Sustainable community tourism development in Zanzibar

In the village of Muungoni in the south of Zanzibar there is a local community tourism initiative that provides and permanently further develops ecotourism and cultural tourism offers. Internships and volunteer placements in sustainable local tourism development are possible with this initiative. Besides several tours the villagers also provide eco-friendly tourist accommodation. There is a strong partnership between World Unite! and the Muungoni tourism initiative.

What is your placement organization doing?

Muungoni is a small village in the south of Zanzibar where most people are fishermen or farmers. As the village boarders the mangrove area between Unguja and Uzi Island, there are no wide sandy beaches in the area and hence, no tourism development in terms of hotels has taken place in Uzi yet. For this reason Muungoni has preserved its centuries-old rural structure, however, the villagers also didn't have the chance to benefit financially from tourism.

In Muungoni, in 2015, a community tourism initiative of local citizens was founded, directed by Mr. Mohammed, a biology teacher of the village, who was the only one who so far managed to attract visitors to the village during the past years, through his small reptile zoo „ZALA Park“. Muungoni is conveniently located close to the main road that connects Zanzibar Town/Airport with the tourist destinations of Zanzibar's south east coast. 50% of the profits generated by ZALA Park go to community projects of the village such as Muungoni primary school and to the community tourism initiative, that has already developed several nature tourism and cultural tourism offers.

The initiative currently offers educational and entertaining canoe trips through the mangroves, a nature trail through the forest, a cultural village tour, and a house in the forest which has one room/2 beds, built following permaculture principles, providing visitors with accommodation on full board (local food) at a very exotic and fascinating location in the forest next to the village.

The Community Tourism initiative currently has 12 members.

How can you get involved?

Interns/volunteers work with Mr. Mohammed and the Muungoni tourism initiative. They have the unique opportunity to get to know a completely community-based, very proactive local tourism initiative. Tasks include public relations/marketing (communication and positioning of the ecotourism and cultural tourism offers as a sustainable development project for the social development of the village, for environmental conservation and conservation of protected species), development of new tourism offers with the community, and establishing relations with tour operators and hotels. Internship supervision for university credit is possible by World Unite! staff who hold MA degrees of several subject areas. World Unite! is a partner of the project and consults the initiative in product development and marketing.

Info Box

Location: Mungooni, Zanzibar
Availability: All year, Start date flexible
Minimum Duration: 1 Week
Maximum Duration: 12 Months
Language Requirements: English
Further Languages Of Advantage: Swahili
Accommodation:
House, Host Family

Supervision Possible: Yes
Qualification Of Supervisor: Biology 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

Video ZALA Park

Feedback of Carlotta

"We both really had a very great time in Zanzibar. I'm really glad that we were privileged to go to Zala Park, meet Muhammad and all the others ... I think I can speak for Julia that we all grew really fond of each other. Thanks for the great time that you have allowed us World Unite!; I can now say that I was very satisfied with the organization and you will be diligently recommended.:)"

Love and Regards,
Carlotta

Accommodation

Accommodation in the Jozani Forest area

Volunteers at our Mother Nature Environmental Conservation Program in the wider Jozani Forest area are staying at the World Unite! Jozani Forest Camp or with host families of simple standards in the village of Muungoni.

World Unite! Jozani Forest Camp

Just next to Jozani Forest National Park in southern Zanzibar you will find our World Unite! Jozani Forest Camp on a natural forest ground. Using a mountain bike, you can easily reach all placements in the area.

There are three comfortable large safari tents, 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. There is a solid bathroom with a hot shower and a separate toilet attached to each tent.

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 catering for three meals per day. There is a drinking water outlet at the kitchen.

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.

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. We use high-tech compost toilets.

Host Families in Muungoni

Accommodation in Muungoni is usually in a small house of simple traditional standards, on the grounds of the Zala Park. This has a bedroom, bathroom and a lounge. The bedroom has 2 beds with mosquito nets; the windows are equipped with mosquito nets and metal bars for protection. The bathroom has a flush toilet and a cold shower with running water. The lounge has a table, book shelves, chairs, and a view of the park. The house, like most houses in Muungoni, do not have electricity; it is possible to charge phones, laptops, etc. in the house in the neighborhood, belonging to Park Head Mohammed, where there is electricity. The food is cooked by Mohammed's wife, Mariam and brought you; there is Zanzibarian food like chapati, rice, beans, spinach, fish, Pilau, etc. You can also learn how to prepare these dishes from Mariam. There are always many children and neighbors outside and around the house, as is common in Africa; so, you need not have any anxiety about not finding connections with people. You will soon find yourself part of the village community! There are employees and security guards from Zala Park, watching over the household day and night. If we have two participants of the same sex, you share a room; we would inform you of this in advance.

If required, we can also organize accommodations of simple standards with host families in the village of Muungoni. Please be aware that there are only simple standards in the village; the houses usually have no electricity or running water. Water must be fetched by bucket from a well. For participants who are looking for an experience of rural Africa, Muungoni is a perfect place.

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
Arrangement of your Residence Permit, Work 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 Zanzibar International Airport (ZNZ) on arrival and departure to/from Nungwi/Muungoni
Muungoni: In case of accommodation at the Mother Nature Forest Camp: Use of a mountain bike
Personal support staff at your location and at our international office
Orientation and Introduction in Zanzibar
Accompanying you to your placement on your first day
24 Hours emergency support by local support team
50 USD Contribution to your project
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 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
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

In Muungoni: Host family on full board (single or double room, simple standard) or bed in a fully furnished 6-person tent in the Mother Nature Forest Camp: EUR 20/night

KINS: Single room USD 250/month in the volunteer house on the school premises. (Incomplete months are calculated exactly to the day), without meals (kitchen can be used)

* Full board = Breakfast, lunch, dinner (not incl. industrially bottled beverages). On the arrival day, lunch and dinner are included. On the departure day, breakfast is included.
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 130-220 USD/Month for 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)
Official Permits: For placement duration of up to 90 days: Visa 250 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.

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 Sansibar!

It is always helpful to know Swahili while doing your project here. Swahili is a relatively easy language to learn. With our one-to-one teacher, after a short time, most learners are able to do basic conversation. You can choose the intensity of the lesson. If you are volunteering or doing an internship, we recommend a maximum of ten hours per week.

The cost for Swahili lessons: 1 Student - 10 EUR

Groups of 2 or more people can join language lessons with an NGO at a rate which is a little cheaper per person!

Please check "Language Training Required" in the registration form, specifying the desired duration (minimum 20 hours).

Travel Health Insurance

We recommend the following travel insurance that is meant specifically for participants of internships, volunteering, language study, working holiday, and courses abroad. It is available for travelers of all nationalities and usable for all countries, except your home country. You can also add a liability and travel cancellation insurance.

Just click on the link, fill in the form and you will get an immediate booking confirmation.

Muungoni

Muungoni is a village in the south of the island, where there is no tourism except for the few visitors to the "Zanzibar Land Animal Park" by teacher Mohammed; this is probably because this is away from white sandy beaches and large mangrove areas of the coast. Most residents of Muungoni are fishermen or farmers and little has changed in their lives over the past hundreds of years. Here, you can still get to know a part of original rural Zanzibar. By being accommodated in the village, you are in the middle of their living and will be warmly integrated in the village society. The mangrove areas are the largest of Zanzibar and part of the Jozani Forest Chwaka Bay National Park; they are of priceless ecological value.

The village lies on the road connecting the capital, Zanzibar Town, and the tourist beaches of the south-east coast (Paje, Jambiani, Michamvi) and the West Coast (Kizimkazi). Due to the excellent connection by the public transport system of Zanzibar, the area is 40 minutes by Daladala from the city and 25 minutes to Paje.

Please watch the video, "Faces of Muungoni", which was created by our volunteer, Iris from Hamburg:

Getting There

Getting To Zanzibar

Several airlines fly directly or with an intermediate stop at Zanzibar (ZNZ). Remember to book your flight and share with us your flight details. From Zanzibar airport, we will pick you up and bring you to your accommodation in Zanzibar.

If the flights to Dar-es-Salaam (DAR) are much cheaper, you can also fly there. From Dar-es-Salaam, you can travel to Zanzibar by a connecting flight or take the ferry. We can arrange a transfer for you from the airport to the ferry for 30 EUR/35 USD. The ferry ticket costs 35 USD and the ferry takes about 2 hours. We will take you in this case from the airport to the seaport. In Zanzibar, you will be picked up at the ferry terminal and taken to your accommodation. A connecting flight from DAR to ZNZ only takes 20 minutes and costs 50-80 USD.

If your placement is on Pemba Island, you can either take a daily flight from Zanzibar to Pemba, or you can take a ferry (Azam Marine), which however doesn't have daily departures. In Pemba you will be picked up from the airport or ferry port and brough to your accommodation.

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are there fixed start dates for the project, which I must adhere to?

No, you can arrive at any date and you can hence, plan your trip according to your availability and the prices of flights. We can pick you up from the airport even at night.

Can I stay longer at my accommodation after my volunteering/internship or arrive earlier?

Yes, this is possible and we will give you our best rates. Just let us know when you arrive and leave and we will let you know the costs.

During my stay, can I travel around the country?

Zanzibar is a relatively small island, and you can use public transport during the weekends to travel throughout the island; such as to the beaches of the north and east. In Moshi and Zanzibar, we ourselves often offer day trips, such as to Kilimanjaro or the national parks, for which you can join other volunteers and interns when you travel there. We share these trips with you in our monthly subscriber list and you can book them. Participants often organize on-site travel together. In Moshi and Zanzibar, you can stay at the same low rates as our Zanzibar or Moshi participants in accommodations provided by us. If you plan to travel during your volunteering/internship period, you should seek permission in advance. We recommend that you plan your travel after your volunteering/internship. For this, you can also stay longer in your accommodation at affordable rates.

Is it safe to travel in Zanzibar alone as a single female traveller?

Approximately 80% of our participants are female and many of them, only about 20 years old. Not a single instance of a serious security breach has occurred. Our coordinator will advise you on how you should conduct yourself in order to avoid problems - your dressing style, valuables, and in dealing with local men. Our preparation materials elaborate on this matter. If you follow these basic rules that apply equally to many other places, the risk in Zanzibar is not great.

Will I be the only volunteer/intern in the project or in Zanzibar?

The total number of participants that participate simultaneously with an organization depends on the size and activity of the organization and responsibilities of volunteers/interns. We try to avoid too many volunteers/interns in an organization at the same time. It may be that you are alone in your work site, but usually there are, throughout the year, other participants in Zanzibar, who you can meet in your spare time, if you desire so. Zanzibar Town is a small town, where you walk around quite a bit. In addition, there are well-known places such as the Forodhani Gardens, where you actually meet other participants. If you are in a different place (Nungwi, Mungooni, etc.), the probability is higher that there are more participants from us. You can access these places relatively quickly by public transport from Zanzibar Town, if you want to meet other participants of your country over the weekend. We also have regular meetings with all participants and you will get a list of participants who are in the country, with their contact information. You need not be concerned that you are "alone" in Zanzibar, nor must you stay away from the locals because you spend all your time with other foreign participants.

What vaccinations do I need?

Our Info-PDF that you get as a participant, gives detailed information on health care. Also refer to Recommended Vaccinations

Where do I live?

Please find details in the tab "Accommodation".

Can I choose my accommodation?

We give you choices (Most popular!, Comfort +, Adventurer) and you can tell us if you prefer a shared accommodation or homestay; we will then seek an accommodation for you. We organise accommodation, taking into consideration the distance from your work site. However, since Zanzibar is not a very big town, is relatively easy to reach locations in other parts of the city by public transport ("Daladala") or by bike.

How free or bound am I in my accommodation with the host family?

With the host family, you can have your freedom, and do not need to join them during meal times or have any other obligations. If you will return late in the evening, you need to let them know in advance, so that they can unlock the doors for you (which are locked at night for security reasons). Bringing home casual acquaintances is taboo. They look to integrate our participants into their family life, but you can determine to what extent you want to be part of it.

Does my accommodation have internet facilities?

In Tanzania, Internet is accessed via the mobile phone networks. With smartphones, you can use the Internet. For laptops, there are USB modem sticks for about 10 EUR. There are no flat rates; you use data packets, depending on your needs. You might consume 2 GB of data in a week, which costs about 4.50 EUR. In the centers of cities (Moshi Town, Dar-es-Salaam, Mwanza, Zanzibar Town, Karatu, etc.), the connection is good, the speed is satisfactory and sufficient for Skype phone calls. In the suburbs and in the country, there is connection, but usually almost impossible or very slow and unreliable. We will provide you information on the use of mobile Internet in Tanzania.

How can I do my laundry?

In general, laundry is washed by hand in Tanzania. You can ask your landlord or host family if they have someone who can wash your clothes. Usually, someone offers that to you for a small fee. Please ask your local supervisor, what the appropriate thing to do is.

I am a vegetarian. Can I get vegetarian food?

Host families are familiar with participants who are vegetarians and prepare appropriate food. In some restaurants in Zanzibar Town, there are vegetarian options. In the market, there are a wide variety of vegetables and fruits. Special dietary needs (e.g. Vegan, allergies to certain foods) can be specified to the host families.

What language skills do I need?

You should be able to make yourself understood in English. The national language of Tanzania is Swahili, but knowledge of English is widespread, especially among people who have a better education or work in tourism. In everyday life, there is usually no problem to be able to communicate in English; if you should come across someone who can not speak English, you can almost immediately find someone who offers to translate in English. If you are in a social project for a longer duration, you will have to deal with people who have little or no education. For this, it is useful to acquire at least a basic knowledge of Swahili before your arrival through any book (or audio CD). You can also take basic Swahili lessons while on site. We also have vocabulary lists with useful words that can help you.

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