Do you want to help build a brighter future in Tanzania?

With smiles as wide as the African plains, Tanzania is a great place to explore through volunteering. As the continent opens itself up to the world the biggest problem facing projects here is in ensuring everyone has access to new opportunities. Teaching adults new skills is a very effective means of improving the lives of present and future generations; adults pass on newly acquired skills to their children, so educating one adult can actually benefit several people. With so much to do in your time here it’s no wonder the project will need you to be a counsellor, English teacher and sports coach, as well as passing on any business skills you have.

Project details:

Often people focus on the needs of children in developing countries, where there is just a great a need to help create opportunities for adults in poorer and under-resourced communities. Many have not had access to education whilst they were young but are eager to learn and increase the future opportunities for themselves and their families.

In particular, the women of Africa are beginning to make changes and during your time in Tanzania you will become aware of a huge number of women's groups that have been set up to facilitate this change. The history of African culture has suppressed the rights of its women and they are traditionally expected to look after the home, money and children. Times in Tanzania are beginning to change and the government has recognized that women have the organization and ability to create change. They are offering microfinance for them to set up small businesses of their own and slowly but surely things are beginning to change.

In addition to this, many adults that have not been able to complete their education to secondary level are realising they need education to better their skills for employment. They see learning English as being the main path to opportunity but are also gaining education in a number of areas including agriculture, hospitality, languages and general business. Generally they are keen to learn whatever may assist them with future employment opportunities.

Why the project needs volunteers:

While adults in Tanzania have the will to make change happen they all too often do not have the skills. Some cannot speak English, a necessary tool in business and they generally do not have a good grasp of simple business practices. They also want to educate young people in the community about HIV/AIDS prevention and health matters but do not have the time or knowledge.
There is also the need for Adults to learn English due to the proximity of Moshi to Mount Kilimanjaro where there are employment opportunities in tourism, e.g. working as porters to tourists climbing the mountain. Having a knowledge of English will give them a better chance at employment to enable them to better support their families. There are also many women eager to learn English in order to be able to assist their children with school work and general education.

What kind of skills you need to go on this type of project:

Initiative, enthusiasm and patience will be essential characteristics for any volunteer embarking on one of these projects. Any specific skills that you can contribute will be greatly received. In-demand skills include AIDS/HIV awareness/counseling, environmental knowledge, business, marketing and language skills. For the women’s groups, creative skills such as tailoring, embroidery, mosaic, batik that can be passed on to the women are particularly helpful plus basic business skills such as bookkeeping and marketing. Volunteers will need to be pro-active in instigating activities that they particularly want to get up and running as supervision and leadership may be fairly minimal. You will need to design a programme centered around the needs of the particular group you will be working with.

Your role as a volunteer:

Your role at these projects will be to provide a range of skills and activities, depending on your experience. There will almost certainly be an element of teaching, especially in the vocational centers, but you are also likely to provide advice and guidance on how they can improve and make the most of their small businesses or further their employment opportunities. Providing education and awareness sessions on HIV/AIDS, health and sex education are definite possibilities not only to benefit the individuals but also so that they can further educate their children and their communities.. You may also be asked to assist practically in the projects e.g. sewing, batik making and you may also come away with some new skills yourself.

The other adult teaching placements including teaching small community groups and specific needs groups such as the Maasai, There is also the option to run computer training and other specialized courses based on specific skills on the volunteers.
Various projects tend to run in the morning only, you can choose from a variety of afternoon projects to help the community in other ways. These include activities such as:

• sports coaching
• health care and sanitation
• conservation 
• adult education.

Where the project is based:

Moshi is the closest town to Mount Kilimanjaro in the north of Tanzania, close to the Kenyan border. The town has a range of facilities including internet cafes, ATM machines, banks and other shops and restaurants. It is also the start for most treks up Mount Kilimanjaro and for other safaris and tours.

You will need to book your flights to arrive into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) on the arrival date.

What exactly do i-to-i provide?

It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you for the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.

Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….

Project sourcing and assessment

We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More

Expert help-desk

Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.

Thorough project briefing materials

Once you book on to a project you'll receive a Welcome Pack that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and project, and a DVD about how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.

TEFL training

If you are volunteering on a Teaching project then a 40-hour Online TEFL course is included in your placement fee. This is an internationally recognised and accredited certificate that will help you to make the most of your time overseas. More

Airport pickup

It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time… especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.

Arrival orientation

Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!

Accommodation and meals

Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More

Local in-country coordinators

Your in-country coordinator (ICC) will pick you up from the airport and conduct your orientation upon arrival. All ICC's are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More

24/7 emergency support

Aside from the local support from your in-country coordinators you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by i-to-i staff in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals Docleaf to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More

Ongoing training

The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. At the end of 2006 we flew all our in-country coordinators to the UK for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More

Supporting our projects

We don't fund our projects directly, but once a year they are all invited to apply for funding for special projects or resources from our registered charity arm, the i-to-i Foundation. i-to-i funds the operation of the i-to-i Foundation and is the largest single donor. Along with the generous support of our volunteers, we have distributed over US$200,000 in funding in the last two years alone! More  

Recruiting people like you

We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.

The intangible benefits

VVolunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here

What we will do after you've booked:

• Once booked on you will instantly receive a welcome email confirming your booking with access to your online account
• We will send a Welcome Pack in the post containing further information and a t-shirt, the information in this pack should answer most things you need to know
• Community Development and Teaching customers will receive an email introducing them to their Online TEFL course
• Community Development and Teaching customers will be requested to complete a police check (where relevant) or send through a reference
• We will contact you if we require anything else e.g. CV/resume for some projects, doctors note for medical conditions etc.
• We will hound you to complete your forms and pay your final balance when they are due
• We are available for any questions you may have on 800 352 1794 or operations@i-to-i.com
• We will prepare for your trip and send you an email with final project and accommodation confirmation 21 days before you go

What you need to do after booking your place with us:

• Book your flights
• Arrange suitable travel insurance
• Fill out some extra details through our online interface:
  • application from
  • travel details
  • insurance details
  • medical information
  • emergency contacts
• Complete your police check or request your reference (where relevant)
• Do your Online TEFL Course (where relevant)
• Make final payment at least 60 days before you go
• Make sure you have a visa for your trip if its needed
• Visit a nurse or travel clinic for advice on inoculations and malaria prevention
• Read all details and prepare as much as you can for your trip
• Take contact details of the in country team and where you're going in your hand luggage - just in case!
• Get on the plane!

Orientation Information

We aim to provide you with a safe and soft landing into your destination by picking you up from the airport, giving you an orientation that helps to settle you into the country as quickly as possible. It's also the best time to ask any questions you have about your time in Tanzania. Here's what will happen:

You will arrive on the Arrival Date - Saturday and will be met at the airport on that day (whether it is 12 in the morning or 11:59 at night). You will be taken to the Volunteer House (see contact details below) where you will have the first day/night to recover from your flight. The house is located some distance from the main shops but if you wish to have a wander please ask one of the team for directions.

Note: If you're arriving early we can arrange a meet and greet for you. If you require this please contact us to arrange this service. If you wish to make your own way please arrange to be at the address below on the arrival date:

Art in Tanzania Volunteer House
Next to Falcon Crest Hotel at Soweto
Moshi
+255 (0)754 54 66 73 (Mr. Heriel Mbowe)

Your orientation will take place the next morning at a hotel in Moshi centre and will introduce you to life in Tanzania as well as important information about staying healthy and safe. The volunteer houses or the lodge will be your permanent accommodation throughout your placement so there is not need to transfer elsewhere. Projects are located approximately 45 minutes journey away by public transport and you will start volunteering on Monday. From here on in you will spend your time with the project but the in-country team are there if you need them.

Insurance

It's important that you get adequate travel insurance for your i-to-i experience and as many of you will be working this often means standard policies won’t work. The good news is that no matter where your coming from we have already found a policy to suit you.

The best time to get your insurance is when you book your project as this means you can get a fully tailored policy exclusive to i-to-i, just ask your consultant for further details at the time of booking.

EU Customers – find out more here >>

Australian customers - find out more here >>

All other customers - find out more here >>

Flights

As with insurance we advise you get these booked as early as possible to avoid high prices and to make sure you arrive on the right day. The i-to-i team is right up to date with the best deals no matter where you’re flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.

Early Airport Pick-up

If you are arriving before your designated arrival date, we can arrange for an extra meet and greet service for you. For an extra supplement we will be there to meet you at the airport and take you to your orientation accommodation. One additional night accommodation is included in this payment; if you require more than one night please inform the team.

The cost of this Early Pick-up service is US$ 63.00