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Mother Nature Zanzibar: Marine Turtle, Coastal and Rain Forest Conservation

Praktikum und Volunteering möglich
 
Conservation of sea turtles, restoration of coral reefs and mangrove forests, protection of the Red Zanzibar Colobus Monkeys, permaculture and sustainable living, environmental education with children... at two locations in Zanzibar: a white paradise beach and in the tropical rainforest.
 
At our Mother Nature Conservation Camp Zanzibar - Rainforest and Beach you can join a wide range of activities related to environmental protection. All activities are guided by experts in the field using the latest scientific findings, providing you the chance to learn a lot in the process. It is suitable for animal and conservation enthusiasts of all ages.
 
You will stay at our brand new Mother Nature Camp in Matemwe (opened October 2022) and at our Mother Nature Camp in the Jozani rainforest.
 
 

The Project Activities

(Click on an activity to read more and to see pictures!)
 
 
You can join the conservation of endangered marine turtles at our beach location in Matemwe.
 
Five of the world‘s seven species of sea turtles can be found in the oceans of Tanzania. The two species of Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) are critically endangered, and the three species of Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas), Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) and Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) are classified as endangered. Sea turtles have a long life and it takes them 20-30 years to reach adulthood. This makes them particularly vulnerable to human intervention during all phases of their life. It is estimated that only one in 1000 hatchlings reaches adulthood.
 
Marine turtles nest on the beaches of Matemwe. Even though it is illegal and punishable by law, their eggs are poached by local people for human consumption. One critical factor to support the survival of the species is to increase the total number of hatchlings. According to the latest scientific consensus, marine turtle hatchlings should not be kept in captivity, even for a short time, but released to the ocean immediately after their birth, as they develop their sense of orientation and other critical ocean survival skills soon after their birth. Crossing whole oceans and swimming thousands of kilometers making use of ocean currents, to nest, female turtles after 20-30 years will eventually return to the beaches in the area where they were born.
 
In cooperation with the NGOs “Under the Wave” and "The Living Ocean" we are doing marine turtle egg relocation in Matemwe/Zanzibar. When nests are found, before the eggs can be poached, they are relocated to a protected hatchery. As soon as the baby turtles hatch, they are released to the ocean. Volunteers joining the program will get an orientation about marine turtle and marine turtle conservation. They will learn how to spot turtle nests. The volunteers are split into various sub-groups to patrol different beach sections every morning after sunrise. Through volunteers, a larger area can be patrolled and more turtle nests can be rescued.
 
Once a turtle nest is found, the biologists of Under the Wave will come to the location and relocate the eggs. It is crucial to exactly replicate the depth of the nest when moving it to another location and to handle the eggs correctly. Volunteers can observe and assist with this task. At the hatchery, turtle nests are under 24 hours camera and watchman surveillance. As soon as new baby turtles hatch, volunteers release them into the ocean, making sure they are not eaten by birds, dogs or other animals on the beach, or tourists carry them around or step on them. This can happen at any time, including at night.
 
Volunteers also maintain the hatchery and input data, such as the number of eggs, dates and locations of nests into a database.
 
Location: Matemwe
 
 
One of the jewels of Zanzibar is Mnemba atoll, located just in front of our beach location in Matemwe. The coral reef displays a diversity of marine life. Intact coral reefs are essential for healthy fish populations because many fish spawn and juvenile fish spend time there before making their way to the open sea. Coral reefs in Zanzibar however suffer from an increase of the water temperatures resulting in coral bleaching and from unsustainable tourism and fishing practices, such as boats throwing their anchors on the reef, tourists touching and breaking corals, or dynamite fishing.
 
To evaluate the health of the reef, monitoring is needed. Volunteers who join the program for a minimum of 2 weeks will get an introduction to coral reef monitoring, identification of species of fish, invertebrates and corals, and evaluation of coral health. Once per week you can join monitoring on the reef, which is done by snorkeling. World Unite! provides snorkeling masks, but no snorkeling flippers. They are not absolutely needed, but if you want to use them, you can bring your own.
 
Volunteers who have PADI Open Water Diver certification can join coral farming activities whereby corals are grown in the ocean with the aim to relocate them to the reef. A small extra is charged to join this activitity for the scuba equipment rental. If you don't have the required scuba diving experience yet, beginners can book a 3 days on-site dive course to get this certification. You would have to take theoretical online lessons before joining the on-site dive course, which can be done either prior to their trip to Zanzibar, or while in Zanzibar.
 
Location: Matemwe
 
 
Every Monday a live educational session about marine biology and conservation and other related environmetal topics is provided to volunteers by an academic lecturer.
 
These sessions are provided either on-site or remotely. The aim of the session is to provide important background information to volunteers in order to understand complex topics. The
topics currently covered include:
 
* Introduction to 6 Types of Ocean Pollution and their negative impact (plastic, chemical, biological, thermal, sound, light pollution)
* Plastic Pollution (more specific session)
* Overfishing
* Sharks
* Seagrass Beds
* Mangroves
* Introduction to Climate Change
* Agriculture and Climate Change
* Loss of Biodiversity
* Insects as Biocontrol Agents
* Animal Welfare
 
At the end of each session, the lecturer gives a small research assignment related to the topic that volunteers work on locally during the following day(s). The idea is to apply the theory in a local context. Then there is a followup session during which volunteers present their findings to the lecturer and get feedback.
 
The contents of these sessions are also used by volunteers to work out the environmental education they provide at local schools.
 
Locations: Matemwe and Jozani
 
 
Even though the endemic Red Colobus Monkeys are an endangered and protected species, they are killed by farmers, as the monkeys are taking fruits from their farms. The farmers see the monkeys as a threat to their livelihood. Likewise, out of superstition, fear or "fun", many local reptiles such as snakes, land tortoises and lizards are killed in the villages.
 
The Uwemajo Farmer's Collective, which has around 300 member families in the Jozani area of Zanzibar, runs several programs of alternative income generation for the members. One of them is the "Zanzibar Turtles and Tortoise Land", a small zoo that only has reptiles. The enclosures and way how the reptiles are presented are designed under guidance of a German reptile specialist. Local school classes are visiting the attraction free of charge and the idea is to raise awareness for the young generation about the importance of those animals. Tourists can visit and the money generated is used to develop farming projects such as greenhouses that make the farmers less affected by potential losses of their produce from Red Colobus Monkeys and hence not kill the monkeys.
 
The project has several Aldabra Giant Tortoises that roam freely on the site and regularly have offspring. 4 Aldabra Giant Tortoises were sent from Aldabra Island (Seychelles) to Zanzibar in 1919 by the British governor of the Seychelles. The ones that are in Zanzibar now are the decendents of those original 4 ones. A few specimens still live freely in the forests of Zanzibar, where however they are poached for their shells, which are popular as home decoration. The species is considered vulnerable and on the IUCN Red List.
 
Volunteers are working on the maintenance and development of the Zanzibar Turtles and Tortoise Land, on farming activities with the cooperative's members, and are planting alternative food sources for the monkeys to keep them away from the farms. Also other species of monkeys such as Blue Sykes Monkeys and Bushbabies (Galagos) are regularly showing up at this project.
 
Location: Jozani
 
 
Environmental Education has the purpose of sensitizing involved stakeholders about critical issues related to environmental conservation.
 
The two main stakeholders foreign volunteers can address are local children and foreign tourists. Children are usually more receptive to new concepts than adults and it is our aim that they grow up with an awareness for the environment. Assisted by our team members, volunteers work out educational contents, based on the information they get from the Ocean Mondays sessions and communicate them at local schools.
 
Tourists in Zanzibar get involved in destructive behaviors such as swimming with marine turtles that are kept in captivity, visiting zoos that are keeping wildlife in inappropriate ways, touching and collecting marine species, or consuming seafood which is caught using unsustainable fishing practices. They usually do so due to a lack of awareness. Volunteers prepare contents about these topics to be published on blogs and social media. Furthermore we regularly arrange a stand on the beach, informing tourists about critical issues.
 
Locations: Jozani and Nungwi
 
 
Chemicals used in industrial farming are a major source of ocean pollution. Volunteers at the program should get an understanding that there are regenerative ways of farming and gardening that are more environmentally friendly.
 
At the World Unite camps we aim that many of the ingredients used for the food provided are sourced from our own permaculture garden inside the camp.
 
Besides providing a green and beautiful environment, the permaculture garden in Matemwe gives volunteers the opportunity to learn about the permaculture approach and other regenerative ways to sustainable land management and farming. The permaculture and gardening activities are supervised by a permaculture expert, who has been practicing and teaching permaculture in Zanzibar for more than 30 years.
 
Activities related to regenerative farming and sustainable living involve:
* Growing vegetables, lettuces and herbs in keyhole gardens whereby composting of organic waste materials is done in the center of raised beds
* Growing fruits making use of permaculture principles
* Demonstrations and use of energy-efficient cooking methods, incl. Solar cooker and heat-retaining nonelectric cooker
* Visits to external projects and workshops, e.g. making biodegradable soap
 
Location: Jozani
 
 
We are regularly planting mangroves in the mangrove area between Uzi Island and Muungoni, which is the largest in Zanzibar. Mangrove forests play a very important role against coastal erosion and as a breeding ground for many marine creatures such as fish, crabs, mussels and shrimps and therefore must be protected. As a volunteer you can contribute to the conservation of the mangrove forests.
 
We are also planting fast-growing casuarina trees that can meet the local population's need for wood in a more sustainable way than cutting mangroves.
 
Location: Jozani
 
 
The Zanzibar archipelago generates over 96,000 metric tonnes of waste a year. Due to a lack of proper waste management systems, an equivalent of the weight of a Boeing 747 gets dumped uncontrolled into Zanzibar’s environment every day, contaminating the environment and causing implications to public health. This amount is even growing due to the increase of population size in Zanzibar and “modern life” that brings more plastics and industrial farming practices to the island.
 
Plastics and other waste materials on beaches and coastal villages will eventually end up in the ocean where they impose a threat to marine species. For example, marine turtles mistake plastic bags floating in the ocean for jellyfish and suffocate when eating them. Millions of marine animals die being caught by ghost fishing gear floating in the oceans. When decomposing, plastic turns into microplastic that is eaten by fish and through the food chain finally enters the human body, causing cancer and other diseases.
 
Every piece of trash removed from beaches and coastal villages reduces the chance of ending up in a fish or marine turtle.
 
Activities done related to waste management:
* Visits and support of local recycling/upcycling organizations including özti (recycling/upcycling of HDPE) and chako (recycling/upcycling of glass and HDPE)
* Beach & Village Clean-Ups
* Management of a waste collecting point at our plot in Matemwe
* Composting
* Beach cleanups during the daily morning beach patrolling, evaluate the findings and working on solutions (e.g. putting up trash bins)
 
Location: Matemwe and Jozani
 
 
Seaweed farming is one of Zanzibar's main economic activities, contributing to around 90% of Zanzibar's marine export product. The seaweed is mostly used to make medicinal and cosmetic products. Seaweed farming is mostly done by women, providing them with an income on their own and hence contributing to economic women empowerment. Volunteers are helping the women and can learn about the whole process from planting to drying. Due to an increase of water temperature resulting from climate change, seaweed has to be farmed at increasingly greater depths, making it increasingly difficult for women who cannot swim or dive. Seaweed is also a very effective carbon sink, capturing CO2 from the atmosphere. Therefore seaweed farmings should be promoted also for reasons of climate action.
 
Location: Matemwe
 
 
Besides fishermen, few people in Zanzibar know how to swim. This results in tragic and often avoidable deaths every year. Our volunteers are providing swimming lessons to local children. This activity was started when three children who were all siblings from the village tragically died when surprised by the incoming high tide.
 
Location: Matemwe
 
 
The kindergarten and the primary school of Kitogani are run by the village community. You can teach English and other subjects at the kindergarten or village school, either completely on your own, or supporting a local teacher.
 
Location: Jozani
 
 
As a volunteers you can regularly meet people in the villages of Kitogani, Muungoni and Matemwe who show us traditional skills and knowledge, such as making clay pottery, weaving with dried coconut leaves, or tech us local cooking. These encounters are also a great way to learn about the life of people from the area and to understand about their needs and life situation. This is essential to understand for instance the human-wildlife conflict, which needs to be considered when doing any form of environmental conservation efforts.
 
Occasionally, volunteers can support community activities in the village. This includes restoration and construction works at the community school, the building of wells and water supplies, or helping the village community with the preparation for celebrations and special occasions. Completed projects include the construction of a new school building in Muungoni, a new school building in the neighboring village of Charawe, and the renovation of the Charawe medical dispensary.
 
Location: Jozani and Matemwe
 
 

The Locations & the Shuttle

 
You will join volunteering activities at 2 locations. Every Wednesday, a shuttle will connect the two locations, making it possible for you to change from one location to the other. The two locations are firstly, the village on Matemwe, a beach destination on the North-East coast of Zanzibar, known for its paradise white beaches and mostly luxury beach resorts, and the region around Jozani Forest National Park, which is characterised by dense tropical rainforest, vast mangrove areas, and small traditional villages. At both locations we have our own team members who direct, instruct and supervise the activities, which are planned following a weekly schedule.
 
Matemwe
In Matemwe, you will stay at our Mother Nature Coastal Conservation Camp, located only 3 minutes to walk from one of Zanzibar's best beaches where turtles nest, and you will join a variety of activities, directed by the marine biologists of our cooperation partner Under the Wave, by permaculture specialist Antje, by team members of our recycling/upcycling partners and our team members Gabriel, Gloria and Pascal. Matemwe is a quite village with mostly luxury resorts along the beach, but you can also find small shops in the village and a local bar nearby. The protected Mnemba atoll is located just in front of the beach of Matemwe.
 
Around Jozani Forest National Park, near the village of Kitogani, you will stay at our Mother Nature Forest Camp or if you prefer, with a local host family in Kitogani village. The volunteering activities are guided by our team members Deogratius who has three BA Degrees (Wildlife Conservation, Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine) and plenty of experience in the field. He is supported by the team members Shauri, Minimo and Saddam. There is a weekly work plan which includes a variety of activities that you can join with a group of volunteers. If you prefer to focus on certain specific activities only, it is also possible to spend more time or full time on one or just a few selected activities only. It is possible to decide this on location. All volunteering activities are located within a 3 km radius from the accommodation, reachable by bicycle, which is provided to you at no further cost.
 
The Jozani Forest area boasts several tropical coastal habitats and is a paradise for nature lovers. The little villages around the area have barely changed over the last hundreds of years, as they have remained largely uninfluenced by tourism. They give visitors the opportunity to become part of a village community and to get to know traditional life of Zanzibar.
 
text beachEvery Wednesday you can use our shuttle at no extra cost to move between the two locations (Matemwe and Jozani Forest). You can also just stay at only one location if you prefer.
 
Arrival into this project should also be on a Wednesday. The introduction to the project work will then be with a small group of volunteers on the following Thursday. You can also arrive to Zanzibar on any other day of the week, but in this case we would charge an extra of 60 EUR for the additional logistic support.
 
You'll get reduced combination rates (compared to two separate bookings) if you combine the Mother Nature Environmental Camp Zanzibar with the Mother Nature Environmental Camp Kilimanjaro! Please contact us for details.
 
Info Box
infoboxheader01 3 en
Locations: Matemwe and Jozani Forest Region, Zanzibar
Availability: throughout the year, arrival EVERY WEDNESDAY (see details above)
Minimum duration: 1 week
Maximum duration: 12 weeks
Language requirements: English
Other languages of advantage: Swahili
Accommodation: In Matemwe: World Unite! Mother Nature Coastal Conservation Camp; in Jozani: World Unite! Forest Camp or Host family
infoboxheader02 3 en
Supervision possible: Yes
Qualification Supervisor: MA Marine Biology, BA Wildlife Conservation, BA Agriculture, BA Veterinary Medicine, Permaculture Certification
Minimum Qualification Intern:
no formal qualification required
Further project contribution: No
Volunteering
Volunteering possible: Yes
Expected Qualification Volunteer: None
Further project contribution: No
We expect:
Professional work attitude, "the right attitude"
 
 

Mother Nature Forest Camp Zanzibar:

 
 

Use of Solar Cookers:

 
 
 
 

The Accommodation

 
In Matemwe, you will stay at the World Unite! Coastal Conservation Camp, only 3 minutes to walk to the beach. In Jozani, you will stay at the World Unite! Forest Camp Zanzibar or with a host family in the village of Kitogani.
 
Mother Nature Coastal Conservation Camp in Matemwe
 
 
Accommodation for volunteers is at the Mother Nature Coastal Conservation Camp in Matemwe. The camp is just a 3 minutes walk from one of Zanzibar’s best paradise beaches where also
marine turtles nest. The site was designed based on the philosophy of permaculture and sustainable building in order to conserve and revive biodiversity and nature on the site.
 
There are eight fully furnished tents that have two bunk beds each. Tents can be booked for twin or four-share occupancy. Each tent has has lockable clothing storage for each volunteer, a small fridge per tent, fan, electric light and electricity outlets, incl. USB. All tents are under a solid thatched roof on an elevated wooden platform, designed in rustic African style. Mosquito nets are provided. We try to separate the bed occupancy by gender, however we cannot guarantee this, depending on varying booking numbers of males and females.
 
Sanitary installations are available in a building between the tents and shared among the participants - encompassing six showers with solar-heated hot and cold water and six environmentally-friendly evapotranspiration toilets. The solar heater is backed up by an electric heater during rainy season.
 
Communal areas (for meals, project work, leisure time) include the covered roof-top and the terrace of the main building. Meals are prepared by our two chefs at a fully equipped restaurant kitchen, adhering to international hygiene standards. There is chilled drinking water from a water filter machine. The office can be used by volunteers for computer-based assignments. There is also a sun-bathing lawn with two small ponds and an outdoor splash shower for refreshment. Free unlimited Wifi and a washing machine are provided. There is 24 hours security. Valuables can be stored at a safety deposit box.
 
In cooperation with our permaculture expert, we have designed a system trying to optimize the use of water as much as possible. We collect rainwater from the roofs that is used for instance as a backup for the showers. All greywater is filtered and used for our plants. We make use of an evapotranspiration toilet system, which is an on-site sanitation system for the biological treatment and reuse of blackwater as a fertilizer to our banana grove.
 
World Unite! Forest Camp Zanzibar in Jozani
 
Just next to Jozani Forest National Park in southern Zanzibar you can find our World Unite! Forest Camp on a natural forest ground. It is the exclusive accommodation only for the participants of our Mother Nature Conservation Camp in Zanzibar.
 
There are three comfortable safari tents (6 m x 3 m x 3.50 m high), which are shared by a maximum of 6 participants, each featuring 3 bunk beds with mosquito nets. The tents are on platforms and covered by a solid wooden thatched roof, protecting the tents from rain and sun. The tents have large windows with mosquito netting, allowing wind to come in for an enjoyable temperature inside the tent. Each tent has lockable cabinet compartments for every participant. A solid building hosting a toilet and a separate shower with cold and hot water is attached to and accessible from inside every tent. In front of each tent you can sit on a wooden verandah deck and enjoy the tropical forest atmosphere.
 
Just next to the tents there is a large terrace, serving as communal space, covered by a large sail that provides protection from sun and rain. It is a space for everyone to relax, work, and enjoy the meals. The kitchen is next to the terrace, catering for three meals per day. There is a drinking water outlet at the kitchen where participants can refill their bottles with filtered and chilled drinking water at no extra cost. There is also an additional toilet at the communal area.
 
The tropical garden of the World Unite! Forest Camp has a lawn for sunbathing and a refreshing small pool.
 
Volunteers can make use of a washing machine.
 
In the garden there are also several fruit trees and the Keyhole Gardens where we grow vegetables, lettuces, herbs and spices in a resource-saving way for your meals.
 
Ecological aspects were of great importance when building the World Unite! Forest Camp. All illumination and the mobile phone chargers we provide are solar-powered. The hot water of the showers comes from solar water heaters. Local and renewable construction materials have been used as far as possible. The greywater from the showers is filtered through several layers of gravel and flowing into a small biotope, which is planted with yams and reed, where the water infiltrates or evaporates. You can find creative recycled artefacts all around the camp, such as lampsheds and curtains made from recycled plastic bottles by World Unite! volunteers.
 
The camp has three watchmen, providing 24 hours security. Valuables can be stored at a safe deposit box.
 
We try to separate the bed occupancy by gender, however we cannot guarantee this, depending on varying booking numbers of males and females.
 
Host families in Kitogani
 
If you want to immerse even deeper into the traditional culture and life of Zanzibar's rural population, you can live with a host family in Kitogani. Not all families are experienced in hosting foreign guests and they often only have very basic English language skills. However, they are extremely friendly and will integrate you just like their own family members into the village community.
 
You will have your own room. 2-3 participants of the same sex, booking together, can also share a room at the same host family. For cultural reasons, participants of opposite sex cannot share a room with a host family.
 
You have to be prepared for the most simple living conditions. The rooms generally only have very basic furnishing which is not always well maintained. The construction materials are also often very basic and not in a very good condition. Not all families have access to electricity, so that illumination at night has to be done using oil lamps. There are usually only pit latrines. Showers have to be taken making use of a bucket. Such living conditions are the reality for the vast majority of Zanzibar's population and staying with a host family of such standard in Kitogani will give you the most intensive insights into the „real“ Zanzibar life. Your rent payment will contribute to the improvement of the living conditions of the host families.
 
 
 

The Meals

 
At all accommodation you will get three meals per day: Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
 
At the Forest Camp the meals are mostly local whereas the kitchen at the Matemwe Camp provides a mix of local and Western dishes.
 
We are trying to provide a balanced and healthy diet, rich in vegetables and proteins. It makes use of a lot of ingredients that are from our own permaculture garden or sourced from local farmers and markets. For sustainability reasons, we are trying to reduce the amount of meat and fish served,and if we do, we try to source it sustainably from local providers. Vegetarian options are available, but vegan options cannot be guaranteed. To reduce food waste, meals are served in buffet style.
 
If you stay in Kitogani with a host family, there will most likely be purely Zanzibar food without any western influences.
 
At both camps we have drink water filtering machines, making use of a modern multilevel filtering system. You can bring your own water bottle and refill it as per your convenience.
 
 
 

World Unite! Mother Nature Zanzibar Program

 
Convert rates to GBP, CAD, AUD and other currencies
 
The first week is: 620 EUR/ 690 USD
 
Every additional week at the Matemwei location (Marine Turtle and Coastal Conservation): +280 EUR/310 USD
Every additional week at the Jozani Forest location: +180 EUR/200 USD
 
Extra in Matemwe: Supplement twin occupancy at the tent (instead of 4-share): + 180 EUR/200 USD per week.
 
In case of 2-4 people who book and travel together: 50 EUR/ 55 USD discount per person. Groups of 5 or more: Contact us for group rates.
 

The rates include:

 
  • Our own full-time World Unite! employees running all program activities
  • All program activities (following a weekly activity plan; Not all activities described can be guaranteed at all times)
  • Accommodation on full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner), as booked (at the Mother Nature Coastal Conversation Camp at fully furnished 4-share tent; at the Jozani Forest Camp, in a fully furnished 6-person tent (sharing) or, if desired, with a host family in the village of Muungoni/Kitogani)
  • Pick-up and Transfers from/to Zanzibar International Airport (ZNZ) on arrival and departure to/from Matemwe/Kitogani
  • Shuttle between the two project locations every Wednesday
  • In Jozani/Kitoganii: Use of a Mountain Bike
  • 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 (Mobile-friendly knowledge base incl. Videos)
  • Preparation Session via Skype, together with further participants
  • Arrangement of your Residence Permit, Work Permit or similar permit and other official permits (as required), but not the official government fees for it/them (See costs below)
  • Orientation and Introduction in Zanzibar
  • 24 Hours emergency support by local support team
  • Costs for 10 seedlings of indigenous trees that we plant on the slopes of Kilimanjaro for the CO2 compensation of your long-haul flights
  • In Jozani: Local SIM Card with 10.000 TSH air time; in Matemwe: local SIM card without air time (wifi is provided at the camp)
  • 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"
 

Extras:

 
  • 3 Days PADI Open Water Diver Course incl. theoretical E-Learning module and Certification 480 EUR/520 USD (PADI Open Water Diver Certification is only required if you want to join the coral farming activities)
  • Joining the Coral Farming incl. Scuba equipment rental 25 EUR/28 USD per dive
 

The Rates do NOT include:

 
  • Travel to/from Zanzibar (you book it on your own; we can assist you)
  • Official fees for Visa, Residence Permit, Work 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
  • Extras (PADI Course; joining coral farming dives)
 

Overview of other costs:

 
  • Official Permits: For placement duration of up to 90 days: Volunteer Visa 50 USD (for most nationals; to buy on arrival at the airport in Tanzania) + Work Permit 200 USD (we arrange through Zanzibar Labour Office); For placement of 91-180 days: twice the costs as in case of up to 90 days
  • 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.