Tanzania is a place to explore, and the people are so welcoming; volunteering can be a great way to discover it all. You have tons of opportunities to volunteer, making people learn new skills as well as you.
There are volunteering organisations like Hostel Hoff, helping Tanzania to improve itself. This blog covers all the volunteering opportunities in Tanzania. Stay on this to discover all of them.
Overview of Tanzania Volunteer Programs
Tanzania, a country in Africa, is surrounded by beautiful natural scenery, but lacks in education, facilities, and basic amenities. Hence, many volunteer organisations in Tanzania help improve the situation.
Volunteering organisations like Hostel Hoff understand their responsibilities well and work to improve Tanzania in every aspect. The volunteer work focuses on teaching, childcare, building awareness, and environmental conservation. Tanzania volunteering includes short- and long-term programs. You can choose tasks that interest you or that you have experience with.
Teaching & Education Support Tasks
Tanzania has schools, but the number of teachers is limited. Every classroom is filled with children, but teachers are unable to concentrate on every student. Hence, the volunteers help the teachers manage the class. The volunteers help in teaching fundamental skills like reading, writing, and take basic subjects like maths, english, etc.
The volunteers help students with their homework and with after-school skill development, including music, dance, and art. Volunteers can also act as tutors to teach the kids. Primary schools in Tanzania are taught in Swahili, but in secondary schools everything is taught in English. So, during this transfer as well, kids face many difficulties, and volunteers can help them learn English.
Childcare & Early Childhood Development Tasks
Daycare centres in Tanzania need volunteers’ care and support. One skill you would need to complete this job is the ability to love unconditionally. Tanzania has high rates of HIV/AIDS and poverty, and the orphanages offer great help to kids with such backgrounds. Volunteers here can help the kids with their homework, organise activities, or teach other life skills after school or during vacation time.
If you want to work only in the orphanages, you help with farming and everyday household chores as well when the kids are back at school. Volunteering in Tanzania can be a worthwhile experience and a fantastic opportunity to add value to people and make a difference. An orphanage should feel like a real home for kids so they can enjoy their time there. As a volunteer, you can be the reason a kid feels an orphanage is their home.
Healthcare & Medical Support Tasks (Non-Clinical)
The Tanzania volunteer programs also offer healthcare tasks. For some complex healthcare roles, you need an educational background or experience in healthcare. But management roles, awareness-raising, and support roles can be performed by anyone.
Apart from these, you can also work with the disabled children. People with disabilities are called “cursed”, “shamed”, or “God’s Punishment”, and the families lose their reputation in society. Hence, they are generally neglected in society. In Tanzania, such kids are known as “Special Needs Children,” and now there are a few centres that can diagnose and treat such mental disabilities. Few centres support both physical and cognitive disabilities.
In these places, volunteers can play and teach basic reading, writing, drawing, and help them with their daily tasks. You can help the caregivers properly care for the patients here. You can also raise funds for these organisations to provide more efficient care for children with special needs.
Environmental and Conservation Tasks
Tanzania is a heavenly place with scenic views and natural beauty. But there are a few areas where deforestation rates are concerning. To save them, volunteer programs in Tanzania focus on planting trees and raising awareness. Volunteers with experience in conservation programs earlier can be of great help.
Community Development Tasks
People in Tanzania need programs that teach them about basic healthcare facilities. General healthcare, sanitary education, and basic self-care steps are included in the community development program. These basic amenities can effectively protect people from harmful diseases and infections. Any volunteer can proceed with this task, and the more volunteers, the greater the impact.
Organisations like Hostel Hoff offer a variety of volunteering opportunities in Tanzania. Women’s empowerment is another program in which volunteers need to teach ordinary women in Tanzania to become independent. You can teach them skills, show them ways to be independent, and raise awareness regarding healthcare facilities.
What Volunteers Should Keep in Mind
You may not be an expert in any of the volunteering programs, but you can add a lot of value to the lives of the people in Tanzania. Firstly, you have to be patient and learn Tanzania’s culture, which is detailed and accepting. Volunteer work abroad is challenging, but when you show patience and acceptance, a lot of the work becomes easier. To teach anyone anything, you need to be familiar with them and their surroundings.
Take help from the local guide and people from the organization you are working with to understand the beliefs and traditions well. Your values, thoughts, and ideas should not harm their sentiments or feelings; this is ethical volunteering.
How to Choose the Right Tanzania Volunteer Opportunity
Tanzania volunteer opportunities are enormous. Hostel Hoff offers not only many opportunities to volunteer but also a place to stay at an affordable price, with food included. Tanzania does not provide any paid volunteer programs, but at Hostel Hoff, we take care of your basic needs.
Tanzania is beautiful, and you can learn a lot from an entirely new culture. You can not just add volunteering experience to your resume; you can add a lot more to your life lessons. Tanzania has a lot to deliver to its volunteers.
Life is different for everyone, and our basic life can be a dream for many. Volunteering can help you gain deeper insights into all these factors. You can have a lot of good adventures along the way. In the end, all you have are good experiences and memories you will cherish for a lifetime.