Special need kids helper

location
4 - 24 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

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

Highlights

  • Give smiles to children with special needs
  • Learn about intercultural exchange
  • Explore the beauty of Africa

Highlights

  • Give smiles to children with special needs
  • Learn about intercultural exchange
  • Explore the beauty of Africa
  • Make memories you will never forget
  • Personal growth


  • Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles
    Couples
    Families
    Groups
    50+
    Wheel Chairs

    About the program

    You want to help special need kids, prepare food or maybe feed them, help them in school or just play with them? They are already waiting for you to make them smile!

    Join our inclusive daycare and primary school for special needs kids! 

    In Tanzania unfortunately many families are very very poor, so they can’t afford medicine or therapy for their children. Especially disabled children need a lot of time and sometimes special tools they can’t afford here. So ...

    About the program

    Join our inclusive daycare and primary school for special needs kids! 

    In Tanzania unfortunately many families are very very poor, so they can’t afford medicine or therapy for their children. Especially disabled children need a lot of time and sometimes special tools they can’t afford here. So we help them to follow up in school or with homework, play with them such that they use their muscles, help them to eat and just make them happy! 

    This school is a government school, so they don’t have English teachers or sports/ arts or any kind of special care. This is why most of these children will never get a good education and therefore never get a good job to exit poverty. That’s why they need US - we teach them basic English, play with them or just help them to see a doctor and get medicine for roundabout 5 US-Dollar, that they could never afford alone.


    Typical day

    A typical day could look like that: 

    You get up, take delicious breakfast and leave the house around 8:30am, to walk to the inclusive Daycare. School starts at 9am, then you can welcome the children, make them sit down and start teaching them English or just caring for them. At 10am they will have a ...

    Typical day

    A typical day could look like that: 

    You get up, take delicious breakfast and leave the house around 8:30am, to walk to the inclusive Daycare. School starts at 9am, then you can welcome the children, make them sit down and start teaching them English or just caring for them. At 10am they will have a break and eat porridge, so you will prepare porridge before, hand it to the children and help them to eat. After you can just play with them and make them smile! At 1pm school will be finished, so you can help the teachers clean up and say goodbye to the children for today. They also go dancing, walking, cooking, swimming and to the playground with the children.
    After that you can either go to the pool in hotels and chill in the sun, visit the Maasai market, go to a coffee in town or just hang out at home - just as you like. In the evening we provide dinner for you and around that all day you are free to do whatever you like.


    Free-time activities

    Visit a Maasai Village

    Visit Moshi Town and Materuni waterfalls
    Trip to hot springs 
    Safari 
    Climbing Kilimandjaro or Mount Meru
    Hiking
    Weekend-trips

    Free-time activities

    Visit a Maasai Village

    Visit Moshi Town and Materuni waterfalls
    Trip to hot springs 
    Safari 
    Climbing Kilimandjaro or Mount Meru
    Hiking
    Weekend-trips


    Requirements

    Requirements

    Minimum Age: 18 years

    In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

    Language Skills

    You need to speak English (basic level)

    Education Requirements

    English at High School level

    Criminal Background Check

    required

    Required Documents

    CV

    Nationality Restrictions

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

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 08:30 - 13:30

    What's Included

    What's Included

    Services by Giving Hands Tansania

    The prices are for accommodation and food (breakfast and dinner). The costs for other things you need for yourself, bus fees, visa or trips are not included in that money.

    A briefing on your first day with a town tour in Arusha is included and we also bring you to the project on your first day.

    We pick you up anytime from the airport and bring you home on your last day.

    Wi-Fi, hot water showers, filtered drinking water


    24/7 emergency contact 


    Security guard for the night


    50 USD project donation 


    Planning of fair prices trips and tours like safari or climbing Kilimandjaro etc with our tour company.

    Airport Pickup at Kilimanjaro International Airport

    We pick you up anytime from the airport Monday to Friday (Kilimandjaro or Arusha Airport) and bring you to our hostel.

    You can start the project from Monday to Friday at any day. You will get a briefing about tanzania and a town tour on your first day and join the project on the following day.

    Accommodation

    You will live in our big volunteer hostel with 6 rooms and 5 bathrooms, a kitchen with a big fridge and storage drafts for your food, a big living and dining room, 2 verandas, 2 balcony’s and a BIG garden to chill. The rooms are 4-6 dorm rooms Andrew also offer a private double room. My husband and me, we also live on the same compound, so if you need anything or have problems we are always there. We have a fence and a wall around the hostel and we have a security guard who is here night and day to protect the house. On top of that we have our angel Helena, she is cooking, washing and cleaning for you. 

    Our hostel is very central in Arusha in a nice neighbour, 5 minutes foot walk to the bus station, fruit stands, pharmacy and small restaurants, 10 minutes walking to a big European supermarket and 10 minutes with the bus to the city centre. There is also a gym (also courses like yoga etc), many swimming pools and restaurants or cafes in near neighbourhood around the hostel.

    You will be in a shared room in your own big bed with Moskito net and bed material we will put you and also wash it every week. The rooms have cupboards and you share the bathroom (with warm water) and toilet with the other room.

    Feel home anytime - Karibu sana!

    Food & Beverages

    We will cook breakfast and dinner for you from Monday to Friday. For breakfast there is always bread and butter, jam, honey and peanut butter and fresh cooked ginger tea with lemon grass. We provide something special every morning such as eggs, pancakes, mandazi or samosa (Tanzanian), bananas or something else for every day. In the evening we cook dinner which is a mix of Tanzanian and European cuisine and always served with fresh fruits like watermelon or pineapple.

    The food is mostly vegetarian and also sometimes vegan, if you have any allergies or special wishes please let us know.

    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 can join and start at any time of the year!

    We pick you up anytime from the airport and bring you home, this will be an additional fee of 50 USD each way for fuel - it’s about 1,5 hours from the airport to home.

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

    Program fees

    4 weeks (min. stay) 735€
    6 weeks 980€
    7 weeks 1,105€
    9 weeks 1,355€
    11 weeks 1,600€
    24 weeks (max. stay) 3,200€
    Average fees 158€/week

    Program fees

    158€ per week 4 - 24 weeks Age 18 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES


    Duration

    4 - 24 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 Giving Hands Tansania during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


    Meet your organization

    Giving Hands Tansania

    Brilliant 4.7 rating (35 reviews)

    Agency - founded in 2022

    Verified by Volunteer World

      Very high response rate

    Coordinated by

    Sarah

    Spoken languages: German, English, Swahili, French

    About the project

    You’re ready dive into another culture, have the most beautiful experience of your lifetime, make children smile, and see the beauty of Africa? You can make a difference!

    Meet your organization

    Who is giving hands?

    We are Sarah - a German physical therapist who decided to stay here in Tanzania & Emmanuel - a Tanzanian safari and tour guide - will do anything to give you the most beautiful time here in Africa.

    Our team members all grew up here in Arusha and are well experienced in tourism and internationality. We offer you fair prices for all our tours and safaris around Arusha and guide you through this beautiful experience. Me myself, I volunteered for 6 months in different projects, so I know the problems and adventures you may face as people from another culture and can also give you important information regarding volunteering in Tanzania. This combination of knowledge and experience helps us to understand your needs and help you wherever we can to make your stay unforgettable! 


    What do we do?

    We founded this social project to help the people in Tanzania, because we can’t save the world alone. That’s why we need Y O U !  We provide a housing and fresh cooked meals in our house for you during your stay and we give you the opportunity to work voluntarily in several different projects like children care, hospitals, schools, babyhomes, environmental projects or women empowerment projects to help the community and increase intercultural exchange. Emmanuel as a native will show you the town Arusha, which bus to take, how to dress properly, where to go and how to behave in this culture and we bring you in those projects the first day, such that you know what to do and where to go. 


    Where are we?

    We - and also you if you come - live in Arusha, Tanzania. Tanzania itself is located in Eastern Africa and is a very safe country. You can trust me as a European, I‘ve never been scared or felt offended at any time (which is also because Emmanuel explained me well on the first days). The people here are so open minded and warmly welcome everyone, no matter which religion or skin colour, they are just nice to each other. Arusha is THE tourism town, because every Safari starts from here, so we have supermarkets, coffees, restaurants and many hotels, just like in Europe. The gap between very poor and very rich people is quite big here, so you will find every kind of person on the road. It’s just colourful and nice here, but see for yourself!


    Our vision is, to help the community of Africa. Not just help them temporarily but to help them help themselves better. This can only be done together, that’s why we need you. We also wish to show you the t r u e Africa with its true people and show you this wonderful but also very different culture. Come visit us and we show you the beauty of this wonderful place of earth.

    On top of that we aim to teach English to poor children, such that they can have a future and good education means also a good job. 

    Furthermore we aim to educate the women and also the men (starting in school) about hygienical issues, menstruation and sexual diseases like HIV or explain them about how not to get pregnant in a young age to ensure a better future for the girls. 

    My personal goal as a therapist is of course also to help those in need such as people with diseases or special need children, because their life is hard itself but in a poor country without any chance of earning money it’s even harder. 


    Who are we looking for?

    We are looking for motivated people who want to get to know the real Africa and do their volunteering in the most beautiful country with people who really need our help. It’s important to be open minded and simply interested in this other culture.


    Why choose us?

    First, we bring travelling (such as safaris, trip to hot springs or maasai villages or other tours) and volunteering together, to guarantee you the most beautiful experience of your life! 

    The projects that we offer are all well evaluated, and we also visit them regularly to ensure a lasting impact to the society and that everything is working well. We are always in good communication with all the projects, their managers and the people around and work together with them happily already for more than 2 years.

    On top of that, 50!USD of the money you pay go directly to the project you volunteer for! This ensures them a financial support for their daily needs, as you will see when you reach there.

    To start your adventure, you get a Orientation tour through the city of Arusha in which our team members explain you everything you have to know about living here peacefully. We pick a tanzanian SIM card with you, show you how to pick money and bring you to local markets and a big western supermarket where you can get everything you need. Our volunteer hostel is very central in Arusha, such that you can even get everything by foot nearby. We also bring you to your project on your first day, to show you everything.

    We cook for you Breakfast and Dinner from Monday to Friday with delicious African tea and coffee, bread with peanut butter, butter and jam and a special every day like pancakes, mandazi, eggs, guacamole with avocado or fruits. For dinner we serve a mixture of African and western dishes like spaghetti, rice and chapati. The food is mostly vegetarian, if you have allergies or anything don’t hesitate to let us know, such that we can adapt the food. It’s even mostly vegan for those who want.

    We really do this with love and all our hearts, you will live in our house with maximum 6 other people in a room with maximum 4 people each room and enough space - so it’s very familiar and comfortable and not crowded and unknown as many other hostels here. If you have anything on your mind or want to ask something we will be there for you. 

    Also our location is very close to supermarkets and restaurants and a fresh fruit and vegetable market, so you can enjoy the tastiness of Africa! 

    On top of that we offer you all our trips like safaris and other weekend trips for special prices, that’s actually very cool. 

    And we will truly put you into projects that really need help and also give you an impact of this wonderful African culture. Emmanuel as a native will cook (very delicious) African food and explain you a lot about the culture. You could also take Swahili lessons or just ask if you need to know anything - fell free, hakuna matata!

    35 reviews · rating4.7

    Jessica Harvey rating5

    2024 at Special need kids helper

    I had a wonderful time staying with Sarah and Emanuel, who were so accommodating, as well as their tour guide, Debra! Serving both preschool and primary school children with autism and living in an impoverished area, by assisting with teaching, serving food, singing songs, and playing games or just ...
    Miriam Pander rating4.8

    2024 at Special need kids helper

    I was spending 6 weeks at the Giving Hands Hostel and in my project there were kids with special needs. The hostel was amazing, especially Sarah and Emmanuel. They were always there when you need them. You can talk with them about every topic. It does not seem like they are your boss. The other ...
    Maria Christodoulou rating3.8

    2024 at Special need kids helper

    I spent six weeks with the Giving Hands organization from April to May, volunteering at a school for children with special needs. While I appreciate the opportunity and the cause, I feel compelled to share some concerns regarding my experience, which I believe future volunteers should consider ...
    Robin rating5

    2022 at Special need kids helper

    My stay was very well organized. After arriving at the airport, they picked us up and drove us to the housing. The house of Sarah and Emmanuel is clean and arranged cozy. I always felt welcome and they took good care about me. Further, they showed me around the city and explained what to care about. ..
    Alexandra Pinard-Gigan rating5

    2024 at English, French or Sports Teacher

    J'ai eu un réel coup de cœur pour cette organisation ! Entre vie de famille, encrage dans la réalité de la vie Tanzanienne et ambiance chaleureuse je m'y suis sentie rapidement comme chez moi en prenant des repères et des habitudes facilement et ce, notamment grâce à l'accompagnement de ...
    My first trip to Africa, never before I was so far away from home, and then for 2 months and alone. Arriving at the hostel was great, the owners immediately welcomed me and gave me the feeling that one is safe here and that they take care of you. The freshly cooked food from Helena was always ...

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    German, English, Swahili, French

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