Voluntourism in Tanzania

The increasingly popular voluntourism trend is contributing to an increase in interesting volunteer opportunities in Africa. Tanzania is generally considered to be one of the safest countries in Africa for tourists, so it is natural to consider Tanzania voluntourism opportunities. Voluntourism gives people who have been fortunate in life the chance to experience giving back on vacation. Voluntourists help others or work for ecological preservation while seeing the world. Voluntourism organizations put together packages that reduce the cost that altruistic volunteers have to pay for the experience.

Madventurer has a community building and teaching voluntourism package that takes volunteers to the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro. Their packages run from two to six weeks and volunteers stay in local villages and eat local cuisine while helping the Tanzanian community. Upcoming packages are available that help with construction and building schools for the local community.

Volunteers for Peace (or VFP for short) is one of the lower priced voluntourism organizations. VFP has voluntourism packages to Tanzania that last two to three weeks. VFP is upfront with volunteers by describing possible accommodation and living conditions that might not be up to Western standards. Cooperative living arrangements are generally in a school, church, private home or community center. VFP asks that volunteers be prepared to be adaptable. Upcoming charity work packages focus on assisting with construction, renovation, kids, women, and sports.

Cross Cultural Solutions (or CCS for short0 offers voluntourism opportunities in Tanzania. Their Africa programs last a minimum of three weeks. Volunteers participate in the daily lives of Tanzanian residents and offer assistance with care giving, community development, teaching and health care. Home base accommodations are large shared-occupancy rooms that house from 4-6 volunteers. CCS provides transportation from the home base to the volunteer work sites. Free time gives CCS volunteers in Tanzania the chance to explore local safaris as well as the beauty of Mount Kilimanjaro.

I-to-i.com has upcoming Tanzania voluntourism packages that focus on teaching, wildlife, and other community work. Accommodation is in a dormitory-style room. Breakfast and dinner are included in the packages. Transportation provided is limited to airport pickup upon arrival with volunteers walking about half an hour from the dorm house to the work site. The cost is around $1645 for two weeks - with flights, insurance, Visas, and return airport transfer not included.

Some other organizations that offer Tanzania voluntourism packages are Global Service Corps, Zara Tours, Paragon Travel, and travelstoreusa.com. New travel organizations create new packages on a regular basis so be sure to run an Internet search. These Tanzania volunteer opportunities packages vary widely in prices, accommodations provided, and time commitments required. The packages also change from season to season; government regulations also occasionally impose changes so carefully review all information before making the final voluntourism package selection.

Sources

http://goafrica.about.com/od/workinafrica/a/summervolunteer.htm