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Rural Teaching and Community Work in Tanzania

Location Tanzania
Start Date 1st and 3rd Monday of every month
Duration
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The Project

Volunteer in Tanzania on a project based on the island of Zanzibar, located just off Africa's Tanzanian coast. The project works with a number of different institutions where you will be volunteering on a combination of different activities. Work with pre-schools, primary and secondary schools supporting local teachers in educating and playing with children as there are often too many children to accommodate at one time, and shortages of staff and facilities. You can also get involved with teaching not only English, but also computer and life skills to adults at the local tourism training institute, helping them get work. You may also have the chance to get involved with the local beach and marine conservation program. The focus of your project will depend on the time of year you visit and the school holidays, but there is plenty of work all year round.
Why the project needs you

Despite being one of the Indian Ocean's most renowned tropical paradises, Zanzibar's local communities are severely affected by unemployment and lack of education and training. There are many possibilities to impact the lives of those affected by these problems, by getting involved in the local nursery, primary and secondary schools, tourism training schools and local environmental programmes to aid community development. You will find that most of the facilities have meagre and ill-equipped facilities, but a wealth of children with a desire to learn. As a volunteer, you will assist teachers and contribute to our effort of providing children and adults with a better education, especially by aiding them in the English language.

Project Location

The island of Zanzibar, just off the Tanzanian coast, is where our projects are based. This archipelago is famous for amazing powder white beaches with crystal clear waters and a lush tropical inland. Zanzibar is famous for its spice plantations, with which it was a hub of trade between Asia, Africa and the West. At the heart of Zanzibar Town is the old Stone Town, with its labyrinthine alleyways and fascinating architecture. Jambiani, where you will spend most of your time as a volunteer, is a village located on the southern part of Zanzibar’s beautiful and quiet east coast. About an hour's drive from Stone Town of Zanzibar, Jambiani is a long village stretched along the coastline, with stunning and long white-sand beaches where it will seem like you can walk forever. Here you will find a community operating at a leisurely pace amidst the sunny, tropical climate. You will witness incredible sunrises and enjoy the warm waters, but more importantly gain a deep insight into life on the island and an array of experiences you will treasure for a long time.
Project Facts

• Duration: 2 - 8 weeks
• Cost: £995 ($1741) for 2 weeks, £215 ($376) for each week thereafter
• Requirements: age 17+
• Location: Zanzibar, Tanzania
• Project activities: Teaching in pre-school, primary, secondary schools and tourism institute, Beach conservation
• Working hours: 08:00 - 16:00, Monday - Friday
• Project Availability: Project start 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. Activities alter in school holidays and schools will be closed from 19 December - 2 January 2012
What is included

• Accommodation: Shared room in a volunteer house.
• Food: 3 meals per day - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Weekly laundry service
• Airport pick up and drop off
• Training: Pre-departure information pack, on-site
Orientation and project induction provided
• Support: 24 hour support from on-site coordinator
• Use of a bicycle for your stay
• Activities: Staff help organise weekend activities. (Activity price may be extra) Trips include: Diving/
snorkeling, Jozani Forest trip to see the red-colobus monkeys, dolphin swimming and Safari on mainland Tanzania
What is not included

• Flights
• Insurance
• Visas (as well as tourist entry visa, additional volunteering visa is required. This costs $200)

Role of the volunteer

As a volunteer you will assist teachers in providing a better education to children, especially in improving their English language. You will teach English, singing and dancing, develop creative skills such as painting and drawing, and get involved with after-school sports. There will be some special refurbishment days scheduled at the schools too, as they are quite run down.

For adults, training in all areas of language, computing, administration and hospitality skills helps locals to get work within the growing tourism industry. Any specific skills brought by volunteers are valuable. You will also be involved in a community marine project in the town. This entails keeping the beach clean and planting local trees.

There may also be opportunity for you to get involved at the local Primary School, depending on needs at the time and your skills if you have prior teaching experience. Should you have teaching experience and/or skills and wish to get involved in teaching at the local Primary School, please let us have your Department of Education Certificates, CV and any other relevant Certificates or qualifications before you arrive so that we can put this in place for you if possible.
Skills Required

For those wishing to lead lessons, a teaching qualification will be needed. We do recommend carrying out your TEFL/TESOL before your arrival, as this will greatly improve your ability to teach English. Any experience of working with children is a plus. As long as you have good English skills and a passion to teach these eager children, then this project is for you.

Volunteer Testimonial

"There are so many hightlights to choose from but if I have to choose it would be some of the weekend activities we got to do including a trip to one of our students villages. Local meal nights which we would have once a week were very interesting as we would go to a locals house sit on the floor eat with our hands and be trying the local delicacies. Also when Bikidude a very famous old lady in Zanzibar who sings and plays bongos came to Jambiani for a concert. It was amazing! I can't forget all the children who were absolutely beautiful as well.

On top of that, I have gained an amazing insight into the way people live and it has changed my perspective on things." - Jessica Ledieu, Australia

Your life outside the project

Evenings are very sociable affairs, with volunteers discussing their days over supper, whilst looking out over the Indian Ocean. Many volunteers enjoy sundowners at one of the many beachside cafés or hotels. You will have Saturdays and Sundays off to discover the many wonders of Zanzibar and Tanzania. Zanzibar and the mainland offer a variety of things to do. We recommend taking a safari in Tanzania as it really is an experience not to be missed. Weekends are a good time to explore Zanzibar - from venturing to the beautiful north of the island to swim with dolphins, or finding out more about the history and past slave trade which affected the locals.
Ideas for Independent Travel

Mount Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro is the highest peak in Africa. It's made up of 3 inactive volcanoes with the highest standing at 19,331 ft. It remains the highest peak that a regular tourist can climb. It will take 5 days to climb up and down, and you will cover over 80 km - still a great test of your endurance. Throughout the climb, you will pass through the tropical forests and up to an expanse of open moorland. Moving closer to the summit, you will pass through the unpredictable alpine desert landscape made up of rocks, ice and temperature fluctuations. Once at the summit you get an unbelievable view of the wild plains of Tanzania.

Serengeti National Park

The Serengeti is Tanzania's oldest national park and is what makes Tanzania famous. The park covers 14,763 km² (5,700 square miles) of grassland plains and savanna as well as riverine forest and woodlands. The Serengeti is home to the 'big 5' African animals as well as cheetah, giraffe and gazelle. Due to its biodiversity and ecological importance UNESCO has declared it a world heritage site.

Kolo-Kondoa Rock Art Sites

The Kondoa rock art site is a series of caves carved into the side of the hills around 30,000 years ago. The highly artistic images depict the time line from hunter-gatherer to an agro-pastoralist society. The paintings show human figures engaging in hunting, playing musical instruments, and crossing rivers with elephants, giraffe and antelopes. These cave sites are still used by the local communities today for weather divination, medicine and initiation ceremonies.

The Kondoa rock art site is a series of caves carved into the side of a hill, looking out over the steppe. The cave site is 9km off the main highway from Kondoa to Arusha, about 20 km north of Kondoa. The caves contain paintings, some of which are believed by the Tanzania Antiquities Department to date back 1500+ years. The paintings depict elongated people, animals, and hunting scenes. Tourists are asked to report to the Antiquities Department office on the highway at the village of Kolo and ask for the cave paintings guide.

Project Quality

Kaya evaluates every project we offer to ensure that we only commit to programmes with genuine need for volunteer aid, not just financial assistance. We develop relationships with the projects and help shape initiatives to ensure in the long run that we do not encourage dependence on outside help, but rather establish foundations on which the people can build and develop themselves. We also ensure that the members of those communities are open and eager to learn and discover our culture, as we become a part of theirs. The quality and sustainability of our programmes are very important to us. We want you to have the most fulfilling and memorable time as possible, and be part of something that is going to last into future generations.

Accommodation & Meals

Volunteers stay in a volunteer house, where, in most cases, they share their room with other volunteers. Shared rooms are usually single-sex. For most placements two to three meals a day are provided, all included in the placement fees. In most houses there will be a cook to prepare your food for you and a cleaner to ensure the house is clean and tidy, though in some of our locations volunteers will be expected to assist with these chores. For more information about the amenities at the house see accommodation summary or please contact one of our advisors.

In-Country Coordinators

Each country coordinator is there to make sure your time in your programme runs smoothly. They will pick you up from the airport and take you on your orientation. All in-country coordinators are English speaking and are there to ensure you have all the information and resources for the best placement.

24/7 Emergency Support

As well as support from your in-country coordinators, you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line managed by Kaya staff, in case any problem should arise while you're overseas.

Kaya Help-desk

Each member of Kaya staff have worked, travelled, studied or volunteered abroad, and many staff have visited and volunteered in our projects knowing firsthand the country and nature of the programme placements. Their knowledge of international travel and volunteering is invaluable, and they can give you good advice and tips to make the most of your international placement.

Briefing Pack & Materials

Once you have booked a programme, an information pack will be sent out detailing everything you need to know - from specific project details and vaccinations required to the visa application process.

Airport Pickup

When you arrive at your destination a member of Kaya staff will meet you with a warm welcome at the airport and take you to your accommodation to get you set up for your stay.

Cultural Excursions

Kaya staff are at hand to help organise weekend excursions and activities, which can include visiting cultural places of significance and visiting various projects around the area. This way you can learn firsthand about each project and take part in local cultural and adventure activities.

Arrival Orientation

Shortly after you arrive you will be given your orientation by one of our in-country coordinators. They will show you your placement, local transport, take you into the local town, and show you things you can do in your spare time. Information regarding safety and security will be given along with some much needed lingo when moving and travelling around the area.

Funding for Individual Projects

If on your placement you wish to start up your own sub-project, a reasonable amount of funding will be provided. An example is: one volunteer arranged a basketball tournament for the street children where funding was provided for team shirts and trophies. This is a good chance to make your own lasting mark on a project and the people of your chosen country.

Local Community Benefits

Not only is your participation on your project of great help to the local communities, but so is the boost to the local economy that volunteers create while they are visiting.