What inspired you to work for Amani Hostel?
Meeting new people and building communities has always been in my blood. Becoming aware of the Amani Hostel was awesome and an opportunity for me to accomplish my mission and vision. Before choosing Amani, I worked with many other organizations, but Amani Hostel was the one that aligns with my personal codes and ethics.
Describe a typical day at work.
I typically spend time briefing the new volunteer arrivals, meeting the guest clients, as well as scouting for new projects that the volunteers can contribute to during their time here. I also work as a representative of the organization in government offices, and coordinate with local people as well as other grassroots organizations.
Me and my work mate
Why do you do what you do?
Love and passion with people has steered me to get involved with this organization. The organization’s central core is to help local communities and create job opportunities.
This is a perfect match with my interest in supporting the local people and the marginalized communities. It's a job where I am able to apply all my passion, emotions, and knowledge.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Meeting new people has been an interesting part of my job. You often meet people with a big smile—their arrival smiles carry lots of hope and energy. These ambitious new arrivals encourage me to push on with my mission and vision.
It's so inspiring to meet these new volunteers and guests. It's actually, or might as well be, a beginning of a new friendship.
How do you use your education and international background in your current role?
My experience helps me in making a positive impact on less privileged communities and assisting people with the same vision as mine to achieve their goals. I have always devoted my knowledge, my time, and experience in bringing changes into communities and to determined individuals.
I am obsessed with channeling young people into better futures and contemplating how they can use their energy and professionalism to bring about the changes they desire—finding ways to help them accomplish their dreams.
What challenges do you often face and how do you overcome them?
Cultural differences and how we integrate and adjust with people from different backgrounds and cultures can be a challenge that requires flexibility and patience in order to reach the goal.
Life in Africa is very different from life in the Western world and other continents. Since I was born and raised in East Africa, I had to learn how to cope with the culture shock.
Me and my travel partner
What are some current projects you are working on?
Currently, I am building classes in the local schools, organizing our new project called Music & Arts, as well as Sports and Athletics. These projects aim at bringing our volunteers much closer to the local communities and culture.
These projects will take tourists and volunteers deeply into the heart of the people of the land they will be visiting here in Africa.
What advice would you tell travelers?
Don't hold certain expectations, you need to be flexible and patient. Despite the fact that Africa is a very different continent in terms of its cultural diversity, Africa has lots to offer.
There is lots of love in Africa, and very good people. If you’re flexible and patient there is always good time in Africa
What makes your organization special?
We are formed out of committed and responsible team work. We are a well determined team of local staff with love for new people and passion for our jobs.
Our staff includes a mixture of gender—we have respect for everyone, and believe everyone has the right to love and to be loved by anyone, anywhere. Unlike many other organizations, our organization is not focused on profit but rather our focus is on investing what we get into communities in need.
Why should someone choose your organization over competitors?
Simply, we are the best and most affordable. We are unique because we were founded and are run by local, native Africans with deep knowledge of the country and the continent in general.
Our programs are very affordable because we are a non-profit organization focusing on the community rather than profit. Our organization will help you achieve your mission here with less obstacles.
What hopes do you have for the future for your organization?
We focus on the future of the continent—we are paving the way for many. We make it easy for the people with the time and interest to reach communities in need.
We are going to stand as an example and an opportunity for many to learn from us. There’s a Chinese proverb that says “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”—if we keep moving, we will get somewhere together when we all take the initiative.
An outing with my kids
What makes your organization easy to market to potential participants?
Our policies and costs for placements are easy and accessible. Our programs are cost effective, but are run with great expertise by the professionals who are involved.
We are based here in Arusha, Tanzania and we are locally owned. Placement fees and costs for accommodation are paid directly upon arrival here in the country, and it benefits the people of this country directly.
What is your organization's mission and how do you continue to work toward it?
We are focused on bringing positive changes to the local people here, creating an everlasting impact on less privileged communities with the support of international volunteers.
How do we continue to move forward? We keep working in order to pass through the barriers for us—the sky's the limit.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
A great experience, new knowledge, and a sense of accomplishment. They are going to be different individuals compared to before they came.
Our programs are an eye-opener to see the world in a different way. We fill their minds and hearts with great experience for the communities they met here. We hope our programs change their lives forever.
How do you help support participants?
We brief the new arrivals with a lesson on the history and culture of the country and the city of Arusha. We also introduce the participants to our other staff including the coordinators of our projects.
Participants complete a short orientation course and introduction to the project where they will be working. Our team is always available at the office and through our 24/7 support by phone.
What qualities in program & host community relations are important to you? (And your organization?)
We look for commitment, determination, creativity, and expertise. These are the main qualities we are focusing on. Our staff is comprised of these qualities. We are a team of committed and experienced professionals focused on our mission.
Me at the Amani Hostel
How is your company handling Covid protocols? What should participants know about your Covid readiness? How are you assisting participants with navigating the new travel landscape?
We are based in Arusha, Tanzania, so the country has its own policy and rules and regulations that we are all obligated to obey and to follow. The participants will need to read the government health policy that is displayed online. Mostly our country only asks for vaccination. They only require Covid test taken 48 hours before arrival here.
If you could participate on one of your organization's programs, where would you go and what would you do?
I would go for one of our teaching programs. I have love for kids and I think supporting them is the best way to achieve our mission. The future generation starts with kids—working with them is the only way that the changes we are working towards can be achieved.
There are so many schools here that we support since we prefer to work where there is higher demand.
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
The world was created this big for a reason. As a result, we need to travel and find out why we are living on this planet. You get to know your purpose better if you travel and meet new communities.
Traveling is an easy and fun way of learning. You will gain knowledge and surpass the limits of your patience, endurance, and stamina. It's pretty difficult to achieve these in a concrete way.
What advice do you have for individuals thinking about going abroad?
Find the right project, get your flight ticket, and get all the required vaccinations. You can ask us as many questions as possible to make sure that we provide you with adequate information prior to your arrival here.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel means traveling for a reason or traveling with purpose—travel that will benefit the local communities, like what we do with the Amani Hostel. We help bring meaning into your travel.
