Rising out of the plains of Tanzania is Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. Tanzania is also home to world famous wildlife reserves such as Serengeti National Park and the Masai tribe of nomads. Tanzania has the most incredible tribal diversity in Africa. The country includes all of the major ethnic and linguistic groups on the continent – an amazingly varied population to inhabit a single country.
The ‘Spice Islands’ of the Zanzibar Archipelago, Pemba, Mafia, and the entire Tanzanian coast is home to the Swahili people, a vibrant mix of Arab, Indian and Bantu origins that historically based their livelihoods around Indian Ocean trade. Tanzanians place a high value on their country’s multicultural heritage, but in contrast to its neighbours, tribal rivalries are almost nonexistent and religious frictions are minimal. Tanzanians are known for the warm reception they give to their visitors.
Tanzania faces huge challenges caused by rampant youth unemployment and HIV/AIDS. In collaboration with local NGOs in Morogoro and Zanzibar, YCI is working towards creating HIV/AIDS awareness, youth skills development, environmental protection and women’s empowerment.
YCI is proud to offer exciting programming options in Tanzania with small teams programming of six and eight weeks in length. These group programs provide unique opportunities for youth to acquire new skills and apply previous experience to community development initiatives through a variety of exciting work projects.
Volunteers work in small teams of three to six participants without the direction of a group leader, but with support from a local Youth Coordinator and Program Officers. Working alongside local community partner organizations, volunteers help improve capacity and assist in the delivery and expansion of local programming. A focus is placed on mobilizing youth through skills development and employability training, HIV/AIDS awareness raising, gender equality training, and enabling local youth to take on leadership roles. Volunteers live with a local host family located nearby YCI’s partner organizations in the community.
Volunteers are involved in a variety of project activities related to life skills development. As part of a small team of volunteers in Tanzania you could:
- Coordinate and work alongside local youth in the delivery of workshops. Topics range from the HIV/AIDS to employability.
- Expand and continue promoting the “Courage for Life” YCI-Tanzania campaign through a variety of events like weekly talent nights or debates.
- Work with local schools to enhance learning themes and topics through English literacy or health curriculum development and teaching.
- Assist local drama clubs with developing and coordinating edutainment activities that combine music, dance, drama and storytelling in a variety of project activities and community outreach.
- Organize community events such as a Community Health Care Day or Sports Days to involve and reach out to the community at large. These events may include activities around World AIDS Day or International Women’s Day.
- Work with local groups of people living with HIV and AIDS on a variety of activities from income generation with batik or soap making, to nutrition and play programs for children living with HIV.
- Help facilitate new initiatives with local women’s and girls’ groups.
- Improve facilities and activities available at local youth centres and meeting places.
“I was amazed by the raw talent and capabilities of the youth, and how well-informed choices and life skills are the fuel that moves them in the direction of success. I felt humbled, rewarded, and honoured to be part of the process of bringing HIV education and personal development opportunity to the youth in Morogoro.”
-Past Volunteer, Tanzania
Past Project Activities:
HIV/AIDS: In Tanzania, rap and “bongo flava” music is very popular with young people and one of the best ways to attract crowds to events. In Fall 2005 and again in Spring 2007, YCI volunteers worked with local partner Faraja Trust Fund in Morogoro to conduct a workshop on HIV/AIDS education with a focus on music making. Over 50 young people were trained in performance, note taking, presentation and song writing. At the end of each workshop a music competition was organized where participants wrote and sang their own song on the subjects of HIV/AIDS, stigma and discrimination and the importance of testing.
Gender Equity: In Winter 2007, 15 young women were provided with disposable cameras and basic training, and given the opportunity to document their lives and the lives of women around them in their community. The ‘Empowerment Collection’ was launched for the project and more than 300 community members viewed the display. The collection was also exhibited in the summer of 2007 at the Zanzibar International Film Festival.
For information on project dates, please refer to the Program Calendar.
| HDI: |
|
164/177 |
| Population: |
|
36.9 million |
| Life Expectancy: |
|
50.71 years |
| Infant mortality: |
|
71.69/1,000 births |
| Adult Literacy Rate: |
|
69.4% |
| Youth Literacy Rate: |
|
78.4 % |
| HIV prevalence:
(ages 15-49) |
|
8.8% |
Population living below
the
national
poverty line: |
|
36% |
|
Program Overview
