Read below what our past volunteers have to say about working and volunteering with Viva Tanzania. Find the project you’re interested in!
General
“My partner and I spent 2 weeks in Arusha and with Viva Tanzania. Firstly, I’d like to highlight that the trip would never have been able to go ahead if it wasn’t for the help and support of Tizia during the planning process. We got in touch with Tizia on Facebook about 3 months before, as the volunteer programme that she offered seemed perfect for our preferences. From the word go she was always happy to help with planning and recommending things to do! On arrival to the hostel we felt warmly welcomed by not only the team but also by all of the other guests. The house felt very safe and was very spacious and homely, we especially loved the outside sitting area, where everyone would gather in the evenings to socialise and chat about their day. The food at the hostel was delicious and freshly cooked each night, and the monthly menu gave us the opportunity to taste Tanzanian food as well as other world-wide dishes. The staff were always happy to help with recommending other places to eat or get food if necessary.”
Bethany, 26, United Kingdom
“One thing that we truly loved was the tours and excursions that the hostel offered. If Tizia didn’t take you out personally then she would get their guide (Venance) to take you out. He took us out on three excursions and was absolutely brilliant. Vernance is passionate about his job and had so much knowledge about the area – he was great fun to be around, very kind and considerate and was a brilliant tour guide. I really recommend doing the town tour on one of your first days there as it really helped with transport routes and knowing how to get to and from the hostel into town. I would also recommend the Maasai markets for souvenirs and the waterfall hiking trips. Lastly, I can’t thank the Villa Viva enough for their recommendation on safari. We went on a five-day safari trip while we were in Arusha and it was possibly the most amazing thing we have ever done. The company we went with (recommended by the Villa) was reasonably priced and was very professional. The tour guide was great fun and knew all the best areas in each of the four national parks to get a great viewing of all the animals and beautiful sceneries / sunsets / sunrises. We camped in tents and all food was provided (which was also delicious).”
Karen, 19, Germany
“The day trips were one of the best parts of my experience in Arusha. I had never hiked through waterfalls or visited Maasai villages before. The trips were well organized and the guides shared tons of fascinating history and stories. As a group, we also got the chance to hike Mount Meru—it was challenging but incredibly rewarding! And, of course, the safari was epic. I saw all the wildlife I had only ever read about before. The whole experience was unforgettable.”
Lena, 22, Germany
“I recently had the great joy to stay at the Villa Viva for about 10 weeks during my time in Tanzania. And what can I say – it was awesome. They are great hosts who will always do their best to make your stay a pleasant one. But the Villa isn’t only a hostel: the team also do a great job at finding you the right place to volunteer or work as an intern if that’s what your looking for (if you haven’t already and that’s why you’re reading this review – in that case just contact them. You won’t find a better place!). All in all, staying at the Villa Viva was a great time. They are great hosts, the mamas are AMAZING cooks (and luckily breakfast and dinner is included – and you definitely won’t go to bed hungry), and we had the fortune of having an amazing group of people at the Villa at the time I was there – which really made the hostel home away from home. Thank you for the great time and unforgettable experience(s)!”
Brianna, 20, United States of America
“My stay at Villa Viva was nothing short of inspiring. From the first day, I was welcomed into a vibrant, diverse community of volunteers from around the globe. What really stood out was how everyone collaborated—not just on our projects, but socially. Whether it was hiking on the weekends or spending the evenings chatting over a drink at the rooftop bar, there was always something happening. I was surprised by how much I learned about Tanzanian culture, and not just through my project, but through the shared experiences at Villa Viva.”
Samuel, 35, United Kingdom
“Villa Viva is like a home away from home, except with way better weather and the best people. I’ve never been in a place where you feel so supported and connected to the community. The weekly cooking classes were such a highlight—learning how to make traditional Tanzanian dishes and sharing them with fellow volunteers was always fun. The accommodation was super comfortable, and I loved the peaceful evenings by the pool, just unwinding after a busy day.”
Alex, 27, Canada
Education
“I have dedicated my time to the love and gift of teaching at Arusha Modern School. The Tanzanian teachers, the children and all the staff played a huge part in my volunteering and we all worked hard to make a difference. I had a wonderful three months at Villa Viva and it was a great pleasure to be here. The food and care from the Villa Viva staff has been so great. The executive director of the organization has a heart of gold! She has created an amazing organization that is bringing positive change and prosperity to the lives of many people here in Arusha. I was very happy to work with her.”
Judith, 28, Spain
Women and Youth Empowerment
“What an incredible experience in WEHAF. From the moment my friends and I applied to this volunteer project we had support. We had all our questions answered in a timely manner since day 1 of our application. On our arrival, we immediately felt comfortable and most importantly safe. Our hostel was always tidy due to our amazing Mamas (who are doing excellent job at keeping the hostel presentable) and were able to accommodate my friends and I’s request to be together in one room. We were guided to the town on our first day and taught us how to get around from our hostel to our volunteer project. They told us all the necessary information needed to get by. In the hostel there are other volunteers under Viva Tanzania who stay in the hostel. We definitely got along and also enhanced our first volunteer experience. Everyone gave invaluable tips! Our volunteer project was amazing!! These ladies had so much ambition/ potential, they can go far in this world! I can confidently say all the previous and present volunteers have made an impact on them- emotionally, physically and mentally/ intellectually. On the weekends, we were able to arrange crazy fun activities which other volunteers from other projects under Viva Tanzania NGO can join. I highly recommend this project to anyone and I would definitely go back!”
Maren, 26, Germany
“I volunteered in Perfect vision women’s group through Viva Tanzania for 3 months. I found my experience there fascinating. I had a main job during the week but nevertheless, I was looking for a volunteering experience too for the weekends. Tizia figured it out quickly, putted me in contact with Justin and Marilyn and did all the proper arrangements. My main tasks were to bring ideas about advertising, marketing, selling and made them come true. I got so involved in the project that even during my job’s lunch break during the week, I would go with Justin and Marilyn to keep helping and even share a delicious meal. What I enjoyed the most during my volunteering was learning a lot about Tanzanian culture during the meetings with Justin. A typical day would consist in working with my laptop at Justin’s office regarding product description, preparing the launch of a proper website, making calls and bringing clients to the business, learning how every product is created, planning wardrobe collections and even modelling for photo shoots with their products! At the end of each day, Justin was so kind to provide and pay for my transport back to the hostel. They are true statements of entrepreneurship and creativity and this experience with them made me realize that everyone has an entrepreneur inside ready to be successfully developed. No matter your profession (I am about to become a lawyer). This place is excellent to make a difference and even develop useful skills like talking to clients, management, accountability, and creativity.”
Jörg, 24, Germany
“I didn’t want to study straight after school and decided to go abroad for three months first. When I discovered the Viva Tanzania website, I quickly decided where to go and what can I say… it was one of the best decisions of my life so far. I was given comprehensive information and support by Tizia and her staff and so, after a short period of consideration, I decided on the “Joyce Weaving Project”. I arrived with quite a tingling sensation in my stomach, but all my worries were for nothing. Everyone gave me such an incredibly warm welcome and I felt very much at home from the very first second, both at Villa Viva and in my project. The experiences I was able to gain there in the following three months were priceless and I would never have thought that I would find so many great new people and friends for life. My tasks there were extremely varied and I was able to take a close look at every area of the weaving mill. I was able to learn a lot from the women, but I was also able to pass on a lot of my knowledge to them. For example, I was able to help with updating the online store or making the products even better known via social media. But I was also allowed to try out everything in terms of handicrafts and so I am now the proud owner of several hand-woven scarves and blankets I would have loved to stay forever and really had to fight back tears when I was due to fly back to Germany after three months. Thank you to the entire Viva Tanzania team for the great time and your support! And a very special thank you to my great friends from the “Joyce Weaving Project” for everything I was able to learn from you!”
Viktoria 19, Germany
“I have volunteers with Kukua pamoja for 4 weeks and I found it was not even enough time for myself as I still wanted to have more fun with kids everyday we play football and all other very interesting games! The boys are so lovely and eagier to learn a lot of new games from volunteers! I feel like I have contributed some good sports skills and techniques to them and really wanna back for this project anytime soon! Have fun and see you another time.”
Nancy, 35
“I had an amazing time with this project and a lot of unforgettable social and cultural experience, I have realised that there is a lot to learn from the Tanzanian culture which may also pave a way to many other cultures in the world,the only most important thing is to be open minded and ready to learn from everyone in this wonderful and lovely team! I would really recommend this project for other upcoming volunteers,you will never regret for your time here!”
Martha, 22
Heath and Special Needs
“I will definitely never forget my time with Viva Tanzania! I came to Arusha alone, so it was important for me to make friends as quickly as possible. I was absolutely in the right place for that! Whether it was organizing my internship visa, a day trip, a safari or taking clothes to the tailor, there was always someone there to help me. As I was accommodated in a 4-bed dormitory, it was easy for me to get to know other volunteers! But even if you wanted to be alone, the terrace and the living/dining room offered plenty of quiet alternatives. Magga’s food was also great and there was plenty of variety! I really felt welcome at Viva Tanzania, not as a tourist or visitor, but after a short time as a friend, thank you for this feeling and the wonderful time. At the beginning I was very insecure and reserved about my work with the Destiny Foundation. As I neither understood nor could speak Swahili, I was unable to communicate well with either the teachers or the students. Over the weeks, however, the teacher involved me more and more in the school day. The more vocabulary I learned, the better I got on with the pupils. The teachers were proud of every little bit of progress I made and kept encouraging me to just keep going. I can only warmly recommend anyone to have the same or a similar experience. Have the courage! The children appreciate your affection and presence and the teachers gratefully accept any help!”
Emily, 22, United States of America
“As a physiotherapist, I wanted to volunteer in a healthcare-related field while experiencing the beauty of Tanzania. My time with the Destiny Foundation was challenging but so rewarding. I worked with children with physical disabilities, helping them with mobility exercises and assisting teachers. What made this experience so special was the community around Villa Viva—there was always someone to talk to, and I met incredible volunteers from all walks of life. The afternoons by the pool or playing board games at the Villa were perfect ways to unwind.”
Nina, 29, Switzerland
“I’m studying medicine in my 4th semester and wanted to do something meaningful during my semester break and also see more of the world. Volunteering in a hospital in another country quickly turned out to be the perfect choice and so I was more than happy that a good friend immediately referred me to the NGO “Viva Tanzania”, with whom her older sister herself had spent a few months in Tanzania a few years ago. My arrival was already super warm, I would never have tought that the Tanzanians are such incredibly warm-hearted people and that I would receive so much support (for example when looking for the right bus 😉) from all the locals.
My first day on the project was very impressive. To be honest, I first had to get used to the different working conditions. But everyone was so friendly and helpful that I settled in very quickly. After a month, it already felt like I had never worked anywhere else and I became more and more experienced and confident in what I was doing. The team therefore began to integrate me into larger surgerys. They also involved in many births and wound dressings. The two months were over far too quickly and I will miss everyone there very much! Many thanks to Tizia and her staff for this unique opportunity!”
Nadja, 24 China
Environmental and Animal Projects
“I stayed at Villa Viva by Viva Tanzania for four weeks. Tizia and the team gave me a very warm welcome and I immediately felt at home. I did my voluntary service at Mbwa wa Africa, an animal sanctuary on the edge of Arusha National Park. It was so touching to see how happy the animals are in their new life full of hope. Tizia organized my volunteer project well so that there were no problems and also showed me the way to the shelter so that I felt safe driving there alone. I am glad that I got to know all these nice people at the villa and the project and that we could all share nice moments together. If I had any questions, I just asked the staff and they arranged everything for me. Tanzania was a great experience that I will remember for the rest of my life and it’s a shame that my time here is over now. I can absolutely recommend Viva Tanzania.P.S. The food is fantastic and there are great international as well as Tanzanian dishes. Asante Sana!”
Chase Ying Yuan, 19, USA
“When I told my husband about my idea of taking a few months off to go to Tanzania as a volunteer, I was met with a very puzzled face. He said that only teenagers would do that and that they wouldn’t want someone my age there. But my idea was set and so I did a lot of research until I finally came across the Viva Tanzania website. I had a great phone call with the founder Tizia, who took away all my doubts and encouraged me to fulfill my wish. Volunteering knows no age and I would be very welcome to join her and her team. And so it was that a few weeks later I became part of the “Elang’ata Agrovet” project. As we are mostly self-sufficient in the family, I felt at home right from the start and was thrilled when I told my husband every evening on the phone about my daily tasks in Dr. Everest’s large garden. During the two months of my stay, however, I was involved in much more than just growing fruit and vegetables. For example, I often had the pleasure of reporting on environmental protection and agriculture at schools or starting a campaign together with the children where we cleaned the surrounding area of garbage. I also felt very comfortable in my accommodation, Villa Viva, and quickly made friends.With a big grin, I also told everyone at home that I was far from being the only older person and, thanks to all my gushing, I finally got my husband to sign up for a project too.I couldn’t be more grateful to Viva Tanzania for giving me this experience at my age!”
Edith 65, Netherlands