Highlights
• An authentic experience that brings you in contact with locals from the city and children in need.
• A valuable life changing experience for most as you see first hand the cultural side of Tanzanians and day to day lives.
• Make lifetime memories with weekend excursions with other volunteers, explore the country side with beautiful landscapes, flora and fauna.
• Explore Tanzania a country with a huge ethnic diversity that coexist in harmony.
• Discover Swahili foods while you live at our volunteer world.
About the program
Tanzanite Nursery School is a kindergarten founded in 2020 by Salim Sangali. It is located in Mbauda, a poor neighbourhood on the western side of the city of Arusha. The project started operating immediately after schools were reopened after the COVID lock down. During that time, most people had lost their jobs and had no financial means to send their children to school.
Founder Salim, a carpenter by profession, is a passionate education advocate determined to bring quality education to children in the neighbourhood who cannot afford it.
Challenges
Tanzanite Nursery School is still very much in its early stages, with most equipment not being there due to financial shortages. Children’s study equipment, sports equipment, and teaching support would be a huge necessity in helping this project grow.
The classrooms are also not in the best shape for kids, with a much-needed ventilation system and a new toilet.
You
Anyone is welcome to participate in this project in a variety of capacities. Volunteers can assist in teaching the children and assisting the staff in improving their teaching abilities and relationships with the children. The facilities require some upgrades and maintenance work, so this is also an area where you could help. You can also assist with fundraising and donations for educational equipment or financial assistance to cover the running costs of the project, such as staff salaries and food for the kids.
Location
The Tanzanite Nursery, your workplace, is situated in Mbauda, a safe but poor neighborhood of Arusha (Arusha Region, Tanzania). Located 4.1km (2.55 miles) from the busy city center, it is easily reachable by public transportation or taxi.
Arusha is the third largest city in Tanzania, located at the foot of beautiful Mt. Meru and a hub for popular tourist attractions, including Mt. Kilimanjaro, Serengeti National Park and the other safari parks of the Northern Circuit. The city is also a diplomatic hub for East Africa and features museums, bustling markets and modern cafes. Arusha enjoys a temperate climate with low humidity year-round and little rainfall most of the year.
Typical day
We tailor our volunteer experiences to the unique skills and interests of individual volunteers, so their days vary. A typical day would begin with breakfast at the Woven House, followed by a short ride to the Tanzanite Nursery. At the school, you might help teach the students, care taking, help cook lunch, and help out with other work around the project like maintenance of the property and furniture. You will also have time to chat with your colleagues and learn about the struggles people face in Tanzanian society. In the afternoons, you will have time to explore Arusha or relax at the Woven House, before enjoying a delicious dinner.
Getting there:
You will be dropped off at the project every weekday after breakfast and be picked up at 2:30 pm.
What’s Included
Services by Woven Connect
Volunteer fees include the following:
• submission fees
• accommodation
• food (full board)
• airport pick up and drop off
N.B. Volunteer World only allows stays up to 12 weeks for our project. If a volunteer wishes to stay longer, we can discuss possible arrangements. The visa extension will cost $250 (for a 3-month visa), to be covered by the volunteer. Volunteers will receive a 40% discount on room and board for the remainder of their stay.
Airport Pickup at Kilimanjaro International Airport
Someone will be waiting for you at the airport with a sign with your name 🙂
And you will be dropped at the airport at the end of your time with us!
Accommodation
We offer accommodation in our volunteer house, Woven House.
The Woven House is a hostel located in Block D, Njiro Arusha, in a quiet well-secured neighborhood. The house is 7.5 km from Clock Tower, Arusha’s city center, 54 km from Kilimanjaro International Airport, and 22 km from Arusha Airport. Public transportation, as well as shops, are within walking distance less than 1km/0.5mile away. Supermarkets, ATMs, bars, and a cinema are between 2.5km to 4km from the house. On clear days, you can see Mt Meru – the second tallest mountain in Tanzania from the house. Views of Mount Kilimanjaro are a short distance from the house.
The space is really clean and cozy waiting for you!
Full-time staff at the Woven House will make you feel at home!
Transportation from Woven House to the Afrikan Wear project workshop is a short taxi or dala dala (bus) ride away.
Food & Beverages
Breakfast and dinner are provided at the house. Lunch is provided at the project workshop.
Internet Access
Good wi-fi access is available at the Woven House.
Free-time activities
We can organize a wide range of activities at affordable volunteer rates, including:
1. Hiking/walking tours to waterfalls, through forests and around a lake
2. Swimming in hot springs with a glimpse of Mt. Kilimanjaro
3. Cultural tours to Maasai markets and visits to different ethnic groups
4. Coffee plantation tour to learn about the process from the bean to the finished product
5. Safaris to the national parks of the Northern Circuit (Arusha NP, Lake Manyara NP, Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Conservation Area)
6. Climbing Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro
7. FREE ARUSHA TOWN TOUR for all volunteers!