Childcare Volunteering in Tanzania - Arusha
Excited to be a Childcare volunteer in Tanzania? International Volunteer HQ’s Childcare volunteer project is a great way for volunteers to assist at kindergartens and early childhood centers in low-income areas where many families rely on them for support while they go to work. Volunteers gain childcare experience while helping staff at centers which are often lacking adequate funds and resources to provide the kind of high quality childcare which helps young children grow and learn.
Highlights:
- Programs start on the 1st and 15th of every month
- Affordable fees from $295 for 1 week
- Includes accommodation, meals, airport pick up, orientation and 24/7 support
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Set up and run activities that help children to learn and have fun
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Experience Tanzania’s amazing wildlife and landscapes
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Stay near the spectacular Mt Kilimanjaro
Key information
This program is ideal for:
What to expect and how you'll make an impact
Childcare centers and kindergartens in low-income areas of Arusha are often lively places, and many families rely on them for support while they go to work for the day. Volunteers can ease the workload of local staff and help them provide better quality care for preschoolers.
As a Childcare volunteer you will assist in daycares and kindergartens that are often underfunded, under-resourced and in need of extra help. Volunteers provide valuable support by:
- Assisting with teaching
- Caring for children
- Playing games and arranging activities
- Helping with feeding and mealtimes
- Interacting and engaging with children
- Other general duties.
You’re welcome to bring along books, pencils, basic first aid supplies and musical instruments to help entertain the children and assist with activities. These supplies can generally be purchased in Tanzania, which also helps to support the local economy.
Why do Childcare volunteering in Arusha with IVHQ?
When you volunteer with children in Tanzania you’ll be helping teach the kids, while also developing personally and professionally by:
- Teaching independently and/or assisting with teaching
- Improving early childhood education for disadvantaged communities
- Helping students develop life skills in a safe place
- Gaining childcare experience
- Immersing yourself in Tanzanian culture
- Discovering Africa’s incredible wildlife
Volunteer requirements
- Volunteers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or friend who is over 18 to participate in this program
- Volunteers aged 16-18 are required to provide IVHQ with parental consent in order to participate on the program independently, and may be asked to provide additional documentation to the local team
- All volunteers are required to provide a criminal background check to IVHQ prior to departure, or if aged under 18 need to provide two character reference letters instead
- All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance
- All volunteers must speak fluent English.
Are you eligible to volunteer?
Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.
Apply For FreeNot sure which program to join?
Tanzania photo gallery
Academic course credit
Gain course credit from your college or university and meet your academic requirements when completing a volunteer abroad program with International Volunteer HQ!
Learn about course credit
Recommended online TEFL course
We encourage volunteers on IVHQ’s Teaching and Childcare projects to come prepared by completing some relevant training, such as a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) course. Although formal teaching qualifications are not required on these projects as volunteers are supported by local staff, taking a TEFL course enables you to gain more from the experience. Visit our Online TEFL Course page to learn how to gain an internationally recognized TEFL certification at a discounted rate.
Get TEFL certified onlineRead reviews from Childcare volunteers in Arusha
”I felt extremely supported and prepared with the help of the IVHQ guidance and preparation resources before my trip. I have zero complains about the incredible support I received from the local team. They were always available and always tried to solve any type of problems that we had. They are amazing and the most kindest people I’ve ever met. The accommoda...” read more
Sara, Portuguese, 18
Read reviews from Childcare volunteers in Arusha
Location
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.
Arrival and orientation
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.
Volunteer schedule example
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.
Accommodation and WiFi
Volunteers in Tanzania are accommodated in dorm-style volunteer houses or homestays located in Sakina, Arusha. In the volunteer houses, volunteers can expect to share a room with one to ten other volunteers of the same gender; however, the majority of rooms accommodate 4-6 people.
Currently, there are two homestays available, located next to each other. One homestay can accommodate up to 10 volunteers, and the other can accommodate up to 6, with rooms also being separated by gender. Typically, rooms can fit a maximum of 4 people.
Living conditions are basic, but the volunteer houses and homestays have running water and electricity. It’s important to note that there are often power outages, which can affect the availability of hot water and electricity. There are cooks who prepare meals for the volunteers, and each volunteer house has a security guard.
Please be aware that private room upgrades are not available in Tanzania.
If you would like to stay connected during your stay, we recommend bringing an unlocked mobile phone and purchasing a local SIM card when you arrive in Tanzania. The local team can assist you with purchasing a SIM card and data during your program orientation. Additionally, you can access WiFi at cafes and restaurants in Arusha.
If you wish to arrive a day earlier than your recommended arrival date or spend a few extra nights after finishing your program, we can arrange extra nights of accommodation for you at $35 (approximately $35) per person per night, including meals, subject to availability. You will be able to book extra nights via your profile after you register.
Meals
Tanzanian cuisine varies across the country due to differences in produce found inland and along the coast. The immigration of Khoja Indians has influenced local dishes with Indian flavors. Staple foods in Tanzania include rice, ugali (maize porridge), chapatti, and beans. Please keep in mind that rice and beans are significant components of meals in Tanzania, so you can expect to be served these quite often.
Volunteers are provided with three meals a day at the volunteer houses and homestays. 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 served at the accommodations, but lunch boxes with fruits 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 $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 and gluten-free; however, please note that 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 for volunteers to remain flexible.
Pricing
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.
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|---|---|
| 1 week | $295 Equivalent to $42/day |
| 2 weeks | $415 Equivalent to $30/day |
| 3 weeks | $590 Equivalent to $28/day |
| 4 weeks | $730 Equivalent to $26/day |
| 5 weeks | $880 Equivalent to $25/day |
| 6 weeks | $1,030 Equivalent to $25/day |
| 8 weeks | $1,345 Equivalent to $24/day |
| 10 weeks | $1,675 Equivalent to $24/day |
| 12 weeks | $2,005 Equivalent to $24/day |
| 16 weeks | $2,665 Equivalent to $24/day |
- Accommodation
- Meals
- 24/7 in-country support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Airport pick-up
- Personalized preparation tools, guides and check lists
- Access to IVHQ’s preferred insurance and flights partners
- Discounts on travel and tour add-ons
- Certificate of International Volunteer Service
Learn more about what's included in your IVHQ Registration Fee and Program Fee.
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of US$329 (approximately $329) in addition to the Program Fee. This covers all pre-departure support services.
- A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.
- Independent volunteers under the age of 18 will have an additional cost of US$80 per week added to their program fee to cover extra logistical support provided by the local team.
- Additional things to budget for include: Visa, flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check, public transport to and from your placement each day and return to the airport when your program finishes.
- Recommended spending money: Volunteers in Tanzania generally find US$75-100 per week to be sufficient for expenses.
Go off the beaten track with wildly exhilarating Tanzania adventures
From game drives with lion, elephant and rhino to climbing the tallest freestanding mountain in the world and visiting Africa’s ancient tribes - Tanzania offers some of the most awe-inspiring travel opportunities on the planet.
We believe that no volunteer adventure would be complete without experiencing these wonders. That’s why we offer safaris, guided hikes and other tours, exclusively available to IVHQ volunteers as affordable add-ons.
Learn more about Tanzania tours and add-ons
Here are just a few of the Tanzania add-ons we offer:
Get up close to flamingoes or visit the ancient Maasai tribe - perfect for your #IVHQweekends! We offer a range of Maasai Village Tours, as well as trips to Moshi and Bushmen/Eyasi.
We offer a range of incredible safari tours and game drives to suit every schedule and budget across Lake Manyara, Tarangire and Serengeti National Parks. Safari tours range from one to four days.
Tick something truly epic off your bucket list by climbing Kilimanjaro, the tallest freestanding mountain in the world and also known as the “Mountain of Greatness”. Guided hiking tours range from five to seven days.
How to book IVHQ’s recommended add-ons:
When you apply for an IVHQ volunteer program, make a note of which tours and add-ons you’re interested in on your application form so we can check availability and prices for you.
Once you’ve paid your registration fee, your Program Manager will be able to book your place on the tour(s) you have chosen and help you organize your trip.
See our Tanzania Tours and Recommended Add-ons page for more awesome volunteer travel options in Tanzania.
Check what's required to visit Tanzania
Safety and support
IVHQ follows best practice and industry-leading health and safety procedures, which are regularly reviewed and optimized as part of the B Corporation recertification.
- All volunteers encouraged to complete our interactive pre-departure training.
- All local teams trained on best practice volunteer management & First Aid.
- All IVHQ programs are required to adhere to IVHQ's Risk Management Policy.
- All volunteers have access to 24/7 in-country support from our local team.
Essential country information
| 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.
