Apply now
Location

Various

Fee

From £399

Duration

1 week to 3 months

Date

Ongoing

Volunteering in Tanzania

In Tanzania, many people suffer from extreme poverty and still live on less than $1 a day. About 10% of children under the age 18 have lost one or both parents. About 80% people in Tanzania live in rural areas and more than half of the country’s GDP comes from agriculture. 

We are looking for volunteers to support local projects including:

  • Community development - business coaching, women empowerment and sharing your skills
  • Healthcare - medical placements and assisting health professionals
  • HIV / Aids work - awareness work, caring for HIV infected and conducting HIV lessons 
  • Teaching English as a Second Language 

Locations for volunteering in Tanzania

We have volunteer work placements in both urban and rural Tanzania. Locations include but not limited to: 

  • Moshi (rural)
  • Serengeti (rural)
  • Tanga (urban/rural)
  • Other areas can possibly be arranged upon request

In urban and suburban locations, most homes have electricity and running water. In rural areas, resources are limited and the condition can be very basic.

Experience a warm welcome in Tanzania!

Dates and program durations

You can arrive any week of the year.

Placements run from 1 week to 3 months. 

If you would like to stay longer, this can be arranged so please ask one of our team for more information.

Tanzania volunteer requirements

  • Must be 18 years old and above
  • Must have fluent English language ability
  • Be cooperative, flexible and willing to work as part of a team
  • Some positions may require volunteer to have some relevant training

Volunteer in Tanzania includes

  • Orientation and welcome
  • Accommodation
  • Meals
  • 24/7 local support
  • Regular cultural/recreational activities (personal spending not included) are provided by most hosts

Not included

  • International and Local Transportation Costs (One way local bus tickets cost around $0.5.)
  • Medical/Travel Insurance (Optional buy recommended)
  • Visa Application Costs and Personal Spending

FAQs

Are meals provided?

Three meals a day are provided by the home-stay families. Lunch is usually packed by your host family in a lunch box so that you can eat at your project if you wish. If you are a vegetarian or if you have other special eating needs, you can indicate that while applying. Even though special eating needs are not something we can guarantee, we will do our best to meet your needs. It is exciting to live with a local family. This way, you can easily learn the local way of life, meet local people, and feel more like a part of Tanzania rather than just a tourist. We strongly encourage you to try the local flavors and experience the local culture and traditions as much as possible. Keep in mind that it is important to be open-minded and to be flexible. You shouldn’t expect that you would eat the same food or have the same lifestyle as you do at home. Actually, one of the most important things you will learn abroad is how their way of living is just as correct as ours.

How does the schedule work?

Our volunteer programs are flexible and can be customized for you. You can either do full time or part time work depending on your preference. Some volunteers would like to work a lot, while others like to have more free time to travel, socialize, and relax. The amount of work will be customized for you. Certain work placements do require the volunteers to work with a fixed schedule, but many works are very flexible. Workweek Options: - Workweek option 1: (Regular) Work from Mon. to Fri. - Workweek option 2: (As Much As Possible) Work 6-7 days per week if possible. - Workweek option 3: (Fully Open) Come in and help whichever day you want.

What are the daily hours?

- Workday option 1: (Full day) Approximately 8 hours from 8:30am to 4:30pm. - Workday option 2: (Part time afternoon) Approximately 4 hours from 12pm to 4pm. - Workday option 4: (Fully Open) Come in and help whenever you want. (If you have different preferences, you can let us know so that we can try to customize further for you).

What can I do in my free-time in Tanzania?

Our volunteers usually form life-long friendships with their host family, workplace co-workers, and other volunteers. Tanzanians are friendly and welcoming people, especially to foreigners. The chances are that you will find it easier to make friends in Tanzania than in your home country. We aim to fulfil your leisure time with enjoyment. Most of our partners abroad arrange recreational activities regularly. You can join weekend tours or add a wildlife safari and/or a coastal tour after your volunteer program for an additional cost. We have partners who can perform tours and can offer discounts to volunteers. We recommend that you book Safari or tour through us since our long term relationship with the local tour operators usually mean more reliable services.

What are the visa requirements for Tanzania?

Most people coming to Tanzania get their tourist visa upon arrival. Upon arrival at the airport, tourist visas are issued for a fee of USD$50. Tourism entry visa lasts for 3 months and it allows you to simply be in Tanzania. For these who plan to visit other countries, you should ask for a multiple entry visa. The issue of a tourist visa is very straight forward. You don’t need to have hotels booked or tours booked. For a trouble-free entry, we recommend that you write the purpose of your entry as tourism or vacation, which is true since our volunteers are classified as volunteer tourists. Certain nationalities do not need a visa to enter Tanzania. They are: Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, Brunei, Cyprus, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malaysia, Malawi, Malta, Maldives, Mauritius, Namibia, Nauru, Sao Tome & Principe Island, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Island, Swaziland, Tuvalu, Tonga, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe. The following nationalities have to apply for visa pre-arrival since they cannot get a visa upon arrival: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Gambia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Somalia , Sudan, Syria, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey and Yemen.

Would I need a work permit?

In addition to the tourism visa, all volunteers also need a work permit. We would assist with arranging documents for the work permit.

How much money would I need to bring with me?

As food and accommodation are both included, you don’t need to expect to spend much money at all. Actually, you will probably find that $20 is enough for your weekly personal expense. You will expect a much bigger spending if you plan to take wildlife tours. A wildlife tour may cost you $100 or more for a day.

Is Tanzania a safe country?

Going global can be an exciting experience and nervous at the same time. Regardless of where you are in the world, safety can never be guaranteed. However, Tanzania is considered to be a safe country comparing to many other African nations. It is politically stable and one of the few that haven’t had civil wars in recent years. However, for your own safety, we recommend that you take the following precautions while living there: - If you must carry a handbag, try to keep your handbag in front of you. - Try to keep in groups at night and never walk alone dark streets. - Try to leave your valuables behind. - Be careful when crossing the streets. - We recommend that you bring two bank/credit cards when you travel but keep them in different places. You can probably keep one in your wallet with you for daily use and keep the other card in a very safe place for back-up purpose. In this case, if anything happens, at least you won’t loss both cards at the same time. While it is unlikely for something to happen to you, we do recommend that you take these precautions.

What vaccinations are required for Tanzania?

We would always recommend checking with your local GP but below are some recommendations. Yellow Fever is the legally required vaccination for Tanzania. Don’t forget to take your yellow fever certificate with you while you travel. The following are recommended: - Tetanus Diphtheria Polio - Polio Hepatitis A - Conjugate Meningococcal - Malaria – Tablets

What should I bring with me?

- You should bring a unlocked mobile phone that is SIM card compatible for easy communication. - You should at least bring your own sleeping bag, a lunch box, a water bottle, and other personal necessities. - A plug adapter is strongly recommended as you will probably need to charge your electronics. - Electrical Plug/Outlet and Voltage Information for Tanzania: > Primary Socket Type: British BS-1363, Indian > Voltage: 220-240 Volts > For Multi-voltage electronics/appliances (laptops, etc.), you only need a plug adapter. - A digital camera is recommended. - Laptop is not necessary, however many volunteers like to bring their own personal computer. - Mosquito-net could be nice to have in some areas, but again it is not absolutely necessary. - If you forget to bring some things (such as basic shampoo or basic water bottle), it is easy to buy them in Tanzania. Other things (such as camera, charger, or a special brand of body wash) can be hard or more expensive to get in Tanzania.

Pricing for volunteering in Tanzania

Duration Without TEFL Certificate Include TEFL Certificate
1 week £399 £499
2 weeks £499 £599
3 weeks £599 £699
4 weeks £699 £799
5 weeks £799 £899
2 months £1099 £1199
3 months £1499 £1599

Apply now

Fill out this form and we will get right back to you


Be the first to receive latest job opportunities, TEFL news and special offers direct to your inbox (it's free!)

Get TEFL certified from only £93

Not TEFL certified yet? Get your TEFL qualification for less!

Teacher testimonials

Find out why ESLstarter have more reviews than anyone else.