Volunteering

Most of MIDEF Volunteers (MIDEFV) are typically enthusiastic, hard-working, self-motivated and proactive people who are able to work under their own initiative. They do not replace or take jobs away from local Tanzanians – they assist them with the various projects running in the area around Mafia Island. MIDEFV volunteers are also realists – they know they won’t change Africa, but they hope they will make a difference to the lives of some of the local people. If this describes you, then we’d welcome an application from you.

BEFORE YOU COMPLETE THE APPLICATION FORM, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT NOTES

Costs: So far volunteering with us costs nothing other than your own travel costs to Tanzania. If you wish to make donation then we suggest you click here for more on how you can do it.

Please remember that nearly all of the money you may wish to pay goes directly towards running our charitable projects under Mafia Island Development Foundation (MIDEF) in Mafia Island.

Placement Availability: Please note that we are open year long. Just let us know when you wish to start and we shall make all necessary arrangements for you.

Starting Your Placement: It often takes our volunteers some time to settle into life at Mafia Island. You must be prepared to be patient as the pace of life in Tanzania is much slower than you will be used to. Please also remember to ask if you want any additional information from the volunteer coordinator by contacting the team here:

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Short Stays: Realistically, you will not be able to achieve a tremendous amount during a short stay, but you will be able to get involved with some projects. Your stay will also give you the benefit of experiencing life in a rural area of Tanzania.

Volunteer Programme: Unlike many volunteering operations, our volunteer programme is not rigidly structured. It is really up to you what you become involved with when you reach Mafia. The local community has so many needs that we find it is better all round if volunteers find their ‘niche’ once they reach Bweni and have had time to talk to the other volunteers, the Coordinators, and our Managers, and also have been able to have a good look at the general area, the primary school, the nursery schools, the health centre, etc. The vast majority of our volunteers have the time of their lives, but a few have found it difficult to become fully involved. You will get the most out of the programme by being enthusiastic, resourceful and imaginative – and it's important to remember that you will get out of it what you put in.

If you are volunteering as a teaching assistant and your placement period includes one or more of the term breaks, please be aware that will be less or no work to do at the schools, although we might sometimes have additional clubs and classes organised for holiday periods. We suggest that this is the best time to arrange any trips you might want to take.

Further enquiries about Volunteering please contact our team here: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

THE APPLICATION FORM

PLEASE READ, PRINT AND SIGN OUR VOLUNTEERING RULES FORM