Volunteer in Tanzania

I have gained a genuine perspective. The people of Tanzania are absolutely beautiful and they express a level of gratitude that is unfortunately rare back home. Being a medical volunteer was incredibly humbling and rewarding.

My advice to anyone thinking about joining would be to jump in! You will be taken care of by the local team and be able to experience a culture that is truly joyous! You will be impacted by the people you meet far more than you will know.

I had the most incredible experience in Arusha, having immersed myself in the culture, and learnt a lot about myself in the process. Life is so different in Tanzania compared to England, and I will never live my life in quite the old way. I have a new appreciation for all the things I take for granted.

My agricultural project has also made me love the topic so much more, and has given me more confidence in taking it further.

Be brave and prepared to be out of your comfort zone. But the benefits and the experiences will be immense! It will be frustrating at times, which is inevitable, but there is also great highs which more than outweigh the frustrations.

I would like to express my profound gratitude to the local team for their exceptional efforts. Their dedication and hard work throughout the entire process have been truly outstanding. The time and effort they have invested in the organisation surpasses all expectations.

In terms of my accommodation, both the house and the people living/working in the house have played a significant role in my experience during the project. The family I stayed with has been exceptionally warm and helpful, making me feel almost at home from the very first day. Their hospitality has been truly remarkable.

I would advise prospective participants to take the leap and embrace this opportunity. Throughout the entire program, you will never feel alone; there is always someone to support you. You will be immersed in a new culture, meet new people, and have enriching experiences, all while making a meaningful impact.
When selecting a volunteering organisation, I highly recommend IVHQ and the local team in Arusha.

It was amazing! I was prepared for something else and it ended up being better. Everything was very well organised and I felt so comfortable during my stay. I would definitely go on another volunteer program with IVHQ again, including Tanzania for a second time.

Since I arrived, my whole perspective has changed and I have not stopped extending my weeks in Arusha. At the end of the day, I believe that volunteers learn more than children, but going with the children, doing woman's outreach, connecting with all the local people, learning about a whole new culture, starting with the people to the music here, is an experience that I will not stop recommending because you meet many people who are looking for the same thing as you, it is like having another house where you can always return but above all return to continue making a change, since I did see a difference with the children I taught.

Obviously it was quite exciting and a bit scary at the beginning, but my Program Manager and the IVHQ team made everything very clear and the checklist was also very clear to prepare for my trip.

My accommodation (hotel) offered a nice environment and it was great to meet young people from all around the world. The staff of the hotel were very friendly and I felt safe the whole time. The meals in the hotel were all really good too. Even with the limited resources available there was always enough and good food. The food on the social night was amazing! Sometimes we went out for dinner to have some variety, and it was really nice to have the flexibility to do this.

It was a lovely experience and the most beautiful trip I did in my life! The combination of getting to know and be immersed in a complete different culture, never feeling like a real tourist, and helping in a local hospital while improving my medical knowledge, made this the best trip ever.