Caring for children with disabilities

location
4 - 50 weeks  ·  Age 16 - 50+

rating  Brilliant 4.7  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Volunteer project with the highest quality. This project sets unprecedented standards in quality - an unparalleled level of excellence.

Highlights

  • Accompany and support the children in their everyday lives
  • Be a tutor for children who need special support
  • Organize your own fundraising and help the program reach even more children

Highlights

  • Accompany and support the children in their everyday lives
  • Be a tutor for children who need special support
  • Organize your own fundraising and help the program reach even more children
  • Get creative while doing handicrafts or painting with the children
  • Explore Tanzania by day trips, safaris or mountain climbs


  • Especially good for

    Age 16+
    Singles
    Couples
    Families
    Groups
    50+

    About the program

    Help fight the stigma and care for children with different disabilities.

    The Project:

    This private NGO was founded in 2017 by a dedicated special needs teacher who has more than 12 years of experience working with disabled children. The centre provides essential care for children born with mental and/or physical disabilities. In Tanzania, children with disabilities are ...

    About the program

    The Project:

    This private NGO was founded in 2017 by a dedicated special needs teacher who has more than 12 years of experience working with disabled children. The centre provides essential care for children born with mental and/or physical disabilities. In Tanzania, children with disabilities are often not approached with the care and education that they need and deserve. Some never get a chance to socialize or meet with other children their own age. Parents often feel ashamed of having disabled children.

    This is where the foundation comes in. About 20 children are permanently living in the center as their parents can't or don't want to take care of them. A very important part of the NGO is their Outreach Program that supports around 120 children in the area ensuring disabled children get the care and love that they need.

    The services provided are:

    Physiotherapy

    Speech therapy

    Visual stimulation

    Community awareness building

    Survival activities and life skills

    Every child is at a different level and age, so care levels must be tailored to every child very specifically. There is a team of qualified therapists, social workers and teachers working alongside the volunteers to make sure that the correct care and procedures are being followed.




    Typical day

    A typical work day starts at 9am to 1pm, but volunteers can also stay until 4pm, Monday to Friday, however the centre is open seven days a week, so working on the weekend is possible if you want. Lunch is provided.

    Your tasks will involve the following:

    Assisting the staff in providing love and ...

    Typical day

    A typical work day starts at 9am to 1pm, but volunteers can also stay until 4pm, Monday to Friday, however the centre is open seven days a week, so working on the weekend is possible if you want. Lunch is provided.

    Your tasks will involve the following:

    Assisting the staff in providing love and care to the children that live in the centre in their daily routine

    Helping with physical therapy under the supervision of a therapist, as well as playing, reading, and writing

    Preparing food for the children

    Supporting the outreach program to help the children who can't come the centre



    Free-time activities

    Explore a variety of activities at affordable volunteer rates, including:

    1. Scenic hiking/walking tours to waterfalls, through forests, and around a picturesque lake.

    2. Refreshing swims in natural hot springs, offering stunning views of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

    3. Engaging cultural tours to Maasai markets ...

    Free-time activities

    Explore a variety of activities at affordable volunteer rates, including:

    1. Scenic hiking/walking tours to waterfalls, through forests, and around a picturesque lake.

    2. Refreshing swims in natural hot springs, offering stunning views of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

    3. Engaging cultural tours to Maasai markets and opportunities to interact with diverse ethnic groups.

    4. Educational coffee plantation tours, delving into the bean-to-cup process.

    5. Thrilling safaris to the Northern Circuit's national parks (Arusha NP, Lake Manyara NP, Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Ngorongoro Conservation Area).

    6. Incredible climbs of Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro.

    7. FREE town tour for all our volunteers, providing insights into the local area.


    Requirements

    Requirements

    Minimum Age: 16 years

    In order to join the program you need to be at least 16 years old on the program start date.

    Language Skills

    You need to speak English (basic level)

    Criminal Background Check

    required

    Required Documents

    CV, Picture of Volunteer and Criminal backgroun check

    Nationality Restrictions

    No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

    Other Skills

    No prior experience is required.

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 09:00 - 13:00

    What's Included

    What's Included

    Services by Viva Tanzania

    The fees include:
    • pre-arrival support through email, WhatsApp, telephone and video calls

    • advice and guidance about the projects 

    • pick up at the airport or bus station on your arrival

    • drop off at the airport or a bus station when you leave

    • an orientation tour in Arusha personalized to your individual needs, including help buying a local sim card, guidance on how to use public transport and lunch

    • on the first day of your project our volunteer coordinator will come with you to show you which public transport to take, and make sure you settle in well at your project

    • €50 project donation*

    • accommodation in our hostel

    • breakfast and dinner seven days a week (lunch is included in some projects – see the project description for more information)

    • 24/7 support from our volunteer coordinators who speak English and German

    *We donate a quarter of the registration fee to our Viva Tanzania Volunteer’s fund. This fund is used to help the projects we work with when they have extra expenses they cannot afford. For example, medical and veterinary costs, utility bills, salaries and paint, etc.



    Airport Pickup at Kilimanjaro International Airport

    In your program fee, the pick up and drop off from/to the airport/bus station are included. One of our friendly staff members, will be at the airport/bus stand with our "Viva Tanzania" sign, just in time when your plane or bus arrives. And after your volunteer experience, when it's time to say good bye, we will take you to the airport/bus stand for the farewell.

    Accommodation

    Accommodation:

    Our hostel, conveniently situated near Arusha's city centre, offers a vibrant community atmosphere where volunteers, interns, and travellers come together. A 25-minute walk takes you to the heart of the city, with motorcycle cabs and dala dalas (minibuses) readily available for quick transport. At our hostel, relaxation space awaits, including a pool, a rooftop terrace with a bar, a shop featuring products from our projects, and a small spa. Safety is prioritised with a wall over two meters high and diligent night watchmen.

    Rooms:

    Choose from our range of accommodation options, including 6 and 4-person dormitories, as well as double and single rooms. Each room has its own bathroom with a hot shower, closets for storage, and a personal safe secured with a lock. For added privacy, rooms are separated by gender. Single and double rooms are available at an additional charge of €50 per person per week.

    Food & Beverages

    Board

    Our cook prepares vegetables, fruit, pancakes and daily changing breakfast highlights. Tea, coffee, margarine, honey, peanut butter, jam are also available.

    For dinner there are different dishes from Tanzanian and Western cuisine. If you are vegetarian, vegan or have allergies/intolerances, it is no problem at all.

    If you would like to buy food, there is a refrigerator and shelves where you can store your groceries.





    Internet Access

    Good access at the project site

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) in Kilimanjaro. We assist you to find cheap flights to Tanzania. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

    Travel Insurance

    Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Tanzania provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

    If you are intending to volunteer in Tanzania you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Tanzania. VACCINE CHECKER

    Details on arrival

    You're free to start your project any day that suits you. Upon landing at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), your driver, recognizable by their Viva Tanzania shirt and sign, will take you to your accommodation. Your first day includes an orientation and town tour, covering Arusha, transport, ATMs, markets, and getting a SIM card. The following day, our volunteer coordinator will guide you to your project site, ensuring your safety.

    Availability
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

    Program fees

    4 weeks (min. stay) 650€
    6 weeks 1,450€
    9 weeks 2,050€
    50 weeks (max. stay) 10,250€
    Average fees 183€/week

    Program fees

    183€ per week 4 - 50 weeks Age 16 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES


    Duration

    4 - 50 weeks

    Deposit

    The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


    Final Payment

    Your final payment will be agreed with Viva Tanzania during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


    Meet your organization

    Viva Tanzania

    Brilliant 4.7 rating (36 reviews)

    Agency - founded in 2015

    Verified by Volunteer World

      Very high response rate

    Coordinated by

    Tizia

    Spoken languages: Swahili, English, German

    About the project

    Viva Tanzania is a German-Tanzanian organization established in order to support meaningful and needy projects in Arusha, North Tanzania.

    Meet your organization

    Viva Tanzania was established in 2015 by Tizia Doriye due to her passion for intercultural encounters, tourism and nature. Tizia is a Cultural Anthropologist by profession. Together with our local team we want to make sure that you can make experiences abroad in a safe environment.

    We want to assist people from all over the world and Tanzanians to learn from one another through intercultural exchange. By helping foreigners to find meaningful projects that need support we do not only want to enable them to gain experience in working and being with people from different origins but also broaden the horizonts of everyone. Our mission is to establish an environment in which intercultural encounter can take place. Our participants will be enabled to gain first hand experience in a totally different sourrounding from what they are knowing. We want to show them the diversity of people, cultures and lifestyles. On the other hand we want to support needy projects in Arusha, our hometown.

    Our vision is to change the people's perception of Africa, Tanzania and its inhabitants through challenging and reducing stereotypes and racism. We believe that this can only be done through intercultural exchange like volunteering.

    Tizia is the of Viva Tanzania. She has a Bachelor in Cultural Anthropology and she wrote her Bachelor thesis about Maasai stereotypes in media and tourism. She loves her three kids and three dogs as well as the life in Tanzania. She is responsible for the website, the marketing and the communication before, while and after your stay. She already spent a year as a volunteer in Tanzania and did an internship in Arusha. She is also a yoga teacher and a massage therapist. So she definitely knows what’s important to make your time unforgettable. At the same time she is your contact person for all intercultural issues and problems.

    36 reviews · rating4.7

    Spent a month with the kids in pre school, What I saw and heard will have huge impact of changing the way I think. Viva Tanzania is great, not only the volunteer experience, it is very safe and you will be surprise that all people in the organization is so kind and great. 100% ...
    The Little Stars Primary school is a small, well organised school that is just starting out and therefore only has two classes. Because of that, it was easy for me to form a tight and personal connection to the students and teachers. During my time there, I had a lot of opportunities to bring in ...
    I will never forget the time with Viva Tanzania! Because I came to Arusha alone, it was important to me to get connection as soon as possible. For that I was in the right place with Tini and Tizia! The two helped me any time with words and deeds. Whether it was about getting my internship visa ...
    Laly Tunde rating5

    2024 at Teach & Educate Children

    I was in the Arusha modern school for a volunteer trip. It’s was a very very good experience I recommend it ! I thank the Viva Tanzania organization and all the staff for their kindness towards the volunteers, I will come back soon ...
    Julica rating4.8

    2024 at Teach & Educate Children

    I worked for two Months in the Arusha Modern School as a volunteer. During this time you‘ll get the chance to getting to know the culture and to interact with amazing children and teachers! I had a lot of freedom in how I want to build up a lesson or what to practice with the ...
    Really a very good experience and an excellent way to discover Tanzania. With Bertrand we chose to do 4 weeks of volunteering in Tanzania to celebrate our recent retirement. This allowed us to meet many wonderful people. We were volunteers for the Elangata Agrovet project. Beyond the (limited) ...

    Location


    You might also be interested in

    Contact Tizia
      Very high response rate
    Swahili, English, German

    Most volunteers ask about


    Do you have any more questions? Send a message to Tizia
    Please don't share personal contact details for your privacy

    Book with Flex Option!

    Choose new departure dates or change to a different volunteer program at no extra costs within 12 months.

    Enjoy our services for dedicated volunteers!

    Enjoy a Refund Guarantee, Free Flex Option, and Emergency Assistance. Our Price-Guarantee ensures unbeatable value, and our Support Team is ready to assist.