Volunteer in Tanzania with Youth Challenge International

I stayed in Zanzibar through YCI for three months and had an amazing experience. While there, I volunteered through a local organization, providing business training to men at a drug recovery centre and providing civic education workshops for young people. I was provided my own laptop and each workday I had an office I could work at. I was also free to work from home or work from a restaurant as desired.

I felt very well supported by YCI the entire time. My homestay was excellent. Their home was very nice and they were very kind and spoke perfectly fluent English. I was well looked after and always felt safe. The local YCI office was so helpful, explaining the local context to make my work more relevant and setting up meeting. They also helped me with personal issues, whether stitching up my broken sandals or helping me buy groceries from a local market. One of the local YCI volunteers would show me the sites on the weekends and some nights I would join him to teach kids English. It really added to my experience. I also knew I had the YCI office in Canada and they were very responsive as well.

Zanzibar itself is beautiful. The people there live a modest, traditional lifestyle and are very kind. I felt very safe at all times and regularly rode on public transit. I joined teenagers playing soccer. I felt very welcomed. There is so much stuff to do in Zanzibar, beaches, tourist attractions, restaurants and local people are always willing to get to know you.

I strongly recommend making a trip like this and think YCI is a great way to go. The North American staff and the local staff where you travel are all very compassionate and enthusiastic about what they do.

I was stationed in Arusha with YCI and had one of the greatest experiences of my life. YCI is an awesome program that is designed for people who want to make an impact and develop as a human being. My experience with YCI is truly one I will never forget.

I had a great time with YCI in Tanzania. I was very impressed with the level of support that my fellow volunteer and I received from both the local and regional staff.

One of the most enjoyable aspects for me was the housing situation. Living with a local family was fun, and gave me a window into the every day lives of the people of Morogoro. We instantly felt welcomed by not just our host family, but also by the community at large.

The project itself went quite well, and as someone with an international development background, I was pleased to see that our work contributed (and continues to contribute) to the long term goals of YCI and their partner organization.

I would recommend a similar YCI project to anyone looking to expand their horizons while making a meaningful contribution in the developing world.

5/5

- Warren

I studied international development in university and was very impressed with how well the field work I did with YCI complemented all I learned in the classroom. The projects we supported not only strongly benefited the communities that we worked in, they were also sensitive to many of the ethical considerations that young people should be aware of when working in a developing country.

Staff were very helpful and approachable. We had regular 'check-in' sessions with local, in-country staff where we could discuss any thoughts, concerns, or questions that we had. They were always prepared and very willing to help in any way that they were able. I completed my placement as a co-op student and all staff were happy to help in any way possible so that I could get my credit.

This organization is great for any young people who are interested in 'getting their feet wet' and familiarizing themselves with how international development works.

Working with YCI was an invaluable experience. Not only was the program a great introduction to the realities of development work, but the skills you pick up can be applied in any future work environment. The level of autonomy YCI participants have in determining program goals and content is unparalleled by other organizations. Being able to personally create your own response to issues means you develop a much deeper connection with the community and walk away feeling that you've made a tangible impact.

Programming included an array of capacity building initiatives, including english language classes and employment skills development workshops for local youth, creating practical solutions to raise awareness around public health issues, and assisting local NGOs with implementing gender equality policies in their organizational structure.

Outside of work, the fun continues - YCI is great in that they respect the independence of their youth volunteers. That means weekends are yours to enjoy and spend however you like!

If you're looking for the opportunity to gain practical employment skills, immerse yourself in another culture, and have an unforgettable life experience, YCI is definitely for you!!

YCI makes it important that volunteers work in a group during their project, whether they assign you to another partner or a group of people. This allows volunteers to feel safe and to know that they are with others during their project. The costs that volunteers fundraise are also a positive aspect of YCI, because the money goes towards the organization that you work with, your stipends while in country, and only a small amount to YCI's costs. Other organizations that I had searched up before going with YCI did not donate their money to the in-country organization we would be working with.

YCI provided us with detailed guidelines of what we were going to be doing in Tanzania - while in country, we were still given freedom to take on the project however we liked, allowing us to feel as if the project was ours.

Daily experiences - walk or take the public transportation to the office, which was situated right in the middle of the city. After a few hours of planning at the office, we would take the public transportation to the organization we were working with (transportation costs were covered by YCI's stipends). At the centre we were volunteering at, we taught health, environment, and civics classes. We also took part in a community project, helping the youth take part in a community initiative. We also worked on a Youth Day event at the end of our project for the students and community. We got weekends off and had enough time to travel the country and have lots of fun.

Last summer I spent 6 weeks living in Arusha Tanzania and it was one of the best experiences I have ever had. YCI set up a fantastic volunteer program allowing me to teach Arushan youth the importance of volunteerism. I worked at a community centre where I taught lessons in health, civics and environmental sustainability. Making personal connections with the students at this centre has changed my life forever. I was welcomed into their communities and was shown the true meaning of hospitality. YCI gave me an excellent opportunity to see the world around me, and do things I could never do before.

"As my time comes to an end here in Morogoro, I am saddened to say goodbye but proud to see the change we have made in the lives of the people we have worked with. As my first development project, this experience helped me dispel myths and stereotypes about international development and Africa. Although this experience has shown me I am maybe not ready for a career in international development, it has also reignited a spark and a drive to follow my true passion of advocacy. Whether that will be advocating for children, women, people living with special needs, visible minorities, LGBT individuals, or any other person or group in need, I know that I will continue to support others in a capacity to help them see the best in themselves and life. Every day is a gift.

My experience here with YCI in Tanzania has been invaluable. To put into words how this experience has and will continue to affect my life and decisions is a very hard thing to do. I started this blog with a famous quote by Gandhi, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others,” and now I understand the quote in a whole new meaning.

The people I have met along this part of my journey will forever have an impact on my life as I will continue to reflect on my time here in Morogoro. I have had the privilege of working with some amazing youth during my time here, who want nothing more than to better themselves, their communities, and their country. From the lessons in selflessness of Frankie to the motivational drive for change of my girls’ club in Chamwino, I hope to bring my new found respect and love for life home to Canada and to share it with all of you.

I want to say thank-you to all of you who helped me get here, those who supported me while I was here, and to those of you who will take this opportunity to examine your own life and maybe reflect on just how much we have, and how very little we need. As I say my goodbyes to underprivileged children and youth and I see how happy and grateful they are for how little they have, I am on the brink of tears out of true enlightenment to life and why we exist."

Taken from my blog at www.benjaminintanzania.blogspot.com

My experience in Tanzania, volunteering with YCI was life-changing and enlightening. From the online orientation at home in Canada, to the pre-project learning, to the support traveling to the host country, YCI (Canada) staff were at your assistance,always just a phone call away. The same can be said for the YCI TZ staff.

Living locally with a homestay family truly took my experience to another level of full-immersion into Tanzanian culture and life. Being able to ask our mama questions about culture, politics and livelihoods over dinner was an invaluable addition to my experience. Having that family support overseas allowed me to transition quickly to local life knowing I had a safe home and supportive family to rely on while I was so far away from my own.

While we completed programming with small groups of local youth it was fun and I did get a sense of accomplishment for myself as well as the programs with local youth. I built relationships with youth who lived a world away, in different conditions, speaking a different language and yet so similar to myself. When completing the end of project reports, was when the numbers became apparent and recognizing that through the 40 or so youth that we worked with directly, we had an impact on upwards of 2500-5000 people through in the community as these youth were already spreading and using their new skills and knowledge with regards to HIV/AIDS, WASH (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene) and small business skills.

Would I do it again...at the drop of hat. Unfortunately, my life in North America and financial responsibilities may not allow me to volunteer on another project for a while, once that financial freedom is with me, I will find myself, once again meeting those people like myself, in their home countries, passionate to make a difference.

Thank you YCI!

Ben Yurkiw