LIVE
AND WORK WITH POOR CHILDREN IN ORPHANAGES IN TANZANIA
AND HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE THEIR LIVES!
The care projects you'll
be involved with cater for many children from the poorer township
community.
The orphanages we work with deal with ages ranging from very small
babies to 20-year-olds.Your help and support are appreciated by everyone, but mostly
by the children.
The projects in
Tanzania are located in Arusha, situated at the foothills of
Mount Kilimanjaro. This country has an amazing variety of things to
offer, from beaches, lakes and mountains to safaris, wildlife and a huge
cultural diversity with almost overwhelming friendliness.
You don't need any qualifications to do this project. All ages from 17
upwards to 70+ can take part and all nationalities and welcomed with
open arms. You don't need to speak the local language either.
In Arusha we work with
many different orphanages in the poorer communities. This includes a home
for babies from as young as one day old to two years old and others for
children from 2 to 20 years old. You may be expected to help with all
ages, unless you have specifically requested to work with a certain age
group. Whichever age you decide to help with, your assistance is a very
important part of their development and much needed and appreciated!
The type of work you will be allocated will depend to an
extent on your own abilities and capabilities, which is understandable given
that you will be dealing with children’s health and safety. You will
normally sit down with the supervisor when you arrive to set up an informal
timetable for your placement.
The
hours may vary, but normally you will work from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m., from
Monday to Friday. You may also prefer to work mornings or afternoons only,
which can be catered for. There may be times, though, when you might be
required to work some evenings, nights or weekends, but you will be allowed
time off on other days instead.
It is difficult to be
specific about your day-to-day work because there is a lot of it, but you
will get a good general feel of the orphanage by working and/or observing.
The level of education of
the children is generally very poor so you should have discussions with your
supervisor to ascertain the best use of your time and skills with the
different groups of children.
This may mean taking sports
and games lessons or offering care for the children. It may well also be in
the form of informal English or vocational teaching - and this type of
interactions is one of the biggest privileges that the children can receive.
But the most important thing you can do is to give the
children lots of love, care and attention.
You'll be given help and direction
from the staff, but your work load will depend on you and what you put into
it. Your work as a
volunteer may include:
Preparing food for the children and helping them eat.
General cleaning, washing dishes, etc.
Helping the permanent staff care for the children.
Occasionally taking the children to the hospital for
immunization, treatment etc.
Bathing the children and washing their clothes
Teaching informal English, Arithmetic and sports to
the children
Organizing and facilitating games and plays for the
children.
Playing with the children - here you can use your
imagination and involve them in lots of different activities
Helping some of the children learn to read and write.
Getting involved in drawing and painting or even
music if you have skills in that area.
Working with the babies – helping to change them,
feed and bath them.
If you are interested and feel you have the ability,
you may also be asked to help with arranging fundraising for the
institute.
What will you gain from doing this project?
The satisfaction of working with needy children and
making a difference to their lives!
The skills, understanding and deep compassion that
come from working with needy children
Experience of working with children under difficult
circumstances and with very limited facilities
An in-depth knowledge of Tanzanian society, their
lifestyle and their culture.
... and again, the immense satisfaction of knowing
that you have helped others who are less fortunate then yourself -
people who will never forget you.
What will the local community gain from your assistance?
As a result of your volunteer work, the orphanage,
the workers and the society at large will benefit directly or indirectly
by having the opportunity to interact with you and all our volunteers,
thus learning about foreign cultures and the wider world
They will have access to a free workforce and
invaluable service which you provide them as a volunteer.
Their traditional knowledge and skills in care work
are supplemented with initiatives, skills and ideas which they will get
from you and all our volunteers. Fresh eyes and a different way of doing
things can be of tremendous benefit to them.
Lots of love and care which is fundamental for the
growth and development of the children.
Your Travellers Project Co-ordinator on the Placement
Once you apply for this placement, all your arrangements will be taken care
of by Kelly Day, Travellers UK-based Project Co-ordinator for Tanzania.
She'll liaise with you to discuss your needs and will be able to answer all
your questions. In the photo on the right, she's sitting with two local
children while on an inspection trip to Arusha.
Once you're in Tanzania, you'll be well looked after by our Tanzania
Manager, but Kelly will remain in touch with you throughout your stay.
Travellers Project Co-Ordinator Kelly Day
ACCOMMODATION AND LOCATION:
Arusha
is the perfect location to live and work in Tanzania. It is situated under the shadow of the might Mount
Kilimanjaro and Mt.
Meru (a 15000ft extinct volcano), as well as idyllically situated on one of
the
Great Rift Valley’s plateaus.
The city is
world-renowned for its exquisite weather, breathtaking countryside and its
lively music scene. With a population of around 350,000 people, there is
still a great balance between a vibrant, social city, with a relaxed ‘small
town’ feel, making it a perfect tourism attraction for all types of
travellers. Arusha alone receive over 400,000 visitors each year.
Accommodation:
Your accommodation will vary depending on which project you will work with,
but all our volunteers are placed in with families in ‘home-stays’ which
provide comfortable yet simple accommodation. Your family will most likely
be located within 20 minutes of your school.
Most of our volunteers who choose to live with host families all agree that
their placement was made more enjoyable by their home life experience. They
also agree that they get an added "something" out of the placement - a rare
opportunity to experience life as a family from the inside
Most of the houses have all
the basic facilities - coming equipped with TV, radio and all importantly…a
western style toilet. However, we must make it clear that not all
accommodation can provide such luxuries.
All our hosts are very friendly and welcoming and the
families will look after you very well and make you feel part of their home.
On
Arrival, your Introduction to the Country: When you arrive you will be welcomed by our Tanzanian Manager who will
take you to your accommodation and introduce you to everyone. Photo on right: Travellers' Destination Developer Andy Kemp with Titus
Tossy, our Tanzania Manager. Titus has a lovely wife and two adorable
children.
During your first few days you'll be given an induction so that you can
learn about the country and its culture, as well as other useful
information, like how to use the transport system, banks, safety issues,
tipping, and lots more.
TRAVEL:
You have the option to arrange your
own flights or we can assist you with your flight arrangements. If you would
like us to do this for you, we will liaise with you regarding available flights
and dates to suit you. All arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will
be fulfilled by Murray Rogers Travel Ltd., ATOL No. 6856. (Read more about Murray Rogers Travel Ltd.)
Where possible, we arrange for two or more people to travel on the
same flight and we will let you have the names and telephone numbers of other
volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to each other or even meet up
before leaving for your placement.
We can also arrange your flight
dates
to give you additional time at the end of your project for travelling around and
sightseeing - this is a fascinating country!
You will fly
into Kilimanjaro International Airport where you'll be met by Titus Tossy, our Country Manager, or one of
his staff. From the airport you'll be taken to your accommodation.
Several days later, once you have settled in and recovered from the flight, you
will be introduced to your staff on your project.
To read aboutSupport
& Backup we provide,
please click here.
A person with a camera is like a
magnet to kids the world over!
VISAS:
We will liaise with you about
specific requirements, if any, and make the Visa process very easy.
Where possible, all flights we arrange for you have changeable return tickets because many of our
volunteers choose to extend their stay once they are in their destination
country.
Changeable return tickets enable you to do so, within the limits of your visa
and the level of your air ticket,
of course. If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour to get
a changeable ticket.
PRICES:
To see the Prices of this project and all
our other projects in Tanzania, please
click here
Prices
include
Food & accommodation while on your project,
2 T-shirts, if required
for your project
All support and backup
during your programme
Meeting you at the
nearest airport, where appropriate, but exclude international travel.
.
+44 01903 502595
