Volunteer with Tiba

At the request of our partners, Tiba sends more than 40 medical volunteers each year to share their expertise with local practitioners, creating sustainable change for the people of Western Kenya.

Volunteering with Tiba helps build the capacity of our programs while enabling critical medical services to thousands of local Kenyans. Our volunteer surgical teams perform more than 150 free and low-cost surgeries annually at Matibabu Hospital. It’s not just the patients who are impacted. Experiences like these are enlightening, with past volunteers sharing that volunteering felt purposeful, enabling, and valuable, making long-term contributions while building lasting friendships. We take pride in delivering well-organized and impactful trips, with over 50% of our volunteers completing at least one return trip!

As a Medical Professional, you have the opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way by offering your expertise to local practitioners who are eager to develop professionally, to better care for their communities.

Volunteer Application Process
Please review Tiba’s Volunteer On-Boarding Process for an overview of the volunteer preparation timeline, what makes a great Tiba volunteer and what you can expect from the application process. Once we receive your paperwork, we’ll forward everything to MFK to begin processing. MFK will work with you regarding logistics on the ground. Because we cannot give tax advice, you should consult with your tax advisor about the deductibility of
costs incurred from your volunteer trip. Tiba is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Preparing to Leave: Logistics
Purchase Your Flight - Please purchase your flights as soon as possible to ensure the best price. Understand that we do not start the process of ordering Kenyan medical licenses until we receive your ticket confirmation. We recommend you fly into Nairobi International Airport (NBO). If possible, purchase a flight that will arrive before 1 pm. That way you can get on a flight to Kisumu (KIS) the same day. If your flight gets in after 6 pm you will likely need to stay in a hotel overnight in Nairobi which will add to your expenses. You are welcome to purchase your flight to KIS. If you do not, we will book the flights for you and the cost will be added to your volunteer invoice. If you are going with a group, it is best to have us arrange the flights to KIS. We highly recommend that as many volunteers as possible are on the same flight to KIS to help keep taxi costs down from the KIS airport to the rural area.
Note: Many of our volunteers choose to leave on Friday or Saturday to arrive in Nairobi by Monday mid-morning with the needed time to fly to Kisumu and drive to the rural area on Monday evening. The most common carriers used have been KLM, Air France, Turkish Air, or Emirates. Kenya Air now offers a direct flight to Nairobi from New York, JFK.
Inoculations & Preventative Medicine - Get medical advice and update your inoculations at least one month in advance. Travelers may be asked to present proof of a valid Yellow-Fever Inoculation at the port of entry so we recommend getting a yellow fever card before you leave. It should be provided when you get the shot--make sure to ask for it.
We require each volunteer to take malaria medication during their trip to prevent infection. The CDC recommends atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, or tafenoquine medications for Kenya. Do not take chloroquine due to drug resistance in the area.
Depending on the medication you choose, you will need to start your dose up to 2 weeks before your trip and 4 weeks after your trip, so plan accordingly and see your doctor early.
Safaris and excursions - The Matibabu and Tiba Teams are happy to suggest a safari experience if you are interested. These expenses can be added to your invoice and paid in advance. The animal parks and conservancies are easily accessible by small planes and in a 2-3 day safari it is possible to see the “big five”. The Kenyan National Park is about 15 minutes drive from Nairobi Airport. Please reach out if you are interested in more information, and review this checklist on what makes a responsible tourism operator.
Travel Visa - It is your choice if you purchase your Kenyan Travel Visa ahead of time, online, or if you choose to purchase it upon arrival at the Nairobi airport. Most of our volunteers purchase theirs at the airport. To do this you must have at least 6 months on your passport from the last day of your time in Kenya. You also need to have at least 2 open pages in your passport and cash to pay the fees on the spot. The single entry Visa costs $51 USD. (If you are doing extensive inter-country tourist travel before or after volunteering you may want to purchase a
different Visa.) We recommend having $100 USD in cash on your person at the Nairobi airport.
This cash will cover expenses for the Visa and anything else you might need. You can change the extra cash at the airport to Kenyan Shillings.
You also have the option to purchase your Travel Visa online before your trip: http://evisa.go.ke/evisa.html. Unfortunately, some say the website is a little clunky and frustrating. You will print the eVisa form and present it to the immigration officer at the port of entry. All the steps for applying for the eVisa are spelled out on the Kenyan Embassy’s website, but please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Note: The Embassy website states that Visas should be applied for in advance. This notice has been there for years and we haven’t had any issues with getting Visas upon arrival. But please check as Covid may have an impact on the process.

In applying for either an in-person Visa or eVisa, you will need to provide a travel itinerary and info on your hotel bookings, which you will obtain from Matibabu staff one month before your departure. You can use the information below for your application:
Reason for Entry
Doctors and non-medical volunteers – please list “Tourist” as reason for entry
Nurses – please select “Other” and type “nursing volunteer” as reason for entry
Please note that a tourist visa will not be accepted for Kenyan nursing licensure.
Addresses
Matibabu Foundation Hospital
Odiado Ukwala Road,
Tel: +254 728 069526
Camunya Hotel P.O Box 446 - 40606
Ugunja,
Tel: +254 710 387594
Camunya@gmail.com
Please contact Tiba and/or Matibabu Foundation if you need additional addresses.

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program - We highly recommend that our volunteers sign up for the US Embassy's “Smart Traveler Enrollment Program” (https://step.state.gov/step/). This will allow you to receive important information regarding safety conditions, as well as help the US Embassy, family, and/or friends contact you in an emergency. It’s not a requirement but will add a layer of security for you.

Apply online HERE and send CV/Resume (see below). After application, Tiba sends email prompts for every step. After being approved by Tiba ED and your Medical Coordinator, Send personal documents at least 3 months prior to departure date. See next slides for detailed list.