Island Village Life
Michamvi - East Zanzibar
Volunteers will be living in rural island villages for the duration of their stay on the island. The villages are tucked away between tropical forests and hug the shorelines. Village life revolves around the ocean, the tides, fishing and small scale farming. We want our volunteers to experience a different side of Zanzibar that tourists never see, and to realize the disconnect between the pristine beach resorts and the island communities. Over 1 million tourists travel to Zanzibar each year--greater than the population of Zanzibarians--and yet a missing link is pushing greater struggle into the daily lives of the people.
As in the Arusha region, OHS volunteers will live in homestays with Zanzibari families in order to better understand and better serve their community effectively. Our home-stay program not only enhances the organization’s connection to the surrounding community, but it also amplifies each volunteer’s personal and cultural experience in Tanzania. One Heart Source single-handedly selects Tanzanian families who are eager to provide a home for volunteers. Volunteer safety is a priority, and we maintain a well-trained security team with a strong communication base. Volunteers can feel at ease when they go to bed knowing that our askari are on patrol 24/7, and we have never had an instance in which volunteer security was compromised.
The dynamics of each homestay is different, but most families include young children who are eager to learn anything from you. You may find yourself doing a lot of basic math and English teaching combined with fun arts and crafts. Many families also have teenagers who are studying hard to graduate primary or secondary school and may need your help as a tutor. Elders tend to take it easy and will be more interested in learning English and talking about life.
