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2 Weeks Special Volunteer Program in Tanzania
Be a part of 2 Weeks Special Volunteer Program in Tanzania, make a difference in the lives of the underprivileged people, teach at a local school, opt for childcare or work at the local healthcare center and enjoy a safari tour on the weekend.
This program places you in Arusha, Tanzania, working from a volunteer house shared with other international volunteers. Depending on the placement you are assigned, you support a local school, a childcare setting, or a healthcare center, working alongside local staff on tasks set by the placement. The healthcare option is only open to volunteers with a nursing, medical, or pre-medical background; teaching and childcare placements need no prior experience. Minimum age 17, with parental consent required for under-18 participants, and the program suits students, career-break travelers, or older volunteers looking for a short, structured trip.
The program runs 2 weeks, starting every week (sundays), with the next start on 27 Sep 2026. You live at the volunteer house in Arusha in shared rooms (private upgrades available), with three meals a day cooked at the house and lunch usually packed for the placement. The cost starts at $1,199, deposit included, and this particular program builds in a 2-day camping safari to Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara, with a chance to see the Big 5, on the middle weekend.
- Volunteer in Tanzania for a span of 2 weeks and make a difference in the lives of the underprivileged people
- Option to choose from different volunteering projects – Teach at a local school, opt for childcare or work at the local healthcare center
- Indulge in knowing more about the culture and lifestyle of the indigenous people
- The project is inclusive of trips to Tarangire National Park & Lake Manyara National Park
- Get a chance to spot the Big 5 in their natural habitat
Your role on this program
- Work at one placement for the two weeks: a local school, a childcare setting, or a healthcare center.
- Assist local teachers with classroom activities if placed in the teaching project.
- Support local caregivers with day-to-day childcare tasks if placed in the childcare project.
- Assist local staff at a healthcare center, open only to nursing, medical, or pre-medical volunteers.
- Follow the program coordinator to the placement on your first day and meet local staff.
- Take part in the placement's daily activities from Tuesday to Friday of each week.
- Return to the same placement for the second week after the mid-program safari weekend.
Exact duties vary with the placement's needs, the season and your experience.
Role boundaries
You work under the direction of local staff and the program coordinator, who set your day-to-day tasks; duties may vary with the placement's needs. The healthcare placement is limited to basic support tasks and is only available to volunteers with a nursing, medical, or pre-medical background, so you do not perform medical procedures on this program.
Program itinerary
Day 1 (Sunday) – Arrive in Tanzania and transfer to Arusha
Welcome to Tanzania - Today you will be met at Kilimanjaro International Airport and then transferred to the volunteer house in Arusha. The drive from Kilimanjaro Airport to Arusha is approx one hour.Participants arriving via shuttle from Nairobi, will be picked up from the shuttle drop off point in Arusha.
Meals – Lunch and Dinner at volunteer house, subject to arrival time.
Day 2 (Monday) – Orientation Session and Tour of Arusha
After breakfast, your program coordinator will give you detailed information about the locality, area,facilities,transport, places of interest, restaurants, recreation and placement.The coordinator will also give you all information related to the different projects, your program schedule and activities.This Orientation Session will be very useful for you during your entire stay in Tanzania. Later you will be going for a local area tour which will help you to get familiar with the place. During the tour you can get your mobile sim card, exchange money and get any required essentials.
Meals – Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 3 (Tuesday) to Day 6 (Friday) – Volunteering In Arusha (Childcare Volunteering, Teaching, or Medical Volunteering)
Your volunteer work will begin on Tuesday. Our program coordinator will accompany you from volunteer house to the program location on the first day to make you familiar with traveling in the country. He'll also introduce you to the local people at the placement.Option to choose a medical program is only available for nursing/medical and pre medical students.
Meals – Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
The exciting weekend will begin as you will be going for amazing 2 Day Safari Tour. In this trip, you will be visiting Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara National Park and enjoy the game drives. Accommodation will be provided in tents/camps, on sharing basis during the safari. It'll be an amazing opportunity for you to spot the BIG 5 of Africa. Don't forget to carry your camera, because you'll get to click some amazing shots! 2 bottles of mineral water per day, meals, entry fees and transfers are included in this trip.
Day 9 (Tuesday) to Day 13 (Friday) – Volunteering continues in Arusha
You will continue your volunteering and gain the rewarding experience. Your contribution will surely make a difference in the lives of the people you'll be working with.
Meals – Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 14 (Saturday) – Program Ends
This day is free to relax. You can go for some souvenir shopping before leaving for the airport. You can contact our program coordinator if you would like to arrange for airport drop at an additional cost.
Who can join and what you need
- Minimum age 17; a parental consent form is required for participants under 18
- No prior experience required for the teaching or childcare placements
- Nursing, medical, or pre-medical background required for the healthcare placement option
- Open-minded, flexible attitude and willingness to take initiative in a new environment
- Clean criminal background check report issued within 12 months of the start date
- Travel and medical insurance, either your own policy or the one Volunteering Solutions arranges
- Passion for working with children recommended for the teaching and childcare placements
The placement, its limits and your part in it
In Arusha, placements are local schools, childcare settings, and a healthcare center that already run their own programs; you join their existing routine rather than setting it up. The program coordinator manages your introduction to the placement, accompanies you on your first working day, and stays available for the rest of the stay, while local staff at the placement direct your day-to-day tasks.
Because this is a two-week stay, your role is to support work that is already underway rather than complete a project of your own, and this holds for both weeks of volunteering around the safari weekend. The healthcare placement keeps volunteers to basic support tasks and is restricted to those with a relevant nursing, medical, or pre-medical background, in line with the background check required for all placements involving children or vulnerable adults.
Our standards
- Responsible volunteer travel policyHow we choose, run and review every project
- Safeguarding policyBackground checks, supervision and our code of conduct with children
- Child & vulnerable adult protectionThe rules every volunteer follows on placement
- Certified B CorporationSocial and environmental performance verified by B Lab
- How we volunteer responsibly in TanzaniaCountry-level partner context and standards
Start dates
Weekly start dates, year-round — pick any week across the next two years.
Program fees by duration
Prices include your $249 booking deposit — which is deducted from your total program fee. Your deposit stays valid for one year, during which you may enroll in multiple programs. A 5% international banking fee applies to credit-card payments in USD or AUD.
| Duration | Total price | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 weeks | $1,199 | |
| Each additional week | +$150 / week |
Indicative conversion — your booking is charged in the currency you choose at checkout.
✓ What you're paying for
- Comprehensive Pre-departure information
- Arrival transfer from Kilimanjaro International Airport to volunteer house
- Accommodation at volunteer house
- Meaningful volunteering experience in Arusha
- Meals
- 24/7 Coordinator assistance during the program
- 2 Days Camping Safari Trip to Tarangire National Park & Lake Manyara Safari Trip including transfers, meals,games drives and entry fees
- Certificate of Participation(On Request)
Not included
- International Airfare
- Tanzania Visa and Work Permit Fees (Work Permit charges payable in country)
- Travel & Medical insurance (Available at extra cost)
- Airport Drop (Available at extra cost)
- Any personal expenses
Accommodation & meals
Airport Transfer
You will be met by our representative at Kilimanjaro International Airport in Kilimanjaro region from where you are transferred to the volunteer house accommodation in Arusha.Volunteers can also arrive in Nairobi and take a direct shuttle or bus to Arusha. They will be picked up at the bus station.For those participants arriving from Dar Es Salaam or Zanzibar, pickup can also be arranged from the much smaller Arusha airport, which serves only domestic flights currently.
Accommodation
Volunteering Solutions offers accommodations for volunteers in a dedicated volunteer house located in Arusha.The housing consists of shared rooms, with options for private upgrades available.The volunteer house includes several rooms and apartments where volunteers can live together comfortably. A well-equipped kitchen is staffed with cooks, and security personnel ensure a safe environment.
Conveniently situated about a 25-minute walk from the main clock tower, the heart of Arusha Town, the house features a spacious common area where volunteers can unwind, socialize, and engage in games like snooker or table tennis. Wi-Fi access is also provided throughout the house.
For laundry needs, there is a designated washing area for volunteers where you can hand wash your clothes. Alternatively volunteers give their clothes for washing to house helpers at an extra charge or give it to the laundry.Safety is prioritised with CCTV cameras installed and a security guard on duty. The volunteer house has the capacity to accommodate over 50 volunteers.
Orientation
All volunteers will be provided with an orientation session by the local coordinator. Areas like safety, locations, transportation, things to see etc will be covered in the Orientation. After your orientation is over, you will be introduced to your project and given a tour of the local area and town.
Meals
Volunteers are provided with 3 meals in a day. Typical meals include a mix of western and Tanzanian dishes. Sample of meals at the volunteer house are :-
-
For Breakfast : Hot water with option of black tea and coffee,Toasted Bread with Butter, Jam and Seasonal Fruits, and Eggs
-
For Lunch and Dinner : Rice,Spaghetti, Salad,Mashed Potato,French Fries, Chapati as well as other Tanzanian dishes and fruits.
Breakfast and dinner are at the volunteer house while lunch is usually packed for you to eat the placement or can be taken if you are back at the accommodation from the project.
During your Free Time
While in Arusha you will also be interested to travel around and see some of the best and most popular tourist locations. Majority of the participants travel to Masai lands as well go for a safari trip. Going on a safari trip is a must on the trip to Tanzania. The country offers some of the best Safari and wildlife trips in the world. You can travel to Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Serengeti National Park, Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Park. Some other local sightseeing options include snake park,Arusha National Park,Lake Duluti,Chemka Hot Springs and Materuni Waterfalls.
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Life on the program
Getting there and who looks after you in Tanzania
Airport pickup
You are met at Kilimanjaro International Airport and transferred to the volunteer house in Arusha, about an hour's drive. If you arrive by shuttle from Nairobi you are picked up at the Arusha bus station, or at Arusha's domestic airport if coming from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar.
First night
Lunch and dinner are provided at the volunteer house on arrival day, subject to your arrival time, so you can settle in before orientation the next day.
Orientation and town tour
On day 2, your coordinator briefs you on the local area, transport, facilities, and your specific project and schedule, then takes you on a tour of Arusha where you can get a SIM card and exchange money.
First project day
Volunteering starts on day 3 (Tuesday); the coordinator accompanies you from the volunteer house to your placement to introduce you to local staff and show you the route.
Ongoing daily support
Coordinators are based in Arusha with 24-hour assistance, and the volunteer house has cooks, CCTV, and a security guard throughout your stay.
From volunteers in Tanzania
Frequently asked questions
What do I actually do on this program?
You are assigned to one placement, either a local school, a childcare setting, or a healthcare center, and work alongside local staff on tasks set by that placement for the two weeks, with duties varying depending on its needs.
Who can join, and do I need experience?
The minimum age is 17, with parental consent required if you are under 18; no experience is required for the teaching or childcare placements, but the healthcare placement is only open to nursing, medical, or pre-medical volunteers.
What does a typical day look like?
Volunteering runs Tuesday to Friday at your placement in both weeks of the program, with the coordinator accompanying you on your first day; the middle weekend is set aside for the camping safari.
How long is the program and when can I start?
This special runs 2 weeks, starting every week (sundays), with the next start on 27 Sep 2026; extra weeks can be added at an additional cost per week.
What does the cost cover, and what is the deposit?
The program starts at $1,199, deposit included; the $249 deposit counts toward your total, is valid for a year, and is refunded if no place can be offered. It covers accommodation, meals, airport transfer, coordinator support, and the 2-day camping safari to Tarangire and Lake Manyara.
Where do I live and what meals are provided?
You stay at the volunteer house in Arusha in a shared room, with private upgrades available; the house has a kitchen with cooks, common areas, and Wi-Fi. Breakfast and dinner are served at the house and lunch is usually packed for you to take to the placement.
How does airport pickup work?
You are met at Kilimanjaro International Airport and driven to the volunteer house in Arusha; pickup is also arranged from the Arusha bus station if you arrive by Nairobi shuttle, or from Arusha's domestic airport for those flying via Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar.
What safety and support is in place?
The volunteer house has CCTV, a security guard, and on-site cooks, and the local coordinator team provides 24-hour assistance along with orientation and ongoing help throughout your stay.
Do I need a visa, vaccinations, or insurance?
Visa and work permit fees are paid locally and are not included in the program fee; travel and medical insurance is compulsory, either your own policy or the one Volunteering Solutions arranges. Specific guidance on visas and vaccinations is sent before departure.
Is the healthcare placement open to any volunteer?
No, the healthcare option is only available to volunteers with a nursing, medical, or pre-medical background; other volunteers choose the teaching or childcare placement instead.
What happens on the safari weekend?
Midway through the program you go on a 2-day camping safari to Tarangire National Park and Lake Manyara National Park, staying in tents on a sharing basis, with meals, water, entry fees, transfers, and game drives included, giving you a chance to see the Big 5.
Is a background check required?
Yes, all volunteers must provide a clean criminal background check report issued within 12 months of the start date before joining the program.
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