Volunteer in Tanzania

Winnie Mshindo joined Global Volunteers as an RCP Caregiver in 2017 and was promoted to the Team Leader position in 2018. She was born and raised in Iringa, and earned her BA degree from Tengeru Institute of Community Development in Arusha with a concentration in Participatory Project Planning Management. Before joining Global Volunteers staff, she was a Community Development Officer for the Iringa District Council.  Winnie is among our best team leaders, consistently receiving outstanding evaluations from volunteers.

Your health, safety, and security during the service program is our top priority. Your lodging, food, and transportation are provided always with a mind to help you ensure your health, safety, and security while volunteering at the work site and in your lodging facilities. Read more about health and safety here.

While there are risks traveling anywhere -Read about Travel Risks here, you will minimize any risks if you are cautious and follow good health and safety protocols. Roadway accidents are a serious safety risk, especially when crossing a road – remember that vehicles are driven on the left-hand side in Tanzania. HIV/AIDs and malaria are prevalent throughout Africa. Both can be prevented by taking appropriate precautions. Mosquito bed-nets are provided for each bed in the RCP guesthouse in Ipalamwa – please use them. We urge you to pack sunscreen, insect repellent, a wide-brimmed hat and a water bottle for outside work. Even when the temperature might seem cool, the sun is still very strong because of the proximity to the equator, so be sure to lather on the sunscreen. And we strongly recommend you consult your physician, public health clinic and/or travel clinic for detailed travel health information for Tanzania, and ensure your vaccinations are up to date. For general Tanzania health recommendations, consult the following sources:

Centers for Disease Control | Health Canada Online | Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

Most infectious tropical diseases can be largely prevented by vaccination. Proof of immunization against yellow fever is required to enter Tanzania only if you are traveling through or coming from a country infected with yellow fever. Travelers diarrhea is common among foreign visitors. Ask your physician about a prescription for an antibiotic. Other potential Tanzania travel risks are poisonous snakes, bees and wild animals – all of which can be avoided with caution, preparation, and common sense.

Global Volunteers includes emergency medical evacuation insurance for every volunteer. We also recommend you purchase health insurance that covers you while in Tanzania, and trip cancellation insurance in the event you must cancel your participation on the service program. Your travel agent can refer you to travel insurance providers.

Evenings and weekends are free time for Tanzania volunteers. This is when you can spend time with local families and enjoy community events, or simply “kick back” and savor the slower pace that is East Africa. Many volunteers take a weekend Safari in Ruaha National Park and Game Reserve, East Africa’s largest park and game reserve, about 40 miles from Iringa. It is home to 10,000 elephants and over 500 species of birds, plus giraffes, lions, buffalo, cheetahs, leopards, hippos, baboons, zebras and antelope. The costs for this two-day Safari is between $300 and $400 USD, a far cry from the thousands of dollars charged for many safaris, and you’ll enjoy it just as much. Safari companies will pick you up in Ipalamwa on Friday afternoon and are scheduled to have you back before sunset on Sunday. Additional activities after the volunteer work day in Tanzania include exploring the local market, listening to music at community churches and cultural events, and playing board games with your teammates.

Families of various compositions serve with us in Tanzania nearly every month school is not in session: parents and teens, grandparents and grandchildren, aunts, uncles and nephews and nieces. The contrast of life in a Tanzanian village with your teen’s own lives comes up time and again as the greatest lesson for all. And, despite material poverty, village life is full and joy-filled. The following are just a few of the many parents’ reflections on why their family volunteering in Tanzania was so meaningful:

“I know why we brought the kids to Tanzania, although at first I was skeptical. When you put a face on poverty, it changes you forever. Our kids are teenagers, and this was the last chance to do it while they’re young, before college and their own families, a last push for social responsibility to the world, their community, their neighbors. They learned more than I could ever have imagined.”
Jamie Ford, volunteering with wife Leesha and their seven children

“My children came to feel as though they became “kin,” and still do after all this time. I can assure you that every team member feels the same. You’re in the best hands, as you’ll see from the responsiveness of Global Volunteers, and for every moment you’re on the ground with the team. Global Volunteers has created a unique, loyal, and lasting legacy in their projects, especially in Tanzania.”
Amy Kleissler, three-time Tanzania volunteer with her sons

“While we were teaching the Tanzanians, they were teaching us – about community, joy under extremely difficult living conditions, hope amidst poverty, and disease and the crushing reality of AIDS – and how they are going to overcome it. The beauty of the land and the people combined into another world which is unforgettable. We can’t stop thinking about the experience – all of us. What I think was unique for me as a parent was volunteering as a family, to be part of a larger group with a purpose, especially when the boys are teenagers and could relate easily with other kids as other teenagers just in a different part of the world.”
Shauna Doyle de Brun, Tanzania volunteer with her sons

Parents and guardians are expected to supervise their teenage volunteers, and collaborate with our staff and local partners to maximize the service experience for everyone. Teens are invited to offer their own perspectives in team meetings and fully participate in free-time activities. In this way, your teen gains a personal understanding of the Tanzanian culture as well as the role and responsibilities of being a team member. They likely also will create life-long friendships with other volunteers and Tanzanian youth who share their interests and experiences – and make a permanent impression on all who serve.