English teaching
Help in an Orphanage
Grants scheme for poor families
Great travel opportunities

Info request

Volunteer projects and placements in Tanzania

Introduction

Tanzania is one of the most beautiful and politically stable countries in East Africa. It borders Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, Burundi, Rwanda and Mozambique and contains some of Africa's finest game reserves (Ngorongoro, Serengeti) as well as the roof of Africa: Mount Kilimanjaro. From Zanzibar on the coast, to the fabulous bush scenery near Arusha, there is no better way to experience Africa in safe and happy surroundings.

About Tanzania

Modern day Tanzania was formed in 1964 with the merger of Tanganyika and the island of Zanzibar. Migrating tribes from across Africa settled on the land as early as the first century BC, while Arab traders occupied the coastal regions from around the 8th century onwards. The Portuguese added to the mix when they colonised the country from the 16th century. By the 19th century, a European presence was stronger than ever; explorers, notably Stanley and Livingstone, were arriving and the country became part of the German Empire until the British took control after WW I.

Tanzania’s summer is December to March while its winter season runs from March to May, and is also the main rainy season. The heavy rains can make travel on unpaved roads and dirt tracks difficult. The rainy season hits Zanzibar in April and May. The country is hot year round with the most agreeable temperatures from June to September, averaging in the high 20°C. The most opportune time to see lions roaring and wildebeest roaming is to visit the Serengeti from January to March, or the beginning of June and mid-November, when the great migrations to and from Kenya takes place.

Mondo In Tanzania

This is by far our biggest programme with more volunteers, more locations and a wider range of opportunities than any other country. One can get involved in the following programmes:

Teaching primary and secondary school children as well as additional adult teaching and vocational training. You can take part in these programmes either in the Arusha region - in the shadows of Mt Meru – or in other beautiful parts of the country such as with the Maasai in Longido, on the coast in Pangani or in the stunning Pare Mountains.

Business development schemes where volunteers help small businesses via micro-finance assisting with HIV/AIDS affected families through the MondoChallenge HIV Grant Programme. This is carried out with the help of our local partner organisations in Arusha, Longido, Moshi, Usangi and Tanga.

Help is also needed from volunteers with a medical background with HIV awareness and training in Ngaramtoni, a Maasai village near Arusha.

Things to see and do in Tanzania

It is fairly easy to travel around Tanzania. Volunteers often choose to visit other projects on weekends off. Expeditions like this include staying in Longido and climbing Mt. Longido (which proves to be quite challenging!), travelling down for the beaches in Pangani, staying in the Pare Mountains and sampling the locally made cheese, or residing at the orphanage with the terrifically enthusiastic children of Malaika.

More extensive travel opportunities, which you should certainly consider before hand, especially since with many of them you can arrange special volunteer rates, thanks to the wonderful rapport MondoChallenge has with some companies. Think about what you would like to do before hand, as these expeditions require a bit more planning, and money! All of these expeditions are easy and cheaper to plan once you are in Tanzania. It's the allocation of time that you should plan, which activities you would like to do, and if you want to do them before of after your volunteering period.

Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro typical duration: 5-6 days
Northern Circuit Safari (Ngorongoro etc) – typical duration: 2-5 days
Climbing Mt. Meru (not easy!) – typical duration: 3-5 days
Zanzibar – 4-10 days
White water rafting and gorilla trekking in Uganda – 7-10 days

Living in Tanzania

Air Tanzania and Precision Air fly the main domestic routes, including flights to Zanzibar (around 20 minutes flying time from Dar es Salaam), with the main flight hubs based at Dar es Salaam, Arusha and Kilimanjaro. Zan Air, Zanzibar’s airline, also flies to the mainland and to the island of Pemba. Coastal Aviation specialises in Safari trips and has a fleet of small planes varying from 3 to 12 seaters. Ferries also serve Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam. Ferry operator Azam Marine provides a daily service that takes around 2 hours, while its route from Zanzibar to Pemba takes just over an hour and runs a couple of times a week. Faster services are available from companies such as Sea Express and Flying Horse.
Private companies like Scandinavia Express offer air-conditioned buses that cover the major routes. Dalla dallas (minibuses) are also in abundance and often travel to more remote areas though they don’t have the best safety records. Buses only travel during daylight hours as night time bus travel is not permitted. Self-driving is not recommended. Most four-wheel drives for safaris are required to be hired with a driver and some car hire companies don’t allow for self-driving outside of Dar es Salaam.