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Fantastic 4.54rating (29)
  • Quality Education

Daycare & Kindergarten Assistant

location
4 - 12 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+
Verified

Highlights

  • Work with groups of 30 to 40 children aged four to fifteen at daycare and kindergarten centres that run permanently short of staff and materials.
  • Plan and lead your own activities - volunteers here are given real latitude to bring ideas rather than just supervise.
  • Join a project with a track record: past volunteers have funded meals, clothing, educational supplies and building improvements at these centres.

Highlights

  • Work with groups of 30 to 40 children aged four to fifteen at daycare and kindergarten centres that run permanently short of staff and materials.
  • Plan and lead your own activities - volunteers here are given real latitude to bring ideas rather than just supervise.
  • Join a project with a track record: past volunteers have funded meals, clothing, educational supplies and building improvements at these centres.
  • Work an 8:30am to 1:30pm day, Monday to Friday, with the option to return after lunch if you want to - many volunteers do.
  • Base yourself in Arusha, the gateway to the northern safari circuit - the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater are weekend trips from your front door.
    • You don't have to pay anything yet

    Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles
    Couples
    Groups
    50+

    About the program

    Assist the local staff at daycare and kindergarten centres in Arusha caring for groups of 30 to 40 children, at projects running on very limited resources.

    The centres

    Arusha's daycare and kindergarten facilities for low-income families operate on very little. A typical centre here looks after between thirty and forty children, aged from around four up to fifteen, with a handful of staff and not much else. Food, clothing, teaching materials and the ...

    About the program

    The centres

    Arusha's daycare and kindergarten facilities for low-income families operate on very little. A typical centre here looks after between thirty and forty children, aged from around four up to fifteen, with a handful of staff and not much else. Food, clothing, teaching materials and the buildings themselves are all under constant strain.

    That is the gap you fill. Not as a replacement for the Tanzanian staff, but as the extra adult in a room that badly needs one – the person who can sit with the child who is struggling, run an activity the staff have no time to prepare, and take some of the daily load off people doing a hard job with very little.

    What you will actually do

    • Care for and supervise the children alongside the local staff
    • Prepare and serve meals – a large part of what these centres provide
    • Plan and run games, creative activities and basic learning sessions
    • Help with the centre's administrative work
    • Take part in fundraising, which is what keeps food and shelter available

    Volunteers who arrive with ideas do best. There is genuine room to design and run your own activities here, and the staff welcome it.

    A note on what volunteers have achieved

    This is not a placement where you are decoration. Past volunteers have funded improvements to the children's homes, paid for meals, clothing and educational supplies, and run online campaigns that raised both money and awareness for the centres. One of the projects, the Karibu Foundation Day Care Centre, was set up by our own Arusha team to give vulnerable local children kindergarten education, meals and somewhere safe to be during the day.

    Practicalities

    Work runs 8:30am to 1:30pm, Monday to Friday. Some volunteers go back in the afternoon; that is optional. Minimum age 17, a clean criminal background check is required, and under-18s need a parental consent form.

    Please note: Volunteer World requires a minimum stay of four weeks on programmes working with children. That is longer than the one-week minimum on our own site, and it is a good thing for the children – continuity matters far more to them than a steady stream of short visitors.

    Typical day

    Morning

    Breakfast at the volunteer house, then out to your centre with the other volunteers. Work starts around 8:30am.

    8:30am to 1:30pm – at the centre

    The shape of the day depends on the ages in your group. With the youngest it is play, songs, counting and letters, plus the constant practical work ...

    Typical day

    Morning

    Breakfast at the volunteer house, then out to your centre with the other volunteers. Work starts around 8:30am.

    8:30am to 1:30pm – at the centre

    The shape of the day depends on the ages in your group. With the youngest it is play, songs, counting and letters, plus the constant practical work of feeding, washing and settling small children. With the older ones it is closer to classroom support and homework help.

    Mealtimes are a big part of the day and all hands are needed. Between sessions there is usually cleaning, tidying and preparation to be done, and volunteers are expected to muck in rather than stand back.

    If you have planned an activity – a craft session, a sports game, a lesson – this is when you run it. Bring materials from home if you can; anything you leave behind stays useful long after you go.

    1:30pm onwards

    Formally the day ends here. A good number of volunteers head back after lunch to help with homework or just to play, and nobody minds either way.

    Evenings

    Back at the volunteer house with everyone else. Arusha town is close for a coffee, the Maasai market or dinner out.

    Weekends

    Free. The team will help you book safaris out to the Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire or Lake Manyara, and there are shorter trips to Materuni waterfall and the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro.

    Free-time activities

    You finish at 1:30pm, so afternoons are yours, and weekends are entirely free. Arusha is an unusually rewarding base for that.

    Safari - the reason most people come to northern Tanzania

    Arusha is the staging post for the entire northern circuit and the local team will help you book. The Serengeti and ...

    Free-time activities

    You finish at 1:30pm, so afternoons are yours, and weekends are entirely free. Arusha is an unusually rewarding base for that.

    Safari - the reason most people come to northern Tanzania

    Arusha is the staging post for the entire northern circuit and the local team will help you book. The Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater are the classic two- or three-day trips. Tarangire, with its elephant herds and baobabs, and Lake Manyara, known for tree-climbing lions, are both doable in a day. Arusha National Park is close enough for a spare afternoon.

    Kilimanjaro and around

    You do not need a week to see Kilimanjaro. Day hikes on the lower slopes, the Materuni waterfall and the coffee-farm tours near Moshi all work as short trips. A full summit attempt needs proper planning and a real budget - permits alone are substantial - so save it for the end of your placement.

    In Arusha itself

    The Maasai Market is the place for carvings, fabric and beadwork, and haggling is expected. The Cultural Heritage Centre is worth an afternoon. There is a good cafe and restaurant scene around the clock tower, and volunteers from all the different projects tend to end up in the same handful of places.

    Further afield

    Zanzibar is a short domestic flight and makes an excellent end-of-programme week - beaches, Stone Town and the spice farms. Plenty of volunteers combine the two.

    Safaris and weekend trips can be arranged through your in-country coordinator, and add-on tours can also be booked in advance through your online account.

    Requirements

    Requirements

    Minimum Age: 18 years

    In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

    Criminal Background Check

    required

    Required Documents

    Criminal background check

    Nationality Restrictions

    No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

    Other Skills

    No qualifications or previous experience are needed. Patience, energy and a genuine liking for children matter far more. Volunteers who arrive with activity ideas and materials get much more out of this placement than those who wait to be directed. A clean criminal background check is required.

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

    What's Included

    What's Included

    On-site Services

    Included

    • Airport pickup at Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), or from the bus station in Arusha if you arrive overland
    • Accommodation at the volunteer house for your whole stay
    • Meals as provided at the volunteer house
    • Orientation on arrival and your placement at the centre
    • 24-hour assistance and support from the in-country team
    • Help booking weekend safaris and other trips
    • Comprehensive pre-departure information
    • Certificate of participation, on request

    Not included

    • Airfare
    • Travel and medical insurance – mandatory, and available through us at extra cost
    • Visa and volunteer permit fee – Tanzania charges a permit on top of the visa, so budget for both
    • Return airport drop-off – can be arranged locally at extra cost
    • Local transport, vaccinations and personal spending
    • Safari and weekend trips – the team will book them for you, but the cost is yours

    The price shown already includes your application fee – there is nothing further to pay us on arrival. Programme fees can be paid in interest-free instalments, with the balance due 45 days before departure.

    Airport Pickup at Kilimanjaro International Airport

    Airport pickup is included. Fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), roughly an hour from Arusha, and a member of the local team will meet you and drive you to the volunteer house.

    If you are arriving overland – from Nairobi, Dar es Salaam or elsewhere in Tanzania – you will be collected from the bus station in Arusha instead, and that is included as well.

    The return drop-off is not included in the programme fee, but the team can arrange transport for a small additional charge. Give them a couple of days' notice of your flight.

    Note that Tanzania requires a volunteer permit in addition to a tourist visa. The team will confirm the current fee before you travel; it is payable by you and is not part of the programme fee.

    Accommodation

    You stay at the volunteer house in Arusha, shared with other volunteers and interns from around the world working across our different Tanzanian projects. Rooms are shared, and for most people that mix is a large part of what makes the placement work – you arrive on your own and end up with a group to travel with at weekends.

    The house has the basic amenities you need rather than luxury: running water, electricity, communal living space and somewhere to eat together. A local coordinator manages it and is on hand throughout your stay.

    Arusha town centre is close by, and the house is the launch point for weekend safari trips out to the northern circuit.

    Food & Beverages

    Meals are provided at the volunteer house and are included in your fee. Expect Tanzanian home cooking – rice, ugali, beans, stewed vegetables, chapati, and fruit that is far better than anything you will get at home.

    If you are vegetarian, or have allergies or other dietary requirements, note them on your application form and remind the house team when you arrive. Tanzanian cooking accommodates vegetarians easily.

    Drink bottled or filtered water rather than tap water. It is cheap and available everywhere. Budget separately for meals out in Arusha and for food on safari weekends.

    Internet Access

    Good access at the project site
    You don't have to pay anything yet

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) in Kilimanjaro. We assist you to find cheap flights to Tanzania. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

    Travel Insurance

    Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Tanzania provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

    If you are intending to volunteer in Tanzania you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Tanzania. VACCINE CHECKER

    Details on arrival

    Start dates: weekly, year-round – choose whichever week suits you.

    Airport: Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), about an hour from Arusha. You will be met on arrival and driven to the volunteer house. If you are travelling overland from Nairobi or Dar es Salaam, you will be collected from the bus station in Arusha instead, and that is included too.

    Airport drop-off at the end is not included, but the local team can arrange it for an extra charge. Give them a couple of days' notice.

    Visa: most nationalities need a visa for Tanzania, and a volunteer permit fee is payable on top. The permit is not part of your programme fee – the team will confirm the current amount before you travel, so budget for it.

    Health: yellow fever vaccination is required if you are arriving from a country where it is present, and antimalarials are strongly recommended. See a travel clinic well before you fly.

    Background check: required for all adult participants before arrival, as with any placement involving children.

    Availability
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

    Program Fees

    $224 per week 4 - 12 weeks Age 18 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES

    Duration

    4 - 12 weeks

    Deposit

    Reserve your spot with just a few clicks and a small, secure deposit. You can pay by credit card, PayPal, or other convenient methods.

    Final Payment

    You’ll agree on the final payment method with your local organization during the application process. This final payment is only due closer to the start of your trip.

    You don't have to pay anything yet
    4.5
    Top Pick
    One of the top picks on Volunteer World, according to travelers

    Location

    Africa > Eastern Africa > Tanzania > Arusha

    Meet your project coordinator

    Sahil
    29
    reviews
    4.54
    Fantastic
    2007
    Founded

    Verified

      Below average response rate
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    Volunteer Abroad  >  Community  >  Childcare in Tanzania
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    Travel dates

    1. - 1. Jan 1

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