help2kids

It was a very nice experience and I'm sure I will do it again. I felt happy and good in the projects and also at the gecko / free time. At the daycare I would write exercises in their books, corrected their homework, played games, dancing and singing with the kids.

I was really happy about my role in the projects. First I needed some time to get used to the program but I had a great time here. I heard about help2kids from a friend who was here last year, she recommended it to me.

I loved the Beach Games in Lifuwu! The kids came voluntarily and could escape from the hard housework, we would never do in our society at their age. It was just so touching to see their smiling faces.... In Malawi there is no "hello" to greet someone. They say "how is your day/evening/morning?". And the most impressive thing is: They really care about you, even when they are strangers.

I loved the sound of the projects, the country of Tanzania looked amazing too. Plus, I liked how it's relatively small, so it has a very personal feel to it, and it's exciting to be a part of an organisation which will definitely grow. I was at Kunduchi Day Care Centre and English Corner; in KDCC we were helping the teachers with how or prepare the children for school - social etiquette and how to behave in a classroom. In the English Corner, we were entrusted with teaching the local fishermen English to try and improve their standard of living. I loved everything, and I didn't dislike anything.

My volunteer experience was very good. I liked my daily routine especially. I enjoyed the afternoon program to spend time with the children at the children's home and teaching english at the English corner. The application process was very good, fast and easy. I felt safe and the food was very good. I liked the atmosphere at the Friendly Gecko. I really enjoyed the Saturday afternoon swimming with the children and eating dinner with them. That was so beautiful. Asante sana!

In general, I just like to be with the kids and meet other people/culture. The most impressive project are the visits of the villages (outridge) in Malawi.In Malawi, doing useful things during the long spare time - eg. preparing games or things for handicrafts, painting walls in the Guesthouse...

It was a very big experience to stay here and the time in the projects was really beautiful. I was teaching some kids in the school in English and at the children home we played games every day or made decorations for the football tournament. I am hoping to come back next year with some friends.

I was really happy with the daily routine. I met really nice and lovely volunteers and I would definitely recommend this project to friends. I thought that help2kids had more interesting projects than other organizations and the process before arrival was really good.

I wanted to travel to and help2kids had a number of varied and valuable projects, from schooling to sports. I really liked the people, from the Gecko manager, staff at the Gecko, manager(s) and staff at the school, other volunteers, the children and the support workers in all locations. The experience was an enjoyable and rewarding one and the only major downside was that I couldn't stay longer!

I love English Corner - the students as amazing people and as enthusiastic learners. As a native English speaker I really enjoyed leading the advanced class every day. I also particularly like the transport experience in Dar and the opportunity to learn Swahili.

I've met a lot of new people. I also learned a lot from new people. I also learned something new about myself and my abilities. I had a great time with the children, sometimes it was challenging but it was great and I had a good feeling about what I did.

I was very impressed from the children being so ambitious and polite all the time. I wish here in Europe it would be the same and people would appreciate their life circumstances a lot more. The food was very delicious and great people everywhere. I worked in Bajeviro School, where I supported the teachers and in the English Corner, where I was teaching the Fishermen in English every evening. Once a week I also visited the Children's Home to play with the kids.

I could see the importance of all tasks. Everything was ideal, projects administration, transport, and culture were perfectly explained. It couldn't have been a better stay, the staff is amazing. I will never forget how kind and supportive they were to me. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

I have been very impressed with the whole project and as a consequence very much enjoyed my volunteering time. I think help2kids all doing a very good job. I cannot think of anything to improve at the moment.

I loved the food, especially the chapati! It had always been a dream of mine to volunteer in such a program. It was great going to English corner and teaching English to the local fishermen, it was a great place for cultural exchange.

Being able to spent some time with locals (who became friends later) and also to have so many other volunteers around you led to feeling at home quickly.The programmes are really good. I would suggest, though, to organize better the lessons especially for Kunduchi English Corner or to keep track on what has been taught so that the new volunteers know about which topics the students have already spoken about.

I loved this place. I went nearly every afternoon to the English Corner and that was so much fun. In the mornings I would either go to the Kunduchi daycare or to the primary school. I would definitely recommend this experience to my friends.

I met a lot of people from different countries, they're now all my friends :). The experience to see how the people life in Tanzania and how the culture works is great. To see how good the christian and muslim peopled live together was one of the interesting things I saw in Tanzania. Because there is a big different to the Countries in Europe or somewhere else in the world. In the most Countries the people with different religions can live together but there is almost a separation between the people. And I didn't see this separation in Tanzania. There is no matter if you are a christian or muslim, you just need to be a human. Tanzania should be for this part a role model for the whole world.

It was both an educational and cultural experience. I really enjoyed interacting with children and locals. I have always wanted to come to Africa, and I found the help2kids whole ethos and the varied projects appealing. The staff, mammas and volunteers were wonderful. The staff was really helpful and willing to help out at any time and shared a lot of knowledge and experience.

I loved spending time with the kids in the children's home. For me, it was the best time there and the hardest to say goodbye. Spending time with them and give them love was the best experience ever. I learned a lot about myself and could show the other volunteers around.

I met a lot of very friendly people and enjoyed the projects help2kids is involved with. I was teaching English and Mathematics at the primary school and having conversations with the fishermen at English Corner. I was able to join help2kids on very short notice, which was great for me, as I only knew at the very last moment that I would have this time off. I definitely had a great time!

I really liked the time with the kids as I got so much love back, but I surprisingly enjoyed the exchange of knowledge and opinions with the fisherman at the English corner very much as I could learn so much about the people and the culture here. I found the internet website appealing, NPO (no additional costs for the organisation itself), definitely wanted to go to Africa as I was interested in the culture. I was lucky to get a tour of the projects , and that way I got a great overview and insight into what the organisation does and where our money and support goes to.

It was great to be back again and see all the improvements. I would recommend trying to spend as much time as possible with help2kids, 2 weeks feels too short and there are so many great programs. I love spending time at the children's home and at the nursery and primary school. I feel so strongly about this project that I am sponsoring the education of one of the children.

"I felt like home". I was really happy with my daily routine and tasks. I was mainly working with the sports program but I also volunteered at the daycare and the primary school. It was an amazing time here in Dar and I will never forget these 3 weeks.

I particularly enjoyed the smiles of the children, the good vibe between volunteers. Loved to work with the children but I enjoyed also a lot to work with the local fisherman. I really think its so good that you not only support children but the community and adults as well. I was so impressed by them being so motivated to show up at english corner everyday or almost everyday. Loved to work with them and share our traditions. Definitely one of my best experiences there!

I wanted to work for an organisation that was adding value to the communities in which it worked and not just operating volunteering for tourism purposes. The key things I liked about help2kids were 1. that you requested a criminal record check - not all organisations request this but I think they should if people are working with children. 2. I liked the transparency of costs. A lot of organisations ask for a lump sum and the person paying it has no idea what the money will be used for or how that figure was arrived at. 3. I liked the detailed information on the website, especially with regards acepting you will be working within a different cultural environment and you need to be flexible in adapting to this, rather than expecting things should be done in a manner you're used to. These were the main factors that made me feel help2kids was the right organisation for me to volunteer with. I loved how welcoming staff were - both on projects and at the Gecko. I felt help2kids has established a very strong and trusting relationship within Lifuwu.

Really enjoyed working with help2kids team. I found the atmosphere to be friendly, youthful and dynamic. Friendly Gecko was excellent. I felt welcomed and safe. I found woking with the local fishermen rewarding, there was a positive exchange of ideas. I found it quite challenging developing activities for the very young children. In Kunduchi I organised recreational activities (reading in english, drawing and games) for children between the age of 3-5. helped out at meal times. In the Children's Home I worked with Standard 6, helping them out with homework and explained Microsoft Office (Word). At the English Corner I was in charged of initiating conversations in English with local fishermen.

I chose to volunteer with help2kids because a friend told me a lot of positive things from the organisation and also because of the website. It is very clear and everything is very well explained. I was volunteering at the Kunduchi Nursery School and Children's Home, and had a wonderful experience!

I came to help2kids because of the ethic work, country and friend endorsement. I had the most happy experience of my life volunteering with help2kids.I have worked at the clinic, nursery school, library, creative center, beach games and grass soccer. Everything was perfectly fine for me.

I loved the children and that everyone in the village was very friendly. I never felt alone or uneasy. When I needed help, people helped me without asking for a reward. When I walked alone, residents escorted me. It was a great experience! I liked the most that people there laughed so much and made me laugh.

I liked that fact that the organization is small and help is provided directly. I really liked to have daily contact with the kids and other volunteers. I would love to sponsor a kid in the future and would highly recommend volunteering here.

I loved everything about it! I was very happy at the primary school I would help prepare lessons and give homework. I was assisting the teaching in any ways possible. At the English corner I would talk to the students and try to improve their English. Everything was perfect, especially the people and the food.

I liked the variety of projects! No volunteering day was the same! I wish I stayed longe. I volunteered with help2kids because of the variety in projects, the country Malawi, Non Profit Organization, enthusiastic stories from other volunteers/organizations when I asked them later

In Kunduchi I helped teacher Rachel with the corrections and the books and in the children home I played with the children. The food here was delicious, especially the great cooking of Mama Martha. For sure I would recommend volunteering here!

I really liked the people, it was a joy to spend my time with all of them, the people at the friendly gecko and the people from the village. It was a great experience, I´m glad I was brave enough to do this.

I was very happy! At the projects I was helping correcting homeworks and writing new exercises. The application process before arrival was very good and so was the instructions by the mamas and the staff in Tanzania.

The programm in Tanzania should be like it is right now. I liked the coherence of all the volunteers. My favourite assignment were the english lessons with the fishermen in Kunduchi. A big thanks to Fabrizio, Filipe and Amy. They did a great work. Thanks to the Mamas in Tanzania and to the Gecko family in Malawi. I miss you!

I'd highly recommend Help2Kids if you are thinking of volunteering in Tanzania/East Africa. There are a number of different projects to get involved in, including (but not limited to) assisting teachers at a school, teaching English to locals, supporting a Children's Home and playing sports with children as part of a sports programme. The staff on all the projects are very friendly and approachable and will look after you. There is a good mix of local and overseas staff so you're bound to find someone that you really get along with. The children are incredible - some may not have been raised in the best environments but there's always happiness and energy in abundance.

Ich habe einen Monat in Malawi und einen Monat in Tanzania verbracht. Beide Orte sind fantastisch um als Volunteer zu arbeiten. Ich habe mich fuer zwei Projekte in Tanzania entschiede. Mir ist es wichtig, eine Beziehung mit Mitarbeiter und Kindern aufbauen zukoennen. Am Morgen beginnt der Tag mit einem herzhaften Fruehstueck von einer unserer Mamas. Um 8.45 Uhr geht es los mit dem Bajaji in die Bajeviro School. Dort trifft man auf wunderbare, hilfsbereite und kompetente Lehrer, welche sehr dankbar fuer jeden einzelnen Helfer sind. (Die Klassen sind sehr gross) Ich Unterstuetze den Lehrer mit kontrollieren der Hausaufgaben und sitze zu Schuelern welche engere Begleitung benoetigen. In den Pausen helfe ich mit Porridge verteilen, Spiele spielen und fuehre Smalltalk mit den Lehrern der Schule. Am Nachmittag findet der English Corer in Kunduchi statt. Es ist ein Angebot fuer Erwachsene Menschen welche ihr Englisch verbessern moechten. Es macht mir unglaublich Spass meine eigenen Lektionen vorzubereiten und mein Wissen weitergeben zu koennen. Die Schueler sind sehr motiviert zu lernen. Ich empfehle Jedem diese Erfahrung welcher sich gerne sozial und kulturell beteiligen moechte. Man veraendert nicht ein Land oder eine Person, jedoch veraendert man einen Moment zu einem besseren und das ist meine Motivation hier zu sein.

Within your first few days of living at the Friendly Gecko in Dar es Salaam, you will feel right at home. Accommodations are comfortable and clean, with a little East African charm mixed into the experience. You have some choice regarding the projects in which you wish to participate, but I recommend being flexible so you are able to experience all that is available to you. At the projects you're able to enrich the lives of others while being enriched yourself through a lively cultural exchange. The management at the Gecko provides a friendly, homey feel as well as education about the surrounding area and helpful tips for entertainment and exploration on the weekends. Sign up now, you won't regret it.

Because of all the new impressions, new people from different countries ( especially Tanzania) but also in the Friendly Gecko House and new work experience, it is the most exciting time in my life so far. The kids I meet everyday are the most cutest and happiest I've ever seen in my life and I am so happy that I have the chance to get to know a few of them and learn from them. Apart from the work as a Volunteer I really enjoy the weekends because there are a lot of things you can do with the other volunteers like visiting different, very beautiful beaches or going on a Safari, I mean you have to go on a Safari once in your life and I'm happy that I already went on one and woke up next to monkeys for two days. All in all I go through a lot of great adventures here and can't wait to see more.

I went knowing I would really enjoy my time volunteering but what I didn't know was how much I would enjoy it! Truly inspiring and definitely one of the best things I have ever done in my life. I was lucky enough to end up having the best of both worlds as I taught primary school children in the morning and then taught the local fishermen of Kunduchi at English Corner in the evening. The country is amazing, the people are fantastic and the only regret I have is I was only able to go for 2 weeks due to other commitments. I'm going back next year (2019) but this time I will go for longer. Filled with memories money cant buy and which keep me smiling every day since I returned. Until next time.

I spent four months with Help2Kids in Tanzania in late 2014 and returned for a two-months stay in summer 2015 and a three months stay in 2016. I took part in many different projects there as well as traveling around the country and see Tanzania's beautiful landscape! I went to the nursery school every morning with at least one other volunteer, where we led a class of about ten kids who were between five and eight years old. We taught English, Maths and special arts and sports classes. We also tried to teach English to the younger group(3-5years), which was a lot of singing and trying to play educational games, which was a lot of fun, not only for the kids. I really liked that we were free to plan our own lessons with the kids and teach them our own way. When it got to difficult the teacher was always next door in the other classroom and could translate and explain the activities to the kids. During breaktime we had time to play and cuddle the kids on a sandy yard in front of the school. At the Guesthouse where all the volunteers are staying we taught English to the Mamas and the gardener who work there. It was great to talk and laugh with them as you saw them getting more confident with their English. I also got to know their personalities and they become much more than a cook and laundress to me. They took me to the local market, taught me how to cook traditional food and a lot about their culture and live in Tanzania. For lunch we all met at the Children’s Home of Help2Kids where the volunteers and staff ate together and could talk about there mornings. At around half past three the kids of the Children’s Home come home from school and it’s the volunteers job to help them with their homework doing educational exercises or just hang out together and play games. It’s an awesome experience to get to know all these wonderful children and their characters. I think it’s best to go there for as long as possible as you need some time to get into the projects, get to know everyone and feel at home. When I realized I know all the kids and Mamas names and they knew mine that was the moment I felt like I was not a stranger anymore at the Children’s Home but a welcome guest there. That’s why I decided to go back there and volunteer again as often as possible which was the best decision I could make. I really liked working with help2kids and would recommend it to everyone who wants to spend a few months overseas. Help2Kids definitely needs more long-term staff and volunteers as many volunteers are leaving after just one month. During the six months I stayed in Tanzania, I got to know more than 50 volunteers. I think the impact would be much higher for both the kids and the volunteers if they stayed longer.

My time with Help2kids in Tanzanian was really amazing! I enjoyed it a lot! I spend my time there for 2 month and worked in mainly two of the four projects there, in the children's home Ansbach in the Kunduchi Daycare center/Nursery school. The work with the children's in the children's home was really nice, they were all so cool, friendly and they are funny and I really enjoyed it, to spend my time with them, help them doing their homework, talking to them, play with them and joke around a bit, they are like friends for me! The work in the Daycare center/Nursery school in Kunuchi was also really great! The kids are so freaking cute there and they'd area on lovely! I really enjoyed to teach them and to spend time with them! The living situation with help2kids is also very nice! You meet a lot of nice new people who became very close friends for me and the Help2kids staff crew is amazing!! They are so friendly, funny and they help you whenever you need them or want to know anything! I liked it a lorn to spend time with them and to do some activities in our free time together with them! I always felt save with the crew of other volunteers, with the staff and in Dar es Salam! All in all, I loved my time in Tanzania and I will never forget it!! Until now, it was the best time of my life! I really can recommend others to go to Tanzania and work there together wit Help2kids! A huge thank you to everybody who made my time there so special!

Help2kids, without a doubt, has the right aim and goals in mind when it comes to supporting children in Tanzania and Malawi. I'll say why it is a perfect organisation to support and volunteer with and why i would recommend anyone looking to experience a new view on life should come to Tanzania with help2kids. After volunteering in Tanzania, without hesitation and immediately, I made the decision to return and also volunteer in Malawi this summer. However, at the beginning, as i was leaving my home country Ireland, i have to say i hadn't had much of an idea what i was going into. Sure, i knew somewhat what the organisation was about and obviously knew where i was going. But by the end, i realised 'knowing' is completely different to 'experiencing' and 'feeling'. The main factor that made me decide to volunteer with this organisation, at first, was really its title 'help2kids' and the information on the programs that allowed me to get involved and experience children's and adult education and the children's support services there. The new decision to return to Tanzania and volunteer with help2kids in Malwai is much more than that now. I went to Tanzania alone and after the first day, i felt i was at home. Why? Because, sure i was provided with comfortable accommodation (the Friendly Gecko), bedroom and living room, but what was more was because of the people i was sharing this accommodation and experience with. I was warmly treated, supported and welcomed by the volunteer coordinator who i can now call a close friend. I shared my room with a member of staff of help2kids who i can now call a brother. Also, the caretakers of the house were more than welcoming and trusting, keeping the house perfectly homelike, completely safe and cool for anyone wishing to come abroad and stay. I quickly bonded with my fellow volunteers who were sharing this experience with me. We understood each other. That being said, i was the only Irish person and the only volunteer who's native language was English, which makes how i quickly felt at home all the more amazing and surprising. Nonetheless, everyone i met had more than sufficient English skills to communicate with me, even the lovely children, with many thanks to help2kids. Also, as well as my fellow volunteers, I had time to get to know many of the staff working for help2kids and nothing convinced me of how trustworthy the organisation was more than how welcoming, committed and well intentioned they were. Its also important, no matter where you go, to be kept busy and have fun. Volunteering at the Bajeviro primary school and making English conversation with the locals at the Kunduchi English corner taught me a lot of lessons and provided me with a lot of opportunities. First, i learned that good teaching comes with good character. The teachers and workers at these schools not only made me feel warm and comfortable and became awesome friends, they also proved that being a popular teacher and getting on well with the children/students, makes coming to school a desire. The most important thing for them was getting the students attending and enjoying school. That is the most important step in education which i think Bajeviro school, Kunduchi day care and English corner, without a doubt, had mastered and which, many schools in the developed world can learn from. Second, i was given the opportunity to teach and assist teaching English and Maths. The interesting thing here is that i didn't need to speak Swahili to be able to teach English and Maths. Teaching basic things like nouns, verbs and tenses, adjectives and adverbs was very fun because it was simple for me and fun to attempt to explain. It was also nice to provide some English teaching support to some of the teachers. Third, It was also lovely to learn their language of Swahili and learning it taught me how beautiful a language can be. Fourth, not only was there such positive spirit in singing every so often but there was also a lot of positive vibe in dancing with the children and teachers. Of course, volunteers don't have to teach but they can assist and learn about what the education system is like. At the Kunduchi English corner, i was given the opportunity to make general English conversation and teach some English such as the word 'awesome' with some of local adults. These conversations were simple but very effective for leaning English. We talked about subjects and topics such as education, politics, love and friendship. What made these conversations really fun was that, sure i was teaching some basic and complicated English words in English but they often turned into funny but heated debates. What was more important and lovely, however, was that these people became friends to me and the rest of the volunteers, no matter how different some of our views were. We were different and come from completely different places but the feeling of friendship and love was common and similar. After teaching at the school everyday, i also had the opportunity to visit the children's home where some children lived and were looked after. I can honestly say, i had just as much fun as the children did playing games, chasing and chatting with each other. The caretakers at the children's home who gave such love and attention to the children were also very welcoming and kind. I spent a lot of time with the children here and got to know some of them as friends as we talk. Myself and the other volunteers also had the opportunity to host a movie night for them at the Friendly Gecko and we even attended a communion for some of them. It was interesting to experience such a communion with such a different culture. Travelling from one place to the other was also very fun and fascinating as a volunteer. Of course, it wouldn't have been easy if it weren't some of my fellow, experienced volunteers going to the same places as me. I quickly got used to taking a lift off different Bajajis and bus's and to the currency. Experiencing the transport system in Tanzania was fascinating. However, there was a fair amount of walking to do from time to time. But that didn't stop me from keeping my eyes open, looking all around me, observing how different general life is. I took some trips with my fellow volunteers into highly populated and/or historic towns as we were guided by my new friends from the English corner. Again, these trips kept my eyes busy and fixed on anything that was different. But seeing such inequality while travelling was concerning. Myself and other volunteers also made some trips to nice hotels with outdoor pools and bars located on the beach. Although visiting these nice hotels was relaxing and enjoyable, it was uncomfortable to know the local people surrounding the area were unable to access them. Although i knew there was inequality before i arrived, i had never experienced it this much from one end of the perspective. However, one thing i can't ignore is how lucky people there are to have each other and how lucky the children i met are to have quality and progressing education and health services provided by help2kids. Its also hard to ignore how open these kind of opportunities to have different experiences are to me. This is an experience one should try fit into life at least once.

I had the chance to volunteer in Tanzania with the organization help2kids. It was really easy for me to decide that I wanted to go to Tanzania. All my questions were answered quickly and in a helpful way. I didn't have any doubts before going abroad and I was right. Everything went smoothly and I was welcomed friendly at the guest house. Having many other volunteers from different countries around me was really helpful for getting around in Dar es Salaam and getting to the projects and back with public transportation. There are different projects you can take part in. In the morning, I was working with children at a Daycare center teaching them basic English and helping the teacher with taking care of them. In the afternoon, I was teaching English with other volunteers and teachers to adults who were mostly fishermen. The locals are very friendly and grateful for any help we can give them. They appreciate everyone and everything which is why, becoming friends and feeling like a family, was natural. I was sleeping in a dormitory with other volunteers. The beds are all equipped with mosquito nets so you don't have to bring one with you. The "mamas" are very kind and really good cooks. The guest house is really big so that you can have some me-time whenever you want but still enjoy the time with other volunteers and staff. I enjoyed every single minute in Tanzania and would recommend the organization help2kids to everyone. The projects are very transparent and you know what you are working on. Tanzania is also a very safe country, despite some reports on the internet. Everyone is very kind and ready to help. I always felt that my work is appreciated which made me feel very emotional when having to say goodbye. It is definitely a life experience anyone should try out. I'm hoping to go back next year for a longer period of time. Last time was the first time I took part in a project abroad. I wished I could've stayed longer since time passes by really fast. For anyone who's going abroad as a volunteer for the first time, I would recommend to stay longer because you will never regret it. On the contrary, you will be really sad for leaving so soon. Generally speaking, I think help2kids is offering really good projects to volunteers. The best part, in my opinion, is that yes, volunteers are needed but they make sure that locals can also work on the projects which helps the economy of Tanzania as well. So... Don't think further and go to Tanzania with help2kids!