Location:

Arusha, Tanzania, United Republic of

Program Type:

Volunteer Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Work Types:

Health

Duration:

1-3 months

Program Overview

Program Description:

Programs start every 1st and 3rd Monday of each month, with arrival Sunday prior to the program start at Kilimanjaro International Airport. Upon arrival you will be picked up at the airport and driven to your accommodation. During the first 1-3 days, you will get an orientation in town and some Swahili lessons, while the coordinator organizes your work permit.

Most clinics and hospitals only accept certified professionals in the medical/healthcare sector, or interns.

If you are looking for valuable hands-on medical experience, there are possibilities in the hospitals in Arusha. You will also be able to work at rural health posts and community clinics. Participants spend the majority of their internship/work period working as an assistant to a doctor/healthcare professional. Work responsibilities vary with your education, skills, and previous experience. Interns must have health care certification, such as an ID as a medical student, EMT or paramedic certification, or nursing or physician's credentials. Medical interns without credentials are not allowed to work in this programme because of the potential liability risk. Job responsibilities of interns vary with education, skills, experience and qualifications. Interns measure blood pressure, temperature, height, weight, as well as assist doctors. Interns may also help in health camps, distribute medication, advise patients about health, nutrition and sanitation as well as counsel patients and possibly participate in the treatment of minor injuries and wounds or maintain journals.

Work is from 20-30 hours per week. On the first working day you will meet a coordinator, who will explain your role as a volunteer/intern. An individual timetable will be worked out for you based on how much time you want to commit. Please note: the programme supervisor DOES NOT DEVELOP internships; instead you will select a particular area of interest and explore the issue further with the help of an assigned supervisor. It is up to the interns to get as much as possible out of their stay.

Most volunteers prefer to stay at the “House for Volunteers” in Arusha with: TV-room, showers and sanitary facilities. There’s a guard and a cook who prepares 3 meals a day. Here it is possible to have more of a social life with other volunteers. The coordinator – who also arranges Safari Trips – has his office in the house.

If you prefer more authentic surroundings, you can chose to live with a local host family instead, where you also will have 3 meals a day. Here you will share all facilities with the family members, of whom at least one speaks English.

Tanzanian food includes a little meat, chicken or fish with rice and some fruit. Showers do no not always have hot water. Don’t expect luxury!

Setting Description:

Tanzania has one of the most varied and unique landscapes in the world. Here you'll find mountains - amongst them, Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, great lakes and numerous wildlife reserves. Serengeti National Park is famous for its annual migration of millions of wildebeest and also has a large population of lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos and African Buffaloes.

Near the Park is the Olduvai-Ravine, where many of the oldest hominid fossils and artifacts have been found.

Arusha is one of the bigger cities in the north of Tanzania at the base of Mt. Meru, not far from the border with Kenya. It is well known as an African Congress center containing the site for the International Tribunal for the Rwandan Genocide. Tucked at the foot of Mount Meru, the town of Arusha is the first stop on the northern safari circuit and is the undisputed safari capital of East Africa. Moshi lies one hour and a half drive from Arusha, set on the edge of the plains which ascend towa