Social work with children in Moshi Town

In Moshi, a town on the foothills of Kilimanjaro we work with a number of facilities that support children. These children have for various reasons, less privileged lives and wouldn't be cared for sufficiently without the work of the facilities. In Tanzania, there are approximately 4 million children under 14 who are not appropriately cared for. Volunteer assignments are possible for everyone interested and motivated, and also internships, for instance for students of social work or education. Many facilities employ social workers, teachers and other professionals.

We select the facilities we work with carefully and screen them thoroughly. Please note our information about sustainability of volunteering/internship assignments with children and our advice for child protection.

This placement is possible as a Remote / Virtual internship from home! Tasks for Remote Interns: Case Management (based on the information provided to you from the local social workers and our team member Miriam you will write case reports and you will work on and discuss plans of social work with the social worker and Miriam via Skype), Social Media Activities (Facebook, Website), Fundraising. The remote internship is 450 EUR for the first month and 100 EUR additionally for any additional month or part thereof. Just submit the inquiry/order form form and mention "Remote Internship"!

Why is your support needed?

In Tanzania, there are approximately 4 million children under 14 who are not appropriately cared for (with Tanzania having a total population of 38 million people!). A big part of these children are orphans, many of which have lost their parents through AIDS. Others have been rejected by unmarried mothers, as children born by single mothers are socially not accepted in Tanzania, or because the single mothers are too poor to cater for the basic needs (such as nutrition) of their children. Even if the children still have both parents, they often left their homes because of extreme poverty of the parents, domestic violence, which is often caused by the parents' alcoholism or drug abuse, or because of being victims of witchcraft.

Many of these children live on the streets, trying to make a living through begging, stealing or prostitution. Street children can be seen wearing tattered cloth, walking alone or in small groups through the streets of cities such as Arusha or Moshi, sleeping in house entrances or primitive self-made shelters. Other children who don’t have a family don't actually live on the streets, but with relatives or host families as "second class children", having to stand behind the host families' own children in terms of nutrition, accommodation and education. Whereas boys usually prefer to live on the streets, staying with other families is the typical option for girls. At their host families, they are often abused as "working slaves" and find themselves on the lowest position of society, often being the target of physical violence, humiliation and sexual abuse.

How can you get involved?

All of the centres presented below have a real need for volunteers. They were started by proactive locals who have put a lot of personal effort into their projects, improving them to what they are today. The centres can acceptably cater for the basic needs of the children and have gained – in most cases through World Unite! – first experiences with foreign volunteers whom they can introduce to their work and accompany in an appropriate way. However, still today, the centres struggle with everyday financial issues. There have been volunteers and interns who have participated actively. But it must be clear that most managers and staff of these facilities have never been outside of Tanzania and the approach to many issues is fundamentally different from Western thought patterns. Therefore, it is expected that volunteers be flexible and willing to adapt to the Tanzanian culture.

As the life situations and conditions of some children are not always easy, we try to combine older, more experienced volunteers with younger, less experienced participants, so that they can support each other. When planning at which organizations to exactly place you as a volunteer or intern, we therefore have to check which other volunteers who will be there during your time frame. For this reason, particularly when you book a long time in advance, we will be probably able to confirm a certain centre to you only around 2-3 months prior to your arrival.

Most facilities are Day Centers, where the children live with their families, relatives or foster families and are supported by social workers. Some projects offer temporary shelter for children, as long as their return into an intact family structure can not be ensured. For the sake of the well-being of the children, we do not work with organisations where children are staying at a children's home for a longer period of time without the institution actively trying to bring the children back into an intact family structure.

Tuleeni Centre & Akili Kindergarten

Tuleeni Orphanage Centre was founded by Mama Flaria Faraja, a social worker. There is a residential home for children and a kindergarten. It is the aim of Mama Faraja to return the children into an intact family structure. As long this cannot be guaranteed, the children can stay at the home. Currently, 12 children aged 2 to 17 are staying at Mama Faraja's home.

The children aged 0-3 years spend the whole day at the Tuleeni Home. Children aged 3-6, during the daytime, attend Akili Kindergarten which is also run by Mama Faraja and which is located just next to the Tuleeni premises. Besides the Tuleeni children, other children from Moshi-Rau attend Akili kindergarten; in total there are about 30 children at the kindergarten, which has two educators. The Tuleeni children over 6 attend primary or secondary school and return to the orphanage in the afternoon.

Interns and volunteers can be at Tuleeni Home and at Akili Kindergarten.

Activities at Akili Kindergarten include:

Assisting the Kindergarten educators in teaching Mathematics and simple English, numbers, and ABC. After an introduction, you can teach on your own if you like to
Playing games, singing songs, doing handcrafts, sports, dance etc.
Assisting with cooking, washing dishes and tidying up the kindergarten
Providing workshops such as "Toothbrushing Workshops“, teaching proper hand washing, etc.

The grounds of Akili Kindergarten will soon also have a small library. Class times are from 8 am to 12:30 pm.

In the afternoon, volunteers/interns can help at the orphanage:

Assisting the children with their daily routine, such as homework, washing, brushing teeth, etc.
Helping with cooking and cleaning up, feeding the younger children
Assisting the centre with administrative tasks (finances, reports etc.)

During the Tanzanian public holidays (in December, from June-July, and during Easter) Akili Kindergarten is closed, but volunteers/interns can still continue with tasks and activities at the centre.

The youth of the centre are dying fabrics using the Batique technique. The fabrics are then used by a women’s group to make cloth, which is an income-generating activity for the women. In total, Tuleeni runs three women’s groups (with 22, 15 and 10 members respectively), also breeding pigs.

Volunteers/interns who have experiences in handcrafts (sewing, woodwork, carpentry etc.) or sports (dance etc.), can provide workshops at Tuleeni Center. Former volunteers have for instance organized a carpentry workshop (building tables and chairs, including material purchase, cost calculations etc.).

Volunteers can also provide language classes to children and youth at the Tuleeni Center, particularly if they stay for longer durations. The Center is particularly interested in English, German, French and Spanish.

As a volunteer or intern you can not only be at Tuleeni Centre and Akili Kindergarten, but you can also join the activities of the women’s groups. These diverse activities will give you good insights into African life and social work.

Tuleeni is running another centre, located in Uru, outside of Moshi town, called "Tuleeni Academy". It is a Day Care Center/Nursery School for 43 children, which has 4-6 permanent teachers.

Communting time between both centres using public transport is around one hour (incl. the walk to and from the Daladala stops). It is also possible to do a volunteer/internship placement exclusively in Uru, or to combine the two locations Uru and Moshi-Rau.

In the tab "More Info", you will find an experience report by Tanja on Tuleeni centre/Akili kindergarten.

Upendo Children's Home

Upendo Children's Home was founded as early as in 1934 and is run by the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood. It is a centre of high standards that only takes babies and toddlers that have been abandonded, trying to find new families for them. The centre has a maximum capacity of 60 children and currently accommodates 42 children aged 0-6 years.

The children aged 0-3-yeas are at the centre during the whole day. There are two large dormitories for babies (separated between girls and boys), each under 24 hours supervision. In total there are 9 staff at the centre, working in shifts. In addition, there are 3 missionary sisters at the centre under the direction of Sister Yacintha, who holds a degree in Social work and can supervise interns.

The children aged 3-6-years attend the full day Nursery School run by Upendo Chodren's Home, which is located on the same campus. At the nursery school, teaching is done by local teachers only; volunteers/interns are usually not involved.

Instead, volunteers support the centre's staff with all work that needs to be done and assist the children with their daily routine (washing, brushing teeth, eating etc.). They also play with the kids (e.g. singing, dancing, games), do leisure activities and spend time with them. As Upendo Centre is understaffed, interns/volunteers are expected to help out with general tasks such as making beds, doing laundry, cleaning and tidying up, especially in the mornings when most children are at the kindergarten. Volunteers and interns are included in the centre's staff shift system and are expected to regularly work on weekends. If you work on a weekend, you will get two weekdays off in exchange and you will not have to work on the following weekend. Especially on weekends and evenings the help of volunteers and interns is needed, as all children are at the center and need to be looked after.

A typical day at Upendo:

8 am: Work starts for volunteers/interns. Until 11:30am, activities with the children who are staying at the centre. Helping with general activities (making beds, doing laundry, cleaning and tidying up of the classrooms and playrooms, sweeping floors, etc.).
11:30am: Lunch. Afterwards, the children take a nap until about 2:30pm.
2:30pm: Activities with the children and other tasks until about 5pm.
5pm: Dinner. Afterwards, evening leisure activities (e.g. singing, storytelling, etc.).

At Upendo Children's Home, volunteers/interns are expected to follow certain rules and behaviours, for instance to comply with working hours (punctuality), to inform the director in case of illness or delays, and to choose a modest clothing style.

Upendo Home offers the possibility to be accommodated directly at the centre on full board for 20 USD per day. Volunteers/interns who are accommodated directly at Upendo can also assist the staff with night shifts and can take care of newborns and babies. Volunteers/interns who don’t stay at Upendo cannot involve in the care of newborns and babies due to the risk of infections.

At Upendo Home, there are also three special need children. Volunteers/interns of special education, inclusive education and physiotherapy are welcome.

Salama Centre

Salama Centre, which opened in 2009, is located in the Majengo area of Moshi Town. It is a Community Centre, a Daycare Centre and a Nursery School.

Community Centre and Family Support

Salama Centre is operating a so-called "kinship care program", which means that disadvantaged children from the area (not only orphans) can get support and education at the centre, but they don't stay there. Instead, they stay with relatives in the Majengo area, for whom the NGO provides capacity building and support, and for whom the centre serves as a point of contact.

17 families are currently supported through this program in health care, education, nutrition and life counselling (e.g. families affected by HIV).

Each family is visited around once per month by a team member of the centre and if necessary, there are further follow-up visits. A report is written after every visit, and in addition there is a summarizing monthly report about all visits carried out. If necessary, members of the supported families are regularly visited at hospitals.

In addition, the schools of the supported children are visited by Salama's team members. Currently, 6 secondary schools and 11 primary schools in and around Moshi are visited every 3 months and written reports are made about the child's performance after each school visit.

Furthermore, Salama Centre carries out monthly workshops for the supported families, training them in topics such as nutrition, health care, education, HIV, children's rights etc.

Nursery school and after-school care

The centre runs a nursery school which is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 12pm for children aged 3 to 6 years. There are currently 28 children at the nursery school.

Activities at the nursery school include:

Assisting the educators with teaching Mathematics and simple English, numbers, and ABC. After an introduction, you can teach on your own if you like to
Playing games, singing songs, doing handcrafts etc.
Sports such as dance, gymnastics etc.

In the afternoons, primary school children are assisted with their homework and given extra classes in mathematics, English, geography, computer applications and arts. This is done by unpaid local volunteer teachers and foreign volunteers. Also youth, young adults and mothers can take part in vocational training and educational offers including computer lessons, tailoring and handcrafts.

This volunteer position is suitable for volunteers and interns from all related subject areas, including social work. The minimum duration of stay is 4 weeks. The centre is open throughout the year and only closed for 2 weeks during Christmas and New Year.

Simbas Footprints

Simbas Footprints supports children and adolescents from socially disadvantaged backgrounds in the Majengo district of Moshi Town. Many of the children are orphans and other Vulnerable Children, for whom the organization has found foster families and continues to support them through their social workers and education and recreation programs at the Community Centre.

From Mondays to Saturdays, the Community Center offers afternoon activities for school children (tuition, afterschool classes in English and maths), and the Simbas Club with workshops and sports activities such as music, dance, theater, crafts, football, netball, and a library.

For adolescent girls there is the "Binti Yetu Club" ("Our Daughter Club"), which deals with topics relevant to the target group.

The organization is carrying out improvements to schools in Majengo district, e.g. Improvement of equipment, infrastructure such as water/food/sanitary facilities and measures on how schools can sustainably finance themselves.

Volunteers and interns can participate in all mentioned activities.

Chapakazi Centre

Chapakazi Center is a Kindergarten/Nursery School and Day Care Center in the Pasua area of Moshi. Compared to other centres, Chapakazi's facilities are relatively poor and simple.

Currently, around 25-30 children from the neighborhood aged 3-5 years attend the Center. Many of the children are from deprived or socially disadvantaged families who can not afford public or private kindergarten. Some of the children are half-orphans.

In the mornings, the are typically some educational activities, e.g. about the alphabet and number, singing, playing, dancing, storytelling, simple English, capping rhymes and circle games.

The centre has two educators, Hadija (who speaks basic English) and Amina, the assistant teacher.

Tasks for volunteers/interns are:

Assisting with teaching simple English, numbers, ABC. After a introduction period, volunteers/interns can also teach lessons on their own.
Singing, playing games, doing sports activities or dancing with the children
Helping with cooking, washing dishes and tidying up the center

The children get two meals at the center, usually porridge and a small lunch. The Center is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm. On Saturdays and Sundays the center is closed.

New Generation Children Center

New Generation Children Center is a kindergarten/nursery school, Day Care Center and Community Project in Kaloleni, in the Pasua area of Moshi, about a 30 minutes' walk from the city center.

Currently, 53 children attend the center. Most children are from Pasua or from neighboring areas and are from socially deprived families who cannot afford public or private kindergarten. Without the help of the Center, many of these children would not have access to appropriate care and education.

There is a morning class (from approximately 8 to 10am) for children aged 3-5 years, and an afternoon class from around 11am for children aged 5-7. In between classes, a meal is provided to all children; this is usually porridge. The children of the afternoon class typically attend primary school, but visit the center in the afternoons for homework support, playing and for leisure time activities. Activities in the morning class usually include singing, playing, learning numbers and letters.

The founders and managers of the centre are Maulidy and Kareem Abdul. Furthermore, there are a teacher and occasionally one assistant teacher who are all unpaid and working on a voluntary basis. Two mothers whose children attend the centre, regularly cook lunch for all children. The center has a small vegetable garden, which however is not sufficient to cater for all children, so food supplies need to be bought.

In addition to the work at the day care center, New Generation also conducts regular home visits to the families whose children attend the center. Social Work Internships are possible with New Generation Children Centre.

Activities for volunteers/interns are:

Assistancing with teaching simple English, numbers, letters, ABC etc. After an introduction period, volunteers/interns can teach lessons on their own.
Singing, dancing, clapping rhymes, circle games, sports activities or dancing with the kids in the morning class
Homework tutoring and recreational activities with the children in the afternoon class
Helping with cleaning and tidying of the Center
Assistance with cooking
Participation in home visits

Opening hours are usually Monday to Friday from 8am to 2 pm. On Saturdays and Sundays the center is closed. Home visits also take place in the late afternoons or outside the regular opening hours.

Bahath Orphanage & Children’s Home

Bahath Orphanage & Children's Home was founded in June 2011. It is located in Usherika, in the far north of Moshi, about 40-50 minutes by public transport and a short walk from Moshi Town. It is a facility for vulnerable children from the Usherika neighborhood. In total, Bahat currently supports 21 children, out of which 11 temporarily stay at the centre until an intact family structure can be found for them, while 10 already stay with foster families. The children are aged 3 to 15 years.

The centre is run by the two founders, Emmanuel and Joseph and two further 2 educators.

In the mornings, all children attend a public Primary (age 6-15 years) or Secondary School (age 15-18). In the afternoons, the Center offers homework support and leisure activities to the children. These activities are carried out by the local team members, but volunteers are most welcome to join.

On weekends and during holidays, the children are at the center during the whole day, and therefore there is a higher workload. Volunteers/interns can do leisure activities with the children, such as sports, games, dancing etc. During holidays, the center also offers additional morning classes which are following the children’s school syllabus, to help them to achieve a more successful learning results.
There are also religious classes.

The typical working hours for volunteers at Bahat Centre are in the afternoons from around 12pm to 6pm, when the children return from school and are at the centre.

Possible tasks for volunteers/interns are:

Teaching Mathematics and English
Homework tuition
Playing games, singing songs, doing handcrafts, assisting the children with their daily duties etc.
Afternoon, weekend and holiday activities (games, excursions etc.)

Komboa Center

Komboa Center was founded in 2013 and is a Kindergarten/Nursery School and Day Care Center in the Majengo area of Moshi town. The Center also offers a variety of afternoon classes for youth. The centre is well equipped with its own kitchen, an office and a small medical room, within a spacious attractive building.

Day Care Center & Nursery

Currently there are around 25 children aged 3-5 years attending the center. Most of them are children from socially deprived families from the local neighborhood whose family can't afford to send them to a public or private kindergarten; some children are half-orphans.

Mandela, who holds a degree in Social Development, is the director of the center. In addition, the centre has a teacher and a caregiver. All of them speak English well. They are all unpaid volunteers.

In the mornings, there are usually lessons of simple English and Swahili (letters and numbers), and other activities such as singing, playing games, dancing, telling stories, etc.

Tasks for volunteers at the Day Care Center are:

Assisting the local teacher in teaching simple English (ABC, letters etc.) and mathematics (learning numbers)
Singing and playing games with the children
Sports activities or dance
Making music (the Center has a keyboard, guitars, marimbas and drums)
Help with cooking, washing dishes and cleaning up

The children get two meals per day at the center, usually porridge and a small lunch. After lunch, the children hold a nap until they are picked up.

Komboa Center regularly conducts home visits to the families whose children attend the Day Care Center. These visits take place around twice per week and volunteers/interns can join. Reports are written after each home visit.

Youth program

The Center offers a variety of afternoon classes for youth, such as tailoring, computer skills and English language classes. These classes are usually provided by local teachers, but foreign inters/volunteers are most welcome to join.

Other tasks for volunteers/interns include:

Conducting workshops in Arts, Music or Sports
Accompanying home visits
Assistaning with administrative and organizational tasks
Working on creative and new teaching ideas together with the local teachers
Assisting with marketing and fundraising
Setting up a website

The Center is open from Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm. On Saturdays and Sundays the center is closed.

Furaha Wa Watoto

Furaha Wa Watoto ("Joy for children") is a Kindergarten/Nursery School and Day Care Center in the Majengo area of Moshi, located about 30 minutes by walk from town.

Currently about 30 children aged 3-5 years from the neighbourhood of Majengo attend the Center. Most of the children are from socially deprived families who can not afford a public or private kindergarten;
some of the children are half-orphans.

The centre has two teachers who work on a voluntary basis.

Opening hours are usually from Monday to Friday from 8am to 12pm.

Tasks for volunteers/interns are:

Assisting with teaching simple English, numbers, ABC. After an introduction period, volunteers/interns can also teach lessons on their own.
Singing, playing games, doing sports activities or dancing with the children
Helping with cleaning and tidying up the Center

Since the funds of the Center are limited, the centre cannot provide a meal to the children every day. Only on some days, the children get porridge.

We are proud members of Pack for a Purpose, an initiative that allows travelers like you to make a lasting impact in the community at your travel destination. If you save just a few kilos of space in your suitcase and take supplies for the projects we support in need, you’ll make a priceless impact in the lives of our local children and families. Please click here to see what supplies are needed for our project/projects.

Info Box

Location: Moshi, Tanzania
Availability: All year, Start date flexible
Minimum Duration: 1 Week

Maximum Duration: 12 Months
Language Requirements: English
Further Languages Of Advantage: Swahili
Accommodation:
Shared Accommodation, Host Family, Hotel

Supervision Possible: Yes
Qualification Of Supervisor: Social Worker, Educator, Teacher
Minimum Qualification Of Intern:
No formal qualification required
Further Contribution To Project: None

Volunteering Possible: Yes
Required Qualification For Volunteer: None
Further Contribution To Project: None
Expectations:
Professional Conduct, Do you have the "right" attitude?

More Infos

Report by Tanja about Tuleeni Centre/Akili Kindergarten

To work in an orphanage in Africa was a long heartfelt wish of mine; I had had a vacation years earlier in South Africa and visited an orphanage. I wanted to help the moms who are responsible every day for the children, remove a portion of their work and give time for the kids to play.

At Tuleeni, I assisted in cooking, cleaning; there was always a lot of dirty clothes to wash by hand and child care to be done. It was important to get things done exactly the way the people were accustomed. My western perspective would certainly have brought out many “suggestions”. However, I did not want to make rules or teach them. Given that I was there for a longer stay, in my view, it was necessary to not destroy trust with a superior attitude. So I thought it was important that the procedures were followed closely, to accept them and to live without interfering.

I had a lot of fun teaching. Although the children and teachers had summer holidays, they wanted to learn together two hours a day. People like me, who are not from the teaching profession, should prepare at home using appropriate textbooks/Internet. Once the children are a certain age, it is important to teach subjects in a specific way. I found that math class was necessary for all. My approach was well liked by the children; sometimes I would make quizzes (like "Millionaire”).

Of course, I also had games for the kids. They were very new for the children here and it was difficult to make everyone understand. I therefore, had the idea to appoint a “Games Master” who was responsible for the overseeing and completion of the games. In Tuleeni, no child has a games closet. So, the “Games Master” was in charge of making sure the game was completed and kept in place. In addition, I also wanted the game rules to be written by the children together in Swahili, so that each child understands how the game is played. Only the bigger children could speak English

Basically, it would be very good if you developed on the existing ideas, which the children can also implement without assistance of a volunteer. For example, we used 9 water bottles filled with water and bowled with the existing ball. Great fun!

For Christmas, we baked cookies together and the kitchen mom wanted the recipe to use for subsequent occasions. Of course, I had brought the ramekins from home and left them there. But what we needed was an easy recipe where all the ingredients were available locally. A sustainable solution.

What can you bring that can be sustainably implemented on the ground? These are things you should think about before travelling. For example, how do I teach children to brush correctly? Maybe you can print corresponding images from home, in order to make it easier to understand...

For me, the experience was one of the best of my life in Moshi. The people laugh and are happy if you can speak a few words of their language (also a tip for preparation).

World Unite! accommodated me very well. My room was really luxurious. And with Adelina, I not only had a coordinator who has shown me Moshi, but also a very good and reliable tutor; I could always reach out to her.

I was very comfortable and felt safe. It is also important to read the preparatory documents shared by World Unite! Only then do I think it is possible to come up with the right attitude. Reading about the culture and people of this country, you can be more understanding of so many things.

And more importantly, the desire behind this participation should not be the expectation of gratitude. The local people are used to donations and volunteering, and personal connections are not valued as much due to lack of resources. It's the thought that counts to make a child’s moments beautiful or help out with the burden of work of adults.

It is best to correspond with an ex-volunteer in advance, to talk and learn more about your project. What you should be prepared for include daily power cut (torch!!!), a wide variety of prices for fruit and vegetables at the market (therefore, best to be able to negotiate in Swahili, then you also get good prices). And you will have dirty laundry that you will have to wash by hand ...

In any case, a total life experience that you don't want to miss any more.

Report by Annika about Kilimanjaro Orphanage

My six months were full of laughter, joy, hospitality, happiness, tears and farewells.

Last August, I began my work as a volunteer in an orphanage in Moshi, at Kilimanjaro Orphanage Centre. From the beginning, I loved to be in the center - along with the wonderful children and staff.

And this was my day: In the first months, my day started with a walk from my hotel, the Twiga Home, to the orphanage. Here, I often stopped at a small "dukani” (shop), to buy my breakfast. The kids from the neighborhood of the Centres would run toward me, holding my hands and greet me every day when I passed. Then I would open the gate to the orphanage, hang my bag on the hook of the great tree in the midst of the court, welcome the Matrons, before I sticking my head into the classroom, where the baby class (the younger children around the age of 3-6) were taught by Lucy. Every morning, they would greet me all together with a "Good morning teacher (or Annika), how are you?”. In that moment, I always felt a smile flit across my lips; it was a very warm feeling to bathe in all the children's looks, directed at me. Then I would take a chair, sit down and listen to Lucy. If the children had to solve their own problems, I would help them complete them and correct them. After the lesson, the children would play outside. I would have rocking fun with them and after that, every child would have his cup full of "porridge". Otherwise, I would help with small tasks such as washing clothes and hanging them, cleaning, chopping and rinsing vegetables. Then, there was lunch. Everyone would gather on the porch, sit down and wait for their portion. Once everyone had a full plate, they would pray and then devour the food. Then it was time for a nap - but not for me. Sometimes I would do the dishes and then ride the Daladala to the city and meet with other volunteers.

In December, my daily routine changed a little. Even the youngest children would go to a school outside the orphanage; hence, there were only a handful in the mornings. So I was now in the Center in the afternoons, if all children were back from school. There was extensive play and fun; we even played football once together with Teacher or Daniel.

Now, I want to write about my personal highlights around the Kilimanjaro Orphange Centre: The first highlight was when I renovated the classroom with two other German volunteers, Chris and Flo. We painted the walls with colorful touches and the floor and the table also got a new coat of paint.

On 22 October, the "Urafiki Cup” was held in Pasua. This was a big event with a soccer tournament, entertainment and show - organized by the volunteer Olaf and supported by many other helping hands. It was a beautiful day with lots of sunshine and many children with smiles that shone with the sun.

But the most wonderful time of my entire stay in Tanzania was on the trip to Tanga. When Dr.Greg asked me if I would like to come along, my heart immediately said "Yes!". During this unforgettable journey, every single child grew very fond of me; so it was much more difficult for me to say "Kwa heri".

The last day at the orphanage was very moving. A tear or two flowed down not only for me, but also for a few children.

It was a wonderful time, that I would not want to miss. Now I am still in touch with "Teacher" and Dr. Greg and hope that time and money allows me to come back to Moshi soon.

Report by Julia about Bahat Orphanage

We are quite on our own in the center, as the two guys who run the center are usually not there and the supervisor speaks little English and does not feel particularly responsible for the children. You should definitely have experience in child care. We did not, and knew not many games and it often times degenerated into chaos, especially when we had sweets or balloons there. Swahili is definitely helpful, as the children speak very little English.

The children are insanely sweet and loving, but also very wild and therefore, a volunteer needs to be experienced. Especially since the children are not only from the center, there children from the neighborhood there. We had around 12 to 16 children. But it was a wonderful feeling when we arrived and we saw the radiant faces that would run to meet us, with five children hanging on each of us.

The two operators of the centers would get the kids to eat when they arrived from school, and then make us do an hour of “teaching”. We did not know this before we left, so were a little overwhelmed as to what to do with the kids, especially since we have no training in the area. We had a math and English book with simple exercises that made us worried. But it's just very difficult when the children understood very little.

All in all, it was a very touching stay there and it broke the kids’ hearts when we left. I would recommend that several volunteers should be there at the same time, who have some experience in child care and if possible, speak a little Swahili. Alone we were helpless with hyperactive kids; there must be someone who has experience. It would also be nice if someone stays longer. We were unfortunately there only one week. I think you can prepare yourself by thinking of many games to keep the kids busy. We have often played ball and was on the football pitch on site. Toys such as balls, etc ... would be good in your home. Otherwise, clothes for children are really necessary. Many garments were completely torn and there is not much change of clothes. I have collected a few children’s clothes I would like to send. I'm trying to organize cheap shipping.

Accommodation

Accommodation in Moshi

In Moshi you can choose between accommodation of different standards:

Most popular! - This is the choice of most of our participants. You live in a shared apartment with other students (you can choose between 4-share dorm room, twin/double room, and single room) or in boarding of middle standards with a host family.

Comfort+ - For those who place emphasis on comfort: Accommodation at a Hotel or boarding of upper standards with a host family.

Adventurer - For simplest deals: Home stays of simple standards.

Shared Accommodation:

KDC House

The spacious and modern house for World Unite! participants is located in the KDC area of Moshi Town. It has 3 large bedrooms, out of which one is used as a 4-share dorm room and the other two are used for double occupancy. All rooms have private bathrooms with a toilet and hot water. The house also has a communal living room, kitchen with dining area, and a large garden. There is also a watchman and a power generator. The KDC public transport stop is located just one minute to walk, from where you reach the town centre by Daladala within 10 minutes, or within 30 minutes when walking. In direct vicinity of the house there are several shops, restaurants and bars.

KCMC House

KCMC is a large hospital of Moshi and the area around the hospital is known as KCMC Area. It is a little hilly, airy and green in contrast to the rather dusty part of Moshi on the plain. In a facility with a total of 14 rooms, we have rented 5 rooms for our participants, renovated and furnished well. The other rooms are occupied by East African students who attend the university in Moshi. Our rooms are for single or double occupancy (with large double beds or two single beds). Each room has a private, small bathroom with western toilet, shower with water heater and sink. For our 5 rooms only, there is a separate kitchen with gas stove and refrigerator. The very green and attractive apartment complex has a large garden with unobstructed views of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Twiga Home

Twiga Home has two buildings with a total of 14 rooms. Besides our participants, backpackers and budget travelers from all over the world stay here; however, we get very attractive special rates for our participants. All rooms have a private bathroom with western toilet and hot shower. Each house has a seating area with sofa; between the two houses, there is a covered lounge area and restaurant. At a little extra per week, you get half boarding (breakfast and dinner - African and Western food). You can cook in a separate kitchen as well. In front of Twiga Home, there is a little beer pub.

Apartment at Ghala Road

At "Ghala Road” in Moshi Town, there is a building in a backyard for our participants. On the ground floor, the building has a two bedroom apartment with its own kitchen, hallway with dining table and sofa, and bathroom with hot shower and western toilet. The house dates from the 50's, as Moshi grew into a real city through the coffee trade, but is fully renovated inside. Each room has two single beds with mosquito nets; the kitchen has an electric cooker, fridge and microwave. On the first floor, accessible by stairs from outdoors, there are three single rooms that share a bathroom and a kitchen.

Host Families:

Boarding of Medium Standards with Host Family

Staying with a host family provides you with the opportunity to get a more intensive insight into the Tanzanian culture and society. We work with many host families in the city of Moshi. For boarding of middle standards, families are of the upper middle class of Tanzania. Their houses are of quality construction, equipment and furnishing for most of our participants. Often the houses have two bathrooms (which are also tiled), one for parents and one for the children and you. The shower is often cold, since a water heater consumes too much power. There is usually a western toilet in the house. There is Tanzanian and Western food like toast with jam, omelette and tea for breakfast; Meat/fish with vegetables and rice/ugali and chapati for dinner and to drink, tea, boiled water or homemade fruit juice. Vegetarian dishes are available on request. There is a fridge; food is usually cooked on gas. Most such families have one or two domestic workers who cook, clean and wash clothes by hand. Often, in the living room you'll find decorative curtains and doilies, stereo, television and an older laptop. The family also often, has a motorcycle or a thirty year old used Japanese car. Most of these things are, however, saved up over many years and the family still has financial difficulties to finance a college education for their children and use the car only for absolutely necessary journeys.

Hotel Accommodation and Boarding of High Standards with Host Families:

Mountain Inn

Mountain Inn Hotel is quietly situated in a large park just outside the town, reachable in 5-10 minutes by public transport from the city center. The rooms are tastefully decorated with TV, balcony, bathroom and desk. Water is heated by solar energy. There is a pool, sauna, massage Center, garden, restaurant, bar and free Wifi. Breakfast is included in the price.

Boarding of High Standards with Host Family

Staying with a host family provides you with the opportunity to get a more intensive insight into the Tanzanian culture and society. The high standard boarding with families show their high walls for security, park-like landscaped ornamental gardens, opulent living rooms with status symbols such as large flat screen televisions and furniture from fine wood and gold imitation. If you look closer, you realize however, that this comes more down to "Status" and "ceremonial" value, rather than quality and longevity. As in the simpler houses the faucets, doors, furniture, etc. are low quality and are regularly broken down. The pomp is shown usually only in the air-conditioned living rooms, where visitors are welcomed, as well as in palatial "Master Bedroom" of the parents, and less in the bedrooms of children, which are kept functional. The food is usually very generous and cooked by maids who serve this for you and the family. Often, there are also drivers, nannies, gardeners and security guards as domestic staff who live in a separate house on the property. Such families usually have a power generator that is turned on in case of frequent power outages. Older children are often in boarding schools abroad like Malaysia,Emirates and England and you live in their nursery. Younger children are often at home and want to play with you.

Comments about the Host Family of "Yasmin":

"The family is a dream and I felt part of it!!! Food was excellent and they have made my experience a highlight. If I had not had them, I would have felt lost. Everything was perfect !!!!!!!!"

"Yasmin took excellent care of us; when one of us was sick, she nursed us back to health. She has helped me in my work plan and always had time for me; we have also made many family outings, I really felt at home with her."

"What to say? Yasmin is just great. Her family receives one with open arms, even if it looks a bit like being back at 15 and needing a babysitter."

"Everything was great with Yasmin. Beautiful house, always nice and clean and you could, at any time, chat with Yasmin. One only needs to take one look at. Yasmin's house and then you know why we have rated her on top in the questionnaires."

For all accommodation in Tanzania: Although the accommodation described is of "high standard" for locals, remember that you are in a developing country and cannot therefore, expect high standards as you are used to in Europe for example, in relation to sanitary facilities, buildings, well equipped kitchens, etc.

Host family of simple standards:

Homestays of Simple Standards

The boarding of simplest standard that we offer, is with families that belong to the Tanzanian middle class. Accommodation in particularly poor families, we do not offer for security reasons. Simple standard here, means that the house is built simply. The floors are mostly of bare concrete, the roof is of corrugated iron with no ceiling; there is often only an Arab Squat toilet (but with flush) and we shower with a bucket or a simple water pipe. The furniture is minimalistic and purely functional. In the living room, there are some slightly more representative pieces of furniture made of Chinese wood. The family usually has an old, used fridge; a radio and an old tube television are also often present. Your room has a bed with a mattress and mosquito net and probably some hangers on the wall and a small shelf or the like. The houses have electricity. Food is usually cooked outdoors over an open fire or gas cooker. The food is usually without options - for breakfast, there is tea with chapati; for lunch, ugali or rice with beans and vegetables, for dinner, the same. Meat is only taken for special occasions, and if so, in small quantities. The families usually consist of mother, father and some children; many more children from the neighborhood visit the house and are around the house. As transportation, the family has bicycles and sometimes, a motorcycle. Income from the rent you pay are often the only way for the family to finance the education of their children.

Rates

I. World Unite! Service Package

Mobile/Cell Phone Users: If you don't see the rates for your desired duration of stay, hide other (shorter) durations of stay.

		up to 31 Days	32-60 Days	61-90 Days	91-120 Days	5 Months or longer
	1 Person	450 EUR	600 EUR	700 EUR	750 EUR	850 EUR
	2-4 Persons (Rate per Person)	400 EUR	500 EUR	600 EUR	650 EUR	700 EUR

Convert rates to USD, GBP, CAD, AUD and other currencies

The World Unite! Service Package includes:

Individual Consultation and Preparation prior to your arrival
Access to the World Unite! Online Resource Centre which has Preparation Materials including Intercultural Preparation, compiled particularly for your destination (PDFs, Videos)
Preparation Session via Skype, together with further participants
Arrangements for your Residence Permit or similar permit and other official permits (if required), but not the official government fees for it/them (See costs below)
Pick-up and Transfers from/to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) on arrival and departure
Personal support staff at your location and at our international office
Orientation and Introduction in Moshi
Accompanying you to your placement on your first day
24 Hours emergency support by local support team
50 USD Contribution to your project
To compensate for the CO2 emissions of your long-haul flights: Costs for 10 seedlings of indigenous trees that we plant on the slopes of Kilimanjaro
Local SIM Card with 10,000 TSH air time
Issuance of Confirmations/Certificates for your university, scholarship, insurance, etc. and filling out/signing Internship Contracts for your university
15% Discount for Safaris, Kilimanjaro Climbs, Excursions and Watersports Activities offered by "Budget Safari Tanzania"

The Rates do NOT include:

Accommodation and Meals (see below)
Travel to/from Tanzania (you book it on your own; we can assist you)
Official fees for Visa and Residence Permit (see below)
Insurance (Travel Health Insurance, Liability Insurance, Travel Cancellation insurance; you book it on your own, we can assist you)
Personal Expenses
Vaccinations
Local Transport (Estimated amounts see below)
Please note that for supervised/mentored internships, some organizations charge further contributions. You find this information in the "Info Box" below the respective internship description.

II. Accommodation Costs

You can choose between the following options:

All Rates in US-Dollar! Convert Currency		All durations of stay (1-365 Days)
Shared House/Apartment or Hotel
House/Apartment shared with other participants	1 Person (Single Room)	10 USD/Night
	2 Personen p.p. (Double/Twin Room)	7 USD/Night
	4-Share Dorm Room p.p.	4.50 USD/Night
Hotel incl. Breakfast	1 Person (Single Room)	495 USD/Week
Hotel incl. Breakfast	2 Persons p.p. (Double/Twin Room)	320 USD/Week

Host Family
Host Family of Middle Standard on Full Board	1 Person (Single Room)	15 USD/Night
Host Family of Middle Standard on Full Board	2 Personen p.p. (Double/Twin Room)	15 USD/Night
Host Family of High Standard on Full Board	1 Person (Single Room)	18 USD/Night
Host Family of High Standard on Full Board	2 Personen p.p. (Double/Twin Room)	18 USD/Night
Host Family of Simple Standard on Full Board	1 Person (Single Room)	10 USD/Night
Host Family of Simple Standard on Full Board	2 Personen p.p. (Double/Twin Room)	10 USD/Night

In case of 3-4 person: Same rate as in case of 2 Persons. 5 or more persons: Contact us for group rates.

Overview of other costs:

If meals are not included: around 110-200 USD/Monthfor self-catering (eating out at affordable yet good restaurants and/or cooking by yourself; you are much more flexible in this way compared to if we would serve food at your accommodation)
Visa and Permits (mainland Tanzania): In case of stay of up to 90 days: Visa 50 USD; In case of stay of 91-180 days: Total visa costs 200 USD
Small local expenses (e.g. Internet, local transport): around 30-50 USD/Month (Estimate)
Insurances around 30-50 USD/Month

How do I pay?

Once all your questions have been answered and you confirm that you want to participate, we will email you an invoice. You can pay it via bank transfer, credit card or via Paypal. You will pay a deposit of 200 EUR / 250 USD when the invoice is issued. One months prior to your arrival you will pay the remainder for your Service Package.

The payment modalities for rent and possible further costs (e.g. internship supervision fees, as stated in info box of the respective project description) depend on your host country and placement. We will inform you beforehand. In many cases these costs are paid on site, but for some countries and placements they need to be paid partially or fully in advance.

Extras

Other Projects That Might Interest You:

These projects are suggestions for alternatives that may interest you or those that could be chosen as COMBINATIONS. The combination of projects in different organizations is often possible and usually cheaper than two individual bookings. Please contact us to know more! Check out our other listings in the areas of "World Learner" and "Active Travel" at your travel destination to make your stay even more interesting.

Safaris, Kilimanjaro Climbs, Day Trips, Watersports

As "Budget Safari Tanzania" we are arranging cost-effective yet high-quality safaris, Kilimanjaro climbs, excursions, and watersports activities in Tanzania and Zanzibar. You will group with other World Unite! participants and further travellers.

As a World Unite! participant, you get a 15% discount on all offers of Budget Safari Tanzania. We will share a Discount Code with you that you can use with the online booking of your safari, Kilimanjaro climb, excursion or watersports activity.

This is the Website of Budget Safari Tanzania.

Learning Swahili in Moshi!

It is always helpful to know Swahili while doing your project here. Swahili is a relatively easy language for participants and some start to follow it within the first few lessons. You can choose the intensity of the lesson. We would, however, recommend a maximum of ten hours per week. The lessons are conducted individually; in some cases, 2-3 participants with similar levels of knowledge may be given combined lesson

Learning foreign languages

Further courses

World Adventure Tours

Community Tourism

Special Interest Group Programs

Working Holiday in Europe and China

Working Holiday in Japan

Dissertations/theses abroad

Intercultural Skills

Career Counselling

Africa

Europe & Middle East & Maghreb

Asia

Latin America

About World Unite!

My trip

Magazine