What inspired you to work for International Volunteers?
I decided to have my own volunteering organization in 2009 as a student, International Volunteers. I believed the volunteering organizations I volunteered in Asia and Africa did not provide the right standards for volunteers. This ranged from living conditions, healthy food, and lack of or poor information for volunteers.
Describe a typical day at work.
Morning meetings with staff members and everyone going through their daily tasks. Then checking up on volunteers at their accommodation and projects. Next, preparing admin work and going through a volunteer schedule.
Later, checking or getting updates for food rations at our orphanage. Then updating NGO office and Ministry of Education in Zanzibar of projects which are completed. Finally, buying construction materials.
Why do you do what you do?
This job keeps me on my toes and I am not sitting and locked up in the office 24/7. It gives me freedom to do multiple tasks which I enjoy. It gives me an opportunity to see volunteers working in the field. Once they are back at the accommodation, they're happy and satisfied with their accomplishments and praising our organization and team members for their effort and work. At the end of the day, I am happy and satisfied.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Best parts are seeing volunteers engaging and understanding the culture in Zanzibar through experiences with the community, schools, and our team members. Cultural cooking classes are also amazing to see where volunteers and members of the community cook local food together and eat together.
The other best part is providing and sponsoring disadvantaged families either by food distribution or by paying a child's education. Lastly, completing any construction project successful either in classrooms or digging for water (in a well) and building a well water tower.
In Makunduchi Village, Zanzibar after the food distribution decided to sit and chill in the village.
How do you use your education and international background in your current role?
Not only do I use my education and international background, I also use my experience as a trainer. I also worked as a Learning and Adventure Manager for nine years. In addition I also speak Swahili, therefore this helps me communicate very well with local communities in Zanzibar and East/Eastern Africa.
I also use my knowledge of training to create leadership training for university students for free. This has made the Ministry of Education in Zanzibar very supportive of International Volunteers.
What challenges do you often face and how do you overcome them?
Time to complete projects and being on a different wavelength than my colleagues is a challenge, and I had to adapt with the local and how the government works as many people in Zanzibar say "Pole Pole" meaning slowly slowly. That is what I try to do by bringing myself to the same wavelength as my colleagues. Then work step by step to complete tasks and projects.
What are some current projects you are working on?
We are actually building a new school. We have already built six classrooms with a learning and educational laboratory; this school is known as "Mama Kids Nursery and Primary School". All our current construction projects are at Mama Kids and we are about to also build or construct a public library where also students from Government schools can visit and study in our library at Mama Kids.
What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?
It's okay, everything is going to be alright. Make sure you have enough medication for your diabetes which can be a challenge finding the same medication in Zanzibar or Tanzania.
What makes International Volunteers special?
International Volunteers is currently unknown since I did not want it to grow quickly and suddenly and having myself be a volunteer through ten different organizations in Asia and Africa. I have established International Volunteers to be affordable for volunteers where they also get the best services, very healthy meals and free tours.
The accommodations are fantastic, top notch with all rooms fitted with A/C’s and hot showers. Volunteers get free transportation, gift bags, shirts, pantry for coffee, and snacks. Also, they get a free volunteering permit which other organizations still charge volunteers this cost; there are actually about 20 things which makes us special.
Why should someone choose your organization over competitors?
I think once we are known through GoAbroad, volunteers will easily choose us. For example, we have a direct support to approve volunteers VISAs, volunteers arrive in Zanzibar and there's some at the Immigration waiting for them, the officer then drops the volunteers to our vehicles like diplomats which no other organization does this.
Also, we have a clean, cozy, and very comfortable place to sleep. Therefore, volunteers do not need to worry about transport to projects since it's a private van with only six to seven volunteers in it. The projects belong to International Volunteers, therefore we are able to measure real impact and it is not working through someone else's projects where you do not have proper authority to make your ideas implemented.
What hopes do you have for the future for your organization?
Well at the moment it is to be associated or approved by GoAbroad so that we become well known and to invite GoAbroad employees to visit our programs in Zanzibar. We also have plans to build the largest sustainable school in Zanzibar which should have solar and wind energy. This school will be called Zanzibar Learning Center.
Gifting "BP" bags to Albino children after a teaching and community development program.
What makes your organization easy to market to potential participants?
Communication between us and participants and our commitment to our volunteers. All our information is clear on benefits and making the program affordable. We know others do not offer the services we offer because it is an extra cost to organizations. However, we value the experience which volunteers will receive and they should leave satisfied and joyful.
What is your organization's mission and how do you continue to work toward it?
Our mission is to provide opportunities for the youth to experience the satisfaction, pride and accomplishment of making a difference to the lives of less privileged individuals and communities in Africa and Asia. However at the moment, after COVID, we are fully focused in Zanzibar and Tanzania since we learned that if you have a very strong foundation in one place then you will be able to expand periodically and at a stable rate.
In Zanzibar, we have planted very strong foundations in our projects and programs. Furthermore, I believe working with GoAbroad is a key to achieve it since we need more volunteers to be part of our programs and projects.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
I hope all our participants first feel satisfied for being in our programs and wanting to stay longer or planning to come back again this is important. I hope they have learned the culture and heritage of Zanzibar and its many people. I also hope they spread a possible word and appreciation about International Volunteers staff and its programs.
How do you help support participants?
The following and more: Online & in country orientation, eVISA support directly with immigration, support 24/7 with application process through WhatsApp, free telephone SIM Cards, payment option allowing volunteers to pay directly through bank transfer (less charges) or paying through our website, no extra costs on volunteers to be charged with "Volunteering Permits" we provide this for free and volunteers get volunteering IDs, certificate of International Volunteers, and thankful appreciation letter which can be used for university referral.
Once volunteers arrive at airport, they get picked up from inside the airport by our immigration officer like diplomats. No need to hustle or get worried, everything is handled before volunteers arrive. Volunteers get special discounts on specific five star restaurants which know us, free tours, clean comfortable accommodation, laundry done for volunteers, free high speed WiFi, and private transport.
If you could participate in one of your organization's programs, where would you go and what would you do?
Zanzibar, of course. First, is one of the safest islands and places in the world and I am saying this because of experiences in other places. Zanzibar is peaceful and the community respects foreigners and tourists.
People in Zanzibar appreciate the help they receive and they have genuine interest in learning and developing themselves. Zanzibar provides a lot of activities for volunteers to enjoy during weekends.
What questions do participants often ask you, and how do you typically respond?
Is it safe? Yes it is safe, I have personally walked around Stone Town several times and other volunteers have done that too and nothing happens, you just have to be respectful of the culture and dress code. You have to be aware that people are curious with tourists so they're friendly and always saying "Jambo, Mambo" which means hi, what’s up?
You won't be alone for a couple of days until you're comfortable. Our project coordinators are always around showing you places and tourist spots. You will love Zanzibar and you won't want to leave.
Secured a sponsorship with Allied Logistics to ship tables and chairs for disadvantaged schools.
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
Experiencing new cultures enables us as human beings to understand and appreciate each other more. It creates unity among the international societies and brings harmony amongst each other. It is also knowledge to share the culture of eastern Africa. Interestingly, it is linked with Arabic culture, especially Arabs from Oman.
Why do you think learning a new language is important?
New languages help us communicate with different people. It helps us understand each other more.
It is also appreciated to try to speak in someone else’s language. This shows you care and respect others' backgrounds and cultures. It brings people closer together and provides a sense of harmony.
What advice do you have for individuals thinking about going abroad?
I would advise them not to think too much since they might decide not to go abroad. I would inform them to check if they have an embassy available in the country they want to go to. They should travel and experience something new and learn from the experiences. However, you should travel with an open mindset.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel to me means traveling and making some good out of it. This can be done by getting an opportunity to make a difference in the world and reflecting on what you have done positively and the impact on lives you have touched. Then see how it has changed the way you think and how it has made you a better person than you were.
What issues do you see in the world of international education that don’t line up with your values and expectations for mutually beneficial & educational relationships between providers/programs and the communities in which they are located within?
A lot of organizations provide volunteering programs only as a means of business. Even the volunteers who come to Zanzibar are there just for parties. The community do not like these people but they have no choice since these providers bring in come to the island. The only way to make a change is to lead as examples.
What does ethical global engagement mean to you?
Everyone in the world should abide by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). Every country has a vision which is aligned to the UNSDG’s. This is the common ground to everyone like the air we breathe.
I agree with what is stated at Western International. They claim, "Ethical global engagement means that we acknowledge the reality of global inequality and that working towards ideals of justice requires that individuals take responsibility to learn about the social and historical forces that connect us to each other.”
What hopes do you have for the future of international education?
I hope everyone can be generous, genuine, and be ready to take action right away. For those who do not meet the rules, they should be ready to accept their mistakes and be accountable for not meeting the global standards which everyone else is working on to achieve. There should also be no discrimination because everyone has a right to learn and receive quality education.
What qualities in program & host community relations are important to you? (And your organization?)
Our teaching and community service programs are very impactful, these programs bring our volunteers and the community closer. People understand each other more and end up supporting each other for a common goal. While this is happening there is a sense of peace and harmony among the community and volunteers where you end up not being worried of something going wrong.
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?
In most places, covid restrictions have reduced. We do highly recommend all our volunteers traveling take covid vaccinations.
Our standards are still high, our accommodation is always clean and our garden is sprayed; there's soap and sanitiser in all rooms and we follow the country's health requirements. So far so good with no incident at all.
