African safari tours and adventures range from affordable to luxurious, to bucket-list vacations and once-in-a-lifetime holidays..
Flight Bookings
Volunteer Programs
Create an account to add things to your wishlist and access your bookings from any device..
Want to be a Medical volunteer in Tanzania? M.T.Expedition’s Medical project is an exciting opportunity for volunteers to help improve access to healthcare for low-income communities in Arusha. Volunteers gain medical experience by shadowing local professionals at either a clinic or hospital and may also be able to take part in medical outreach campaigns in local villages.
Highlights:
What to expect and how you'll make an impact
In many poor communities in Tanzania, healthcare is not easily accessible or affordable. The Medical Volunteer project aims to change that by placing volunteers in medical facilities that serve vulnerable people.
As a Medical volunteer you’ll work in health centers and both governmental and private hospitals based in Arusha city, primarily shadowing local medical professionals and assisting with daily duties. Local regulations and language barriers mean volunteers are unable to perform independent tasks; however, you can observe healthcare in action in a developing country and help where permitted. Your placement will be determined by local medical professionals based on your previous experience and training.
Work can be hands-on depending on placement, the need at the time, and your medical experience and education. Some hands-on work might include assisting with surgery or delivery, HIV testing, stitching, wound care, and other basic medical care.
Please see below a list of departments where medical volunteers can work on rotation or stick with one, depending on the need at the time:
You shouldn’t expect all placements to offer all the above departments, however, if you have any preferences with regard to the work you are helping out with, please feel free to note it in your application. The local team will take this on board as best as they can, although it’s important to be flexible as we cannot guarantee that you will work in your chosen department.
You may also be able to take part in Medical Outreach campaigns twice a week. Campaigns take place in local villages, delivering basic medical care which is not often available. On the day, volunteers are transported to either a community group that has been organized to offer free medical support or they will visit a number of homes in a rural area nearby Arusha to assess patients. They are escorted and assisted by a registered nurse, a social worker, and a local team staff member for translation purposes.
These campaigns are fully arranged and funded by volunteers, and you’re welcome to reach out to your Program Manager for more information about these.
Why do Medical volunteering in Arusha with M.T.Expedition’s ?
As a healthcare volunteer in Tanzania, you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:
Volunteer requirements
Location
The M.T.Expedition Tanzania volunteer program is based in Arusha, a small city often used as the base of many safari trips into the Serengeti and other national parks. It’s also near Africa’s highest mountain, Mt Kilimanjaro. Tanzania as a whole is known for its seemingly boundless areas of wilderness where African animals roam, sometimes migrating in vast groups across the plains; and also being the country where the oldest human skull and even older fossils of human ancestors were found.
Despite its many attractions, communities in many parts of Tanzania still lack access to the basic necessities of life. Volunteer projects based in rural and urban areas around Arusha and nearby help to provide better access to healthcare, education and childcare.
Arrival and orientation
The program orientation begins on the 1st and 15th of every month and volunteers need to arrive in Arusha on the day before orientation.
After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK) in Arusha. Your airport pick-up is included in your program fee. We recommend that volunteers under the age of 18 travel internationally with a notarized letter from their parents to support their documentation. When you arrive, you will be greeted at the airport by a member of the local team and transported to the volunteer accommodation in Arusha. Your accommodation is covered by your program fee and includes the night before your program orientation.
If you are traveling in Tanzania prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up in Arusha on the day before your program orientation. Orientation is hosted by our local team at one of the volunteer houses in Arusha. Orientation begins on the morning of your chosen start date. If your start date falls on a weekend or a public holiday, your orientation will begin on the Monday or day following the public holiday. Orientation covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Tanzania – an introduction to Tanzania, Tanzanian customs, rules and expectations, language lessons (Kiswahili), safety, travel opportunities in Tanzania, and an introduction to your project and placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.
Volunteer schedule example
First Day
On the first day of the volunteering placement, you will be escorted to the project by our local staff and introduced to the staff at the project you will be working with.
Weekdays
Work and hours are dependent on the project and placement that each volunteer is working at. A typical volunteer day would be as follows:
7:30 AM
Breakfast at the volunteer house or homestay.
8:00 AM
Volunteers leave home and travel to their placements. Work and hours are dependent on the project and placement that each volunteer is working at.
2:00 - 5:00 PM
Work at the placement usually ends. Volunteers are free to travel home for lunch at their accommodation, prepare for the next day or do some shopping and sightseeing.
8:30 PM
Dinner at the volunteer house or homestay
Weekends
Tanzania is a wildlife lover’s dream. In your free time you can venture out on a safari and see Africa’s Big 5 - lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards and rhino - as well as the mind-blowing number of other species that call Tanzania home.
In Arusha itself you can find great markets, take a few days to hike up the nearby Mt Meru, or learn about the Maasai and Meru tribes of the area. You can also take take a short flight down to Zanzibar for a weekend of sun and sandy beaches or save some time before or after your program to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
Accommodation and WiFi
Volunteers in Tanzania are accommodated in dorm-style volunteer houses or homestays located in Sakina, Arusha. In the volunteer houses, volunteers can expect to share a room with one to ten other volunteers of the same gender; however, the majority of rooms accommodate 4-6 people.
Currently, there are two homestays available, located next to each other. One homestay can accommodate up to 10 volunteers, and the other can accommodate up to 6, with rooms also being separated by gender. Typically, rooms can fit a maximum of 4 people.
Living conditions are basic, but the volunteer houses and homestays have running water and electricity. It’s important to note that there are often power outages, which can affect the availability of hot water and electricity. There are cooks who prepare meals for the volunteers, and each volunteer house has a security guard.
Please be aware that private room upgrades are not available in Tanzania.
During the busy months of June, July, and August 2024, our volunteer houses and homestays may reach full capacity due to the high number of volunteers joining us.
To ensure that everyone is comfortably accommodated, part of our volunteers may be hosted in a nearby hotel, in dormitory style rooms separated by gender. Don’t worry, this arrangement is carefully coordinated to ensure your comfort and convenience. Those staying in the hotel will receive their meals - breakfast, lunch, and dinner - directly at the hotel.
If you would like to stay connected during your stay, we recommend bringing an unlocked mobile phone and purchasing a local SIM card when you arrive in Tanzania. The local team can assist you with purchasing a SIM card and data during your program orientation. Additionally, you can access WiFi at cafes and restaurants in Arusha.
If you wish to arrive a day earlier than your recommended arrival date or spend a few extra nights after finishing your program, we can arrange extra nights of accommodation for you at $35 per person per night, including meals, subject to availability. You will be able to book extra nights via your profile after you register.
Meals
Tanzanian cuisine varies across the country due to differences in produce found inland and along the coast. The immigration of Khoja Indians has influenced local dishes with Indian flavors. Staple foods in Tanzania include rice, ugali (maize porridge), chapatti, and beans. Please keep in mind that rice and beans are significant components of meals in Tanzania, so you can expect to be served these quite often.
Volunteers are provided with three meals a day at the volunteer houses and homestays. Breakfast typically consists of eggs served with pancakes, mandazzi (deep-fried dough balls), or cake, along with plenty of fresh fruit, bread, and a selection of jams and other spreads for toast.
Lunch and dinner usually feature a traditional meat dish (chicken or beef) alongside a vegetable dish, beans, lentils, or cooked vegetables served with rice, pasta, chips, or chapatti.
Meals are served at the accommodations, but lunch boxes with fruits and sandwiches can be provided upon request if your placement is scheduled to finish after lunchtime.
Bottled water is readily available in Tanzania, and volunteers should budget approximately $5 per week for 2 liters a day. Filtered water is also available at the accommodations, and you can choose between purchasing bottled water or using the free filtered water provided in the houses.
If you have any special dietary requirements, please inform us so that the local team can make arrangements for you. They can provide vegetarian meals and options that are dairy and gluten-free; however, please note that vegan, halal, and kosher options are not available. Keep in mind that your eating experience may differ from what you’re accustomed to at home. The local team will do their best to accommodate your needs and ensure volunteers are well taken care of, but it’s essential for volunteers to remain flexible.
Inclusions
What's not included
This website uses cookies. By using this website, you agree to our use of cookies Privacy Policy
Arusha
Tanzania - Arusha
