SPECIAL EDUCATION  FOR SCHOOLS WITH CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES.

Project

Teaching and caring at a school for children with disabilities.    

Organization 

   Amani Hostel support and work with the disabilities  School which is home to 140 students of all ages ranging from 3 years old to 25. The school was founded by Mary Kaswehde whose 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 and most of the children are sponsored by the school itself.   

Project Overview

   The school currently has 5 classrooms in which the children are placed according to their 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 are 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 beadwork to make jewelry which is then all sold at the Schools shop.    

Location

   The Project is located 15 minutes from the center of Arusha Town and is roughly one hour away from Kilimanjaro International Airport or a 10-minute drive from Arusha central coach station.

Accommodation and Food

Accommodation is down to the choice of the individual volunteer. There is the option of staying with a host family located near to where the project is based or staying in our volunteer house. 

 Each has its own advantages. Staying with a Host Family will allow you to really immerse yourself into the local culture and learn the local language.

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 chance 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. 

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.

Qualification requirements 

There are no specific qualifications that are necessary to our volunteer programs. Just a good dose of enthusiasm and any previous experience is warmly welcomed. Whether you are a gap year student, undergraduate, on a career break, looking for something different from life, or retired everyone is welcomed onto our programs.  

Skills requirements 

You need to be able to work comfortably by yourself and be self-motivated as there are times when you are left to your own devices. Any previous skills in special care and teaching will be a blessing to the school. This also goes for any other relevant skills you may possess such as teaching qualifications, Musical abilities, clothes making, care work, counseling etc…  

Physical fitness

No Physical requirements need but remember the local environment can take its toll on some people especially those who are not used to tropical weather or the African heat. This climatic condition can tier some people very quickly and in some cases, if spent too long in the sun can make you feel ill. Ensure sun protection, drink plenty of water and keep in the shade when you can. 

Typical Working day

The typical working day starts at 9 in the morning after being provided breakfast by your host family or at the volunteer house. The morning working session will take you up to 1.00 in the afternoon where you will normal receive lunch at the project you are working with. The afternoon session will commence at 2.00 and finish anytime from 3 to 5 depending on the work required of that day. The typical working week is 20 to 30 hours.

On the first day of the project, you will meet the project co-coordinator who will explain your role as a volunteer. The orientation will cover all the relevant information about your project including safety issues. An individual timetable will be worked out depending on the hours you want to work and the tasks that the projects have at that time.

Know before you go

Remember that there are additional Visa costs that will be dealt with in-country. Also, take care in knowing what medical insurance and vaccinations to take before your departure. Will we provide you with all the relevant information and advice once you have signed up for this project? 

Program costs 

Costs vary depending on the length of stay, ranging from 400 USD for 2 weeks, up to 900 USD for 12 weeks, and includes airport pick-up (not for boarding school), room and boarding during the entire stay, Project manual, Travel expenses to and from projects, 24-hour emergency support, assistance from a local coordinator and introduction days.

Extra Activities 

Located on the foothills of Mt Meru which creates a beautiful landscape view, Arusha provides a large diversity of activities and adventures. Having Arusha National park boarding the town and being the base point for the national parks in the Northern safari circuit such as Lake Manyara, the Serengeti, Tarangire and Ngorongoro creator not to mention Mt Meru and Kilimanjaro national parks makes Arusha a truly wonderful place for holidaymakers, travelers, and Volunteers.   

 With Tanzania allocating more its land to National Parks than any other country in the world, most located near Arusha, you are sure to find the animal and natural environments that you desire. Here you will find the big five including over 25 000 other animals and over 400 bird species, not forgetting that over 120 tribes exist in Tanzania many of them living in Arusha so making it a colorful and truly vibrant culture.  

 There is also the option of a range of cultural trips available. With the Maasai tribe inhabiting the land in and around Arusha, it is most recommended to visit a Boma, a small family unit in which the Maasai live, and experience their unique way of living. Also available are the coffee plantation tours in which they’re riff in the area and the Tanzanite cultural experience, the opportunity to learn about and purchase a jewel stone 1000 times rarer than diamond and only found in Tanzania. Other trips include waterfall and forest hikes, cycle rides, and canoeing safaris. 

Arusha Town also boasts a large number and diversity of Hotels, lodges, backpackers and restaurants, providing beautiful, relaxing locations with great food and drink at very low costs. 

Enrolment

 To enroll, fill in our volunteer application form located at amanihostel.net 

Please add a letter of motivation in English describing yourself and explain why you wish to work as a volunteer, attached with a picture of yourself.

Upon receipt of your enrolment, we will mail you a confirmation, an invoice, and a pre-departure handbook. 

Before you leave you will receive detailed information about your local coordinator, project, and accommodation.

To read more about your program placement location, fees, and date in Tanzania then go to www.amanihostel.net  and also please see the attached volunteer programs brochure for Tanzania. 

Your program fee contributes towards personalized volunteer placement, project donation, language instruction, cultural education, meals, accommodation, and transportation to and from all Amani Hostel placements and programs. It also contributes towards pre-departure guidance from Amani Hostel headquarters staff and 24-hour access to in-country staff. 

Let us serve the poor, the unfortunate and the lonely according to the graces we have received. Let us do the humble work adventurously with enthusiasm.

Whenever you think, you alone won’t make much a difference to the deprived

Remember You alone matter MUCH to them.

Contact info

Amani Hostel

5th Amani Hostel Office HQ 

P.O.BOX 14,950 Arusha –Tanzania

info@amanihostel.net 

Mobile;+255 767 707 352