Everyone is welcome! The orphanage has rooms with space for up to 8 volunteers; due to fairly remote location it is suggested that volunteers stay at the orphanage; volunteers are asked to contribute 80,000tsh (approx £40/$60) per week, this includes accommodation, food and some clothes washing. Volunteers can stay in nearby Marangu and travel in each day, but this would probably work out more expensive than staying at the orphanage.
Food at the orphanage is excellent, breakfast is quite light and may consist of tea or coffee, bread & honey, boiled eggs, cooked banana or a fried dough. Lunch and dinner usually contain rice, noodles, or ugali with a stew that may contain any combination of cooking bananas, vegetables, beans, meat, or maize, there may also be cooked greens as a side dish. Sometimes there are oranges or watermelon as well.
The rooms at the orphanage are very comfortable with large bunk beds, a table or chair and a window. The toilet is African style which is a ceramic toilet bowl in the floor with a flush, many places in Africa use these types of toilets. There is no hot water but volunteers can wash in the toilet in the evening if hot water is boiled for them. The electric is intermittent as it currently runs off a generator until a permanent source is found, so bring a torch for the evenings.
Although the area is remote, there are a quite a lot of people who speak basic to fair English. There are some small shops selling basics such as toilet paper, water, sodas and snacks and there is mobile phone network coverage. The main road is a 10 minute down hill walk to wave down a dalladalla into Marangu, where there is a post office, internet and an ATM so it is not completely cut off from the outside world!
It is suggested that volunteers come with an idea of what they would like to do at Hope Foundation; reading the suggested roles before you arrive may be helpful in deciding what you can do. Individual Volunteering is quite new at Hope so the volunteers need to be a bit pro active and be prepared to jump in and get involved. Fundraising is also a good idea as funds are very limited at Hope so any contributions you can make towards a project or the general costs will be gratefully received.
Before coming to Tanzania seek medical advice from your Doctor on vaccinations required for the length of your stay. You will probably be required to have a Yellow Fever vaccination and certificate, and Hepatitis A + B. You should also seek advice on Malaria medication. Also, please be aware that HIV/AIDS is prevalent in Tanzania and that some of the children or adults at the orphanage may be living with the disease.
Please check with the Tanzanian Embassy in your country for the most up to date visa requirements, explain what you are planning to do in Tanzania and they should be able to advise you on the best visa to obtain for your trip.
Volunteer Roles at Hope Foundation Orphanage
Working with / supervising children
Hope have recently had a dining room built; lunch is around 1.30-3pm and dinner around 7.30-8pm, but outside of these times it can be used for activities and homework as well as religious education and prayer.
Some areas where volunteers can help include:
Supervising/playing with young children aged 3-6years from around 11am onwards after they return from Kindergarten.
Helping older children with homework after school / lunch, and helping with extra tuition.
Helping run / organize activities such as arts and crafts, games in the afternoons.
Vocational/Specific Skills
Volunteers who have a particular skill or profession can assist by teaching one or a group of students. Examples could be Carpentry, computer skills (although computer access is limited) car mechanics, building, tailoring etc.
Teaching Adult English
The staff and some of the teenagers at the orphanage are keen to learn more English and those who wish to can arrange small groups in the evenings or whenever convenient to help with teaching English skills. Previous volunteers began teaching in the evenings around 5pm (before it gets too dark) and had around 4-8 students each session. Their ages vary from 14-21 and levels of education can vary from only completing Foundation School to some time spent at Secondary School, so volunteers must be prepared for the different abilities. There are no real resources so volunteers should be creative with their teaching methods!
Home Visits
Hope arranges home visits; usually once a week on Thursdays, taking food or medication to those sick or suffering from HIV. Volunteers are asked to contribute towards this, perhaps with a bag or rice or sugar costing around 1500-2000tsh. If volunteers have nursing training this may also be of help in advice or making the patients more comfortable.
Housekeeping and Cooking
Volunteers can help with the daily housekeeping of the orphanage; cleaning, washing children’s clothes or helping with the preparation of lunch and dinner.
Secondary Tutoring
Some children are unable to afford to go to secondary school, volunteers can help tutor them at the orphanage; keeping their knowledge up to date until sponsorship money or funds are found for them to return to school.
Suggestions for Items that volunteers can bring
For the orphanage:
Games & Toys: Deflated footballs, skipping ropes, tennis balls, playing cards, educational games, simple board games, extra dice, jigsaw puzzles, toys for very young kids; ABC blocks, cars etc. Lego, stickle bricks.
Clothes and shoes for children of all ages and adults, football boots or trainers.
Arts & Crafts: Coloured/White paper and card, pencils, crayons, paints, paintbrushes, glue, blu tack, sellotape, safety scissors, beads, buttons, sequins, glitter, string.
Educational Materials: Reading books, school books, abacus, chalk board and chalk, exercise books.
Many of the stationary items can be bought in Moshi but some items can be expensive or of poor quality. Also be aware that there are 28 children so if you bring materials please ensure there is enough to be shared otherwise there may be squabbling!
For themselves:
Headlamp: it can get very dark at night and electricity is intermittent till a reliable source is found.
Cotton sheet or sleeping bag liner, (blankets and pillows are provided)
Good shoes if it is the rainy season as the hillside can be slippery.
Flip Flops for wearing in the washroom/toilet.
A warm jumper as it can get cold at night.
PREVIOUS VOLUNTEERS
There will be a section with information and advice from previous volunteers, contact details for them can be obtained from Hope Foundation, just contact us.
To sponsor a child in the orphanage costs approximately 50,000tsh (£25/$40) per month, this covers food, clothing and a money towards school materials.
Sponsorship for children needing school funds; costs tbc, please contact us for details.
If you would like to make a donation or sponsor a child please contact us first.
VISITING
If you would like to visit please contact us first to check that someone will be here to meet you.
GIFTS IN KIND
If you would like to send us a gift please contact us first as there may be a charge for collection at the post office.
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