All of the EAC's work—from fundraising to running the Vutakaka Community Center—has been done on a volunteer basis. Not even full-time executive director Suzanne Jeneby earns a salary from her work for the EAC. If it weren't for the efforts of dedicated, hard-working volunteers, the EAC would never have been established and none of its programs would have been started.

There are many ways to volunteer your time to the EAC.

Volunteer in Kenya - Ever thought of volunteering in Africa, but not ready to commit years to the Peace Corps? Want to contribute to a cause you believe in and create an enduring positive change in the world? Our premier volunteer opportunity is operated through a separate organization,  Come Kuona (an English-Kiswahili hybrid phrase meaning "come and see"). Through Come Kuona, volunteers spend three months working in Takaungu, Kenya on some of the many projects the EAC sponsors at the Vutakaka Community Center and in the community at large. Volunteers are responsible for their own airfare and pay an administrative fee to cover their housing, food, and other expenses while they're with us in Kenya. It's an incredible opportunity, open to volunteers from anywhere in the world. Visit comekuona.org to learn more about the program, read letters from past volunteers, see pictures, see our brand new message board, and learn how to apply.

Volunteer in the U.S. - We also welcome volunteers who prefer to work locally. The U.S. headquarters of the EAC is in Seattle, Washington, and for volunteers who live near Seattle, there are many opportunities to help with fundraising, accounting, research, promotion, grant-writing and other activities. There are also opportunities for volunteers to help the EAC from wherever you live. Volunteers can arrange fund-raising events, gather helpful resources on EAC activities, or help to find retail outlets for the Vutakaka Sewing Club's products. For information on these opportunities or to suggest any other way you would like to help, please contact Theresa Wilson at twilson@eastafricancenter.org.

If you are a college student, check to see if you can get "service-learning" credit through  your school for volunteering with us. The University of Washington has a well-established service- learning program with the EAC. 

Donate to the EAC - Of course, direct donations are the most immediate way to help the EAC. Please visit the How to Help page for more information, or click the Donate Now button on the bottom of this page.

Volunteer Breona Gutschmidt, seen here with our Nursery students, helped start the Bridges to Understanding program in Takaungu.