Building Volunteer Work in Tanzania

Build classrooms and other school buildings for children in a Maasai community

Destination

Tanzania

Age

16+ y/o

Minimum Stay

1 week

Start Date

Anytime

Accommodation

Homestay

What’s Included

24/7 Support

Round-the-clock support on the ground and 24/7 back up from our global teams.

Accommodation & Amenities

Clean, safe, and welcoming accommodation. A home away from home with comfortable amenities.

Activities, Training & Equipment

All programme activities and equipment, including training and workshops from experienced professionals.

Certification

Certified record of service hours, workshops, and activities for your CV.

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Starting at £1,545 for 1 weeks

Flexible 0% Interest payments

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Trip Overview

Support Maasai communities

Contribute to construction initiatives in the Maasai community, gaining valuable building skills while ensuring projects meet the community’s needs.

Explore breathtaking landscapes

Hike Mount Kilimanjaro, embark on a thrilling safari adventure, or discover vibrant local markets during your free time in the Tanzanian sun.

Gain valuable life experience

Develop new skills, build meaningful connections, and gain a deeper understanding of the world. Try new things and potentially unlock a new passion.

Embrace a new culture

Live with a local and welcoming host family, experience the beauty of Arusha, try traditional Tanzanian crafts, and learn about the Maasai lifestyle.

Find out who you are

Embark on a journey of self discovery and make friends from around the world while fully supported by Projects Abroad staff on the ground.

What you need to know

Overview

This project is perfect for anyone eager to use their hands to help. If you want to see tangible results from your volunteer work, join our Building Project.

You need to be motivated and hard-working, because the physical labour can sometimes be tough. But it’ll be worth it when you see the smiles of children learning in their new classroom.

No building experience is needed. All the work you do is under the guidance and supervision of a professional builder, and they’ll teach you everything you need to know.

A Day in the Life

On a typical day, building work will usually take place in the morning or afternoon, depending on the weather. So your work hours might be from about 8am to 12pm or 2pm to 6pm. Over midday, when it can get particularly hot, you’ll break for lunch and spend time relaxing in the shade of an acacia tree.

With the help of other volunteers, and under the guidance of an experienced builder, you’ll do things like digging foundations, mixing cement, laying bricks, or plastering walls. It’ll be tough but rewarding work, as you see the tangible results of your efforts.

You’ll have your evenings free, giving you the chance to explore vibrant Arusha. You can hike along a nature trail, or go on an evening safari drive, watching as lions prowl through the vast African savannahs.

Aims & Impact

The aim of this Building Project is to give young children in a Maasai community a safe place to learn.

Projects Abroad has set up a nursery school for the Maasai children living on the outskirts of Arusha. These children have little or no access to early education. Before we started building the school, they had no formal preschool system in place and, if classes were taught, they were held in a damaged church building. This nursery school plays an important role in preparing these children for primary school.

We’re building classrooms where our Teaching volunteers can help with building a foundation for their education. These classrooms provide a safe space where children can learn.

Do construction volunteering in Tanzania and help build a school in a Maasai community.

Activities

With the help of an experienced builder, you’ll construct classrooms and other school buildings. It will be tough work, but knowing that you’re helping local communities will make the effort worthwhile. You will do things like:

Work alongside an experienced local builder
Dig foundations, mix cement, build walls, or construct a roof
Give completed buildings a fresh coat of paint

As a volunteer doing building work in Tanzania, your work will focus on these main areas:

Work with a local builder

You don’t need to worry if you don’t have any building experience. A local builder will teach you all the skills you need to participate fully in this project. The work you do will depend on how long you’re volunteering for and the progress that’s already been made on buildings when you arrive. The local builder will guide you in using construction techniques that are easy to master.

Help with building, plastering, and painting

You might start the building process by digging foundations, or if you arrive near the end of a building’s completion, you’ll plaster and paint walls. No matter which part of the construction process you contribute to, you can be sure that you’re adding a very necessary piece to the puzzle.

You’ll use locally sourced materials and you won’t need any electricity at the site, because your building work is done by hand.

Map & Location

Vast savannahs teeming with wildlife, Mount Kilimanjaro piercing the sky, and the colourful culture of the Maasai tribe — all things you’ll find in the incredible East African nation of Tanzania.

Tanzania is considered as one of the safest countries in Africa with a friendly and welcoming population, and is a popular tourist destination. With 30% of the country covered in national parks, including the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, it’s especially good for safaris.

Arusha

Arusha, in northern Tanzania, serves as a gateway to Africa’s most renowned safari destinations. The region is home to 2.4 million people, with 600,000 living in Arusha city at the foot of Mount Meru. It enjoys a pleasant highland climate with warm days and cool nights.

It has a mix of cultures and a growing tourism industry thanks to the fascinating handcrafted souvenirs of the Maasai markets, interesting cultural sites, and thrilling safari trips to nearby national parks.

Food & Accommodation

Discover the magic of Tanzania from your base in Arusha. You’ll have everything you need for a comfortable stay, including a cosy bed, three meals a day using the authentic tastes of Tanzania, and readily available drinking water.

You’ll be welcomed into a carefully selected host family in Arusha, instantly making you feel like a local and providing a taste of Tanzanian life. It will be clean, safe, and within a short distance of your placement. We’ll also handle your daily transport to and from your project, so you can focus on developing your skills, connections, and global perspective.

Shared rooms are arranged with other participants of the same gender and similar age, creating a great opportunity to connect and share your cultural exchange in this beautiful country.

Free Time and Leisure

A trip to Tanzania is the chance to experience life in the heart of Africa. There’s plenty to see and do here during your free time on your project.

A project in Tanzania wouldn’t be complete without a safari! This is a chance to see the beautiful wildlife of this country up close, like elephants, rhinos, and lions.

What’s more, Tanzania is home to the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro. Hiking around the base through lush vegetation is a peaceful way to spend an afternoon.

Browsing through a vibrant, local market is a must while you’re there. You can also spend time in a Maasai village, getting to know a completely different way of life.

There will likely be many other volunteers in Tanzania with you. This means you have the option to explore the country independently or with a group of like-minded volunteers from different projects.

Your Arrival Made Easy

When you arrive at your respective airport, a member of Projects Abroad staff will be there to meet you. You can find more detailed information on arrival airports, orientation, and visas on our Tanzania Arrival Procedures page.