Once you have secured your place, join regular video calls to meet your Program Manager and other volunteers before your trip.
Volunteers with experience in business, health or teaching, or anyone who is open-minded and interested in supporting disadvantaged women.
Inspired to be a Women’s Education volunteer in Tanzania? International Volunteer HQ’s Women’s Education project is a fantastic opportunity for volunteers to make a meaningful difference to the lives of women who face the challenges of gender inequality in Arusha. Volunteers gain experience supporting and teaching women by helping them learn new skills that could lead to them gaining employment and becoming more self-sufficient.
Gender equality is an ongoing issue in Tanzania, where many women face challenging situations in their everyday life. Domestic violence, homelessness and HIV/AIDS are all too common, and women who have to confront these challenges are often stigmatized by society. Volunteers can make a significant difference to the prospects of disadvantaged women, helping with education and supporting them to become more self-sufficient.
As a Women’s Education volunteer you’ll be based with a local NGO that focuses on empowering women and giving them the skills to be healthy and financially independent. Many of these women would struggle to find these kinds of opportunities to upskill and support themselves without these volunteer-driven initiatives. You’ll help with a range of activities which can include:
You can also teach the local women a range of life skills such as cooking, dancing, singing, playing games and really anything that you might like to share that can be beneficial to them.
If you would like to teach or bring any specific activity to your placement that you think would be beneficial to the local women and be of their interest, please advise, and the local team will do their best to help you facilitate the activity you wish to bring to the local women.
This project is well suited to volunteers with experience in business, health or education. Typically volunteers who have skills and qualifications on those subjects can provide better support to the local women. However, anyone who is open minded and interested in supporting disadvantaged women is very appreciated! Everyone over the age of 16 is welcome to take part in this project, including male volunteers.
Volunteers can also participate in community outreach visits. Visits take place every one to two weeks, and you’ll be able to visit women in their own homes. During these visits, you’ll provide food, companionship, counseling and medical assistance to those in need. Although transportation is provided by the local team, these outreach visits are fully coordinated by volunteers, being responsible for funding food or any other donations they wish to bring to the local women.
When you volunteer with women in Tanzania you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:
Volunteers need to be 16 years or over to participate on this project, unless volunteering with a parent or guardian, in which case the minimum age is 3.
Volunteers aged 16 or 17 on their program start date are required to provide IVHQ with parental consent in order to participate, and may be asked to provide additional documentation to the local team.
Volunteers aged 16 or 17 on their start date, if unable to obtain a criminal background check, can provide two character reference letters instead.
Independent volunteers aged 16 or 17 on their program start date are required to pay an additional US$80 per week to cover extra logistical support provided by the local team, including transportation to and from placement each day and airport drop-off.
Volunteers aged over 18 on their start date are required to provide a criminal background check to IVHQ before departure.
All volunteers must speak English and have adequate volunteer travel insurance.
Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.
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Once you have secured your place, join regular video calls to meet your Program Manager and other volunteers before your trip.
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The IVHQ Tanzania volunteer program is based in Arusha, a small city often used as the base of many safari trips into the Serengeti and other national parks. It’s also near Africa’s highest mountain, Mt Kilimanjaro. Tanzania as a whole is known for its seemingly boundless areas of wilderness where African animals roam, sometimes migrating in vast groups across the plains; and also being the country where the oldest human skull and even older fossils of human ancestors were found.
Despite its many attractions, communities in many parts of Tanzania still lack access to the basic necessities of life. Volunteer projects based in rural and urban areas around Arusha and nearby help to provide better access to healthcare, education and childcare.
The program orientation begins on the 1st and 15th of every month and volunteers need to arrive in Arusha on the day before orientation.
After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK) in Arusha. Your airport pick-up is included in your program fee. We recommend that volunteers under the age of 18 travel internationally with a notarized letter from their parents to support their documentation. When you arrive, you will be greeted at the airport by a member of the local team and transported to the volunteer accommodation in Arusha. Your accommodation is covered by your program fee and includes the night before your program orientation.
If you are traveling in Tanzania prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up in Arusha on the day before your program orientation. Orientation is hosted by our local team at one of the volunteer houses in Arusha. Orientation begins on the morning of your chosen start date. If your start date falls on a weekend or a public holiday, your orientation will begin on the Monday or day following the public holiday. Orientation covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Tanzania – an introduction to Tanzania, Tanzanian customs, rules and expectations, language lessons (Kiswahili), safety, travel opportunities in Tanzania, and an introduction to your project and placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.
First Day
On the first day of the volunteering placement, you will be escorted to the project by our local staff and introduced to the staff at the project you will be working with.
Weekdays
Work and hours are dependent on the project and placement that each volunteer is working at. A typical volunteer day would be as follows:
| 7:30 AM | Breakfast at the volunteer house or homestay. |
| 8:00 AM | Volunteers leave home and travel to their placements. Work and hours are dependent on the project and placement that each volunteer is working at. |
| 1:00 PM | Work at the placement usually ends. Volunteers are free to travel home for lunch at their accommodation, prepare for the next day or do some shopping and sightseeing. |
| 8:30 PM | Dinner at the volunteer house or homestay |
Weekends
Tanzania is a wildlife lover’s dream. In your free time you can venture out on a safari and see Africa’s Big 5 - lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards and rhino - as well as the mind-blowing number of other species that call Tanzania home.
In Arusha itself you can find great markets, take a few days to hike up the nearby Mt Meru, or learn about the Maasai and Meru tribes of the area. You can also take take a short flight down to Zanzibar for a weekend of sun and sandy beaches or save some time before or after your program to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
Volunteers in Tanzania are accommodated in dorm-style volunteer houses or homestays located in Sakina, Arusha. The local team currently hosts volunteers in three volunteer houses, typically for younger volunteers, and two homestays, often preferred by families and mature volunteers.
In the volunteer houses, volunteers share a room with one to nine others of the same gender, with most rooms accommodating up to six people. Homestays can accommodate up to 10 volunteers, with rooms also separated by gender and a maximum of four people per room.
Living conditions in Arusha are basic but comfortable. Both volunteer houses and homestays have running water and electricity. Toilets and showers are Western-style, though power outages are common, which can affect the availability of hot water and electricity.
During the busy months of January, June, July, and August, the volunteer accommodations in Arusha may reach capacity. To ensure everyone is comfortably accommodated, some volunteers may be hosted in a nearby hotel in dormitory-style rooms separated by gender. Volunteers can expect to share a room with up to seven people.
Wifi is not available at homestays, and although volunteer houses have wifi, it is slow and unreliable. To stay connected, we recommend purchasing an e-SIM before arrival or bringing an unlocked mobile phone and buying a local SIM card in Tanzania. The local team can assist you with purchasing a SIM card and data during your program orientation. Complimentary wifi is available at the hotel.
If you wish to arrive before your recommended arrival date or extend your stay, extra nights at the standard accommodation can be arranged for US$40 (approximately CA$58) per person, per night. Extra nights include three meals a day, are subject to availability, and bookings can be requested by registered volunteers via their profiles.
For added privacy and comfort, private room upgrades are available year-round at a nearby hotel for an extra cost. These rooms can accommodate one or two persons and offer private bathrooms. They are subject to availability and can be booked as an add-on through your MyIVHQ account after registration.
Tanzanian cuisine varies across the country due to differences in produce found inland and along the coast. The immigration of Khoja Indians has introduced Indian flavors to local dishes. Staple foods in Tanzania include rice, ugali (maize porridge), chapatti, and beans. Rice and beans are significant components of meals, so expect to be served these often.
Volunteers are provided with three meals a day. Breakfast typically consists of eggs served with pancakes, mandazzi (deep-fried dough balls), or cake, along with plenty of fresh fruit, bread, and a selection of jams and other spreads for toast. Lunch and dinner usually feature a traditional meat dish (chicken or beef) alongside a vegetable dish, beans, lentils, or cooked vegetables served with rice, pasta, chips, or chapatti.
Meals are prepared for volunteers by host families at homestays and by cooks at the volunteer houses. Those accommodated in the hotel, whether in private room upgrades or during the busy season, will receive their meals on-site. Lunch boxes and sandwiches can be provided upon request if your placement is scheduled to finish after lunchtime.
Bottled water is readily available in Tanzania, and volunteers should budget approximately US$5 per week for 2 liters a day. Filtered water is also available at the accommodations, and you can choose between purchasing bottled water or using the free filtered water provided in the houses.
If you have any special dietary requirements, please inform us so that the local team can make arrangements for you. They can provide vegetarian meals and options that are dairy-free, gluten-free, and nut-free. However, vegan, halal, and kosher options are not available.
Keep in mind that your eating experience may differ from what you’re accustomed to at home. The local team will do their best to accommodate your needs and ensure volunteers are well taken care of, but it’s essential to remain flexible.
Spots are limited. For a Registration Fee of just US$299 (approximately CA$438) you secure your spot and unlock all our preparation and training tools.
You don't need to worry about paying your Program Fee until you get closer to your start date.
Duration |
Program FeeDue 30 days before you start, or within 48 hours if you register inside of 30 days. Covers the cost of hosting you.
|
|---|---|
| 1 week | $450 Equivalent to $64/day |
| 2 weeks | $600 Equivalent to $43/day |
| 3 weeks | $805 Equivalent to $38/day |
| 4 weeks | $1,020 Equivalent to $36/day |
| 5 weeks | $1,235 Equivalent to $35/day |
| 6 weeks | $1,450 Equivalent to $35/day |
| 8 weeks | $1,880 Equivalent to $34/day |
| 10 weeks | $2,310 Equivalent to $33/day |
| 12 weeks | $2,740 Equivalent to $33/day |
| 16 weeks | $3,600 Equivalent to $32/day |
Learn more about what's included in your IVHQ Registration Fee and Program Fee.
Take your volunteer experience to the next level with these popular add-ons and experiences. Explore your options below and learn how to book them once you've been accepted onto the IVHQ Arusha program.
A 2 day safari in Tarangire National Park and Ngorongoro Crater where you will have the opportunity to see amazing wildlife in their natural habitat.
Experience the Roof of Africa: One-Day Hike to Mandara Point with Stunning Scenery and Wildlife Encounters
Gain an authentic insight into the Maasai way of life on a full day tour to Maasailand.
IVHQ follows best practice and industry-leading health and safety procedures, which are regularly reviewed and optimized as part of the B Corporation recertification.
| Capital | Dodoma |
| Population | 58 million |
| Languages | Swahili and English |
| Currency | Tanzanian Shilling (TZS) |
| Time zone | UTC+03:00 |
Weather and climate
Tanzania is hot throughout the year and is humid on the coast and dry on the central plateau. The heavy rains last from March to June and can make unsealed road travel difficult. The hot, dry weather in January and February attracts the most tourists. The best time to visit the Serengeti is from January to March, when the grazers are calving and there are plenty of lions around. Or witness the wildebeest migration to and from Kenya, which occurs at the onset of the dry season and again with the first rains, usually around the beginning of June and mid-November.
The guidance and preparation were really helpful, particularly being able to contact someone at IVHQ beforehand with questions.
I feel I gained a really understanding of life in a third world country. It opened up my eyes as to how much work needs to be done, but also how much volunteers have achieved. I feel so grateful for my own life, and feel honored that I was able to help and provide my services to those in Arusha.
At the beginning, I didn’t really know what to expect. I chose IVHQ because it was my first solo trip and I wanted to have a volunteer experience. Now that I’ve done it, I would highly recommend it! I had an amazing experience and met many other volunteers who shared the same vibe as me.
I volunteered in Arusha with the women's education program. At first it was challenging because, unlike kids, the women were older so I had to earn their trust. But after the first two days, they were incredibly welcoming already. We organized many impactful activities such as English and marketing classes, open days to raise funds (where they taught cooking, sewing and making bracelets), sex education, dance classes, empowerment activities, and more. I would definitely recommend this program to others as well.
During my stay, I also had the chance to do many activities, such as going on safari, visiting Zanzibar, exploring local markets, enjoying swimming pools, and discovering the city. I had no issues with health, food or accommodation.
I feel truly energized and fulfilled by this experience, and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone considering it!
I loved working with the women and feel I have gained confidence from standing up at the front to teach them everyday. It made me appreciate what I have even more than I did when I saw how grateful they all were for the smallest things. I have gained cultural awareness and learnt a lot about where I volunteered and the lifestyle. I learnt some of the local language in order to be able to speak to locals and immerse myself in the experience. I liked meeting new people and experiencing once in a lifetime opportunities like a safari and Zanzibar.
I would encourage anyone to do the programme and put yourself out there. My advice would be to stick with it when you get there and settle into the experience before thinking you aren't enjoying it.
I gained a massive amount of respect for those working within the women’s education program and for the women it helps. I made fantastic friends and had the best time in an incredible country. Go for it even if you’re the tiniest bit hesitant - everyone makes you feel SO welcome!!
To read all reviews, visit our reviews page.
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