from 720€

Excellent 4.8rating (33)

Support a Local Hospital

location
4 - 26 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Excellent 4.8  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Excellent response rate

Volunteer project with the highest quality. This project sets unprecedented standards in quality - an unparalleled level of excellence.

Highlights

  • Learn everything about the Tanzanian health system.
  • Be yourself and grow beyond yourself!
  • Have a great time and learn a lot from the local nurses and doctors as your internship will be recognized by most universities world wide.
  • Immerse yourself in African culture by getting in touch with the local community and discovering the beauty of Tanzania
  • Exchange knowledge and treat patients if you are already an expert in the medical field (nurse, doctor etc.)

Especially suitable

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Groups
50+

About the program

Assist the team at the hospital, help where help is needed and immerse yourself in the Tanzanian healthcare system.

St. Elizabeth Hospital is a medical facility located in the center of Arusha. Specializations include paediatrics and obstetrics, tuberculosis and malaria testing and treatment, HIV / AIDS counseling as well as diagnosis and therapy as part of the US support program, ophthalmology and a broad-based ...

About the program

St. Elizabeth Hospital is a medical facility located in the center of Arusha. Specializations include paediatrics and obstetrics, tuberculosis and malaria testing and treatment, HIV / AIDS counseling as well as diagnosis and therapy as part of the US support program, ophthalmology and a broad-based surgical clinic. The clinic also offers outreach programs for remote areas.
The hospital is directed by Godson Kisanga together with 7 doctors and a number of nurses and additional medical staff. Overall, the clinic employs 120 people. The St. Elizabeth Hospital began in 1975 as a pharmacy and was expanded in 1984 to a full-service hospital with a growing number of beds.

The clinic works almost exclusively with donations. While the dental, eye and HIV clinic was originally sponsored, more is needed to further build different clinic. The clinic has a new pediatric ward and an isolation ward upstairs. Further stations are in planning. Patient fees are moderate, but pregnant women, children and the elderly often receive free benefits. There is also a physiotherapy ward.

Furthermore, the clinic cares about 80 to 100 patients per day and can accommodate up to 8 volunteers.

In general, it is a bonus if volunteers have already gained some medical experience or are already qualified. However, motivated volunteers who wish to study or start a medical education (nurse, midwife, EMT, etc.) and have no prior knowledge are also most welcome to spend an internship at St. Elizabeth. We issue all relevant certificates to have the internship recognized by your university or training facility (e.g. as a nursing internship) in your home country.

Work on the maternity ward: Work in the delivery room at St. Elizabeth is reserved exclusively for qualified professionals. It is therefore unfortunately not possible for pre-medicals to assist here.

Please note:  As a volunteer at St. Elizabeth Hospital, you need to bring your own work clothes. Other equipment and the surgical area clothing is also provided. We will give you detailed information on what you will need to bring.



Typical day

Your day starts at about 8 am in the morning. The St. Elizabeth Hospital is located in downtown Arusha, about 20 minutes (depending on traffic) with the famous minibuses (Dala Dala) away. It is a direct bus connection, so the way is very relaxing for you.

Volunteers can either choose one work field ...

Typical day

Your day starts at about 8 am in the morning. The St. Elizabeth Hospital is located in downtown Arusha, about 20 minutes (depending on traffic) with the famous minibuses (Dala Dala) away. It is a direct bus connection, so the way is very relaxing for you.

Volunteers can either choose one work field or rotate between the different wards, depending on their interests, skills and knowledge. There will always be a doctor or nurse who will give instructions and new tasks if needed. The hospital relies on volunteers who take their work as serious as any other paid employment or internship abroad or in their home country.

Although the St. Elizabeth is a 24-hour clinic, you will finish your day at around 4 pm. 

Free-time activities

The project is based in Arusha, Tanzania. There are several free time activities volunteers can engage in. We help to organize Safaris, mountain climbs and shorter tours like hiking, horse riding, visit to a nearby massai village, trip to the hotsprings and waterfalls, coffee tours, etc. to the ...

Free-time activities

The project is based in Arusha, Tanzania. There are several free time activities volunteers can engage in. We help to organize Safaris, mountain climbs and shorter tours like hiking, horse riding, visit to a nearby massai village, trip to the hotsprings and waterfalls, coffee tours, etc. to the nearer surroundings at affordable rates. There are lots of things you can do during your free time or at the weekends in Arusha itself. There are different markets like second hand market, spice markets or massai market, as well as typical african restaurants and bars. Furthermore, the area you will live is very beautiful and you can either go to a lake and do canoeing or you can go to a lodge with a pool near to the hostel to relax. 
With so many possible activities, you should always keep in mind that the project assignment always comes first and excursions have to be adapted to the work in the project. Ideally, you should only go on longer trips after you have completed your volunteer placement. 


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.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (intermediate level)

Education Requirements

at High School level

Criminal Background Check

required

Required Documents

CV, Introduction letter and Copies of all relevant certificates if any are available

Nationality Restrictions

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

Other Skills

Qualifications or experience in the medical field can be helpful but is not required. (Exception: Maternity Ward)

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 08:00 - 16:00

What's Included

What's Included

Services by STEP Africa

The STEP Africa Program Fees include the following:

  • 2-way airport transfers
  • pre-departure support
  • preparation handbooks
  • orientation day
  • project support 
  • STEP Africa T-Shirt
  • bed in a shared dormitory at on of our Volunteer Houses in Arusha
  • breakfast and dinner from Monday to Friday
  • on-the-ground support and supervision by the STEP Africa Team (our office is in Tanzania!)
  • 24h emergency contact. 


Important Note: To keep it transparent we do not add any donation to our program fees (which are entirely used for your preparation, supervision and accommodation) but encourage you to raise some funds among your family and friends prior to your arrival or once you have arrived in Tanzania. For the work in the hospital there is a mandatory donation of $200 per month which helps the hospital to cover part of its running costs. The fee is to be paid directly to the hospital at your first working day.

Airport Pickup at Kilimanjaro International Airport

Airport Pick-up is included in the costs. Volunteers can be picked up at any day and night time. Possible Arrival Airports are Kilimanjaro International Airport and Arusha Airport. Our arrival day is every Thursday and our departure day is Wednesday. Please take this into account when booking your flights.

Accommodation

STEP AFRICA HOSTELS

Our STEP Africa houses are centrally located in the district of Njiro, Arusha, from where the projects can be easily reached. The houses are not far from each other, so that volunteers can visit each other and spend time with the residents of the other houses at any time. 

Our “headquarters” in Arusha is the STEP Africa house on Rashida Street, where our office is also located. However, our volunteer supervisors divide their time between the houses so that our volunteers are well looked after at all locations. Each house has a team of lovely house mums who are responsible for cooking and cleanliness, as well as our night guards and gardeners.

What unites our volunteer houses is that they are located in the middle of Tanzanian life, central yet quiet. Bus connections, restaurants, cinemas, pharmacies, supermarkets and numerous other shops are located in the village, and the city centre is only 10-15 minutes away by bus. All our projects can be easily reached from here. In the STEP houses you will always meet like-minded people with whom you can exchange ideas and gather new ideas for your project. We serve a typical Tanzanian breakfast consisting of white bread and black tea and other side dishes such as eggs, fruits and mandazi and delicious local dishes for dinner (vegetarians/vegans are catered for separately!). We want you to feel comfortable in our accommodation, so we place a lot of emphasis on friendly interaction and a family atmosphere. In the cosy courtyards and gardens you can relax from work and the sometimes exhausting African daily life.

The STEP Africa houses each consist of shared rooms with bunk beds and double (+50€/week) / single rooms (+95€/week). In addition, there is a kitchen with its own refrigerator for our volunteers, an oven, bathrooms, common rooms equipped with comfortable sofas and TV facilities, as well as covered outdoor dining areas.

HOST FAMILIES (+50€ / week)

There is also the possibility to stay with a host family during your time in Arusha. Our host mamas Vicky and Salma offer a total of 18 spaces within their respective homes and have years of experience hosting international volunteers.

It will be easy to socialise with other volunteers and meet like-minded people. Vicky is located in the same district as our STEP-Africa Hostels while Salma’s home is in Kimandolu which is further from the other accommodation but a little more convenient to some of our projects. Our Host Mamas offer the volunteers a typical Tanzanian breakfast as well as a hot dinner. Large common areas invites you to sit together and exchange ideas after an exciting day. Living in a Host Family in Tanzania gives you an even closer insight into the lives of African families.

Food & Beverages

Food (breakfast and dinner) is provided from Monday to Friday. The breakfast includes tea, white bread, butter, jam, peanutbutter and an african special of the day like Mandazi or cooked banana. Our house mamas cooks delicious typical tanzania dinner for you e.g. rice with beans or chapati. 

During the weekends volunteers can use the kitchen for cooking or eat in one of the several restaurants in and around Arusha. 

Safe filtered drinking water as well as the fridges in the kitchen are available for all volunteers. Even as a vegetarian, you will not have problems either at the hostel, nor outside at local restaurants in Arusha. 

Internet Access

Limited access at the project site

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

Our arrival day is every Thursday and our departure day is Wednesday. Please take this into account when booking your flights. You can join our program throughout the year and on any month (availability provided!). Our driver can pick you from Kilimanjaro Airport at any day or night time. The airport shuttle is already included in our program fees, so we do not charge extra costs. The day following your arrival (Friday)you will receive a detailed briefing and orientation from us. Our supervisor will show you Arusha town, you will get a local SIM card, go together to an ATM and you will get the chance to go buy anything necessary at the supermarket. The weekday following your orientation day (Monday) is usually your first day at the project. On your first day you will be joined by one of our team members. 

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

Program fees

4 weeks (min. stay) 720€
5 weeks 850€
6 weeks 980€
7 weeks 1,110€
8 weeks 1,240€
9 weeks 1,370€
10 weeks 1,500€
11 weeks 1,630€
12 weeks 1,760€
13 weeks 1,890€
14 weeks 2,020€
15 weeks 2,150€
16 weeks 2,280€
17 weeks 2,410€
18 weeks 2,540€
19 weeks 2,670€
20 weeks 2,800€
21 weeks 2,930€
22 weeks 3,060€
23 weeks 3,190€
24 weeks 3,320€
25 weeks 3,450€
26 weeks (max. stay) 3,580€
Average fees 158€/week

Program fees

158€ per week 4 - 26 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

4 - 26 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with STEP Africa during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

STEP Africa

Excellent 4.8 rating (33 reviews)

Agency - founded in 2014

Verified by Volunteer World

  Excellent response rate

Coordinated by

Juliane Döhler

Spoken languages: German, English, Swahili

About the project

STEP Africa is a Tanzanian social enterprise founded in German-Tanzanian cooperation. We offer a variety of volunteer projects, internships and culture-sensitive travel.

Meet your organization

Our programs are based on the principle of learning with and from each other in an increasingly globalized world. Broadening your horizons and looking outside the box is one of the most valuable experiences that will shape your future life. A trip to Africa opens your eyes to other realities and perspectives. We firmly believe in the power of change through intercultural exchange. With our programs we promote and demand equality and cultural tolerance. We know and love Tanzania like no other country and can tell exactly what is important when organizing your stay. As a sustainable organization, we support, with the help of our volunteers, selected projects and initiatives in Tanzania.

Step Africa - Exchange for Change Limited was founded in 2014 in German - Tanzanian cooperation and is led by Kira Uher as its on site director in ArushaWhile Kira works hand in hand with her administration team behind the scenes, our volunteers are accompanied through their time in Tanzania by a wonderful German-Tanzanian team of supervisors. Our entire team is based on-site in Tanzania, eliminating the need for expensive administrative structures.  

Meaningful Volunteering

We only place our volunteers into projects in which they can gain a lot of valuable experience for their future. Our volunteers do not replace local workers. Volunteers are assistants who offer support to employees. They also use their expertise to teach their target groups new skills and to open new perspectives.

Reducing Prejudices

What many of us have learned about Africa in the media doesn’t always reflect the truth. In Africa there is more than just poverty and misery. Tanzania is a country full of ideas and resources, politically stable and of breathtaking beauty. 

STEP Africa wants to give people of every age the chance to get to know the beauty but also the difficulties and challenges of Tanzania with their own eyes. Internships are a wonderful opportunity to meet people and small aid initiatives on an equal footing, to learn how to work, to assist the local workforce and to develop long-term and sustainable friendship and cooperation through intercultural dialogue.

We know what we are talking about! Our team combines relevant qualifications and many years of experience in education and social work in Tanzania. 

Our team is looking forward to welcoming you in Tanzania!

33 reviews · rating4.8

Freja Mågård-Hansen rating2.8

2024 at Dog and Cat Shelter Assistant

*****Statement of the organization below***** Even though I had a good time and met a lot of wonderful people, then I would never recommend StepAfrica to someone who is not from Germany. If I knew almost everyone was from Germany, then I would definitely have found a different organization. ..
Pauline Wolters rating4.8

2024 at Best of Tanzania - Volunteer & Travel

I was lucky enough to spend 2 months in Arusha and, thanks to Step Africa, to be able to actively participate in 2 projects. And here's what I'd like to share: Step Africa is the opportunity to make an impact in the right way, Step Africa is support before, during and after the stay, Step Africa ...
Nina Ewald rating4.6

2024 at Baby Safe Home - Childcare & Support

During my stay I met the most wonderful people! I got an idea of what life is actually like and was inspired to become a midwife through my work in the project. I've never seen so much heartwarming smiles before! Leaving Tanzania, I carry not just amazing memories, but a newfound appreciation for ...
During my time as a volunteer at Mwanzo Daycare I experienced a lot. Most of the time I played with the children and it’s priceless to laugh with them and see their smiling faces! Over Christmas I was at Jitambue Kwanza, a daycare that is still under construction, and was able to help on the ...
Unforgettable, eventful time that I wouldn't want to miss! Four weeks were too short, the time just flew by. Great encounters with wonderful people. The Simba Safari, the Moshi Tour and the Maasai Tour were perfect. There was a contact person available at all times . A time that shaped me and made ...
Anna Smrekar rating5

2023 at Baby Safe Home - Child Care Worker

the staff was extremely kind and helpful. at times there were too many volunteers but the issue resolved itself by now. working with the children was really nice and fulfilling. i enjoyed my time there a lot. ..

Location


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Contact Juliane Döhler
  Excellent response rate
German, English, Swahili

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