Volunteer

The University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) has run this successful internship for 15+ years, with aims

to improve the nutrition, food security, and livelihoods of smallholder farmers (primarily dairy) in

central Kenya. UPEI is partnering with PEI-based Farmers helping Farmers (FHF), the University of

Nairobi, and a number of partner dairy groups in Kenya. Each year, through participation in a research

project, two AVC veterinary students gain practical experience in international smallholder livestock

health management while delivering services and training to smallholder farmers in Kenya. Training

methods that all students will be involved with include face-to-face seminars, demonstrations, and

train-the-trainer sessions. In addition, two Foods & Nutrition students gain practical experience in

nutrition education and nutrition related development work. Two nursing students from UPEI will also

be joining the group, training community members on community health activities that would improve

the public’s health. Efforts will be made to involve Kenyan students in the training activities. Emphasis

will be on practical training for both the Kenyan and Canadian students. Working directly with the

farmers and local paravets and vets will help UPEI students get real-world international experience to

understand small-scale dairying and cropping challenges, and best management practices in Kenya.

Over the internship period, AVC students will grow in their leadership, clinical and intercultural skills.

Farmers Helping Farmers is a nationally recognized, award-winning, registered charitable

organization of community-minded people from PEI, Canada. FHF’s objectives are to assist Kenyan

smallholder farmers in rural communities to build food security and sustainable livelihoods through

collaborative small-scale, practical, agriculturally based economic development projects through

training of best management practices. FHF also partners with Kenyan farm organizations (e.g. self-

help women’s groups and dairy cooperatives and societies) who can then service their farmer

members better. FHF also supports schools with feeding programs and training enhancement

programs. FHF has been working with farmers in Kenya for over 40 years, but in 2004, it officially

broadened its mission and began partnering with UPEI. Since 2004, over 100 UPEI veterinary,

teaching, nutrition, nursing, biology, climate change and business students, along with 14 faculty,

have experienced international development first-hand, supported by FHF and their Kenyan partners.

These students have been supported, either with cash or in-kind, by various funding sources

including Farmers Helping Farmers, Global Affairs Canada, UPEI, Queen Elizabeth Scholars program,

pharmaceutical companies, local veterinarians, Veterinarians without Borders-Canada, and students’

personal sources.

For eligibility requirements and application- please download this form: 

The University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) has run this successful internship for Foods & Nutrition

(FN) students for 15 years, with aims to improve the nutrition, food security, and livelihoods of

smallholder farmers in central Kenya. UPEI is partnering with PEI-based Farmers helping Farmers (FHF),

the University of Nairobi, and a number of partner dairy groups in Kenya. Each year, two Foods &

Nutrition students gain practical experience in nutrition education and nutrition related development

work. In addition, two AVC veterinary students gain practical experience in international smallholder

livestock health management while delivering services and training to smallholder farmers in Kenya.

Training methods that all students will be involved with include face-to-face seminars, demonstrations,

and train-the-trainer sessions. Two nursing students from UPEI will also be joining the group, training

community members on community health activities that would improve the public’s health. Efforts

will be made to involve Kenyan students in the training activities. Emphasis will be on practical training

for both the Kenyan and Canadian students. Foods and Nutrition students will gain experience in

implementing and evaluating health promotion programs and will work with women’s groups to

deliver food based practical nutrition education. Over the internship period, students will also grow in

their leadership and intercultural skills.

Farmers Helping Farmers is a nationally recognized, award-winning, registered charitable

organization of community-minded people from PEI, Canada. FHF’s objectives are to assist Kenyan

smallholder farmers in rural communities to build food security and sustainable livelihoods through

collaborative small-scale, practical, agriculturally based economic development projects through

training of best management practices. FHF also partners with Kenyan farm organizations (e.g. self-

help women’s groups and dairy cooperatives and societies) who can then service their farmer

members better. FHF also supports schools with feeding programs and practical agriculture and

nutrition training programs for students. FHF has been working with farmers in Kenya for over 40

years, but in 2004, it officially broadened its mission and began partnering with UPEI. Since 2004,

over 100 UPEI veterinary, teaching, nutrition, nursing, biology, climate change and business students,

along with 14 faculty, have experienced international development first-hand, supported by FHF and

their Kenyan partners. These students have been supported, either with cash or in-kind, by various

funding sources including Farmers Helping Farmers, Global Affairs Canada, UPEI, Queen Elizabeth

Scholars program, pharmaceutical companies, local veterinarians, Veterinarians without Borders-

Canada, and students’ personal sources