Volunteers have been of all kinds - both primatology, animal welfare and ecology students and researchers -- as well as other types of scientists, naturalists, marketing professionals, business people, teachers, engineers and even artists etc.  The Trust welcomes people with varying backgrounds and interests -- so don't be scared to apply!  It all depends upon you.  Just be aware that we have limited places and project requirements.

Mike Morton

Colobologist: June -October 2006

Country: England

Brian Chamberlain
St Lawrence University placement:  November - December 2006
Country:  USA

Driving up to Colobus on my first day, the taxi could barely get down the road because of all the baboons.  "What an amazing place,"  I thought.  "Could this be my new home?"  And it was.  For 3 months, I have enjoyed every minute living with those baboons, and of course, the colobus, sykes, vervets and galagos. Even when they tried and sometimes succeeded in stealing our food, it was all part of the great live entertainment.  Even when being awoken by them tap dancing and bowling on the roof at god awful, early morning hours, I still felt privileged to be living among them. 

I have learned much while here, about primates in general, about colobus in general, about conservation, about Kenya and Kenyans and about myself.  This definitely beats teaching grammar back home!

Primarily, I organised and assisted in a series of community meetings to promote the use of sustainable tree species in the wood carving industry rather than the currently used forest hardwood species.  We were looking at ways to bring increased revenue to the coastal area by keeping the carving industry local.  By keeping the industry local, financial benefits will increase and the environmental pressure will decrease. 

I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the work, from the expeditions to Shimba Hills Nature Reserve, for another volunteer’s project on releasing ex-pet vervet monkeys, to the numerous primate rescues up and down the coastal rag forest. And not forgetting working in a house surrounded by five species of primates, always keeping us entertained and who were adamant that they would raid the kitchen for food at any time!

After studying Biology in Germany for two years and finishing my pre-Diplomas I felt it was time for me to do some practical work and to gain more experience in conservation work and research before proceeding. The Colobus Trust gave me the opportunity to combine this aim with living in a beautiful country, getting to know warm and friendly people and experience their way of living for a while.

The work at the Trust was very diverse. Besides our research projects, I gained experience and confidence in tour guiding and marketing in hotels, dealt with animal welfare cases and took part in the de-snaring program.  Thanks for the chance to be part of the Trust, I will never forget my time out there!

Pippa McIntyre
Colobologist: May - August 2004
Country: Canada

Although I arrived at the Colobus Trust with little knowledge as to the work I’d be carrying out there, I was both overwhelmed and ecstatic to discover the sheer range of issues and projects with which I was to become involved. I was put in charge of a forest protection project which included the assessment of the Diani forest, a project which was to prove intensely challenging yet ultimately rewarding. While I had initially expressed concern due to the fact that I was to ‘lead’ the project (with no experience in Africa, or forest conservation!), I gradually realized that this task, though intimidating, was to challenge my academic and personal skills as nothing had before; indeed, I learned more in my months at the Trust than I had in three years at University.

Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of working at the Trust was the fact that I was given the opportunity to become involved in any and every aspect of the organization. I was encouraged to become intensely involved in virtually everything that interested me, allowing me to learn not only about primate conservation but wildlife and environmental conservation, community development, and more. I was told by another volunteer when I arrived that you get out of this place precisely what you put into it; in retrospect, I see that this is invariably true.

The white sand beach didn’t hurt either…

Gwili Gibbon
Colobologist: April - July 2004
Country: United Kingdom

My experiences at the Colobus Trust have been absolutely amazing. It has been without doubt one of the best things I have ever done.

The location of the Colobus Trust is unparalleled. You have a garden full of monkeys and other wonderful flora and fauna, which leads right on to a beautiful white sand beach and in the distance the coral reef runs along side the beach for as far as you can see. 

Not only does the Trust have the best location of any eco-volunteering program I have heard of, you also get “hands-on” work with the monkeys no matter what your project. My project was to work alongside another volunteer Jophie D’Erlanger to build a GIS map of the Diani beach area. It was a project that I feel really benefited the Trust and my education. As well as my main project I got involved in the many other aspects of the Trust's work including looking after and rehabilitating ex-pet monkeys and the maintenance of Colobridges to educating local people and tourists and even at one point going undercover to learn more about two galago's being kept captive in a local bar. 

The actual Colobus themselves are spectacularly beautiful and entertaining. During my 3 months I got to know some of the home troop rather well. There was Mkali the alpha male with his particularly glum expressions and Amani one of the juveniles always positioning herself a couples of branches above me for what reasons I could only guess. I spent many hours watching them and saw Kili and Huyo maturing from bright white newborns to black and white juveniles. There was even a moment when Mkali came up to me and did a lip-smack greeting call to which I courteously responded, I now feel like a true Colobus.

Barry Brogan
Colobologist: Dec 2003 - Feb 2004 and February- March 2005
Country: Ireland

I arrived at the Colobus Trust shortly after graduating with a degree in zoology. I had always wanted to visit Africa to observe and study primate species in their natural habitat. Volunteering at the Trust appeared to be an ideal way to experience Africa while contributing to valuable conservation work.  

My stay at the Trust was to be my first experience spending a significant amount of time working and living abroad. On arriving I was immediately impressed by the beautiful location of the Colobus Trust cottage in lush coastal coral rag forest overlooking the Indian Ocean. I was warmly welcomed by staff and volunteers and immediately felt at ease. 

My work at the Trust was varied but my main duty was to carry out a baboon census and behavioural study in the local area. This study was part of a more extensive programme to improve the management of primate pest problems in the area in a way that promotes the conservation of local primate species. I thoroughly enjoyed observing these amazing primates and recording their daily activities. I was also involved in many other aspects of the Trust's work such as primate rescue, care and rehabilitation, as well as conducting eco-tours for visiting tourists.  

These broad experiences gained in the beautiful surroundings were very rewarding.  To see released individuals doing well and colobus numbers growing showed the value of the Trust's work. It was a privilege to be a part of this.

In my time at the Trust I also met many wonderful people, learned to snorkel and discovered the wonder of the ocean, and also fulfilled my ambition to travel in Africa experiencing its rich culture and wildlife. I will remain interested in the Trust’s progress and wish the staff and volunteers all the best for the future. Go n-éirí leat!

Thomas Njoroge
WCK Volunteer: September-November 2003
Country: Kenya

Nadia Gambetta

I have always been interested in conservation and have often wondered how I could be more proactive.  I heard about the Colobus Trust and their work in constructing Colobridges across the Diani road through BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers).  As a structural engineer this seemed like the perfect place to spend my annual leave and attempt to use my skills in a new challenging environment whilst carrying out hands-on conservation work.

The work I have been involved in here, although of a structural nature, is very different to the type of work I carry out in London.  I am used to sitting in an office designing structures from steel and concrete and suddenly I find myself working with local materials on the protection of timber from termites and rot in the rainy season.  Along with being able to give something to the Trust I found that I also learnt a great deal about subjects I knew little about in the past such as primate behaviour and societies and botany.

 In addition, the cottage surroundings allowed me to unwind after a hard day’s work by sitting on the veranda looking out onto the Indian Ocean listening for the resident bushbabies.  Truly a fantastic experience into another culture, environment and way of life.

Dan Armstrong
Colobologist: July-August 2003
Country: Netherlands

Although I am not a scientist, I've always been really interested in primates and have been planning on taking a break from work in business.  After looking at a few different programmes I contacted The Colobus Trust to see if they'd have the free space for a volunteer for the summer.  Diani seemed like an amazing place to take such a break.  In the jungle and on the beach - it seemed too good to be real. 

The weather and people were amazing here in Diani and the experience is really different for me.  I spent most of my time during the year in offices typing on a laptop, but I've had an amazing time and have learned a whole lot - things I'd never conceived I would learn.

I've been working on a lot of new daily activities like tree species projects, animal welfare and emergencies (feeding and rehabilitation of a liberated vervet and baboon, a female baboon hit by a car, an injured male vervet, electrocuted female colobus and even a beached dolphin) and at the same time, I am working on new Trust communications and business plans and sharing some of my knowledge about business planning, websites, computers and design with the staff here.

This is a wonderful balance between what I can give and what I am learning.  It is close to the forest and I feel that I am really helping getting things accomplished that mean something.  And I am only halfway done!

Meghan Anderson
Colobologist:  October 2002-February 2003
Country: United States

Trying to put into words my feelings, the experiences I had, and the people I met in Kenya working for the Colobus Trust is difficult. Imagine leaving home traveling to a country around the world where you know no one. It sounds intimidating and a bit scary, and I can tell you that it was. However, that time away taught me more than the four years I spent in college.

I worked with the Trust for 4½ months collecting census data on the local primate species and colobridge use, giving nature tours, conducting a survey of hotel employees to determine their understanding of the monkeys, implementing a monkey management workshop for hotel employees, and Getting a Tan! Being the fair skinned freckled girl that I am, my family didn’t believe me until I got home and they saw my tan lines.

As a result of my experiences with the Colobus Trust, I have started my Masters program in non-profit management and plan to work in the field of animal conservation. I have more self-respect and have learned that I can live anywhere and be surrounded by people I love and who love me. I anxiously await my next opportunity to travel outside the United States and see old friends, but they know that we are never far apart.

Nicola Cunningham
Colobologist: September-November 2002
Country: United Kingdom

As a Zoology graduate with particular interest in animal welfare and conservation, the Colobus Trust caught my eye on the Born Free website.  When I arrived, however, I found myself working in a much wider variety of activities.

In the field of animal welfare, I helped with animal rescues, rehabilitation of captive monkeys, veterinary assistance and capturing and tracking monkeys in the forests.  I enjoyed this work immensely, as it gave me the opportunity to see monkeys in their natural environment and to actually help with their conservation, something I never had the opportunity to do before.   My favourite animal rescue case was a baboon in a road accident that we were sure would not survive – however we successfully released her less than a month later, back into her troop. 

I was also encouraged to use my other skills such as writing an education programme entitled “Biodiversity and Ecosystems” for the field assistants to teach the secondary school pupils.  When it was discovered that I like to draw, I was enlisted to do anything from designing logos to drawing all the local birds to display in a book for the school children and was extremely pleased with the result.

Myself and one of the field assistants, Bakari, developed a way to label trees in the grounds of one of Diani’s top hotels – following research, we produced a booklet containing all tree information from Swahili and Latin names to ancient use of the leaves in medicine.  These booklets were then reproduced, to be placed in hotel bedrooms for tourists to peruse at their leisure.

The most surprising aspect of my trip was using my limited French to take French tourists on tours around the Trust’s nature trail.  It was a massive achievement for me to be thanked (in French!) by the tourists, saying how informative and enjoyable their tour had been. 

I’ll always remember my time at the Trust - I came back feeling I’d achieved so much and had the desire to increase my education and to see more of the world.  I also gained some of the best friends I have and we have met up since around the world.  I am now studying for a Masters degree in Wild, which I would never have considered before, learning to manage my own animal conservation centre and hope someday to have volunteers coming out to work with me!

Benj Whitworth
Colobologist: 6 Months 1999-2000
Country: Australian

My name is Benj Whitworth and along with my friend Mark Flinn we volunteered at  Wakuluzu: Friends of the Colobus Trust for 6 months over 1999-2000 (We spent millennium night at a local bar). Arriving at the Colobus Trust was incredible, we walked down the dirt road through a tunnel of coral rag forest filled with thousands of butterflies, and reached a little house that overlooks a brilliant blue-green ocean and reef.

I am an ecologist, specialising in animal behaviour and conservation and so  the Colobus Trust was the ideal combination of these two activities. I worked on animal welfare, behavioural research, census, and pest animals.

We spent many hours waiting to catch injured sykes monkeys and were often outwitted. I took part in the census at Shimba Hills where we walked through rainforest (and it was raining and cold) looking for fleeting glimpses of vanishing colobus. I spent hours also drinking coffee next to large blue pools in classy hotels waiting for rogue pest vervet monkeys to arrive so I could research their behaviour. But most of my time was spent on behavioural research, following colobus throughout the day recording their movements, feeding, resting and social behaviour. It was so interesting for me as their behaviour is so diverse, although difficult at times crawling through forest, getting caught in thorns or rained on and often losing the troops.  I now work on agricultures effects on the environment in Australia and sit in an office all day (and dream)....

P.S. The shirt in the picture was from Mombasa- John Jared, Jimmy John (Kenyan researchers) and I went on a shopping trip there.

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