HIV / AIDS Care and Awareness Project in Tanzania

Tanzania has one of the highest national HIV / AIDS prevalence rates in the world. As the largest country in East Africa, it bears a large share of the global epidemic. The estimated HIV prevalence rate is more than 8.6% among adults aged 15-49. 65% of new infections occur among youth aged 15-24 years of age. 

In the cities of Arusha, Dar es Salaam, and Zanzibar (Tanzania) volunteers will work with HIV-positive children and adults in activities to promote awareness and prevention.  They will participate in counseling services and educational programs at local hospitals and clinics. The overall goal is to raise personal perception of the risk of HIV among men, women, and children in the community by educating them about the life-threatening dangers it poses. In addition participants are expected to help with other factions such as hospice care, recreational programs, HIV testing, seminars and conferences within the community.

The goal of the HIV / AIDS program is to decrease the spread of HIV through raising awareness and education, increasing access to medical care, and providing emotional support to those affected by HIV/AIDS within the community.

Volunteers will have the opportunity to work in a community HIV/AIDS organization to assist with homecare visits to people living with HIV / AIDS, educate about safe sex practices, counsel communities, school groups and individuals and help provide basic medical care. 

This role is suitable for a caring, motivated, and self-directed person. Medical training is not necessary for all aspects of the program, but a background in HIV/AIDS and basic health care is required. Volunteers will receive a full briefing before getting involved with this project.

All too often parents cannot afford to take care of their children, especially if they are faced with a combination of poverty and HIV/AIDS. This is the reason there are so many street children and orphans in Africa. Assisting with these projects you are helping to educate and entertain children who may not receive care and attention elsewhere.

Types of skills you need to do this project:

Initiative, enthusiasm, and patience will be essential characteristics for any volunteer embarking on this project. You will need to understand the key aims of your project as a focal point for the broader community and be aware of the long-term goals in order to appreciate the hands-on work that this project will require.

Any specific skills that you can contribute – such as teaching experience, environmental issues, community health advice, counseling, and sports coaching – will be appreciated. Volunteers will need to be proactive in instigating activities they particularly want to get up and running as supervision and leadership may be fairly minimal.

Your role as a volunteer: Your role in the program will be to provide a range of skills and activities, depending on your experience. You will almost certainly be asked to help with informal teaching to children and adults. Your role could include activities in nurseries, children’s homes, with people living with HIV/Aids, helping adults to practice their English, and arranging recreational activities.

Volunteers will work with a HIV/AIDS outreach clinic conducting home-based care to people living with HIV/AIDS. The homecare will include counseling to the caretakers and distributing medication and food supplies to people living with HIV or AIDS. Other duties will depend on which projects the organization is working on at the time that volunteers are present. Volunteers will sometimes be required to visit a branch office.

Volunteers in the HIV/AIDS program will devote their time taking care of people living with HIV/AIDS while getting them engaged in various educational activities designed to increase their awareness of the disease; in hope of their dissemination of the information to others – with the goal of ultimately stopping and preventing the epidemic of HIV/AIDS in Tanzania, and eventually Africa as a whole.

Accommodation: Room/ Food/ Supervision

Volunteers have the choice of staying at our volunteer Accommodation in Arusha Town or at our local Tanzanian host families, commonly know as “home stay”.  

Our volunteer house is located close to the town centre so has easy access to transport routes, shops, bars and restaurants. The House has single or shared living facilities and western style bathroom facilities with hot water. It also provides a sitting and dinning area with T.V. and D.V.D.

Our host families are active community members who are not only mature but are trained and experienced with international volunteers. You will get a single room (or share with another volunteer) in a home stay. The accommodation will be clean and simply furnished. Local host will provide three local meals a day. During the volunteering period our staff will guide, help, and supervise you everyday while on your volunteer Project.

Project Dates and Durations 

Placements are open to volunteers and interns all year round but we ask volunteers to arrive on either the 1st or 3rd Sunday of each month. 

Placement duration is from a minimum of 2 weeks up to a year.  

Qualifications

There are no specific qualifications needed to join this project just good background knowledge of the situations. 

Languages

Good level of the English spoken language 

This Program is open to World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples, and Individuals. It is helpful for the volunteers to learn some basic Kiswahili/Maasai language. When you arrive at your project placement the volunteer coordinator will give you an 

Medical / Healthcare Internship Project in Tanzania

If you are looking for valuable hands-on medical experience, than this internship is a great opportunity. There are many health issues to be explored and there is an obvious lack of manpower and resources in the local hospitals located in the major cities where we operate.

As a medical intern you will study at these rural health posts and community clinics. Participants spend the majority of their internship learning from and assisting a qualified doctor or healthcare professional. Work responsibilities vary with your education, skills, and previous experience.

Skills / Qualifications

Interns interested in joining the internship healthcare / medical program must possess health care certification, such as an ID as a medical student, EMT or paramedic certification, or nursing or physician’s credentials. Medical interns without credentials are not allowed to work in this program because of the potential liability risk. Hospitals require a copy of your resume, clearly stating credentials and education, before your arrival to the project. 

Orientation

On the first day of the project you will be given an extensive orientation to familiarize you with your new surroundings. You will be informed of local customs and how to get around using public transportation. A project co-coordinator will also meet you to explain your role as an Intern. The orientation will cover all the relevant information about your project, including safety issues. An individual timetable will be worked out for you based on how much time you want to commit to volunteering.

Internship work

In the internship, you will select a particular area of interest related to medical / healthcare issues and explore the issue further with the help of an assigned supervisor. Please note: the project supervisor DOES NOT develop internships as this is up to the intern to get as much or as little out of their projects.

Job responsibilities of interns joining a medical internship in Tanzania (or to somewhere else where we operate) vary with education, skills, experience, and qualifications. Interns are not allowed to perform diagnoses or surgical operations.

Most of the time interns will help the doctor or work as an assistant. Interns measure blood pressure (BP), temperature, height, weight, as well as assist doctors and the medical staff in the health centers.

Interns may also help in health camps (if available at that time), distribute medication, provide tips to patients referring to health, nutrition and sanitation as well as counseling patients, and possibly participate in the treatment for minor injuries/wounds and/or maintain records of patients treated.

Medical Interns will have the choice to work with an HIV/AIDS outreach clinic conducting home-based care to people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. The homecare will include counseling to the caretakers and distributing medication and food supplies to people living with HIV or AIDS. Other duties will depend on which projects the organization is working on when the volunteer is there. Volunteers will sometimes be required to visit a branch office.

Volunteers in the HIV/AIDS program will devote their time taking care of people living with HIV/AIDS while getting them engaged in various educational activities. The activities are designed to increase their awareness of the disease in hope of their dissemination of the information to others in hope of ultimately stopping and preventing the epidemic of HIV/AIDS in Tanzania. This project is open to any volunteer who are willing to share their love, time, and compassion with patients living with HIV/AIDS.

Accommodation: Room/ Food/ Supervision

Volunteers have the choice of staying at our volunteer Accommodation in Arusha Town or at our local Tanzanian host families, commonly know as “home stay”.

Our volunteer house is located close to the town centre so has easy access to transport routes, shops, bars and restaurants. The House has single or shared living facilities and western style bathroom facilities with hot water. It also provides a sitting and dinning area with T.V. and D.V.D.

Our host families are active community members who are not only mature but are trained and experienced with international volunteers. You will get a single room (or share with another volunteer) in a home stay. The accommodation will be clean and simply furnished. Local host will provide three local meals a day. During the volunteering period our staff will guide, help, and supervise you everyday while on your volunteer Project.

Project Dates and Durations 

Placements are open to volunteers and interns all year round but we ask volunteers to arrive on either the 1st or 3rd Sunday of each month. 

Placement duration is from a minimum of 2 weeks up to a year.  

Languages

Good level of the English spoken language 

This Program is open to World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples, and Individuals. It is helpful for the volunteers to learn some basic Kiswahili/Maasai language. When you arrive at your project placement the volunteer coordinator will give you an introduction.

Teaching Placements in Tanzania.

We offer teaching placements in three very different schools in which the placements will receive unique teaching experiences. 

School placement options:

• Urban English Medium School
• Rural Maasai Primary School
• Special School for Children with disabilities 

Urban English medium School

The English Medium School is situated in Arusha City center and is well know for its high level of teaching quality and its well spoken English students. The school has over 600 students from the ages 4 to 13 years. The school is located about 5 minute’s bus journey from our volunteer house. 

Placements will primarily be teaching English classes to all ages, but also have the option of teaching History, Geography, Science and Math. If a placement has previous qualifications or interests in a specific subject area then this is welcomed. 

The students follow an English Curriculum in which some subjects are translated into Swahili. Therefore for many of the students the level of English knowledge is high. 

When having to use Swahili a translator will be present to assist you.   

You will also be responsible for taking sports lessons which occur on ever Friday Afternoon. 

Rural Maasai Primary School     

Volunteers and Interns that wish to be placed in a rural Tanzanian school will have a truly unique teaching experience. The school is situated in a Maasai village. The school is very basic and the student’s level of academic knowledge and understanding is low. The school is basic and lacking academic and sports equipment and many facilities. 

This school is in much need of qualified teachers or willing volunteers to help improve the academic level of the Students and also to assist the teachings in their work by sharing your knowledge and experience of teaching. 

For this placement we also please for organizations, schools or groups to come out and help with the school facility improvements. The building facilities are less than basic and often the food for the students’ lunch is minimal and the same each day. This results in poor nutrition and children not attending school.  

This is a great placement to really use your qualities and help a school and even more a community. 

Special School for Children with disabilities

This is a wonderful placement where volunteers can work closely with a few individual students in enhancing their academic and creative development. Not only this but help support and run the school to improve the lives of the students and to allow this charity to develop and take on more students who are in need of its help.

We support and work with this charity school which is home to 42 students of all ages ranging from 3 years old to 25. The school is situated in Arusha roughly 10 minutes bus journey from our volunteer house. The schools founders wish was to educate those children who have disabilities, special needs or learning difficulties. These children and young adults are often rejected from schools or are given no special attention and therefore not benefiting from usual state or private school education. The school is open to all. Most of the children are sponsored by the school it’s self.   

The school currently has 5 class rooms in which the children are placed according to there current level of academic status. Depending on the Classroom they are set in, a number of different subject lessons and activities are taught. The main focus subjects being English, Math, Swahili, Music and creativities such as Art and design. 

Volunteers will follow a development plan and conduct these lessons to a selected class. Other volunteer involvement will also include:

• Caring for the students,
• Assessing and reporting in the continuation of the development plan for each  

            Student,

• Taking students on day trips, for example to the swimming pool,
• Home visits to students’ homes and counseling with parents,
• Improvements to the school such as painting the classrooms with the students,
• Support with the fundraising for the school as no government funding is available.

   To help raise money for the school the staff, volunteers and students all come together in recreation time to make clothes and use bead work to make jewelry which is then all sold at the schools shop.

In all teaching options volunteers and interns are asked to have a good level of knowledge in written English and to be fluent in the English Language. Knowledge in Swahili is not essential but to clue yourself up in basic Swahili before your placement will increase the effectiveness of your teaching. 

Volunteers are encouraged to bring resources such as educational equipment, art materials and games if they wish.

All initiatives, ideas and feedback are encouraged so don’t be afraid to take responsibility and speak to the Project coordinator if you have any plans that you think may be of benefit.

Accommodation: Room/ Food/ Supervision

Volunteers have the choice of staying at our volunteer Accommodation in Arusha Town or at our local Tanzanian host families, commonly know as “home stay”.  

Our volunteer house is located close to the town centre so has easy access to transport routes, shops, bars and restaurants. The House has single or shared living facilities and western style bathroom facilities with hot water. It also provides a sitting and dinning area with T.V. and D.V.D.

Our host families are active community members who are not only mature but are trained and experienced with international volunteers. You will get a single room (or share with another volunteer) in a home stay. The accommodation will be clean and simply furnished. Local host will provide three local meals a day. During the volunteering period our staff will guide, help, and supervise you everyday while on your volunteer Project. 

Project Dates and Durations 

All school placements are open all year round but please take into account that schools will be closed in the holidays which are in the following dates:

30th July – 5 September. 

3rd December – 2nd January 

Placement duration is from a minimum of 2 weeks up to a year.  

Qualifications

There are no specific qualifications needed to join this project

Languages

Good level of the English spoken language 

This Program is open to World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples, and Individuals. It is helpful for the volunteers to learn some basic Kiswahili/Maasai language. When you arrive at you project placement the volunteer coordinator will give you an introduction

Maasai Woman’s Project in Tanzania

Tanzanian Maasai women are economically weak though Maasai culture is one of the major attractions of tourism industry in Tanzania, Maasai people are not benefited from the tourism industry. A local NGO in ILKDNGA and Monduli district is presently running different programs to uplift the economic condition of Maasai women.

ILKDNGA has been setting up projects run by the Maasai woman to generate self sustainable income. In this project Maasai women are trained to make traditional Maasai crafts, beads, clothes and other goods. These products are later sold in the market to generate their income. This is a wonderful project for people who feel they would enjoy the unique Maasai culture and the rural life of Maasai tribe.

Volunteers Role

There are 18 Maasai women’s groups in 8 different villages of Mt. Meru. These Maasai women’s groups are coordinated by ILKDNGA. You will work and live closely in these different villages each day and support them. There are a number of activities in which to devote your time in.

• If you are an artist or professional having skills on craft work or bead work you can teach the woman techniques/designs so that they can make better products to increase their income in markets. If you have no previous experience in these works than you can still learn and help out. 

• The Maasai women’s group also needs volunteers’ to help them learn English so that they can talk with tourists and sell their products directly and avoiding other parties from buying their products for low prices and selling on for 5 times the amount. Therefore volunteers are needed to run an informal English language class for the Maasai women. 

• If you have knowledge and skills about marketing then you can help Maasai women to develop marketing strategies and help them to sell their products in national and international markets.

Besides the women’s group you can run English language classes for Maasai children and the local youth with a little English knowledge Maasai youth can work as tourist guides making additional income for their families.

Tanzania Home Based Care project in Arusha, Tanzania.

The HBC program is our core activity that provides cares for individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS. Through the HBC program, which operates in 3 regions of Tanzania, we currently supports an average of 730 patients at a time and 2,800 of their family members. Using our 110 trained HBC workers to make regular daily visits to the patients, we  provides informed nutritional advice and support, HIV/AIDS education, cleaning and chore assistance, as well as financial support for food, transportation and medicines.

We have noticed a significant improvement in many of our Home Based Care patients. Many are no longer bed ridden and are improving steadily because of improved nutrition and the use of antiretroviral (ARV) medication. Many have joined Village Community Banking (VICOBA) groups within their communities and are able to take part in Income Generating Activities (IGA’s) with the guidance of our volunteer organization. These activities allow them the opportunity to have a healthy diet and exponentially improve their quality of life.

Village Community Banking (VICOBA) was started with the aim of helping people cope with the numerous responsibilities they face in an increasingly unfavorable socio-economic and religious environment. This is done by training participants in crafts production and other activities that can increase their household incomes. In addition, participants contribute individual savings to a savings and credit fund which, in turn, makes small loans to its members.

We promotes local community savings and credit groups that build on the traditional “Tontine” methodology where investors pay a sum into the tontine and receive annual dividends on their capital.  Tontines are rigid in their structure and provide limited and inflexible access to accumulated savings.

We adds innovative twists that make it more flexible and extremely attractive to local participants. The weekly contributions are accumulated, with an end date in mind, for distribution of all or part of the funds to the individual members. This lump sum distribution provides a large amount of money that each member can then apply to his/her own needs.

The members of the community savings and credit groups make use of the funds for long and short-term needs on a continual basis, so the funds are constantly working for them, earning interest and not just sitting idle in the group.

These loans allow the members to meet their small and medium income generating activities, social obligations and emergencies without having to borrow from a money lender, take an expensive supplier advance, or rely on their relatives. This adds a limited credit perspective to the association. Currently, over 575 people utilize our’s 25 VICOBA groups in Arusha, Dar es Salaam.

We works to educate and empower women, children, foster parents and the general community with special priority being given to vulnerable families affected by HIV/ AIDS in Babati district and Arusha Municipal Council. Trained Home Based Care Workers (HBCW’s), field agents and Peer Educators, in collaboration with our staff, conduct continuous education and women empowerment meetings in six wards of Babati and Arusha.

Identified Community members, female field agents and foster parents can be trained to become quality Village and Community Banking members, trainers of Trainers (TOT’s), HBCW’s, Paralegals and Peer educators. They have continual support through the formation of peer and VICOBA groups and are able to practice paralegal activities dealing with domestic violence, rape, female circumcision, widow inheritance and advocate for general Human Rights.

This promotes good governance, trust and respect within the community and helps alleviate poverty in their areas. This is achieved by increasing economic self-reliance, supporting families affected by HIV/AIDS, establishing village community banking and supplying beneficiaries with food and medical supplies as needed.

Currently, We have established more than 24 women empowerment groups practicing paralegal activities and administering HIV/AIDS education and Home Based Care for People Living with HIV/AIDS and those with chronic illnesses.

Our beaded jewelry business is its main income generating activity. This program allows us to sustain many of our programs and facilities! There have been other small purchases from guests and volunteers that have passed through our office. If you know of an outlet to sell necklaces where you live or would like to order some for yourself, please email us and we can export some to you. 

Location of Placements:

Arusha and Surrounding Maasai Villages 

Accommodation: Room/ Food/ Supervision

Volunteers have the choice of staying at our volunteer Accommodation in Arusha Town or at our local Tanzanian host families, commonly know as “home stay”.  

Our volunteer house is located close to the town centre so has easy access to transport routes, shops, bars and restaurants. The House has single or shared living facilities and western style bathroom facilities with hot water. It also provides a sitting and dinning area with T.V. and D.V.D.

Our host families are active community members who are not only mature but are trained and experienced with international volunteers. You will get a single room (or share with another volunteer) in a home stay. The accommodation will be clean and simply furnished. Local host will provide three local meals a day. During the volunteering period our staff will guide, help, and supervise you everyday while on your volunteer Project.

Project Dates and Durations 

Placements are open to volunteers and interns all year round but we ask volunteers to arrive on either the 1st or 3rd Sunday of each month. 

Placement duration is from a minimum of 2 weeks up to a year.  

Skill/Qualification

There is no specific qualification needed to join the women’s project Tanzania. If you have any skills in craft work, beading, and art work than this would be beneficial. 

Languages:

This Program is open to World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples, and Individuals. It is helpful for the volunteers to learn some basic Kiswahili/Maasai language. When you arrive at you project placement the volunteer coordinator will give you an introduction

Orphanage Care Project in Arusha,Tanzania.

   We support and work with a number of orphanage centers in Tanzania which is home to orphans of all ages from ranging from 1-month-old babies to teenagers. The Orphanage centers are responsible for the home care and education of these children.

Live closely with the children and care workers in one of these centers. You will get to know all the members of the community very well as they are all so friendly with helps.  

Volunteer involvement 

Tanzania and all the sub-Saharan African countries are badly affected by the epidemics of poverty and HIV. The number of orphans and street children is growing. Efforts have been made by various local organizations to protect these children by offering much needed education as well as skilled development training. Thousands of orphan children who suffer from extreme poverty, HIV/AIDS and hopelessness leave their villages and travel to Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Moshi and other cities where they most often end up worse off on the street. Most orphanages in Tanzania lack resources and are under staffed. Orphanages in Tanzania focus primarily on offering formal and informal schooling and a safe place to live and study.

Volunteer and give your time to support this orphanage that is in dire need of your help. This is a great project to help those and need and to gain good experience in doing so. Sign up now to change lives!

Volunteers generally work with the following activities: 

• In the morning help with breakfast and prepare the children for school. Volunteers accompany the children to and from school.

• Teach English 3-4 hours a day in the local school. 
• Small children (ages 2-6 years) remain in their orphanages where volunteers who choose not to teach in schools play with the children: sports, art, games, picture books, music. All sorts of fun activities are welcome. 
• Organize activities when the children return from school, both free time fun and help with homework.
•    Education and free time activities for the children who are too old to go to school. 
•   After dinner help, the children wash, brush teeth and take care of themselves. 

   This is just a general picture of the daily life of volunteers. Work by vary from day to day and also depends on the requirements and needs of the orphanage at a given time.

Location of Placements:

Stone town or Nungwi (Zanzibar), Dar es Salaam, Arusha & Moshi

Typical Living Arrangements:

• Group living
• Home-stays
• Hostels

Accommodation: Room/ Food/ Supervision

Volunteers have the choice of staying at our volunteer Accommodation in Arusha Town or at our local Tanzanian host families, commonly know as “home stay”.  

Our volunteer house is located close to the town centre so has easy access to transport routes, shops, bars and restaurants. The House has single or shared living facilities and western style bathroom facilities with hot water. It also provides a sitting and dinning area with T.V. and D.V.D.

Our host families are active community members who are not only mature but are trained and experienced with international volunteers. You will get a single room (or share with another volunteer) in a home stay. The accommodation will be clean and simply furnished. Local host will provide three local meals a day. During the volunteering period our staff will guide, help, and supervise you everyday while on your volunteer Project.

Project Dates and Durations 

Placements are open to volunteers and interns all year round but we ask volunteers to arrive on either the 1st or 3rd Sunday of each month. 

Placement duration is from a minimum of 2 weeks up to a year.  

Qualifications

There are no specific qualifications needed to join this project

Languages

Good level of the English spoken language 

This Program is open to World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples, and Individuals. It is helpful for the volunteers to learn some basic Kiswahili/Maasai language. When you arrive at you project placement the volunteer coordinator will give you an introduction

Missionary Outreach in Arusha,Tanzania.

The missionary outreach is a project set up and run by us. In our mission we intend to spread the word of the gospel of peace to people who wish to hear the word but lack or do not have the access to it. 

There are many rural villages deep into the Maasai, African bush in which we operates and intends to reach with our mission. In these villages we have witnessed many people who wish to hear the gospel and study the Bible but are unable to. Many of these people are practicing Christians but lack discipleship. This is simply because of a few factors such as:

• No Bibles with the correct translation,
• Little or no teaching and discipleship,
• No access to a church or a Christian establishment,
• Poor leadership

There are a few churches present in the area in which we operates but they are lacking community support, funding, fellowship involvement and spiritual guidance.  

We intend to help these churches and communities spiritually grow enhancing their teachings and developing there faith so that they themselves can go out and make disciples of the world. 

Volunteer Involvement 

This mission is aimed at small and medium size Christian groups whom are willing to give up their time to serve the Lord and spread the word of the gospel. These groups can be friends or other church members, people from your home group, Bible study groups or youth groups. You might also belong to a missionary organization, a practicing preacher or open air campaigner in which case this would be a blessing to our work in the Maasai bush. 

If your party wanted to come with a specific message or vision than this can be discussed with the project coordinator and director. Then we can work and pray together to achieve your mission. 

Parties will work together and sometimes spilt into smaller groups and head deep in to the Maasai bush located in the villages surrounding Lake Manyara. Here you will work together with the missionary outreach coordinators and reach the people in need of the word. 

Here your members will partake in the following activities:

• Preaching at the local churches,
• Proving Bibles to those who need them,
• Leading prayer sessions,
• Planning and leading Bible study groups,
• Teaching the Bible at Schools and orphanages

Other activities will come down to your group, the project coordinates and Gods will at that time but may include such as activities as drama plays at schools and orphanages, leading worship groups, church fund raising or visiting those in need. 

This is a truly unique experience in which to disciple to God’s children and spread the good news to our brothers and sisters and its mission is in a truly beautiful place with wonderful people. 

Accommodation: Room/ Food/ Supervision

Volunteers have the choice of staying in group accommodation or at our local Tanzanian host families, commonly know as “home stay”.  

Our host families are active Christian community members who are not only mature but are trained and experienced with international volunteers. You will get a single room (or share with another volunteer) in a home stay. The accommodation will be clean and simply furnished. Local host will provide three local meals a day. During the volunteering period our staff at MICATZ will guide, help, and supervise you everyday while on your volunteer Project.

Project Dates and Durations 

The mission is open all year round but we prefer groups to arrive on the 1st or 3rd Sunday of every month. 

Placement duration is from a minimum of 2 weeks up to a month. For longer stays please contact us 

Minimum group size is 3 people due to logistics and reducing costs.  

Qualifications

There are no specific qualifications needed to join this project

Languages

This Program is open to World Wide Participants. It is helpful for the members of your group to learn some basic Kiswahili/Maasai language. When you arrive at your project placement the volunteer coordinator will give you an introduction

Community Development Program in Arusha, Tanzania.

Project 

Community Development Project in the Maasai Bush

Project Overview

   This project is a great way to get a broad and diverse experience of volunteering in a community development project in Africa and gain a great cultural experience at the same time. This project is involved in a number of welfare and development programs so giving you that broader volunteering and learning experience. 

   The project involves a two day orientation in Arusha and briefing of the project to come. A Swahili lesson will be given to help volunteers intenerate better and have a more profound affect in their work. 

 The project than takes volunteers to a remote village located near Lake Manyara, deep into the Maasai steppe. Here volunteers will participate in the following programs:

• Teaching – Plan and implement English, Sports and Healthcare lessons in a Maasai primary school. Work with a volunteer coordinator and Maasai Translator in creating an affective teaching plan for English and healthcare lessons. The children at the Maasai primary school are under educated and are not receiving the proper attention that they need. Most days they receive up to only 2 hours of teaching per day. 

Health care is very primitive in the village and most can not afford to treat simple illnesses. Many of these diseases and illness can be prevented with simple health care education. We intend to educate the children in this area so that they can prevent and reduce potential and unnecessary health issues. 

Sports and recreation sessions in the school is a time where more than often the pupils are left to there own devises with no equipment. We aim to provide productive sports sessions and equipment for the pupils and develop their physical fitness and skills. 

• Maasai Educational Community Outreach – Volunteers will spend a good amount of their time living closely in the Maasai village and will get to know the community members well. This includes getting to know their culture and their hardship. The community is poor and often only survives on livestock. Education is minimal and tourism and conservation concerns are pushing these people out and reducing their lands for their livestock to graze on and to find water and live on. 

Many of the Elders and warriors want to learn English and business skills but can not afford to go to school. The Maasai women also want to learn but are confined to their homes and attending to their role in their society which comprises of child care other home activities. 

Learn form the truly unique sustainable life style that they lead and understand more about their needs. This program is here to bring about a better understanding and awareness of one another’s cultures.       

•             This is a chance for our volunteers to engage in a relationship with a few of the     Community members and for us to teach English, Health care and any other      Previous experience or qualifications we have, such as teaching, business, agricultural, animal husbandry, irrigation qualifications.  

If Volunteers feel they have no previous experience in these areas then there is plenty of practical work to be involved with in the village such as building work on the water project or village school development. 

• Orphanage Care and Development – We work with Majengo Children’s center where currently 120 orphaned children, aged form 6 months to 14, live. The center has to provide food, shelter, healthcare, education, and guardian support for all these children. This is a large responsibility and also costly. Much of the running costs are funded by volunteers and visitors. Each volunteer that participated in this project, We give a donation to the running of the center. 

Volunteers will assist in the running of the Orphanage. This will include the following activities:

• Teaching Lessons to the day school pupils and assisting with homework for those whom are educated in the local primary schools. 
• Leading recreational sessions in their free time, in terms of story reading, sports activities, singing songs etc… 
• Small building projects in the centers grounds. This can be an organic garden, chicken coup, playing facilities or small building facility.  
• Emotional care and support. With so many children at the orphanage the orphanage support workers do not have the time to tend to all the children’s emotional needs and many go unchecked.  
• Decorating the Orphanage building in terms of paintings and educational posters. 

Extra Activities Included 

•  During the weekend our project volunteers have some time off to relax and get to enjoy some of the wonderful things to offer in area that they are staying in. This includes taking a cycling ride up through the banana plantations and forest of the Great Rift Valley wall. Arrive at the Rift valleys waterfalls and swim in the natural pools. 
• Take the change to see some of Tanzania’s great wildlife by going on an afternoon’s safari trip deep into the Maasai steppe. Whiteness Elephants, Giraffe, Zebra, Gazelle, Ostrich, Fish Eagle and a diverse range of other Tanzanian wildlife and bird life.  
•   Spend a day by the pool side taking in the African Sun, and beautiful environment spending some hard earned rest after the weeks work. 
•    Visit the local Maasai market and immerge yourself in their culture, foods, drinks and then after join a Maasai celebration with song and dance. 

Location, Accommodation and Food

  The first 2 days will be located in our volunteer house in Arusha. The volunteer house will allow you to meet other volunteers who are on the same project as you or working on other projects in the area. It is a great change to share ideas and support one another in you experience.

   The house provides a comfortable, safe, homely environment and includes shared living facilities, running water, hot showers, western style bathroom facilities and TV/DVD sitting room for rest and recreation in the evenings. 

   The Accommodation for the rest of the stay will be located in Mto Wa Mbu and will be simple shared or single living arrangements with shared Bathroom facilities. 

   Three meals will be provided each and every day at both accommodations, and normally consists of a variety of local style foods, Meats, seafood’s and vegetarian options.

Project Dates  

1st July 2022 

7th October 2022

7th April 2022

7th July 2022

6th October 2022

2 – 6 Weeks

Qualifications- There are no specific qualifications needed to join this project

Languages-

This Program is open to World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples, and Individuals. It is helpful for the volunteers to learn some basic Kiswahili/Maasai language. When you arrive at you project placement the volunteer coordinator will give you an introduction

About Special Education in Arusha, Tanzania.

Tanzania has taken many steps in recent years to improve access to, and the quality of, education, but in many communities there is still a lack of resources and adequately trained teachers for children with special needs. 

Volunteers who wish to support these children can make a valuable contribution by participating in our Special Education program in Tanzania. On this program, volunteers work at a center for special-needs students of all ages and assist both inside and outside the classroom. Depending on their experience and what kind of help is most needed, volunteers may help in areas such as preparing lessons and directing classes, assisting with speech therapy sessions, and caring for the children. 

Volunteers may also help with extracurricular activities such as art, music, and crafts. Some volunteers work with the students to make handicrafts that can be sold as souvenirs, earning money for the students and for the center.

A Typical Day in the Life of a Volunteer in Tanzania

Our volunteers in Tanzania can expect their days to be a combination of meaningful volunteer work, cultural experiences, and free time for relaxation and reflection. 

The sample schedule below represents a typical day for a volunteer in Tanzania.  Keep in mind that when volunteering abroad, a typical day can be anything but typical!

7:30 am – 8:00 am: Breakfast with your host family or at the volunteer apartment.  Breakfast in Tanzania often consists of fruit, freshly baked bread, eggs, and a cup of locally-grown coffee or spiced milk tea.

8:00 am – 8:45 am: Walk or catch the local bus to travel to your volunteer project site.

8:45 am – 12:30 pm: Work at volunteer placement.

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm:  Lunch with your host family, at the project site, or at a local affordable restaurant.  Lunch in Tanzania often includes a combination of wali (rice), beans, ndizi kanga (fried bananas or plantains), spinach or other greens, maandazi (bread rolls), sambusas (triangular pastries deep-fried and filled with vegetables or meat), or nyama choma (a piece of goat meat, chicken or beef grilled on an open fire).

1:30 pm – 3:00 pm: Work at your volunteer project.

4:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Free time to stop by the market, hang out with other volunteers, visit the internet café, watch a rugby or soccer game, or play soccer with the local children.

7:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Dinner with your host family or at the volunteer apartment.  Dinners in Tanzania often include beans, meat, or fish with rice, ugali (porridge made of cornmeal) or chapatti (fried flatbread).

8:00 pm – 10:00 pm: Relax at home, practice Swahili and watch a movie with your host family, prepare for the next day’s volunteering, or plan a weekend excursion to go hiking, go on a safari, or visit Lake Victoria, Mount Kilimanjaro, the coast, or one of Tanzania’s beautiful national parks.

Project and class schedules, meals, and free time activities may vary depending on the details of your placement.

 Eligibility

Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older. Successful volunteers are hardworking, flexible, and open to truly immersing themselves in Tanzanian culture.

Housing Overview

The housing for volunteers in Tanzania varies by project. Some volunteers live with host families, a fantastic way to become immersed in the local language and culture. When living with host families, volunteers build relationships, practice the local language, and learn about traditional culture, food, and customs. 

All host families are welcoming and friendly, and they are hand-picked by our team to ensure that each placement provides a safe and positive environment for the volunteer. Other volunteers may live in apartments in town, usually sharing a room with another volunteer, or in accommodations at their project sites. Housing accommodations may differ from Western norms in terms of space or amenities, but they are always safe and clean.

2; About Women’s Development in Tanzania

Tanzania has seen economic growth in recent years with the increase of tourism to the region, but many Maasai people in Tanzania, particularly women, have difficulty making a living. Our Women’s Development volunteers in Tanzania work with a local nonprofit organization that teaches Maasai women how to make hand-crafted items such as clothes, beading, souvenirs, and household goods and sell them on the international market. Volunteers may help teach the women English or facilitate communication with English-speaking customers. If they have experience with crafts, some volunteers help make items to sell or train the women on a new craft or technique. By cooperating with local people, volunteers can help build a stronger economy in Tanzania and assist Maasai women in becoming self-sufficient.

A Typical Day in the Life of a Volunteer in Tanzania

Our volunteers in Tanzania can expect their days to be a combination of meaningful volunteer work, cultural experiences, and free time for relaxation and reflection.  The sample schedule below represents a typical day for a volunteer in Tanzania.  Keep in mind that when volunteering abroad, a typical day can be anything but typical!

7:30 am – 8:00 am: Breakfast with your host family or at the volunteer apartment.  Breakfast in Tanzania often consists of fruit, freshly baked bread, eggs, and a cup of locally-grown coffee or spiced milk tea.

8:00 am – 8:45 am: Walk or catch the local bus to travel to your volunteer project site.

8:45 am – 12:30 pm: Work at volunteer placement.

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm:  Lunch with your host family, at the project site, or at a local affordable restaurant.  Lunch in Tanzania often includes a combination of wali (rice), beans, ndizi kanga (fried bananas or plantains), spinach or other greens, maandazi (bread rolls), sambusas (triangular pastries deep-fried and filled with vegetables or meat), or nyama choma (a piece of goat meat, chicken or beef grilled on an open fire).

1:30 pm – 3:00 pm: Work at your volunteer project.

4:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Free time to stop by the market, hang out with other volunteers, visit the internet café, watch a rugby or soccer game, or play soccer with the local children.

7:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Dinner with your host family or at the volunteer apartment.  Dinners in Tanzania often include beans, meat, or fish with rice, ugali (porridge made of cornmeal) or chapatti (fried flatbread).

8:00 pm – 10:00 pm: Relax at home, practice Swahili and watch a movie with your host family, prepare for the next day’s volunteering, or plan a weekend excursion to go hiking, go on a safari, or visit Lake Victoria, Mount Kilimanjaro, the coast, or one of Tanzania’s beautiful national parks.

Project and class schedules, meals, and free time activities may vary depending on the details of your placement.

Eligibility

Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older. Successful volunteers are hardworking, flexible, and open to truly immersing themselves in Tanzanian culture. Women’s Development projects are open to both female and male volunteers.