Swahili is a Bantu language spoke in East Africa. It is the mother tongue of Swahili people who inhabit the 1500km stretch of East Africa coast from south Somalia to north Mozambique. Swahili is also heavily influenced by Arabic; a result of the long-standing trading relationships in the region, and many contemporary words are adapted from English.
Swahili, more specifically, is most immediately related to the Kenyan Bantu languages of Ilwana, Pokomo, and Mijikenda (Digo, Giryama, Duruma, etc.), which are spoken in the Kenya coastal hinterland, and to Comorian (Ngazija, Nzuani, Mwali, and Maore) of the Comoro Islands. It is estimated that five million people have Swahili as their first language and a further 50 million speak Swahili as their second language.
Get involved with successful projects that aim to give children and families the means to sustain themselves. You can help provide food, shelter, clean water, training and health care – and most valuable of all, emotional support.
Learn about the ways of the African wilds and the culture of the Massai by volunteering on this incredible project. You can help to gather vital data about wildlife activities, immerse yourself in the nomadic culture, and explore the stunning landscapes of Kenya.
Make a small but meaningful difference to people in Nairobi. Work in a hospital or orphanage, reaching out to people who live in poverty. You can teach and care for the children, help repair infrastructure and learn Swahili too.
Teach English and computer skills in the morning and organise sports sessions in the afternoons. The lessons will greatly improve the children’s prospects, while sport will keep them fit and give them a chance to enjoy themselves.
Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa. Join this trip and feel a real sense of achievement as you reach the peak and witness spectacular views over Tanzania and Kenya.
Immerse yourself in Kenyan life and become part of a project to improve life in a rural village. Live and work with the community, helping with tasks such as construction, teaching, landscaping and painting.
Family Friendly! A rewarding two-week experience for families looking to give something back to underprivileged African communities. Plus, you’ll experience the beauty of Kenya through a varied activities programme. Minimum age 6 years.
Janet Horsley had an incredible time on her tailor-made gap year, blazing a trail through Africa, Asia, Australia and Latin America, read her story here.
Gap Year for Grown Ups have many Career Break Voluntary Projects in Africa for grown up gappers. Because Gap Year for Grown Ups is the leading authority and only specialist source of ideas and options for grown up gap years, it has the widest range of volunteering programmes in Africa. These include animal/wildlife conservation, teaching English in Africa, community volunteering in Africa and Voluntary work with children in Africa.
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