Testimonial: Chelsie
Name: Chelsie Hoover
Age: 25
Nationality: American
Our volunteer period in Tanzania was from January to June (my fiancé and I went together). Each morning we taught English classes to the kindergarten (KG) class at the TAMIHA Orphanage in Usa River. The teacher at TAMIHA doesn’t speak much English but she is very grateful for any help with classes. The children are starving for attention and they will latch on to you within days. By far the most difficult thing you will have to go through is to say goodbye to them once your stint is through.
There are 3 other branches of the organization: a vocational school for at-risk teenagers, an HIV program and an eco-tourism project run by local widows (called Lukundane) that provides funding for all 4 branches. Volunteers with Tamiha have the chance to rotate between all 4 branches in order to best utilize their skills. Time can easily be split between teaching at the orphanage, teaching at the vocational school, fundraising and marketing for Lukundane, doing HIV talks for schools or local women’s groups, home visits with HIV patients, or tending to the orphans’ medical needs. The Tamiha staff is also one of the many perks. They were eager to work and genuinely grateful for our help from the beginning, and we can now call them lifelong friends.
You must take all of this information with a grain of salt and still remember that you will be living in Africa. Times are hard and money is short, so be prepared for anything. Projects will move very slowly but don’t give up hope, just be persistent. The more Swahili you familiarize yourself with, the more the locals will respect you. Overall enjoy your time and embrace the culture!