Take a Gap Year in Tanzania
You will be based in or near Arusha, or possibly in one of its neighbouring villages. This busy, cheery little town is in the foothills of snow-capped Mount Meru, an hour's drive from Kili. Accommodation is safe but basic, usually close to the project or school you are working at.
The area is small so it's easy to hook up with other volunteers at weekends - and for travelling when your placement is over: most participants take up our safari - seeing lion, elephant, rhino, leopard and cheetah from the luxury of a game lodge - but there are also the coast, the island of Zanzibar, snorkelling and dolphin-spotting.
What will I do in Tanzania?
The great thing about Arusha is the variety of projects:
- Teaching: Many Primary village schools are crying out for volunteers; they may not have much, but the children are happy, full of energy and keen not only to learn English but to benefit from other skills you may have, such as sport, music, singing or drama. Volunteers have been welcomed since 2000 Read our blog for more information.
- Orphanages: Two orphanages have welcomed our volunteers as care workers since the year 2004: they provide a permanent, loving home for unwanted or orphaned children. Read our blog for more information.
- Healthcare: We have volunteer places on a local Aids awareness program as well as in a local village hospital, both of which would be rewarding and fascinating for medical or healthcare students. Read our blog for more information.
- Journalism: Volunteers can get stuck in as a junior journalist on a local Arusha newspaper - something that is increasingly difficult in Europe and gives you an amazing insight in African life. Read our blog for more information.
Getting there
Madeline will meet you on arrival, sort your paperwork and take you to your lodgings (usually in or near the school or home). She also runs the orientation course.
Representative
Madeline
Mads, as she is known, has been with us since our first volunteers turned up in Arusha in 2000. A New Zealander with three young kids, one more on the way and - luckily - a great sense of humour, she is married to a Dutch export farmer named Ekko. She loves the Oyster job because it gives her strong links with local school and projects, many of which she has independently raised money for via the expat community.
Supporting you
Mads is always there for our volunteers and has years of experience of dealing with Oyster volunteers. Your orientation course will include basic Swahili lessons and an insight into every aspect of Tanzanian life and culture. Mads lives within easy distance of all our volunteers.
Highlights
- A sense of achievement that you've made a real contribution to Tanzanian life; bringing education, fun and friendship to African children.
- Learning Swahili, learning about a completely different culture and becoming immersed in it.
- Experience African life as a local rather than as a tourist.
- Making great friends, from your group and from Arusha.
- Seeing elephants, lions and other animals in their natural home, climbing Kilimanjaro and staying on Zanzibar.
Accommodation
You will be accommodated in local housing within the school grounds or near your community project.
Please prepare yourself for basic living conditions and expect to share a room. During the week the work is challenging and you will probably stay within the village you are based in. However at weekends most volunteers choose to visit Arusha and the other placements to see friends, check emails and buy food.
Most volunteers find about £20 a week covers eating and transport. If you can avoid too much local beer and expensive western imported food you might spend a little less.
What We Provide
The cost of a three or six month placement is £2125, excluding flights.
- Interview and informal briefing
- 2 day pre-departure course covering medical, safety and placement advice
- Help and advice from our UK office before departure and whilst in Tanzania
- Advice on obtaining a visa
- Finding you a suitable work placement in Tanzania
- Accommodation for the duration of your placement
- (Optional) flight with flexible return date (modest fee levied by airline for date changes). Total cost including flight £2725
- Oysters local representative who will meet and welcome you on arrival
- Induction course in-country to orientate you and brief you on local matters
- Basic Swahili training
- Transportation to your school from the airport
- Assistance and support from our representative during your placement
- Oyster is able to offer volunteers an optional 4 day luxury safari for around £440. This is a fraction of the cost of booking from the UK
- Excludes food (approx. £1 per day)
What do I need?
- A full UK passport valid for the duration of your stay
- A Class C permit for Tanzania, which at the time of printing costs around £70 for an initial 3 month period and £70 for the next 3 months. We help obtain this
- Insurance (covering your placement time and any planned independent travel)
- Cost of changing your return flight date if you need to (approx £50)
- Independent travel costs and return to the airport
- Food and living costs (about £20 per week)
- All UK travel costs (to the interview, the pre-departure course and the airport)
And one more thing...
If you can get to Zanzibar, don't miss the slave memorial and Old Slave Lodge in Stone Town, in commemoration of the brutal trade in humans.
