Agency | Plan My Gap Year
This volunteer program is especially suitable for:
In 2002, primary school education fees in Tanzania were dropped. The Tanzanian government’s push to get all children into school has seen unprecedented success. It is estimated that 96% of children at primary school age are enrolled in school. However, is a high level of enrolment enough? Schools have an average ratio of one teacher to 53 pupils, which is much worse in rural areas, and international aid is faltering since the global recession. The quality of education in Tanzania is a growing cause for concern.
Over a third of people in Tanzania live below the national poverty line. Education is one of the essential skills for children to develop and is their doorway to a bright future. Tourism is big business in Tanzania, and so the ability to speak English dramatically increases the opportunities for young people to gain meaningful employment. To make matters worse, teaching methods in Tanzania are largely based on learning through repetition and aimed at passing exams. This has led to a situation where, though the children can reel off information, they have very little understanding of what they are saying, particularly in relation to learning English. As most secondary school classes are taught in English, this causes problems later in the education system. Improving the methodologies of learning at this level can lay the foundation for increased learning potential in later life and thus improve the employability of Tanzanian students.
PMGY’s English Teaching programme in Tanzania aims to provide local schools and orphanages with support in a variety of ways, helping to teach children English, Maths and other subjects, at the same time transferring skills and sharing cultural perspectives. No previous teaching experience is required. All you need is to be creative and proactive and we will help you settle into a role that will be beneficial to the children you work with, while gaining valuable skills yourself.
IMPORTANT VISA INFO
On-arrival into Tanzania you will need to obtain a Tourist Visa. This costs $50 ($100 for US Citizens). You do not need to worry about this in advance as you can purchase the visa at the airport on-arrival.
Tanzanian law stipulates that all volunteers must have a work permit. If you’re joining PMGY in Tanzania for less than 90 days then you will need a CTA Work Permit. This costs $200 (£130). Our local team will process this on your behalf when you arrive in Arusha. Please make sure you have $200 in cash. Our local team will process this for you within the first couple of days of your arrival and return your passport to you with the work permit stamp inside it. Therefore, you do not need to obtain this work permit prior to arriving in Tanzania. If you are volunteering for more than 90 days then the work permit fee is $550 (around £345).
The total visa and work permit fee for the trip is $250 (approximately £160), or $300 for US citizens. You should bring this amount with you to Tanzania in cash (US dollars). The cost would be $600 for volunteers joining us in Tanzania for more than 90 days.
VACCINATION
It is also mandatory to have the Yellow Fever Vaccination to enter Tanzania. Therefore, you must ensure you allow yourself plenty of time to arrange this immunisation before you go, as you will need to show your Yellow Fever Vaccination record to the immigration officials at the airport. There has been a lot of debate on this issue, as some health officials say it is not necessary to have the Yellow Fever Vaccination. However, from the personal experience of the PMGY team we have always been asked to show proof of our Yellow Fever Vaccination on entry into Tanzania and so strongly advise all our volunteers to do so as well to avoid any complications on-arrival. More recently, our UK team have been in direct contact with the Tanzania embassy who have now confirmed to us that the Yellow Fever Vaccination is now mandatory on entry into Tanzania.
TRAVEL TIPS
You should arrive into Kilimanjaro International Airport (airport code JRO) on the selected Sunday start date. Programmes start on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month. You will be met at the airport by one of our local staff or an appointed driver who will be holding a named sign. They will take you to your accommodation where you will spend the rest of your day at leisure.
The programme ends on the Sunday of your final week and you should depart the accommodation on this day
ESSENTIAL PROGRAM INFORMATION
For the majority of our programmes you can apply at any time. However, we advise that you apply as soon as possible to ensure we have availability on the programme – particularly if you’re looking to travel between June and August, as spaces can fill up very quickly during this period.
It is best that you apply sooner rather than later as some of our programmes only have a limited capacity and spaces get filled very quickly.
Can I use this program as part of a university or college placement?
It is certainly possible to use one of PMGY’s programmes as part of your university or college placement. Project staff can sign off any paperwork required by your course tutors. PMGY regularly receives medical, childcare, psychology and nursing placement students at our projects around the world and we have ties with some of the leading universities.
If you’re a course tutor and would like further information about how one of PMGY’s programmes could meet the placement requirements for your degree course then please contact us.
Is it safe to travel to PMGY destinations?
Although our volunteers work in the developing world, we always ensure our host locations are safe. Each programme has been extensively researched and has passed our strict vetting process. Our UK team undergo an extensive routine when establishing our in-country infrastructures and we continue to monitor our safety procedures on a regular basis. Furthermore, we monitor the stability of our volunteer destinations on a daily basis. Through our constant contact with consulates and embassies and our reports from our overseas teams, we are able to ensure that our volunteers are never placed in unstable regions.
The PMGY team have visited and participated in every programme we offer and verified them based on our own independent criteria. We carefully inspect every little detail of our set-up. From inspecting the living conditions, checking out the neighbourhoods you’ll be staying in, to tasting the food you’ll be eating – each and every programme we establish has gone through a lengthy and rigorous vetting process. Risk assessments have been written for all areas in which PMGY operate and our experienced local coordinators are always on-hand to manage any emergencies that may occur. Our UK team are always on the road reviewing our risk management procedures in the field and monitoring local conditions.
In emergency situations we have the necessary protocols and equipment in place and we are able to evacuate our volunteers from potential dangers. Our local coordinators are trained to deal with emergency circumstances.
All volunteers will receive a PMGY Volunteer Handbook once they have paid their deposit and confirmed their place on the programme. We will send you an email entitled ‘Welcome to PMGY’ which will include a link where you can download the Volunteer Handbook. Please note that we DO NOT send a hardcopy of the PMGY Volunteer Handbook.
This Handbook contains literally everything you need to know – from what to pack, to how to obtain a visa, to local language guides. It is really important that you read through the Volunteer Handbook carefully once you’ve downloaded it. If you require any further information not covered in the Volunteer Handbook then our team are always on-hand to assist you.
Typical day
Volunteers work as assistants to the local teachers, although there maybe times you need to lead your own lessons due to staff shortages. All lessons are taught in English apart from Swahili language lessons. The schools have a basic curriculum, which is followed, however volunteers have the freedom to introduce new ideas/topics. It is important that volunteers spend an hour or two each day preparing for the following days lessons. We support primary and secondary schools. Furthermore, many of the orphanages we support have nursery schools for children of pre-school age – PMGY volunteers also assist at these projects. Nurseries and primary schools are suitable for volunteers with no teaching experience. If you have teaching experience or a TEFL qualification, then it is recommended that you teach at a secondary school where the children are aged from 12 to 16 years of age.
Free-time activities
PMGY volunteers are based in the quiet suburbs of the city of Arusha, near the foot of Mount Meru, Africa’s fifth highest mountain at 4,556m (14,947ft).
This vibrant African city is an excellent base and for the most part, it is lush, green and enjoys a temperate climate throughout the year thanks to its altitude. You will find all the amenities you could need in Arusha including banks, supermarkets and international standard hospitals as well as excellent restaurants and night life.
Arusha also has its first real coffee house, Africafe, a great location to chill out, people watch and sample some home baking with famous brands of teas and coffees grown on the fertile slopes around Mbeya, Southern Tanzania.
MAASAI MUSEUM
This informative Maasai cultural museum comes complete with mock-ups of home and bush life, which you visit with a real life Maasai warrior. You can then take a 30 minute camel ride towards the Monduli Mountains, and visit a local Maasai village where you’ll get the chance to chat to the local Maasai and learn about their culture.
MT MERU CURIOS & CRAFTS MARKET
There are quite a few markets in Arusha but this one (often referred to as the Maasi Market) has some great souvenirs and some higher-quality items. You will need to practice your expert haggling skills though and be persistent as this market is one of the best in central Arusha.
FURTHER AFIELD
ZANZIBAR
Just a 1hr 40min direct flight from Arusha, the exotic island of Zanzibar, locally known as Unguja, has amazing beaches and resorts, decent dive spots, acres of spice plantations, the Jozani Forest Reserve, and Stone Town.
Stone Town, the archipelago’s major metropolis, is a maze of narrow streets lined with houses featuring magnificently carved doors studded with brass. There are 51 mosques, 6 Hindu temples, and 2 Christian churches. And though it can rightly be called a city, much of the western part of the larger island is a slumbering paradise where cloves, as well as rice and coconuts, still grow.
Program Requirements
Included Services
Before your journey
On-site services
Your fee includes both your registration fee and programme fees. Your programme fee includes; accommodation, all meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner), airport pickup (24 hours), in-country orientation, private transport to projects, 24 hour in-country support. Your registration fee includes; 24 hour UK based support, comprehensive volunteer handbook, live pre-departure webinars, 100% financial protection, regular programme inspection.
We recommend that volunteers book a flight to arrive into Kilimanjaro International Airport (airport code JRO), particularly if this is your first time in Tanzania. You will be picked up at the airport by the Plan My Gap Year team and taken to your accommodation in Arusha which is approximately 1 hour away.
If you would like us to also arrange your return, we will charge a fee of £20.
You will stay at our Volunteer House in Arusha. This is a cosy house located just 5 minutes walk from central Arusha in a quiet neighbourhood.
Rooms are shared, up to 6 people per room. Each volunteer is provided with a mosquito net. The shared bathrooms have warm showers and western toilets. The house has a living area with a TV and comfy sofas to relax in during the evening. There is also a communal kitchen where you can prepare meals and store food in the refrigerator. Please note that power cuts are fairly commonplace in Tanzania although they tend not to last more than a couple of hours.
The house does not have Wi-Fi but there are internet cafes nearby where you can get online for around £1 per hour. Alternatively you can purchase a USB internet dongle for £15 and this will allow you to connect to the internet at all times via your laptop. A weekly laundry service available for £3 per person, or you can choose to hand wash your clothes. We have a cook who will prepare your meals and a cleaner who will maintain the house. There is also a night guard employed for extra security.
A member of our local team will regularly visit the house to ensure everything runs smoothly. There is a great atmosphere at the house and you will meet some wonderful people to share your experience with.
Volunteers receive breakfast and dinner at the Volunteer House, which are freshly prepared on-site by our cook. Meals are a mixture of Tanzanian and western cuisine. You should budget around £2 per day for lunch if you plan to eat local meals or £4 to £5 for western food.
Generally, we have a two-week rotating menu, which offers a varied choice of meals. For breakfast, you will receive cereal, or fruit salad, or boiled eggs, or a Spanish omelette, or pancakes.
For your evening meal you may have pasta, lentils and chapatti, burgers (beef and veggie), or banana and potato stew. We will always have a vegetarian option available and can cater for the majority of dietary requirements.
There are western supermarkets in Arusha where you can purchase food and store it at the house if you’d like to prepare your own lunch/meals.
*Please inform us in your application if you have any dietary requirements.
Program Fees
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