Conférence BeDoCare 2025

Additional Information

Useful Information for People Planning to Attend the BeDoCare Conference in Nairobi in October 2025

1. Visa to Kenya

a. To enter Kenya, visitors do not need a visa, but what the Government of Kenya calls an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). Information about this can be found at https://etakenya.go.ke/. There are other websites that also look as if they are from the Kenyan Government, but they are run by private companies. We suggest you avoid them as they tend to be more expensive and slower.

b. To get the eTA you will need the following documents:

i. Valid passport (minimum 6 months validity with at least one blank page)
ii. Selfie or passport-type photo
iii. Contact details (email & phone number)
iv. Travel itinerary (arrival & departure)
v. Accommodation booking confirmation
vi. Payment method (credit/debit card, etc.)

vii. Conference: Invitation/participation letter

c. We will be happy to provide an invitation letter for the conference for the people who have registered on our website. To request this letter you can write to bedocare@strathmore.edu giving your name, your nationality and passport number. We suggest you ask us for the letter early and that you give us enough time to prepare your letter.

d. Although the website says that the application process for the eTA may take only 3 days, it also recommends that people apply at least two weeks in advance.

2. Air Travel

a. Kenya Airways: We have reached a sponsorship agreement with Kenya Airways (KQ). They will give a 15% discount on people travelling to the conference. The following are the conditions:

i. Applicable on Kenya Airways-operated flights only.
ii. Applicable for return journey only.
iii. Discounts are applicable on net fares only, excluding taxes and surcharges.
iv. Sales Period: Running until 03rd October 2025
v. Travel Period: From 21st September to 12th October 2025.
vi. Terms and conditions apply, subject to availability of fares*
vii. If you would like to benefit from this offer, please write to Collins Oliver collins.oliver@kenya-airways.com tel. +254 742 233849 and deal directly with him.

b. Qatar Airways: We are also negotiating a discount package for people coming from outside Africa using Qatar Airways. We will give more details once we have them

3. Insurance, Medical Cover and Vaccinations

a. You are encouraged to arrange your own travel and medical insurance. Nairobi has several good hospitals where you can be treated in case of an emergency

b. The University has a clinic where you can be seen by a doctor and buy some medicines. These services are available at a fee.

c. Vaccinations: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is mandatory if you’re arriving from a country where yellow fever is endemic. No other vaccinations certificates are mandatory.

d. There is no malaria in Nairobi, so you do not need to take malaria medication. However, if you are going to travel to other places outside Nairobi, it may be prudent to take it.

4. Banking Services and Exchanging Money

a. There is a branch of SBM bank on campus where you can exchange money. It also has an ATM.

b. There are other banks and places where you can exchange money within walking distance of the campus.

5. Transport to/from the Airport and within Nairobi

a. Each person will be responsible for their own transport to/from the airport and between their accommodation and the University.

b. We are negotiating with a taxi company to give us a discount for the participants of the conference. We will keep you informed once we finalise this arrangement.

6. Meals

a. The conference will offer lunch, and a tea break mid-morning and mid-afternoon. These meals are covered in the conference fee.

b. There will be a special cultural dinner/event on Thursday 2nd October in Kibondeni College. You will be able to taste food from different parts of Kenya and become familiar with some of our music and traditions. All participants at the conference are invited to attend. We hope to have transport from Strathmore to Kibondeni (and back) for this event.

c. The university also has other cafeterias where people can buy food at a reasonable rate.

d. Each one will have to cater for their breakfast and evening meal, either in their accommodation or elsewhere.

7. Accommodation

a. The conference website https://strathmore.edu/bedocare/ has a link to several hotels and guest houses where participants can stay. We suggest that you stay near Strathmore University if possible, as traffic in Nairobi during rush hour can be heavy.

b. You can also use Airbnb or similar apps to book accommodation in Nairobi.

8. Saturday 4th October Programme

a. On Saturday morning (4th October) we are arranging a visit to some of the social projects supported by Strathmore. If you would like to come on one of these visits you will you will need to book in advance via this link. So far, the projects we would like to visit are:

i. Kimlea: https://www.kiandafoundation.org/kimleagirls
ii. Eastlands College of Technology: https://ect.ac.ke/
iii. Kwetu Home of Peace (Ruai): https://kwetuhome.org/
iv. Kibera Girls Soccer Academy: https://kgsafoundation.org/

b. Saturday afternoon will be free for those who would like to do some shopping or visit some of the sights in Nairobi.

c. We will provide transport to the different venues but each one can get lunch wherever they want.

9. Tourist visits or Safaris before or after the Conference

a. If it is going to be your first visit to Kenya, you may want to include a visit to one of the National Parks or to the Coast. It could be anything from a one-day visit to the Nairobi National Park (10-minute drive from Strathmore University), or a weekend in Mombasa or a visit to Masai Mara.

b. We enclose the contacts of a travel agency we have worked with in the past, who have agreed to give participants in the conference a 15% discount on their usual prices. We think this is a good offer, but you may want to check other options on the internet or from people who have visited Kenya before. https://elitewaystravel.com/ or contact Prudence by WhatsApp +254 722 541914

10. Weather

In October 2025, Nairobi is expected to have comfortable weather. The average temperatures will range from around 16°C (60°F) to 26°C (78°F). You can anticipate moderate rainfall, with about 3 to 8 rainy days throughout the month. So, you may want to bring an umbrella and a pullover as the evenings/nights can be a bit cold.

11. Chaplaincy

a. The University has a chapel in the Central building and in the business school. They are open throughout the day for anybody who would like to use them. Mass is celebrated in the chapel in the Central building every day (Monday to Friday) at 7.30 am and 12.30 pm. On Saturday the mass is at 10.30 am.

b. If you are staying in a hostel run by a religious group, they may also have mass there during the day

12. Payment for the conference

a. We prefer that if you pay using the link at the conference website that uses Paypal. The fees are US$ 70 for people residing in Africa and US$ 180 for others.

b. If you do not have Paypal or have a problem making a payment that way you can also make a bank transfer to the university bank accounts by writing to bedocare@strathmore.edu.

c. If you use the university bank accounts, please send the document from your bank with the details of your payment to bedocare@strathmore.edu so that we can reconcile your payments with your registration.

13. Booking for parallel sessions in the Conference

To help us organise the conference we would like you to let us know which parallel sessions you would like to attend. To do this, please click on this link.

Karibu