Location:

Arusha, Tanzania, United Republic of

Program Type:

Volunteer Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Work Types:

Women's Rights

Duration:

1-3 months

Program Overview

Program Description:

Tanzania, Maasai women are economically weak. Though Maasai culture is one of the major attractions of tourism industry in Tanzania, Maasai people are not benefited from the tourism industry. A local NGO in ILKDNGA and Monduli district is presently running different programs to uplift the economic condition of Maasai women. ILKDNGA has been running an income generating projects for Maasai women. In this project, Maasai women are trained to make traditional Masai crafts, beads, clothes, handicrafts, and other goods. These products are later sold in market and part of this income goes to women. This is a wonderful project, if you enjoy Maasai culture and rural life of Maasai people.

Currently, Global Adventure Safaris has established more than 24 women empowerment groups practicing paralegal activities and administering HIV/AIDS education and Home Based Care for People Living with HIV/AIDS and those with chronic illnesses. Global Adventure Safaris beaded jewelers business is its main income generating activity. This program allows us to sustain many of our programs and facilities!

There is no formal structure (example well structured office or infrastructure) in this women project. There are 18 Maasai women’s groups in 8 different villages of Mt. Meru. These Maasai women’s groups are coordinated by ILKDNGA. You will travel each village to other village (nearly 30-50 minutes) each day and support them. There are many works that you can engage in. •If you are an artist or professional having skills on crafts, beads, ornament, and handicrafts you can teach them the recent techniques/designs so that they can make better products and sell their products in markets. •If you are non-professional but just want to work and support these Maasai women, then you can work with them learning how to make Maasai crafts, beads, ornaments. It would be a wonderful experience to work with one of the native tribes who respects foreigners. •Maasai women’s group also needs volunteers’ help to learn English so that they can talk with tourists and sell their products directly. So, you can also run an informal English language class for Maasai women. •If you have knowledge and skills about marketing, then you can help Maasai women to develop marketing strategies and help them to sell their products in national and international market. Besides women’s group, you can run English language classes for Maasai children and local youth with a little English knowledge Maasai youth can work as tourist guides making additional income for the family. Tanzania Home Based Care project in Arusha-Tanzania.

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 toward the huge Ki