Glossy Adventures

• Most affordable fees - as the world leader in affordable volunteer travel, we’re able to keep our fees low by partnering with a local organization in Tanzania to support meaningful community projects and local employment.
• Superior support - your experienced IVHQ Program Manager, teamed with our local team in Tanzania will ensure you feel supported every step of the way - from planning to volunteering.
• Responsible projects - we’re dedicated to ensuring that our projects are responsibly run and have sustainable positive impacts that are supporting local needs.
• Online training - as soon as you register on an IVHQ program, you will gain access to our interactive volunteer training to ensure you’re well prepared for your program.
• Safety-first - volunteer safety is a top priority for IVHQ and we have clear standards for risk management on each program. You can feel confident that you are placed with trustworthy institutions, organizations and families that have been screened by our local teams.
• New friendships - as an IVHQer, you’ll always be in the company of friendly locals and like-minded volunteer travelers who will quickly become your life-long friends.
• Epic weekend adventures - you’ll have your weekends free to explore Tanzania with your new-found friends.

The IVHQ Tanzania volunteer program is based in Arusha and has volunteer placements located in rural and urban Tanzanian communities and villages. As this project is based in Arusha, volunteers will need to fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport ​or Arusha Regional Airport (if traveling to the program by air).

Volunteer programs begin on the 1st and 15th of each month. Volunteers can choose to volunteer for period ranging from 1 week to ​16​ weeks.

Teaching

As a volunteer on the Teaching project in Tanzania, you will work in English-medium schools or government schools, where the presence of volunteers is beneficial in opening the minds and broadening the horizons of the students, along with exposing them to native English speakers. Children in Tanzania love to attend school, often starting as young as 3 years old, and wherever possible, children hope to stay in school until at least 14 years old, as education is highly valued in Tanzanian society.

If you’re someone who is passionate about teaching and you want to help increase access to education in under-resourced communities in Tanzania, this project will be a good fit for you.

On this project, you will either work by yourself or alongside local teachers and other volunteers, teaching subjects, such as English, Math, Science, Social Studies (Geography and History), Art and Physical Education. There can be between 30 and 80 children in each class and you will often assist the local teachers with daily lessons, providing one-on-one attention to the students and sometimes relieving the teacher of a class or two per day. There is also an opportunity for volunteers to work in a special needs school in Arusha with around 25 students, aged between 3 and 25 years old. If you are placed at this school, you will work with students with a range of mental and physical disabilities, such as autism and Down Syndrome. These students require a great deal of attention and support in their studies and if you have experience in working with special needs children, or are interested in volunteering at the school, please make a note in your application.

As you will be volunteering with the support of IVHQ’s local team and placement staff, you do not need to be qualified or an experienced teacher to participate on this project. However, we encourage you to come prepared by completing some relevant training, like a teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) course. Visit our Online TEFL course page to learn how to gain an internationally-recognized TEFL certification at a discounted rate.

Please note that English-medium schools run year-round and have holidays for the entire months of April, August and December. Government schools have holidays for the entire months of June and December. These schools also take week-long holidays during Easter and September. If your program duration crosses into the school holidays, you can take a break, travel, go on safari, take tutorials for senior students, or volunteer at another placement. As each school-type has holidays at different times, there is teaching work available for volunteers throughout the year, apart from December.

Medical

In many poor communities in Tanzania, healthcare is not easily accessible or affordable. The Medical volunteer project aims to change that. If you’re someone who has a strong initiative, enthusiasm and readiness to work in basic facilities with limited resources, then this project will be a good fit for you.

When volunteering on the Medical project in Tanzania, you can expect to shadow local medical professionals, gaining an understanding of the healthcare system in Tanzania. Your placement will be either in a medical clinic or hospital and will be determined by your previous experience and training.

It is important that you have realistic expectations with regard to the activities that you will be involved in on the Medical project - you will generally observe local doctors and provide basic patient care as procedures must comply with the Tanzania Healthcare System and most volunteers cannot communicate directly with patients due to language barriers. Your main role on this project is simple observation and it is unlikely that you will be involved in operations or independent tasks.

Volunteers may also have the opportunity to take part in Medical Outreach campaigns twice a week. The campaigns take place in a local village where basic healthcare services are not always available. It’s important to note that these campaigns are funded entirely by volunteers and you’re welcome to reach out to your Program Manager for more information on the costs associated with this.

This project is open to fully qualified doctors and nurses, as well as students who have completed at least two years of nursing or medical school. Fully qualified Paramedics, EMTs and CNAs are also welcome to join the Medical project in Tanzania, however it is important to note that you will be placed within a general practice clinic or hospital, rather than working within a specialized field. Some hospitals and clinics include departments such as; Laboratory Testing, Pharmacy, Maternity and Family Planning, Radiology and Ultrasound. If you have an interest in any of these fields, you are welcome to make a note in your application so we can try to arrange that for you.

All Medical volunteers are required to provide the following to our local team once they have registered for the program, no later than three weeks before the program begins:

• Copy of current level of study or certification
• Two reference letters from a professor or supervisor in the medical field
• CV/resume specific to medical skills and experience

The Medical project in Tanzania has an extra cost of $50 per week for supervision, materials and the logistics involved in this project. This amount will be included in the Program Fee quoted to you when you apply for the program.

Childcare

The aim of the Childcare project in Tanzania is to provide assistance in childcare centers which need extra help as they are often under-funded and under-resourced. These centers cater to children from low-income families, providing them with education, interaction and food.

This project is well suited to caring individuals who want to assist in providing basic education for young children and offering support wherever your help is most needed.

Your tasks will predominantly focus on teaching the children basic English and Math, as well as assisting with the general running of the center and daily chores. This can include cooking, cleaning, farm work, caring for children and babies, and assisting with feeding programs.

You are welcome to bring along books, pencils, basic first aid supplies and musical instruments to help entertain the children and assist with activities. These supplies can generally be purchased in Tanzania, which IVHQ recommends to support the local economy.

HIV/AIDS Support

As a volunteer on our HIV/AIDS Support project, you will have the opportunity to provide assistance to women living in Tanzania with HIV & AIDS, teaching them and supporting them to become more self-sufficient. Many people who are known to be suffering from HIV/AIDS in Tanzania can find it difficult to gain employment and ultimately provide for their households. If you’re someone who is open minded and interested in supporting women in Tanzania living with HIV/AIDS then this is a great project for you.

Volunteers working on the HIV/AIDS Support project will have the opportunity to teach Health, English and Business classes to equip local women who suffer from HIV/AIDS with the skills necessary to help themselves and help the community. Volunteers can also teach them how to make crafts and new products that they can sell locally, enabling the women to earn a sustainable income.

Another focus is on community outreach visits. Visits take place every one to two weeks, and volunteers have the opportunity to visit the women in their own homes. During these visits, volunteers can provide food, counseling and medical assistance to those in need. Further support is provided to these communities through strategies developed at placement, such as access to clean water or women’s sanitary materials.

Volunteers come from a wide variety of backgrounds and you will be encouraged to bring whatever knowledge or skills you have to help the project develop provide for the needs of the women and empower them. As you will be volunteering alongside our local team, experience in HIV/AIDS work is not required to participate on this project. We do, however, strongly recommend you gain some understanding of these areas prior to your arrival in Tanzania.

Animal Welfare

The aim of the Animal Welfare project is to support the welfare of farm and domestic animals in Tanzania across a diverse range of environments. Volunteers work alongside a local veterinarian, mainly treating farm animals such as rabbits, chickens, cows, pigs and other livestock, and occasionally domestic animals such as dogs and cats. This is a mobile project, and volunteers travel with local vets to farms and homes around Arusha. This is a great opportunity to learn about various diseases and ailments common to animals in Tanzania.

Volunteers can also choose to get involved in weekend work with a local animal welfare organization in Arusha to offer assistance to more rural farmers and Maasai animals that do not have access to regular veterinary care. This involves an overnight stay at a Maasai village, helping to provide support in the treatment of sick animals and, if required, helping educate locals on basic animal care. These outreach trips are available at an additional cost of US$100 for two nights. This covers additional transport, meals, water and accommodation.

Volunteers are required to have some experience working with farm animals to qualify for this project, as well as a love of working with animals and passion for animal welfare.

Please note volunteers on the Animal Welfare project are also required to pay a one off placement fee of $80 regardless of your placement duration. This fee is to cover costs involved in supervision and transport and goes directly to the government clinic where you are placed. It is payable directly to IVHQ’s local team in Tanzania.

The program orientation begins on the 1st and 15th of every month and volunteers need to arrive in Arusha on the day before orientation.

After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) in Arusha. Your airport pick-up is included in your Program Fee. We recommend that volunteers under the age of 18 travel internationally with a notarized letter from their parents to support their documentation.

When you arrive, you will be greeted at the airport by a member of the local team and transported to the volunteer accommodation in Arusha. Your accommodation is covered by your Program Fee and includes the night before your program orientation.

If you are traveling in Tanzania prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up in Arusha on the day before your program orientation.

Orientation is hosted by our local team at the volunteer house in Arusha. Orientation begins on the morning of your chosen start date. If your start date falls on a weekend or a public holiday, your orientation will begin on the Monday or day following the public holiday. Orientation covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Tanzania – Introduction to Tanzania, Tanzanian Customs, Rules and Expectations, Language Lessons (Kiswahili) Safety, Travel Opportunities in Tanzania, Introduction to your Project and Placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.

First Day: On the first day of the volunteering placement, you will be escorted to the project by our local staff and introduced to the staff at the project you will be working with.

Weekdays: A typical day would be as follows:

7.30 AM Breakfast at the volunteer house or homestay.

8.00 AM Volunteers leave home and travel to their placements. Work and hours are dependent on the project and placement that each volunteer is working at.

2.00PM - 5.00 PM Work at the placement usually ends. Volunteers are free to travel home, prepare for the next day or do some shopping and sightseeing.

8.30 PM Dinner at the volunteer house or homestay.

Volunteers in Tanzania are either accommodated in a volunteer house or a​ ​homestay with a host family. Volunteers can expect to share a room with 1 to​ 5 other volunteers of the same gender and volunteer houses can accommodate up to 30 volunteers at one time. Volunteers in homestays can expect to be living with at​ ​least four other volunteers. All volunteers under the age of 18 years are accommodated in a separate room within the volunteer house or together in a separate homestay, under the supervision of our local team.

Living is basic but the volunteer house and homestays have running water and electricity, however it is important to note that there are​ ​often power outages which affect availability of hot water and power. Bedding is​ ​provided, however you will need​ ​to bring​ ​your own towel and toiletries. It is​ ​also​ ​recommended to bring​ ​a​ sleeping bag for weekends away​. ​In the volunteer house, there is a cook who​ ​​prepares meals for the​ ​volunteers and there is a security guard.​ ​The local​ ​​team​​ are also available on a daily basis​ during the week for support and via phone over the weekend.​

If you would like to keep connected during your stay, we recommend bringing an unlocked mobile phone and purchasing a local SIM card when you arrive in Tanzania. The local team can assist you with purchasing a SIM card during your program orientation. You can also access WiFi from cafes and restaurants in Arusha.

Tanzanian cuisine varies across the country, owing to the difference in produce inland and along the coast. The immigration of Khoja Indians has resulted in local dishes influenced by Indian cuisine. Staple foods in Tanzania include rice, ugali (maize porridge), chapatti and coconut milk. Volunteers are served three meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner). Breakfasts generally consist of chai (tea), toast, fruit and mandazzi (deep fried dough). A typical lunch can include meat and vegetables with rice and fruit, while dinner usually sees traditional food, such as ugali and chapatti accompany the meat and vegetables. Meals are served at the accommodation​,​ however a packed lunch can be provided upon request if you​r​​ ​placement is due to finish after lunch time.​ ​Bottled water​ ​is​​ ​readily available in Tanzania and volunteers should budget approximately $5 per week for this (2 liters per day). If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know so we can make arrangements for you. However, we need to stress the point that you should not expect to eat as you normally do at home. We will do our best to see that you are well taken care of, but as a volunteer, there is a need to be flexible.

During the weekends, volunteers have spare time and usually just relax or take the opportunity to explore other parts of their local town or Arusha. Long weekends can be taken to travel further afield to destinations, such as Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam, Uganda and Kenya, or to embark on a safari.