About
Zanzibar
Known as
the Spice Island, the beautiful island of Zanzibar on Africa’s east coast is
bursting with culture and history, seemingly at odds with its idyllic geography
of white-sand beaches with palms swaying lazily in the sea breeze. Together
this makes Zanzibar a fabulous place to explore as well as a dream to relax and
unwind.
Zanzibar is
the semi-autonomous part of Tanzania in East Africa. It is composed of the
Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, 25–50 kilometres off the coast of the
mainland, and consists of many small islands and two large ones: Unguja
(Zanzibar) and Pemba.
The capital
of Zanzibar, Stone Town, is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Every
culture lover will love this diverse island with many Arabic influences.
Zanzibar has a rich history, which is largely characterized by slave trade.
Zanzibar
has been the entrance of eastern Africa for centuries and it was here where
most slaves were sold; and Indian, Chinese and Arabic merchants would arrive to
trade their wares and buy spices, ivory and slaves. The history of Zanzibar has
created a unique mixture of Indian, African and Arabic influences which can be
seen in its people, food, culture and building styles.
In
Zanzibar it seems as if time has stood still. People live very traditional
lives. The local Zanzibari are 95% Muslim. As a volunteer you have an exemplary
role in the community and it is important that you show respect for the local
community, its people and culture.
This means
that you adapt to the culture and customs. That is why all our volunteers need
to dress appropriately (shoulders covered and long pants).
On the
beaches you can of course just walk around in swimwear.
For this volunteer program we are
looking for serious people who don't come to Zanzibar for the parties. We are
looking for people who really want to contribute to the community, our children
and the project. People who want a unique experience and who want to work
together with others and learn from each other.
About our volunteer program
More Africa is primarily an NGO, offering special education, physiotherapy, day care and medical care to children with disabilities.
Because More Africa depends on donations, we opened our guesthouse in 2019. All profit of the guesthouse goes directly to the NGO and thus to the school and the children.
Within our guesthouse we train 18+ young people with disabilities. One of your tasks will be to train the local staff to work with these young people. In addition, your tasks will be:
- Training new local staff
- Reception back office (reservations, emails etc)
- Stock (keep track of the store and stock, daily)
- Guestrelation
- Organize and book excursions
- Organizing events and activities for our guests or outside people
- Giving guided tours and providing information to interested tourists
Funding
Because More Africa depends 100% on
help from volunteers and donations, we really appreciate it if you want to do a
fundraiser before arrival, during your time here, or after returning home. Your
help will be much appreciated!
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