Cheka used to be a school, but is now a newly established daycare system in Arusha for the low-income families. The daycare is a place, where parents can leave the kids for the day while they leave for work, and then pick them up again in the evening - just as any daycare system in Europe or America. However, this opportunity is rare in developing countries, which is why Fursa is more than thrilled to be supporting this sustainable solution as an alternative to the many orphanages in or around Arusha. This daycare is keeping the families together instead of splitting them of and where the kids will be under supervision by experienced teachers - and you, if this sounds like something you wish to be apart of!
Fursa is all about making sustainable solutions and making an beneficial impact on the local community, which is why we require our volunteers to be at the placement at least 4 weeks. The reason for this is, that we wish to create as much consistency for the children in the daycare as possible. Volunteers are more than welcome to work at Cheka even longer, as there is no maximum limit to this placement. Cheka means "laughter", which is was we wish our volunteers to be spreading through the work with the permanent teachers and the love and energy, the volunteers will bring.
Anyone who has a heart, that cares for children can volunteer in this placement. As the daycare is run by 3 educated teachers, we don't require the volunteers to have a certain degree of education to volunteer at this placement. You must however be minimum 18 years and provide a clean criminal record when applying for volunteering with us. If you do however have previous experience of working with children, this will only be an advantage.
The daycare houses about 20 kids with ages varying from 1-5 on a daily basis. The parents will drop of the kids in the morning, where they will be provided with breakfast. Here after the day typically goes with different educational activities, both teaching and playful. The youngest children will be putted down for a nap before lunch and after all the children will be provided with a lunch meal. As a volunteer, your job is to show love and care for the children as well as helping out with the daily routine. Our volunteers are also more than welcome to help put with planning and organizing the daily activities. All in all, this work is about showing love and care for the children and to take good care of them, while their parents are unavailable.
As a volunteer, you day will typically begin at Cheka around 8:00 AM in the morning, which is this time most of the parents will be delivering the children to the day care. After the children have had a meal of breakfast, which you as a volunteer also is a part of helping organising, the mornings and mid-days consists of playing, learning activities and maybe small trips around the area. When we reach lunchtime, you will assist the children in eating. After lunch, the same activities as in the mornings fill the rest of the day until the parents return to pick up their children. Depending on your wish and individual agreement, you can either stay until 3-4 PM and eat your packed lunch-box from the hostel with the kids, or you can leave the daycare around 1:30-2 PM and return to the hostel for a late lunch. When you arrive and sign up with us, these details can be planned further.
During your stay you will be accommodated in the coziest and most friendly hostel in Arusha, The White House of Tanzania. Upon your arrival, you will meet our staff as well as the Mboje family, who runs and manages Fursa Projects Tanzania as well as the hostel. The family also lives on site once in Arusha, and there is therefore always staff around.
The three daily meals included in your accommodation price is prepared from fresh groceries everyday and served to our guests at the given mealtimes. Our chefs are Tanzanian, which means that the meals usually consists of local dishes. The breakfast consists of toasted bread with a side of eggs and fruits, while the lunch and dinner are usually either a side of rice, potatoes or pasta served with maharage (beans), choroko (lentils), mboga mboga (vegetable stew), makande (beans and maize) or either beef or chicken prepared in various ways.
In case of any allergies or intolerance or other special needs, feel free to let us know and we will try our best to come up with an alternative for you. As said earlier, all these meals are included in the price but our guests are free to leave the house and go out for dinner whenever - all we ask is that you let us know to prevent unnecessary food wastage.
In the White House we have a small bar that sells cold water, soda and beer for affordable prices. Drinks ARE NOT included in the accommodation fee, ONLY meals.
Day Care Assistant
As a volunteer in Cheka Day Care you will work alongside with teachers taking care of children in the ages of 1-5 during daytime while the parents are working.
$158/week
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