There are a variety of projects underway at the Colobus Trust at any one time.   Volunteers will be allocated specific duties dependent upon their relative experience and current openings at the Trust, however all volunteers should be willing to help out with any aspect of the Trust's work when required and to change focus if the need arises. 

As a colobologist, you will be given a specific project to complete during your time at the Trust.  The projects are based on our needs at the time, so it is difficult to say now what will be happening when you arrive.  Recent volunteer projects include:

• Census of Diani primate populations

• Survey of remaining local forest patches

• Redesigning/updating the colobustrust.org website

• Monkey pest assessments in the local hotels

• Conducting a base line survey on the wood carving industry in Diani

• Developing the ‘Colobus Update’ newsletter  

• Helping to organize a fundraising event

• Observing a new colobridge for primate crossings

• Painting a new "welcome to the Trust" sign

As you can see, projects are quite varied.  In addition, caring for the monkeys we have in rehabilitation, cleaning cages and the vet clinic, and conducting tours for visitors are also regularly done as required. 

If you come to the Trust as an Eco-volunteer, you will get a feel for many aspects of the Trust's work by lending a hand to the staff as they carry out their daily tasks.  Group conservation activities are carried out as a team effort. Daily tasks include:

• Searching local forests for snares and removing them

• Planting trees in sacred Kaya forests

• Maintaining and hanging Colobridges

• Performing the annual census

• Trimming tree branches back from power lines to prevent primate electrocution

• Helping with education workshops

Both colobologists and eco-volunteers get involved in our primate rescue and rehabilitation cases.  The level of involvement depends on experience, ability and interest.    Primate rescue and rehabilitation can include anything from taking care of infants to cleaning wounds of injured monkeys to releasing healed animals.  Unfortunately, we are not a sanctuary, so please be aware that we do have an euthanasia policy for individuals who cannot be released back into the wild.

NOTE:  There is scope for people with conservation background but also for people with private sector experience in areas such as marketing, building/maintenance, teaching, display making, web site design, graphic design, etc.  People with special skills may be taken as a colobologist for shorter periods of time than the stated three months.   

Some of the areas that we work in are described below.

Research -
Research projects that have been carried out at the Trust include studies on colobus feeding ecology, primate censuses, feeding & behavioural monitoring, forest disturbance surveys and hotel pest assessments. Please be clear however that we are not a research training institute.  We will not ask you to conduct a scientific research project unless you have the training and skills to be able to do this.  This is why we ask you to complete an application form and send us your CV. Obviously you will learn a lot and have lots of new experiences while you are here, but we do not have the skills in-house to train you in scientific methodology.  If you want to conduct research while you are here, and have the skills necessary to do this, then please inform us of this before your arrival, so that we can discuss your ideas and equipment / computer software requirements with you (e.g. GPS, GIS, statistics packages, etc).  

Habitat Loss -

Forest Conservation
Working to secure Diani's last patch of primary forest, the Trust is trying to develop the Diani Forest Conservation Area. The Trust also works regularly with local community groups to protect and restore areas of sacred 'kaya' forests. Volunteer projects include forest surveys, reforestation projects and developing sustainable forest use ides (e.g. bee keeping).

Wood carvings
The Trust has been working on issues surrounding the destruction of the forest. Specifically we are working with people in the wood carving industry to reduce dependence on  indigenous forest tree species and increase the use of sustainable exotic species including neem, mango and coconut.  Volunteers have been working with community groups on these issues and doing surveys of the current trends of wood carving sales.

Human - Wildlife Conflict / Pest Management -
Since the Trust began its work with the colobus, it has become increasingly aware of more general human-primate conflicts in the area. In the past 20 years, deforestation in Diani has been rapid, and some primates have adapted to their new environment by stealing food from tourists, hotel kitchens, and waste sites. The baboons in Diani reproduce almost three times faster than the same species in nearby Shimba Hills as a direct result of this easier access to food.  This has caused the animal density to exceed the capacity of the natural habitat, which in turn has made them dependent on these supplemental food sources.

The Trust believes that co-existence between local residents, hoteliers, tourists and the environment is possible and is developing acceptable alternatives to the current methods used to deter primates. Volunteers can take part in active management in the area to ensure that Diani remains both a major tourist attraction and an area of rich biodiversity.

Pest Control Methods -
Vervets, Sykes and baboons may sometimes become a nuisance to local residents and hoteliers, as they steal food from kitchens, restaurants and crop fields.  In the past people have resorted to control measures that have proven both ineffective and inhumane. These include painting monkeys with glossy paint, tying bells around their necks and stomachs, poisoning, trapping, clubbing and shooting them. These deterrent methods are both cruel and unacceptable. Tactics such as taste aversion and negative stimuli have, to date, proven unsuccessful in deterring monkeys, and translocation programs only result in transferring the problem elsewhere. Humane in-situ solutions must be found. The Trust aims to assess each problem site with regards to their monkey pest problem, offering practical advice and assistance in deterring monkeys from their properties (mainly during 'human' feeding times).  

Forest Protection -
Over 75% of Diani's forests have already been lost to development during the last 25 years. The remaining forests are fragmented and isolated. The Trust has a small seedling nursery, and we would like to expand this aspect of the Trust by encouraging hotel owners and local residents to replenish the natural environment.  

Primate Rescue -
The Trust responds to calls to rescue distressed monkeys (of all species). Frequently, these are due to road injuries, electrocution, snares and animal cruelty. In general, we do not handle monkeys unless it is unavoidable. The permanent staff at the Trust deal with animal welfare as this work requires specific training and experience, however, there are plenty of opportunities to take part, for example, in the measuring of animals, assisting with vet work, and releasing.  

Emergency Veterinarian Care -
We have a veterinary clinic on site at the Trust. Primate rehabilitation is done under the supervision of the local vet, however volunteers can assist where possible.  This is a great opportunity to try your hand at wildlife rescue!

Long-term Injury Care & Rehabilitation -
Vervet monkeys are commonly (but illegally) kept as pets in Kenya.  Once confiscated by the Kenya Wildlife Service, they come to the Trust for rehabilitation.  At the Trust they are encouraged to develop skills to allow them to survive in the wild, including developing normal social behaviour with other monkeys, eating wild foods, and developing a healthy fear of humans.  These monkeys are eventually released back to the wild.  Volunteers take care of these monkeys by feeding them, cleaning their cages, and cage enrichment tasks.  At a recent release, volunteers were involved in the monitoring of the vervets in nearby Shimba Hills National Reserve using radio tracking equipment. 

Bridge Building -
When the Trust was founded, one of the main threats to Diani's colobus monkeys was death caused by motor accidents. The home ranges of these arboreal primates have been bisected by a major road, and they are subsequently very prone to road injuries whilst crossing through their ranges. The Trust has aimed to reduce this problem through the construction of 'colobridges', which span the road from tree canopies on either side. In the past five years, we have constructed 22 colobridges in the most dangerous spots along the road. Consequently, the number of road kills have been reduced dramatically. Volunteers may be required to assist with the practical construction and erection of bridges.  

Electrocution Hotspot Monitoring -
After the success of the colobridge campaign, the main cause of death and injury for the colobus is electrocution on the un-insulated power lines in the Diani area. The Trust has succeeded in getting the Kenyan Power and Lighting Company to assist in regularly cutting back the trees beside the power lines with our field staff. Our goal is eventually to have all the pre-existing lines insulated and to have any new lines insulated. Insulating is an expensive process, however, and volunteers may be asked to assist in identification of hotspot areas and help with tree cutting.  

Education Workshops -
Every week during the school year, the Trust runs an all-day work shop for primary and secondary school children, to educate them on environmental and primates topics, help them develop computing skills, and give them a fun-filled day of activity.  Every year more than 1000 school children attend our workshops.  Volunteers often help Trust staff run the workshops and love the chance to interact with the kids.

Environmental Workshops -
Meetings have been held by the Trust bringing together hoteliers, residents and Trust workers to discuss long-term waste management options in Diani. Lack of effective and environmentally responsible waste disposal mechanisms encourages the animals to become dependent upon humans, and so attempts to clean up the dumps in Diani may alleviate the animal's dependency on hotel grounds. Garbage dump surveys, mapping, hotel garbage assessment, and research into efficient garbage management options available in Kenya are just some of the duties you could become involved with as a volunteer.  

Eco-Tourism -
The Colobus Cottage boasts an information and education centre, which is also open to the public for specific hours each week. We have full-time staff members, trained as tour-guides, who give educational talks about the Trust and the colobus, as well as a tour of our Nature Trail.  Training is given, and volunteers can assist with tours. Tourists are predominantly given in  English, French and German. Bilingual volunteers are especially welcome!  

Colobus Publicity & Marketing -
Every six months the Trust produces a Colobus Update - an informative newsletter aimed at the local public. Volunteers may be asked to help in producing the newsletter by editing, taking photographs, contributing articles or generally helping in its design and production on computer. Other work includes: assisting with education displays, Diani publicity distribution, attending local events, translations, school party activities, and nature trail development at the Colobus Cottage. 

Trust Accommodation - 
The Colobus Cottage is clean and comfortable but fairly basic.  You will be sharing one room and bathroom with up to three other volunteers.  We have up to ten volunteers here at any one time.

Facilities include: electricity (though not always reliable especially during the rains), cooking gas, showers, fans, laundry service, cleaner/house man, drinking water delivery, and an office telephone that can be used for long distance calls home (using calling cards).  The house is in a secure area and has a security service as well as a night-time guard who patrols the house grounds.

Jared cooks the food and prepares lunch and dinner of good quality, simple African fare. The meals are generally vegetarian with an occasional fish and meat dish.  Food for breakfast is also provided though you will need to prepare this yourself.  Jared doesn’t work on Sundays and holidays but will leave raw ingredients for you to prepare.

Safari Beach  Hotel is a twenty minutes walk away down  the beach.  There you can relax, have a drink or a pizza, take a swim in the pool or play table tennis or billiards.  Also twenty minutes walk down the beach is a gym (1000ksh/month for Colobus Trust volunteers) and aerobics classes (100 ksh per class).  Yoga classes are also available nearby.

Eco-volunteers have the food kitty included in the cost of their holiday.  Colobologists pay into a communal house kitty with all colobologists contributing to food costs (Ksh 1500 per week).

Office Hours -
8am - 5pm Monday-Saturday

Working times should be considered flexible depending on the project and research needs.  Normally colobologists and eco-volunteers work Monday to Friday and take it in turns to share animal care duties on Sundays.  However, if emergencies come up, work hours will change as required.

Volunteers who would like a few days off to go on safari are encouraged to do so. 

Colobologists Required -
The Trust requires many different types of talents and skills from languages, education skills, journalism, and photography to business, marketing and publicity, as well as research, primatology, veterinary and other typical 'academic' training. This list is not inclusive of the skills we require, and our needs change regularly.  Be clear on your application the skills you have that could be used to help the Trust as well as provide you with a more fulfilling volunteering experience.

Length of Stay -
The Colobus Trust asks for colobologists to stay for three months as time is required for training and for sufficient experience to be gained by the colobologist. Exceptions to this can be made under certain circumstances.  People with specific skills will be considered for shorter periods.

Eco-volunteer length of stays are usually three weeks.  Contact the specific partner for details. 

Age Limit -
Colobologists must be at least 22 years.  No upper age limit is set though one needs to bear in mind the physical demands of the work and the heat and humidity.  Eco-volunteers must be at least 18 years of age.

Upon your arrival in Mombasa, you should pay around Ksh 3,000 for a taxi to us. The trip should take around one hour and involves a short ferry crossing.  You don't need to get out of the taxi for this. The taxi driver may try to charge you more, but you need to insist that this is how much you will pay BEFORE you get in the taxi and do not give the driver extra money for the ferry fees this is included in the Ksh 3,000. The driver will know Diani (a turn from the highway left at the Ukunda intersection).  Once you go down to the main intersection from Ukunda onto the Diani Beach Road, the driver should turn RIGHT.  We are signposted and about 10 minutes down the Diani Road, just after KFI supermarket.  There are Colobus Trust signs on both sides of the road to alert you of our location. Tipping of taxi drivers is not expected.

Visas -
You will be entering Kenya on a tourist visa.  These can be obtained upon arrival at the airport or obtained in advance through the Kenyan Embassy in your own country.  If you arrive at the airport and do not have a visa you will need to fill out a visa application, available next to the visa counter.  You will need US$50 in exact change.  Make sure to stand in the visa line for processing.  If you go through the embassy, please allow enough time for the appropriate processing of paperwork.  Check the embassy requirements and reports on the Internet.  If you would like to travel after your stay at the Colobus Trust, you can obtain a second three month visa in Mombasa without any problems.  After six months in the country, you must leave the East African region before being allowed back in.  Ask your travel agent for details.  

Theoretically from March to mid June is the long rains, and from October to the end November is the short rains, although this patterns seems to have varied slightly over the last few years.

 We therefore recommend cotton clothing as this is the coolest. For field work you will need long cotton trousers and long sleeved shirts (because of insects). In the office and around Diani shorts/skirts and t-shirts are the standard wear.  In the evening you should either wear long sleeved shirts and trousers, or dose yourself with mosquito repellent.  You should bring one set of warmer clothes (e.g. jeans and sweater) for cooler times during the rains, and for safaris.  We also recommend bringing a waterproof jacket if you are coming during the rains, although some people prefer to just get wet (because of the heat and sheer amount of rain that can fall!). Mosquito nets are provided by the Trust and you will not need one for the duration of your stay.

You should be aware that this area of Kenya is predominately Muslim, so although you may see tourists wandering around Diani with only swimwear on, we encourage our female volunteers to be culturally sensitive and not to wear too short shorts or revealing tops during working hours.  Particularly in Mombasa it is important that women do not reveal their legs or shoulders.  ‘Going out’ clothes though are fine for the local restaurants and bars.

• Walking boots
• Flip flops (some people prefer strap-on sandals)
• Camera (film is available here but is expensive)
• Torch and batteries
• Alarm clock  
• Mosquito repellent (DEET is recommended)
• Sunglasses
• Binoculars
• Personal music player
• Hat for sun protection
• Strong sunscreen as the sun is strong at all times of the year
• Swimsuit
• Day pack
• Ear plugs (if you are a light sleeper!)

In addition, as some volunteers ask what resources they can bring to the Trust, we have compiled a list of things which are hard to find in Diani but which would be very helpful for our office and for our educational outreach programme. We would greatly appreciate if volunteers could bring some of these things if at all possible:

• Pens and pencils for the office and for the children in educational outreach programmes
• Colour pencils
• Felt tip pens
• Colour markers
• Crayons
• Whiteboard markers
• Watercolour/paint kits and paintbrushes
• Scissors
• Children's scissors
• Glue sticks
• Notebooks
• String or elastic to make masks
• Dice (for games)
• Super glue
• Permanent markers
• Glitter
• Balloons
• Colouring books
• Small games and toys for chidren

 Mobile phones can be used here - please check the local service providers (www.safaricom.co.ke or www.kencell.co.ke).  If your mobile phone doesn't have a SIM lock, purchasing a pre-paid SIM card while here and using it in your phone (far cheaper) is quite easy.  Laptops are useful as computer time is limited.  We can lock up computers each evening, but this is not a guarantee of safety. Lastly, we do have a television and a video player.  If you have videos you would like to watch, please bring them.  There are video hire places here but the videos are often of poor quality. 

Vaccinations

Rabies -
You may choose to have the course of rabies vaccination injections before you come, and we would recommend it although it is expensive.  However, if you are bitten by an animal whilst you are here, the nearby hospitals are stocked with the rabies vaccine and will be able to give you appropriate treatment.

Malaria -
The coast is a malaria area, so all volunteers should come with impregnated mosquito nets (square/box type for single bed), insect repellent and anti-malarial drugs (see your doctor for advice).

First Aid Kits -
The Trust has a first aid kit, however you should bring certain items that you may require of a personal nature, bearing in mind that you will be working in humid field conditions.  There is a 24 hour pharmacy at the local hospital. Most topical treatments are available locally.

Medical Facilities -
There are two small but very well-run privaet hospitals located approximately 7 kilometres down the road in Diani. Both hospitals also have an ambulance service.  A dentist is also available in Diani.

Insurance -
All volunteers must have medical / travel insurance. The Trust will require the insurance information upon your arrival.

You will need to budget additional money for any other activities you want to do while you are here.  We would suggest that you need to allow a minimum of Ksh 1000 a week for snack food, eating out, visiting bars and shopping, although obviously this depends on your habits! To give you some idea, a main course in a western standard restaurant costs approx. Ksh 400 and in a local kiosk costs Ksh 40.  A beer costs between Ksh 70 and Ksh 150. 

There are also lots of opportunities here for trips and sporting activities (day trips, safaris, scuba diving, kite surfing, golf, gym, etc) which you may need money for.

Note that American Express cards do not work in Kenya.  Visa and Mastercard do.

BTCV,  Worldwide Experience, Global Spirit, Live & Learn Travels or GoEco

For more information about volunteering email volunteers@colobustrust.org.