in the bustling Nairobi and Masai markets, and by acclimatizing to the tropical heat, local cuisine, transportation and accommodations.

Participants will then bus through the expansive Rift Valley, Nakuru and into Kisumu, Kenya’s largest city sitting on beautiful Lake Victoria. From Kisumu, the group will travel to North Maragoli for a week-long project orientation.

In Maragoli, the team will eat tons of “ugali” and “sukuma wiki”, be immersed in the languages of Swahili and Maragoli and walk through the tea-covered valleys and rivers of the area. Team members will be able to volunteer at a local health centre, intern with “magnet theatre company” Xposha or witness school feeding programs and HIV/AIDS public health workshops. This week will be the basis for our work in the community of Turbo.

Making our way north, the team will plunge the depths of the Kakamega Rainforest and climb one of the Nandi Hills before settling in the region surrounding Turbo. Filled with Internally Displaced Peoples’ Camps caused by the post-election violence of 2007, this community is just beginning to build up. Inspired by what we have witnessed in North Maragoli, the team will engage with this community by developing personal projects. Under the shadow of Mt. Elgon, our 2 ½ weeks here will include some day trips to Eldoret, Kitale and Kakamega.

For the next leg of our trip, we will circle Lake Victoria, the second largest freshwater lake in the world, making our way through Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania. Participants will be given the opportunity to bungee jump, swim and white-water raft on the Nile River, explore Mt. Kigali, and visit the genocide memorials with an orphan of the genocide. Another main highlight will include traveling past game parks, including the world famous Serengeti.

Participants will then have Individual Travel Time (ITT) – a staple of all Operation Groundswell programs. Participants can choose to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, explore the UNESCO World Heritage site of Lamu, make the trek to the island paradise of Zanzibar or see lions, giraffes, elephants and much more at the Masai Mara, Serengeti, or Tsavo Game Parks.

All participants will be given detailed travel guides and information on the best places to see and how to stay safe. You can travel independently if desired but most participants choose to travel in pairs or small groups. During this time, participants are not under the auspices of the organized program and are entirely responsible for themselves. Participants will be given emergency contact numbers of the trip leaders during ITT for advice and any safety concerns.

At then end of ITT, all participants will meet up for the trip debriefing known as the ‘Disorientation’ in Mombasa, on the shores of the Indian Ocean, before heading back to Nairobi to fly home.

For more info on how to apply, please visit the Apply page