Under the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania is one of the most scenically beautiful and culturally diverse countries in all of Africa. Those who intern abroad in Tanzania will have the opportunity to explore the nation’s wondrous landscape while working hand in hand with locals on various projects focused on helping local communities develop prosperous futures. Whatever your ultimate professional aspirations are, an internship in Tanzania will be a tremendously rewarding experience and have your career moving down the right track.
Locations
Located on a sandy harbor on the coast of East Africa, Dar es Salaam is by far Tanzania’s largest and most influential city. With a population of nearly 5 million people, it is indisputably the main cultural, commercial, and economic hub of the country. Dar es Salam is also Tanzania’s major transportation hub, serving as a gateway for foreign travelers to explore the country and surrounding regions.
Further west in the center of the country, the city of Dodoma serves as the nation’s capital. Dodoma is a relatively young city, founded in the early 20th century, but can be a very intriguing destination to intern abroad in Tanzania, especially for those interested in politics and international affairs.
Arusha, a city about the same size as Dodoma, is another such promising location for internships in Tanzania. Arusha is a major global hub for diplomacy and serves as the de facto capital of the Eastern African community.
Many internships in Tanzania are located outside the nation’s major cities, instead taking place in rural areas across the country. Living in a rural village in Tanzania can be both challenging and incredibly enriching. While living conditions are basic and resources are often scarce, the sense of community and friendliness of the people cannot help but inspire interns.
Internships in Tanzania
Most internships in Tanzania are in the realm of human rights, community development, and other such projects spearheaded by grassroots organizations. Tanzania is a very poor country by global standards, and also sits fairly low in the per capita GDP rankings among other sub-Saharan African nations. There are a wide range of international NGOs and local organizations that offer internships in Tanzania, which allow interns to help create and maintain impactful community projects.
Some of the most popular types of internships in Tanzania are in medicine and education. HIV/AIDs is a big issue in Tanzania, as in many other African countries, and many locals lack access to basic medical supplies, education, and treatment. Working in a local clinic or assisting with HIV/AIDS outreach programs are two ways interns can make a difference by interning in Tanzania, while gaining valuable professional experience at the same time. On the education side of things, numerous local schools, community centers, and empowerment programs benefit greatly from the hard work and passion of international interns.
Internships in Tanzania can last just a few weeks or as long as six months, depending on the individual availability of each intern and their obligations back home. Many internships in Tanzania will also offer some sort of academic credit in conjunction with work experience, so interns should certainly inquire about this option if they are still pursuing their degree.
Salaries & Costs
Since funding is very valuable and also quite scarce, most internships in Tanzania take on a form of placement that is close to volunteering, so it is unlikely that interns will be paid for their internship work. Interns do tend to get compensated in other ways, however, as food and housing are generally provided.
The silver lining of interning abroad in Tanzania is that it is a very affordable country to live in, for interns coming from the developed world, so interns won’t have to spend too much money upon arrival.
Accommodation & Visas
Accommodations offered to those interning in Tanzania will differ depending on whether they are living in an urban or rural setting. In the city, commodities such as electricity, running water, and internet connectivity are much more available than in rural areas. Adjusting to life in Tanzania will undoubtedly come with a fair dosage of culture shock, but this will soon fade when interns come to more intimately understand the country and its people.
Interns from most countries outside of Africa can obtain a visa upon arrival to intern in Tanzania. The specific type needed will typically depend on how long the internship is and if compensation is being provided or not. For more details on the visa requirements for your home nation, consult with your internship provider and also check out GoAbroad’s Tanzanian Embassy Directory.
GoAbroad Insider Tips
Face the Challenge. Interning abroad is a challenge anywhere in the world; leaving home and adjusting to language differences and a new work culture is not always easy. As an intern in Tanzania you will face the additional prospect of working in a developing nation and the subsequent daily challenges of poverty and a lack of economic development. There are some things that will be hard to accept, but eventually you will come to understand that you cannot change every challenging situation experienced locally.
Expand your World. After interning abroad in Tanzania, you will simply not see the world through the same eyes that you used to. Completing an internship in Tanzania will be an enlightening experience to say the least, and it will expose you to a country and culture far different from your own.
Get Work Experience. Lastly, on the more practical end of things, interning in Tanzania will provide you with a very impressive bit of global work experience to place on your resume; it will definitely not be a bad start if you are just hitting the job market!
