Teach, play and care for children in an orphanage on your gap year abroad

For those interested in gap year teaching or working as a childcare volunteer in Tanzania, this voluntary project is a great opportunity to take on a varied role as an orphanage volunteer.

The spread of HIV/AIDS has left many young children parentless, and as in other African countries, there is an urgent need for childcare in Tanzania. GagGuru works with orphanages based in the bustling town of Arusha to provide shelter, food and education to children aged 2-12 years old.

Children taken into our childcare volunteer progra- mmes are often sick, malnourished and uncared for, and as an orphanage volunteer in Tanzania, you can help to provide food, clothing and shelter. Our children’s homes also look to provide orphans with a good quality of education, which creates opportunities to teach English abroad on this gap year project.

This gap year volunteer project teaches children to live happily in a family environment, while giving them the coaching they need to live an independent and fulfilling life.

Gap year volunteer role: Working in an Africa orphanage can provide a diverse gap year experience. Most importantly volunteering in a Tanzania orphanage involves spending time with the children and helping them learn. On your gap year in childcare you can help the carers at the home with their daily activities, or you can play games with the children.

This voluntary childcare project is also an opportunity to teach English in Tanzania, and gap year volunteers can give children help and encouragement with their homework. For those interested in health care, you can spend your time as a childcare volunteer helping the nurses to keep the children healthy and happy.

There are also opportunities to help your Tanzania orphanage with fundraising, by keeping in touch with donors and documenting the children’s progress for sponsors. Finally, gap year volunteers with an interest in nature can help with the garden, where they can grow vegetables for the children and look after the cows, goats and chickens.

Your gap year experience: With so many potential volunteering roles, this is a unique opportunity in childcare abroad, where you can really make a difference to the lives of underprivileged children. As an orphanage volunteer you can provide invaluable support to overstretched staff and spend your gap year teaching orphans who have been deprived of so much.

At the same time, working in childcare in Tanzania and teaching children abroad will build your own confidence and personal skills. Most of all, volunteers on gap years form close bonds with the children, staff and community they work with, making their experience unforgettable.